Craving the Alpha king

Chapter 2

Marra Vale

The morning air was sharp with frost when they dragged me from my room, I was locked up last night to prevent me from trying to escape again. I barely had time to register the cold before rough hands clamped around my arms and hauled me into the courtyard. My mother’s and brother's cries echoed from somewhere behind me, but they didn’t let me look back.

My mother and brother ran after me, begging them to let me go but they completely ignored them “Stop” I twisted jerking against their grip “I can walk by myself”

“Not taking any chances” one guard growled shoving me forward In the center of the courtyard, a black carriage waited it was sleek, reinforced with silver plating. Its doors bore the Alpha King’s crest two wolves locked in a death spiral. The horses that pulled it were massive their coats as dark as midnight, their eyes gleaming with an unnatural light I dug my heels into the dirt "I am not getting in there”

The two guards looked at each other, they didn’t argue they simply lifted me off the ground and tossed me inside like I weighed nothing the door slammed shut, the lock clicking into place.

The air inside the carriage was heavy with wolfsbane my throat burned just breathing it in two guards climbed in after me, one on either side leaving me no room to move the carriage lurched forward. My pulse kept time with the rumbling of the wheels over the frozen earth but one thing was for sure I wasn't going to allow myself to be treated like a prisoner and taking to that monster.

I waited until we passed the last row of houses before making my move, a sharp twist of my wrist dislocated my thumb, letting me slip free of one shackle pain flared throughout my body but I bit it down the guard to my left didn’t notice until I lunged for the door.

“What the...”i quickly shoved him back kicking the other square in the chest. The door burst open cold wind howling in and without thinking I leapt. The ground rushed up to meet me, knocking the breath from my lungs. I rolled to my feet, ignoring the burning in my knees and bolted into the forest branches whipped at my face My wolf clawed to the surface desperate to shift, but the wolfsbane still fogged my veins. Suddenly I stumbled upon a tree branch but I caught myself and kept running.

I could hear them behind me boots pounding and voices shouting "faster" my heart was pounding in my chest, I fought the urge to look back remembering what my father always told me whenever we were playing hide and seek "Remember Marra whenever you are running you should never look back.. looking back will only slow you down".

The trees thinned and for a brief wild moment I thought I had made it. The open fields stretched ahead glistening with frost If only I could just reach them..... Suddenly a heavy weight slammed into my back, driving me to the ground. My cheek hit the dirt the metallic taste of blood flooding my mouth I growled in pain “Nice try” the guard panted yanking my arms behind me the shackles snapped back into place biting deeper into my flesh this time “But you’re not going anywhere” he added.

I didn’t speak, my throat was raw from breathing so hard my chest tight with fury.. sadness and hatred.

They dragged me back to the carriage this time they tied my ankles too, I looked down at my hands remembering how my father cared and fought for everyone in our pack.. but this is how they all repay him, by sacrificing his daughter just to save their own necks, tears began rolling down from my eyes blurring my vision "why did you have to leave so soon dad?"

The rest of the journey passed in silence the only sound was the creak of the wheels and the rhythmic clop of hooves hours later, the road widened and the forest gave way to looming black stone walls... We have arrived at the Alpha King’s palace.

It wasn’t a castle it was a fortress... tall, brutal built to intimidate everyone, the gates stood ten times the height of a man, their surface carved with snarling wolves and ancient battle scenes. Spires pierced the sky like the claws of some sleeping beast.

The carriage stopped.

The guards opened the door and pulled me out my boots crunching on the frost, some of my pack members stood there..Elder Thorne was among them for a heartbeat I thought he might say something an apology a warning or Anything, I know it's too late to stop all this I have already arrived at the palace but he will at least say goodbye right?

But he only gave a curt nod to the palace guards then they turned their backs and left me standing there alone in the shadow of the gates the palace guards didn’t waste time before I could even think of escaping they seized me their armor cold against my skin and marched me through the gates. The sound of them clanging shut behind me echoed like the sealing of a tomb.

We crossed a courtyard lit by flickering torches, passed through towering archways and entered a hall so vast my footsteps vanished in the silence black marble floors reflected the firelight with large silver chandeliers that hung like frozen webs we climbed up a flight of winding stairs and walked down a corridor lined with massive doors each door carved with intricate runes The air here was warmer…but heavier.

I didn’t realize where they were taking me until we stopped at the final door one guard knocked once then the door swung open without a sound I glanced inside but it was so dark, the only source of light was a fire in the hearth casting shadows on the walls the scent in the air hit me first it was rich wild and powerful enough to make my wolf stir despite the wolfsbane then suddenly...they shoved me forward.

And I stumbled across the threshold into the Alpha King’s chamber.