Chapter2
1314 Words
IRVINE'S POV
“Who are you people, and what did you do to my horse!” I yelled, holding my sword tightly.
“We've got a damsel this time around huh?” I heard one of them say, and they began laughing hysterically.
My breath hitched as I looked into their unfamiliar faces; they looked different from the other wolves I had met; they looked… dangerous!
Sweats were dropping down from my forehead, and my breathing was getting heavier in fear, but I stood taller, squaring my shoulders, refusing to show weakness; I needed to face them.
“What do you want from me?” I asked boldly, using my eyes to count them and how many I could defeat. Sadly, there were more than seven, so it would be too difficult for me to escape.
Even if I wanted to fight them all, I could only use my powers when I shapeshifted, but these hungry faces wouldn't spare me enough time.
“Oh no, what should I do?” I mumbled inwardly.
“She looks fierce yet tiny. Haha.” One of them commented, and the others laughed.
“Hey tiny!” One of them yelled and walked closer to me.
“Stay away from me or I'll kill you!” I threatened.
“Kill?” The man scoffed and was about to step closer when I pointed my sword at him.
“I said I would kill you if you come near me,” I said coldly, and the man laughed again, then he stopped and frowned.
“Seize her!” I heard the same voice say, and they charged forward with eering growls.
The hand holding the sword was already trembling; I felt a heat from within. My wolf wanted to come out, but before it shapeshifted completely, I would have been struck dead.
This was hard. Why did the moon goddess make my human form weak and helpless?
Summoning the last ounce of strength in me, I began swinging my sword wildly, causing them to halt.
“I told you, if you come close to me, I wi…” Without warning, an intense pain exploded at the back of my neck, and I found myself drowning in darkness.
*******
“Wake up!” I heard a faint voice whisper in my ear, and slowly, I opened my eyes to scan my location. My eyes darted across the empty room, and I immediately sat up.
“Where am I? How did I get here?” I mumbled in confusion, trying to remember how I got here.
“You're finally up.” I heard a female voice speak behind me, and I turned to look at her.
“Who are you?” I asked her, and she crossed her legs on the cold floor.
“I am a captive, just like you.” The girl spoke, and that was when realization hit me, and memories of what happened rushed to my mind.
“Where are we? How did we get here? The competition! Oh no! My Father!” I began to panic as I looked around the empty room.
“I have no answers to all your questions.” The lady spoke sadly before hugging her legs in fear.
“Those people… who are they?” I asked, hoping to get a positive answer from her.
“Rogues.” She mumbled, and I looked at her in confusion.
“What do you mean by rogue? Rogues have been sent far away from the woods. It can't be possible!” I countered.
She tilted her head slightly, her voice laced with sadness. “I have been here for a week now, more captives brought and taken away, some dead and thrown away; they're rogues. And are very dangerous.” She said, making me shiver in fear.
Truly, those I met in the forest looked dangerous. And who could have thought a single jab could make me fall unconscious?
“Look, I need to escape. I have to be at a competition tomorrow. My father must be very worried about me.” I told her, breathing frantically.
“I have tried to escape; the only window that brings in ventilation is over there. Not even a cat can pass through.” She spoke and pointed at a window that was above normal window level.
“The door… yes,” I mumbled and immediately stood up and went to the door. I touched it and frowned immediately.
“It doesn't have a handle?” I asked, and the girl stood up from the floor and walked closer to the door too.
“Sadly, it doesn't. They are smart, after all. There's no escape for us.” The girl spoke and went back to her previous position.
I glanced at the girl and shook my head. She looked a bit younger than me; her face was pale, dirt smudged her cheeks, and her matted hair fell in uneven strands. She obviously looked like she had given up on escaping.
I slid down the wall, the cold concrete chilling my back as I lost myself in thoughts. What if the elders had given me their blessings? Would I have gotten there safely? Should I blame my father for his pride and overconfidence?
Suddenly, the door creaked open, and a huge man came into view. In his left hand were plates, which he dropped harshly on the floor.
“Pick the plates up now!” He ordered coldly, and I immediately picked mine up and batted my lashes at him in fear.
“Come in!” He yelled, and immediately, a little girl rushed into the room with a bowl containing soup.
“Scoop some in their plates!” He continued in his usual tone, and the girl got to work.
After she had done that, he dismissed her and brought out two loaves from his dirty pouch and handed them to us.
“Eat the meal. Once I'm back and I realize you haven't touched your meal, I'll kill you.” The man threatened, and I gulped down my saliva.
The man left afterwards, and the girl began eating hungry. Within a few seconds, she finished her meal and glanced at me.
“You don't love your life?” She asked, and I kept quiet.
“Well, I'd love it on your behalf; pass me your meal.” She said, and I passed it to her. She likewise ravaged it in seconds and passed it back to me.
A few minutes passed, and the creaking door announced the man's return. The girl's eyes darted to mine, our bodies tensing as we sprang to our feet. The dim fluorescent light above cast eerie shadows on his menacing face.
As fear gripped me, my heart pounded, and my dry mouth tasted bitter with fear. His suspicious gaze flicked from me to the empty plate, then swept the room, sending a shiver down my spine.
Seeing there was no crumb on the floor, he walked towards the girl and sniffed her mouth. “You ate yours.” He commented, and my eyes widened in shock.
The girl's eyes darted to mine, worry etched on her pale face, and my hands began trembling in nervousness. I didn't eat mine; would he find out?
The man walked closer to me and grabbed my jaw roughly, bringing his nose closer to my mouth.
He growled slowly, releasing my jaw, but his anger was only intensifying, and I knew I was in trouble.
“How dare you!” He thundered, bulging his red eyes, and I felt a loud thud on my cheek, followed by a tingling pain. I barely had time to react before his hand raised again, this time balled into a fist.
My heart stopped. This time, he wasn’t just going to hit me—he was going to kill me.
- Writer
