The Pack’s Treason

Captive

My naked feet hit the wet grass with soft thumping sounds in rapid succession as I ran as fast as my weak human form allowed me to. Branches were whipping my face and arms making me wince, but I tried my best to ignore them and keep going. I glanced behind me, trying to see where my attacker was, but it was dark and the vegetation was hiding him from me. I could not even hear him with the wind whistling in my ears and the sound of my blood pumping like crazy in my veins. There was a metal taste in my mouth, yet if I stopped running I was done for, so I kept going, trying to find out how to get back to the pack house or anywhere else where I could get some help. Unfortunately, I had no idea where I was. It was too dark and I had already fled far away from my pack before that unknown wolf found me. I cursed at myself. How could I have been so stupid as to get lost and separated from my pack members? I didn't even know how to defend myself! And now Nyx wasn't even answering my pleas for help.

"Nyx, you can't leave me like this!" I screamed in desperation at the void in my head, the space where I used to be able to feel Nyx's presence. Unfortunately, she didn't answer me any more than she did the last ten times I tried to reach her. I could've screamed in frustration if I hadn't been so out of breath.

Suddenly, my feet hit something before getting caught in it, sending me flying. I fell forward with a yelp and landed on my hands and knees to keep me from face-planting on the ground. I could feel rocks nicking at my skin but I grit my teeth and pulled myself up. If this wolf caught me, his teeth would do way more damage than those little scratches. Before I could start running again, two arms came up from behind me, one hand squeezed around my throat, the other muzzling me. My already panicked mind raced trying to find a way to free myself from my aggressor. I immediately started kicking, thrashing and clawing at the attacker's arms. He didn't let go even as I heard a definitively masculine voice curse me out, panting a bit under my assault. I bit the hand that was gagging me and he removed it from my face, swearing again in reaction to the pain. I wasted no time and screamed as loudly as I could in the hope someone would hear me and come to my help.

"Shut up! Stop fighting! I don't want to have to hurt you!"

Like hell I would listen to him! I yelled again, but this time he squeezed my neck harder, until my cry died out. I kept kicking and clawing at his hands to try to get him to stop chocking me, but my vision was becoming clouded due to the lack of air. "I can't die like this", I thought in horror.

"Nyx, please!" I tried reaching my wolf one last time. We were going to die and the last things I would have ever said to her were absolutely mean, hurtful, terrible things. Regret filled me as I finally felt my limbs go limp and my vision go dark.

***

"Wake up, Crimson Fangs trash!"

I was pulled out of my slumber by a hand slapping me violently across the cheek. I gasped as I opened my eyes, trying to make sense of where I was and what was happening. I wasn't dead, that was for sure. Every single part of my body hurt, especially my neck which must have been pretty badly bruised and the scrapes on my hands and knees from my fall in the forest. I was sitting on an uncomfortable wooden chair, my hands tied behind the back with metal shackles. Other chains were encircling my waist and keeping my ankles bound together. To my relief, I wasn't naked anymore, someone had dressed me in an ugly white itchy shapeless dress. Better than nothing.

I finally realized there was a man standing in front of me and glared at him. He had to be the one who just hit me. Probably the wolf who chased me in the forest and abducted me, too. He was tall and stood over me menacingly. In the dimly lit room we were currently in, I could barely see his traits, but I could make out his satisfied expression. Crimson Fangs trash? Who did he think he was to speak like that about my pack? More importantly, why did he have me chained up and what did he want from me?

"You better let me go!" I tried to sound confident but my voice was almost gone and came out like a croak. My throat really hurt from being choked until I passed out and I coughed to clear it with little results. "Once my father realizes I'm gone and he finds out you're the one who kidnapped me, he's gonna make you regret it!"

This only made him snicker.

"Yeah, I don't think so. You're not worth the danger he would put himself and his pack in if he ever tried to attack us."

This time I was the one to scoff.

"My father isn't afraid of anyone. He's the Alpha of one of the strongest packs in all of North America," I replied proudly.

He didn't seem impressed at all and leaned over me. From this close, I saw scars running all over his face and felt shivers run down my spine. What could leave such marks on a wolf? We usually heal from pretty much any wound without it leaving a trace. He looked at me smugly when he realized he had made me lose contenance.

"Yes. The Crimson Fangs pack is ONE of the strongest in North America. But so are we."

I froze. I had never thought there were other packs that could rival mine. Thinking about it, that was pretty arrogantly stupid of me. At least, that meant one thing. I now knew I was taken captive by another pack, not by a lone wolf or rogues. That was precious information, especially if I ever wanted to get out of there alive.

"Enough, Creed." Another male voice made me jump and I spun my head to the side to try and see who had spoken. Another werewolf emerged from the shadows. "Why don't you tell her where we're situated, while you're at it?"

"What? But I didn't say anything that could put us in trouble..." The first man replied in a defensive tone.

"We're not here to make conversation with the prisoner." The newcomer turned towards me and got a knife out from the side of his belt."We're here to gather intel."

I gasped when the dim light of the room reflected itself on the blade. That glow... that was a silver knife for sure. I peeked at my chains to confirm my suspicions. Yeah, that was also silver. These guys were not playing. Weirdly enough, I could not feel any burning where the metal was in contact with my skin. Maybe I was wrong and it was just some random alloy?

"I... I'm not a warrior or anything. I don't know anything that could be of any interest to you," I stuttered quickly. I didn't want to test if that weapon really was silver or not. My words triggered the laugh of the guy called Creed.

"Yes, we could tell by how little you fought when we caught you! You did not even shift when you saw Rhett come at you in wolf form!" He exclaimed, obviously finding my weakness hilarious. I couldn't help but feel vexed. I did try to shift, it was not my fault Nyx stopped talking to me!

"I wouldn't laugh so much if I were you. She did bit you pretty hard and hit you in the nuts before you could restrain her. You walked funny for an hour afterwards," the other werewolf said, annoyed at his friend.

It was my turn to smirk smugly even though I was in a pretty precarious situation. Serves him right! And I would do it again, given the chance!

Creed scowled and went to a corner where he sat down to sulk. Rhett turned his attention to me once again.

"It's obvious that you're not a fighter, but I don't care. You probably know way more about Crimson Fangs than a mere warrior, being Alpha Stephen Brooks' daughter. And now, you are going to answer my every question."

He waved the knife in front of my face and I instantly lost my smile and started sweating. How did I end up in so much trouble? I didn't even know any pack secrets. My father never told me anything important or confidential, he would not waste his time with me. It's not like this type of thing ever interested me either. I let my brother worry about it as he was the one about to be Alpha. Anyway, if I knew something, I wouldn't disclose anything as I was loyal to my pack. I glanced at his determined expression and fear once again took ahold of me. I could see in his eyes there was no way I could convince him that I was clueless. I could only brace myself for the torture I was inevitably going to experience.

“I’ll start with something easy just to test you. How many warriors have Crimson Fangs trained in total?” He asked calmly.

I didn’t answer and kept my gaze down, trying to think of something to get me out of this situation. I could try lying? But I needed a number close from the truth, otherwise he would guess it was a lie if it sounded too ridiculous. Unfortunately, I had no idea how many warriors a pack the size of mine could have. 50? A 100? More?

“I don’t know,” I ended up replying, gritting my teeth, waiting for the blow. It didn’t take long for the pain to course through me as the man slowly ran the blade across one of my arms. I tried containing my scream unsuccessfully. It rang in my ears and seemed to echo in the small, empty room. He finally took a step back and let out a deep shaking breath. The cut was deep and bled profusely, but thankfully, the weapon must not have been silver since my flesh didn't start to burn and sizzle in contact with it. It still stung like crazy, though.

“Let’s start again, shall we? How. Many. Warriors?”

This time, I didn’t bother replying and just prepared myself mentally for the next attack. Surely enough, he started cutting my skin again, right next to the first wound. I was expecting the pain so I didn’t scream but a sob escaped me as I just tried to endure it, closing my eyes… Suddenly, I heard a door open behind me.

“ STOP THIS! GET AWAY FROM MY MATE RIGHT NOW!”