Bound to the enemy Alpha

CHAPTER 3

SABRINA

Standing in the middle of nowhere, I hugged my arms against the cold when a sound broke through the silence; boots crunching against the snow and dirt.

My heart leapt, relief flooded my chest. The guards must have returned from where they had gone. I spun around to face them but the relief drained from my face in an instant.

It wasn’t the guards but dozens of men emerging from the shadows of the trees, their steps heavy, their hoods low.

Their presence is suffocating, the air seemed to darken with them. My breath hitched as dread clawed at my throat.

The ragged scars, the stench of blood and smoke that clung them, the way their eyes gleamed like predators, I knew they were rogues.

I have heard tales about them back in bloodmoon, of how savage, merciless, untamed they are. They have no pack, no Alpha, they only thrived on slaughter and chaos and now they surrounded me.

“My, oh my… what a treasure,” A voice drawled.

A man stepped forward, grinning wide enough to reveal rotting, blackened teeth. He spread his arms as if welcoming me to my nightmare.

“Wh-who are you? What have you done to my guards?” My voice quivered as I demanded.

The man chuckled, low and hungry. “Guards? We didn’t see any guards. But we did stumble across a lovely meal.” he licked his lips obscenely, his eyes glinting.

Disgust and fury surged through me. “How dare you! Do you know who I am?” the words burst out, but my voice cracked, thin and trembling.

“Oh, I know exactly who you are… you’re the princess of bloodmoon, the sunshine of the bloodmoon pack. A worthy prize indeed, that will fetch us a fortune with Eastern warriors.” His grin widened, feverish with delight.

My stomach dropped. “E-Eastern warriors?” I stammered.

“Yes, princess, you stand on the borders of Duskbane… where your father’s enemies reside. They will be so happy to have you; the daughter of the almighty Alpha Fabian.” he purred mockingly.

My heart pounded, no that’s not true. I was heading to Nightclaws, I was heading to the west. Panic clawed at my chest as realization struck me.

Why would the guards bring me this way? Why would they abandon me in the enemy’s territory? Something was terribly, horribly wrong somewhere.

My gaze darted frantically around the snow dusted trees, searching desperately for an escape. I couldn’t end up in the hands of my father’s enemies. If the rogues don't kill me, the eastern warriors surely would.

“We better get going, boss,” one of the rogues muttered.

Before I could react, rough hands clamped around my arms. A startled scream tore from my throat. It was cut short as a dark sack was yanked over my head, swallowing me in suffocating blackness.

“Boss, why not have some fun with her first, before selling her off?” a rasping voice hissed close to my ear.

The stench of his breath made me gag. Wicked laughters erupted from the others, the sound vile and merciless, echoing in the silence of the woods.

I felt nauseous immediately. No, I am meant for the goddess, pure and untouched. My chest heaved, I will not let these animals defile me, I would rather die.

My body surged with panic and defiance. I kicked and twisted violently, my wrists aching against the man’s grip.

“Keep still, princess! Or I will let my men take their turns.” the leader snarled, his voice edged with cruelty.

The crack of his palm struck my face through the sack, the force rattling my teeth, but it only fueled me more. I kicked harder, I fought, I refused to go down without a fight.

“Boss… someone's coming,” one of the rogues whispered.

At those words, I froze. My heart lurched in my chest, the guards, they must be coming back. Hope flared inside me, fragile and desperate.

I whispered silently to the goddess, begging for rescue. The grip on my hand tightened like iron chains.

“It’s just one person, tie the princess, and let’s move.” the leader snapped, his tone dismissive.

“But boss… the man isn’t stopping, he’s just walking toward us.” the same nervous rogue stammered, his voice quivering.

Through the thick sack, my ears picked up the steady, deliberate sound of boots crunching against the frozen dirt. Each step was slow, deliberate, carrying a weight that made my skin crawl.

“He… he looks like an eastern warrior, his attire…” the nervous rogue said again.

“He’s just one man! Eastern warrior or eastern wolf, whatever he is, just kill him and strip him for anything of value!” the leader barked a harsh laugh.

I trembled at the grip of the rogue leader, hot tears streaking down my cheeks beneath the suffocating sack. My chest rose and fell in ragged breaths, praying, pleading the goddess intervene.

“Stop right there, Duskbane wolf… or should I say, eastern warrior,” one of the rogues hissed.

The footsteps ceased, a silence followed; thick and charged, like the world itself held its breath. Through the weave of the sack, I caught the faintest glimpse of a tall figure.

“You’re blocking my path, get out of the way.” a voice broke through the stillness, low, rough and tired.

The growl that followed wasn’t loud, but it rippled through the air, enough to raise the hair at the back of my neck.

“There’s only one of you… and many of us. Be wise, and hand over everything you have in your possession.” the rogue leader sneered.

“I’ve already gotten enough blood on my hands today… but a little more doesn’t matter to me. I will say it once more. Leave the way.” the warrior replied, his tone bored, yet edged with something lethal.

The leader erupted into laughter, mocking and sharp. “How dare you! Get him down!” he barked.

The roars of the rogues filled the air, I could hear them shifting; bones snapping, growls deepening but a growl tore through the chaos, darker and far more powerful.

The leader of the rogues released my bound wrists and purged towards the fights. The atmosphere erupted into violence.

Snarls, screams, the sickening ripping of flesh, the stench of blood thickened the air until I gagged beneath the sack.

I had never heard or seen a battle before. My body shook violently. One warrior against dozens of rogues? And yet the cries of dying rogues told me otherwise.

“P-please! Have mercy, warrior of Duskbane!” the leader’s voice rang out, suddenly drenched in terror.

I stilled, what kind of warrior could bring more than dozen rogues to their knees?

“Why should I have mercy? I warned you.” the warrior’s voice rumbled back, low and unyielding.

“We…we were only following orders! I swear it… we weren’t paid enough for the girl!” the leader babbled desperately.

My stomach dropped. Paid? He must be lying to save his life. My thoughts spun in a frenzy,

“What girl are you talking about? The warrior asked coldly.

“Her!” the rogue leader’s voice trembled as he pointed toward me.

“I see,” the warrior said as a wet, sharp sound split the air, followed by the guttural scream of the rogue leader.

My heart lurched into my throat, as I stumbled back blindly, panic taking over me. I had to run, I had to get away before his attention turns to me.

I turned, fumbling in the snow with bound hands, desperate to escape.

“Where do you think you are going?” his voice cut through, deep and merciless.