Accidentally Bitten by The Alpha

Chapter 11

Taking a shaky step back, I take one, very long, very deep breath. I just need to stay calm, then maybe I might make it out of this alive. How did I let myself get stuck in this situation, standing face to face with three strange, rough men in the middle of a field with nowhere to go except the sparsely wooded landscape along a dank trail leading into the marsh? I could make a dash for it and hope to hide, but from where I stand there wouldn't be enough hidden places to go.

If I want to survive this in one piece, I need to go back the way I came. Even though it's further away, there will be other people who will hopefully see me. Then, maybe, I can call the cops or flag someone down for a ride back to the college.

I just need to find the right moment to flee before the three of them box me in and I have nowhere to go.

“I’m not the person you think I am,” I try one more time to convince them as I take two more shuffling steps backward. “And I don’t have any money, see” I turn out my pockets to show them that all I have is a handful of those useless vouchers. "Just these vouchers.You can take them, here," I hand them forward, my hand shaking as I throw them to the ground hoping that would be enough to distract them. "I don't need them. They're for you."

"You think we're going to pick those up from the ground like some kind of a pet," the leader snarls as one by one they continue moving forward, ignoring the vouchers that are scattering on the wind. "You think you're so much better than us because you come from that stupid college?"

"I wasn't trying to be rude, I just..." Stumbling over my words, I try to explain myself. "My hands slipped and I..."

But the leader shakes his head, “What’s in the bag, little girl,” he scratches his chin while eyeballing the canvas bookbag I'm using as a makeshift purse. "I bet a smart girl like you has something in that bag that we can use."

He reaches forward and snatches the bag from my shoulder with a snap, tearing the bandage off of my bite. They stop to stare at it, taking a step closer. "Oh, looks like someone marked her."

"Some alpha by the size of those fang marks," the leader examined me, the foul scent of his breath making me gag. From the rot in their mouths, to the crusted scabs on their hands and feet, the three of them look and smell like rotten garbage. Whoever they are, they haven't had a proper bath in ages. I'd almost feel bad for them if they weren't robbing me.

“I don’t have anything you’d want," I swear, taking a step back as one of his flunkies dump out the contents of my bag onto the ground, the leader eyeing my neck with a curious look on his face. As he reaches forward, I wince in anticipation as I watch the other two sifting through my meager belongings--my notebook, a few pens, some more vouchers, my student ID and the small white pill bottle Patrick had given me the night before.

"Do I smell wolfsbane?" he throws my bag over his shoulder and picks up the pill bottle lying in the tall grass. Opening it, he inhales deeply, his eyes closing in ecstasy. "You've been holding out on us. This is some prime grade herb. Mixed with a little something extra too," he licks the air as if sampling it on his tongue. "Oh yes, this will do nicely."

"Hand it over, Mike," one of the other men reached for the bottle, but their leader, Mike, held it over his head, tightening the cap once more.

"Why do you get to keep it?" the other man groans, "We all should get a share. We all deserve to."

"Since when have I ever cared about what you think you deserve?" The leader turns and snarls at them. "I'm the one in control here."

"How about this, you keep the girl, but give me some of those....

I don't wait to hear what the rest of them have to say. Spinning on my heel, I turn and run as fast as I can.

"Get her," one of them shouted, noticing I'm trying to go. "I don't know which one of those mutts she belongs to, but she's got to be worth something to some alpha with a mark like that on her neck."

There is a quick shuffle of feet as the three large men begin to chase, shouting after me like dogs yapping after a cat. When I look back, I see they are gaining on me, their bulk doing nothing to slow them down. Even though I had a head start, they are quickly gaining on me, their leader far enough in the front that I can hear the jagged hitch to his breathing as he sucks in more air and charges forward.

I make a mad dash for the road. Looking over my shoulder. I don't see them anywhere, but I can hear them as if they are right on top of me, their voices echoing in my mind. They want me. They want to do things to me that make no sense, things involving tearing me to pieces and leaving my body for revenge.

I must be going insane. How can they be screaming these things at me if I can't even see them?

Returning my attention to the path ahead, I push myself harder, trying to put as much space between me and those men as I can. My lungs feel like they are going to explode as I power along, but I can't stop because if I do, they will catch me, and if they catch me I'm dead. I want to look again back to see how close they are, but I can hear my freedom calling me forward, the dull sound of cars driving by humming along like the distant sound of the ocean behind me. If I can just make it to the street, if I could just make it out into the open where others can see, they won't be able to hurt me. Right?

A distant roar catches my attention, like dogs fighting on the breeze. There is a loud snapping of teeth and yelps of pain. Unable to stop myself, I slowly turn my head to see what looks like a small pack of dogs descending on three mangy looking animals, their eyes wide with fear.

Wait, those aren't dogs fighting. They are far too large. Those are wolves, very very large wolves.

I stop, unable to look away, unable to do anything other than stare as creatures ranging in color from brown to white circle up, tearing apart the sad looking creatures, bits of flesh and blood flying as their dying screams fill the air.

I wasn't imagining things the other day. They do have wolves on this island. And by the look of them, they are fierce, fearless, and hungry.

Did they get my attackers too? Did they get to them first before turning on these dogs?

Am I next?

"Oh God," I cry, my eyes burning as tears stream down my cheeks. If those junkies don't kill me, it's going to be the wolves. Either way I'm prey.

I'm so close to the road, but will it matter?

Not daring to turn my back on the scene, I walked backwards slowly, wishing I could cover my eyes so I didn't see the c*****e before me. Which is why I don't notice the stick until I crush it under my heel, releasing a loud, clear, snap.

The leader of the group, a large black beast with glowing eyes the color of spring leaves, turns towards me as the sound of me stumbling over my feet draws his attention.

"Don't eat me," I beg as I stand and turn, doing the one thing I know you shouldn't do when you encounter a wolf: run.

Panting, I can hear paws hitting the ground behind me and I'm reminded of my weird dream and the way it felt to chase and be chased. But this isn't a dream, this is real. I am really being chased by wolves, only a few feet away from town.

"HELP!" I scream. "SOMEONE!! PLEASE! There are WOLVES! I..."

Something catches the toe of my sneaker and I fall forward, hitting the ground with a hard thwack.

The last thing I see as I lay there stunned, my vision going black, are the green eyes of the black wolf as he opens his mouth to howl.