Every day after my shift, I left the main house through the back door and used a route in the flower garden to get to the building I resided in. Usually, there was no one in that place, but occasionally id meet a couple chatting or walking around while holding hands.
On my day of escape, I was unlucky because I ran into Jardon. I had planned to branch off the flower garden and head to the woods instead of taking the path that led to our building.
“Look, who we have here.” He said, coming to stand in front of me. I had no option but to stop walking because he was blocking my way.
“What do you want, sir?” I inquired.
“You,” he said, touching my cheek with his cold hand. I resisted the urge to push it away. Jardon looked really strong and I was not seeking to get killed.
“I’m sorry sir but I have to go. My shift is over and I would like to rest.”
“Why are you so arrogant? I’m the one in charge here and I will decent when you leave. I have been wanting you for so long.”
I was beginning to feel restless. He was interrupting my plans. I glanced at his bulging upper arms, then at his head. It was big and strong. I wanted to hit him, but I could see that it would not do anything to him. It would not affect him or make him unconscious. Instead, it would make him angry which would not help my cause.
He caressed my cheek with his cold hands which made me shiver. It turned away.
“Who the hell do think you are, little missy?” he stepped closer and forcefully pulled my head closer to his. When our lips touched, I bit his upper lip out of anger. He pushed me off with so much force that I ended up falling to the ground. He stomped on my right leg before walking away. I cried out in pain as ran a palm over it.
When he was gone, I waited for the healing to kick in. once the pain was gone, I stood up and made my way into the thick trees. I continued walking till I reached the hiding spot. I sat down near a shrub and waited for that girl to return. I waited but I did not see her. I concluded that she had not left the pack that day. Come what may, I was leaving.
The world was still as I made my way towards the boundary. Throwing all caution to the wind, I decided to run. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. I didn’t stop until I came across a clearing. Since I had no idea where I was, I decided to look around and find a path to follow. I was still trying to scan the area when I felt an arrow penetrate my upper arm. Without wasting a minute, I started to run as fast my legs could take me.
Because it was really dark under some of the trees, I found myself colliding with one and falling back. Immediately someone pounced on me. Another werewolf. I tried to push him off but he wouldn’t budge. I bit his hand and he yelled before hitting my head with a rock. I screamed out in pain before losing consciousness.
When I came to, I was chained to a tree in a dense part of the forest. There was a small shack right by the tree which calmed me down a bit. I realized that I may have been kidnapped by rogues.
“Hello,” I yelled. “Is anyone here?”
“Shut up,” a voice called out from the shack. A woman stepped out. She was wearing a light brown dress and had long black hair that fell all the way to her back in waves. Her skin was pale and her eyes a deep shade of green.
“Who are you?” I asked.
“Nia,” she said. “Why are you shouting?”
“Well, I want to know why you kidnapped me.”
“I want to know why you were running,” she said. “You don’t look like those emaciated slaves of that pack. Let me guess, you’re that lady who is said to have changed those little brats.”
“Who told you about me?”
“Word spreads around. I don’t understand why those silly slaves can’t leave that place? I’d rather be dead than live like that. How did you find a way out? Most of the boundaries are fortified with magic.”
“I found one which wasn’t. There’s a girl who always leaves and returns. I used her route.”
“Oh, the red one. I’ve seen her sneaking around. She is allowed though. She’s a sex slave for some recluse who lives by the river. I assumed the pack receives payment. How come others haven’t figured it out? And why would you even be running yet you are treated so well. You don’t live like a typical slave.”
“I have my reasons.”
“Indulge me.”
I shook my head. “Just let me get on my way. Why are you keeping me anyway?”
“We would like to move somewhere else. Our dream is to find a place in the city, but the human world is expensive to live in. We need money and no one will give it to us unless we have something to exchange it for.”
“So what, you want to hand me back for a fee?”
She shook her head. “Not necessarily, but we won’t give you away for free. You can chose where you want to be sold to. We’ll take you there, sell you and run off before Frey can find out. By the time he gets to know where you are, we will be gone.”
“Oakwood.”
“What?”
“I want to be sold to Oakwood pack.”
Nia shook her head. “Sorry, darling. We can’t do that. The alpha is a terrible man and I do not understand why you would want to be sold there.”
“Just take me there, please. I have my reasons.”
“No, no. that won’t be possible. That man won’t give us a penny.”
“My brothers were sold to Oakwood pack when we were separated. I want to be with them, that’s why I escaped.”
“I’m sorry but you’re going to wait a little bit longer for a family reunion. We have waited too long for a chance like this.”
“You’re horrible. Instead of working for what you want, you want to sell another human being for it. That’s mean.”
“I know, darling but the world has made us that way. There is a story behind us being rogues in this situation. We have felt pain just like you. We have suffered and tried to seek help but no one has helped us. We have realized that it’s up to us to help ourselves.”
“You should have left me alone.”
“Girl, they’d have killed over there anywhere. Oakwood shoots trespassers with no second thought.”
I realized there was no point in arguing. “Okay, take me to Blackmoon pack. If the alpha refuses to buy me back, you can sell to whoever you want.”
I knew that Ridian was not going to buy me back but I would never forgive myself if I did not try.
She smiled. “Now that’s more like it.”