Esmeralda
I paused, observing the hallway.
It was empty, except for me.
Maybe I wasn’t hearing right.
The raging howls shot up in the air again, making me jump in fright.
It was so loud, the impact was felt all over me as goosebumps blanketed my body.
What was that strange sound?
It wasn’t from the North wing. Those howls were different from the screams in the North wing.
While those screams sounded angry, these howls sounded like the person was in a great deal of pain.
Who made that sound? Why? Several questions bubbled into my head as I scurried out of the North wing like a scared rat.
The howl filled the air again, it echoed everywhere, vibrating the walls.
Was it an animal?
No.
It sounded like a man, a wounded man. It was like he was crying for revenge.
But as dangerous as it sounded, something about the howls sounded familiar, and it was as if it was calling unto me.
The howls sounded again, except this time, it was a growl.
It was enraged. It was hungry. It was seeking revenge. It was seeking freedom.
This Pack won’t cease to amaze me.
Without thinking twice, I fled from the house, allowing my legs and my weak sense of hearing to lead me to the source of the sound.
I needed to see it.
Sneaking out of the house was easy as guards on duty cowered away in fear of the strange sound.
The look on their faces proved that they knew what was happening.
But what was happening?
Was this Pack under attack?
Where was Alpha Kade? Where was the Beta? The scar-faced Gamma?
But then I noticed the guards were not scared because of an outside force, they were scared because of an inside force.
The Pack wasn’t under an attack.
But what was going on?
Afraid of being lost as the howls had died down, my eyes scanned my environment, before they rested on a fountain that sat at the center of the huge space. Before me was a weird-looking building, no, a dungeon, sealed shut with thick iron bars running over it
What was this place?
And who was kept in here?
Maybe Alpha Kade’s prisoners.
Shivers ran down my spine and I jumped in fright as growls filled the air once more.
The growls were dangerously loud this time. It shook the foundations of the dungeon.
Whatever was making those sounds must possess many powers.
My shaky legs strode towards the dungeon to have a glimpse of what was making the noise.
But then it sounded again, and this time, I could hear the rattling of chains.
It was struggling to be free.
Has Alpha Kade captured something? Perhaps an animal.
Peeking slowly through the iron bars, horror flashed in my widened eyes and my eyes flew to my mouth when I locked my gaze with a big wolf
Horror flashed in my widened eyes as my hands flew to my mouth when I locked gaze with an enormous wolf, covered in thick gold and black fur in chains, shackled against the wall.
I could faintly scent wolfsbane on those chains.
My heart sank at the sight of the wolf howling in agonizing pain.
I knew what it felt like to come in contact with wolfsbane.
Thanks to Phoebe for almost killing me with a wolfsbane flower.
I flinched backwards when I locked my gaze on the wolf. Those large green eyes of his widened in shock.
I felt my legs move closer to the cell he was heavily chained to. I felt drawn to it. I didn’t know why.
Something about the wolf was familiar.
The scent.
It gave the wolf away easily.
Sandalwood, citrus and warm honey.
It only belonged to someone.
Alpha Kade.
But how was that possible?
Or could two people share one scent?
I peeked at him once more, those gemstone-green eyes softened for a moment before a growl left its throat. An anguish growl.
My great sank into a bottomless abyss of pain when I saw the Blood Alpha shackled like a prisoner.
What did they do to my mate?
Who locked him here?
Why?
I was about to take steps to the cell when a voice rang behind me.
“Get away from him!” I couldn’t miss the desperation. The fear.
I turned to see a fear-stricken Silvius, desperately calling unto me. He stood at a reasonable amount of distance away from me and the wolf in the cell, alongside the guards.
Horror was written all over his body.
Never had I seen a Beta so afraid.
“Stay away from him. He will rip you to pieces!” He warned, urging me to join him.
Why would Alpha Kade rip me to pieces?
And why did he sound so serious?
“Why is he here? Why did you put him here?” I screamed, trying hard not to break into tears as the pain in my heart increased.
Despite not being marked by Alpha Kade, I could feel part of his pain.
“Trust me, you won’t go close to him without being killed. Leave him alone,”
“No!” I ran to the cell, forcing the door open, but the burning sensation threw me to the floor.
The bars were laced in wolfsbane?!
How cruel!
My hands were bloody now. But I didn’t care. I was going to bring my mate out of the cell.
“Are you crazy? Stop what you are doing at once!” He barked, almost leaving where he was.
I didn’t care.
With the few moments I spent with him, he wasn’t what I assumed him to be. He didn’t deserve what was happening to him.
I didn’t care what it took, I would help him.
Throwing caution into the wind, I ran to the dungeon, unlocked the gate and entered it.
“You must be insane. You’ll die in there, you crazy Omega. At least, I won’t get to see your ugly face again,” He cursed, but I didn’t listen. Only one thing was on my mind.
My mate.
His loud growl threw me off balance and I almost landed on my butt.
His breath ruffles my air when I stand face-to-face with him.
“Alpha Kade?” I called softly, wishing he wouldn’t be the one.
“Is that you?” I asked, watching him wince in pain as the chain holding his neck dug into his fur.
His furious eyes softened for a minute as whimpers escaped his throat.
It was like he was communicating with me, telling me to leave.
The look on his face was like a warning.
As if he will unleash the demon in him.
No matter what he says, I won’t leave him.
I cringed my nose in disgust as the dreadful smell of wolfsbane and blood hung in the air, almost suffocating me.
He bled from every part of his body as the chains dug further into his fur, burning him.
His wolf was in pain. A great amount of pain. It made my heart bleed.
It was like someone was cutting my heart with a knife. It hurts so bad.
Slowly, I walked up to him, when the growling stopped.
Ignoring the ‘get away from me’ look he gave me, my shaky hands hesitated, hanging briefly in the air before resting on his forehead, caressing it softly as a pur escaped his throat.
Slowly, I unshackled him, ignoring the pain that seared through me, weakening me.
“What are you doing? He will kill us all!” Silvius’ terrified voice warned.
“Leave him. He will get better in the morning. Don’t do this,” He pleaded desperately. But I ignored it.
He hasn’t killed me yet.
Successfully unlocking him, I placed my forehead on his wolf’s forehead, hugging it and caressing the sticky fur that has been stained with blood.
Silence. We conversed in silence, nodding briefly at each other before his wolf slumped, falling to the ground.
I watched him change to his human form as he lay face down, ass in the air. His body was covered in blood and marks.
I knelt before him, wiping my teary face with the back of my palm before cupping his face in my small hand, allowing his golden-brown hair to fall over his shoulders.
“Mate,” I called softly, placing his bloodied head on my lap.
I didn’t care if his blood ruined my clothes.
“Esmeralda?” I thought I heard him whisper, “What did… you… do… to me?” He stammered, forcing words out of his mouth as he struggled to breathe.
“I’m trying to save you,”
I swallowed, allowing my tears to fall on his face.
“I’m broken… Esmeralda,”
His eyes flashed for a second before they faded slowly, shutting completely.
“I’ll heal you, Alpha Kade,” I sobbed, hugging his unconscious body against mine.