CHAPTER 3: Him

I winced, my gaze drafting in the direction of the noises.

 Who are these people and where am I?

"She isn't feeling alright," I heard his voice. Loud and clear. 

My heart panicked; Dad!

Who wasn't feeling alright, and who were the people outside, demanding bitterly, to bring out? I wondered, quickly rolling off the bed and making my way to the only old wooden door in sight.

"Wait a little longer," I snapped in my heart, but dad's unsettle voice pulled me forward. 

I had never known what it felt like to have a wolf all my life, having been tagged as wolfless and worthless even at twenty-two. 

That was just my instinct, I thought to myself.

 I ignored my thought, and gently pulled my legs forward, creaking the door open. A large crowd of both men and women were revealed standing outside. I could identify their faces one by one; members of my pack.

"There she is, the witch who cursed our land and attempted to kill our alpha" I heard a particular voice cry out from the crowd, and in that moment, every other voice echoed the same; "witch." Their voices filled the air.

 I winced in shock.

"Witch?" I muttered to myself, turning to meet my dad's stunned expression, seeing me all strong. I could read his mind without a word from his mouth. The whispers of his heart, along with the whispers of the other pack members, roared inside me; loud and clear, almost deafening.

I couldn't tell who was speaking.

I remained stunned, my gaze locking with my dad's. His worries clear without him saying a word.

 My entire body tensed in shock, reeling from my head to my toes like an absorber. I didn't know what had happened prior to now or what was happening outside. My thoughts were blank except for the attack.

"She's a witch and must pay the price for causing us so much death and pain," their voices echoed in unison, cold and harsh, their words heavy with pain.

My heart sank.

My gaze still masked in shock.

Why can't I remember? Why do they hate me this much?

Me, a witch? How?

What were they all saying?

My mind was completely blank. No image whatsoever. I couldn't remember anything that had happened. Yet their hatred shredded me more.

"My daughter is no witch; her only crime was trying to save the alpha," Dad replied defensively to the angry crowd.

Save the alpha?

My mouth dropped open in that instant, flashes replaying in my thoughts. The alpha, the arrow; I swallowed hard, my saliva.

I could remember now, the pain from the arrow. The loud cry that escaped my mouth, raw and guttural.

My thoughts escaped my lips. My eyes scanned my surroundings, taking in the bushes that surrounded this mysterious, shabby house. I should be lying dead on the battlefield, precisely in the square.

Those murmurs would have been filled with joy that I was gone forever, out of their presence and midst.

What happened after, and why am I still breathing?

Those arrows were coated with wolfsbane, and no one ever survived it. It was known by all, including me.

I turned to Dad, about to voice my doubts, when a sudden calmness crept into the air.

Everyone fell silent instinctively. The breeze gently blew, flipping strands of my hair over my face. I gently reached for them, tucking them behind my ears.

I turned my gaze in the direction of the sound, only to catch sight of him approaching. His usual harsh and cruel expression was on full display. My heart skipped instantly.

That domineering aura filled the air.

The crowd parted for him as he approached, alone with his second-in-command, Beta Ricardo, who was always by his side.

Surprisingly, my gaze caught sight of some of the warriors who had been approaching alongside the alpha.

I felt my heart quicken, and I gasped, turning to hold onto Dad's fearful gaze as he bowed in unison with the crowd.

I remained still. His stern gaze pinned me in place.

I didn't bow.

He moved closer, his gaze fixed on mine more intensely, exuding a raw commanding aura that made me feel incredibly insignificant in his presence. I wanted to disappear in that instant; that was the only way out.

The earlier relief in my body was suddenly replaced by dread, anxiety, and feelings of worthlessness. Standing next to the alpha, so close that I could hear the stern beats of his heart, my breath hitched.

I lowered my gaze, focusing on my toes. I couldn't stand his frightening gaze. The first time I was close enough to him; the very one I had despised for so long.

I usually thought he was harsh and ruthless from a distance, but now that he was much closer, he appeared to be evil itself, standing in front of me, ready to tear me apart.

My heart was no longer in its place, and my shadows were within his view.

After a few seconds of silence that felt like a thousand years, he lifted his hands. My heart suddenly skipped countless beats, unsure of his next action. As his hands dropped onto my jaw, I freaked out.

He lifted my trembling jaw, practically bringing my gaze to meet his, those frightful blue eyes carrying great flames that I couldn't stand. I felt my insides burn in them.

"How dare you stand in my way during the battle? How dare you?" he barked, and I startled.

His voice was slightly raised, raw and venomous even in its slightly heightened intensity. I felt it strike my heart, even though I knew better.

"I only tried to save you. Please spare me," I spoke back absentmindedly out of fear, causing the crowd to flinch in shock and disbelief.

A loud eruption followed, fading instantly.

His hands wrapped around my mouth, causing me to freak out. What had I just done? Speaking back to the alpha? The demigod himself, whom no one dares speak back to, let alone cross paths with.

Everyone knows the rules, and I wasn't excluded. I knew the penalty clearly, like broad daylight. What had spoken through me?

"How dare you?" he roared. 

The floor trembled beneath his roar, and I suddenly fainted a thousand times in my heart. My limbs became numb, and my legs could barely hold me up.

His rage intensified.

His heart beating greatly. 

I was practically floating in the air at his rage….