9

I was elated when he approached me with the key in his hands, however, I hid my excitement. The little boy with shaky hands trembled as he unlocked the cell door. I sat still watching him as he entered; it wasn't close enough for me.

He looked back at his friends with a proud but also nervous smile.

"See I told you I could enter." He gloated at them.

Their eyes shifted from him looking behind him with their jaws dropped in awe. Without a word they fled, only then did he look behind him to see me standing tall over him.

"M-Mummy" he squeaked about to run away. I grabbed him by the scruff of his neck. He still struggled to get away.

"Hold on, I just want the key," I said as he hit my face a couple of times repeatedly crying out to the heavens. After getting the key I left him to flee away.

In a hurried motion after unlocking the chain on my neck, hands and leg. I ran out of the cell.

Above the surface of the cell was a vast forest. Anxious by the fact I didn't know where I was, I ran in the left direction. I had gone right before and got caught in a market. I couldn't phantom how huge this pack was. It felt like a whole city where the humans dwelled.

I hadn't even gotten far enough. Before, some of the enforcer guards were on my tail. So soon. The kids must have alerted someone. I groaned, frustrated as I tried to outrun them.

"Hey stop there" they shouted, giving me a hot chase.

Some turned wolves were already at my corner snarling at me to come to a stop. I noticed they didn't try to claw me down. But why? I used the opportunity to my advantage.

They had cornered me, barking and snapping at me. I dodged a few who came at my front in a surprise attack. It felt like the universe was finally in my favour.

That was until I came to a very familiar dead end.

"Shoot" I came to a halt at the edge of yet another cliff. Turning around, I was surrounded by six to eight wolves in total. I stepped back in surprise, some parts of the rock came off startling me forward a bit. I gulped.

Their growling and snapping came to a halt when they parted ways for the largest dark grey wolf amongst them. It had to be the alpha. He walked up to me before transforming back into his full glory.

I shivered at the fierce look on his face.

"Step forward," he commanded with his alpha tone that no one could come against. I crumpled under it wanting to adhere, but no, going back with them meant he would kill me at some point. I shook my head, stepping back towards the edge.

"Listen to me, if you come back now the punishment will be less than it already is." He said in a stern voice. However, I would still be in trouble.

"I didn't kill anyone I swear," I shouted at them. The evening breeze toppled my black hair into a mess as It thrashed against my face.

With his hands stretched towards me, I could see his eyes soften a bit as he came nearer. Does he believe me now?

"You're standing at a very dangerous edge, come forward to me," he said in a calm voice. Feeling compelled by his warm voice I felt myself give in a bit. Maybe he meant not to harm us.

I stopped shaking my head repeatedly, " I don't want to die here, not now." I begged, and he still came forward slowly with his hands to me.

"Just come forward and we can talk about this, calmly," he said

"Do you promise not to put me back in the cell?" he stopped moving.

"Will you tell us where the other criminals are?" He asked with an eyebrow raised at me.

"I don't have any idea where they are. I was threatened by them." I squeezed the hem of my shirt nervously.

"You have a very reactive drug in your system, you were found covered in blood with a whole pack massacred at your feet" he started as if to say prove otherwise.

"I don't remember any of that. Please believe me " it was foolish to say that.

He sighed in frustration, it seems he had a habit of rubbing his brows anytime he was stressed. Was he finally going to listen?

"Just come to me and we'll talk"

"You promise not to lock me back in there," I asked.

"Yes I promise" he agreed, giving me his palm.

About to step forward to receive it, the rock under me crumpled under my weight and I slipped over the edge. I saw the visible shock in his eyes as I fell right in front of him. It all happened so fast, I was falling. I closed my eyes waiting for my end to come. Meeting the ground seemed to take longer than I thought.

I peeked to see his arm wrapped strongly around mine. I dangled from his wrist held tight around mine. I used my other arm to hold him. Accidentally tearing open his skin with my nails. A drop of blood from his arm slid into my mouth.

He grunted pulling me up from the cliff.

I breathed heavily when I was finally on solid ground. Out of breath and shaken in fright he pulled me up to my feet. They felt weak. That was close. His men took me by the arm immediately apprehending me.

"It's ok let her be. I'll take her from here" he waved them off.

They hesitated, "but alpha we can…"

"Didn't you hear me the first time, let her go!" He snapped. They instantly let go of my arm. And he approached me. Towering me with his height.

"I promised not to put you in the cell again so from here on out you will be staying with me in the pack house," he said

Shocked by his statement, I didn't realise when I was carried away to the pack house with him.

I still couldn't believe I was inside his chambers. Chained to the nearby corner of the room. I felt a mixture of feelings swell up inside me. He saved me. The first person who lent me a hand and saved me. I felt a thump in my chest at the thought of how he caught me before I fell.