CHAPTER 9

"How much longer are we going to trek" Ana asked.

I dragged my feet along the rocky paths. My limbs felt like they were chained to iron shackles.

I stopped, sitting down on the narrow pathway that was surrounded by bushes.

Ana was about to burst out,trying to fight her out, I guess she wanted to flex her muscles and I let her.

She wagged her tail as her full form emerged, flaunting her white furred paws.

Am sure the bad wolf had a smile on her face.She was a beautiful wolf, having grand white fur.

I would have her as my wolf over and over again. Using her senses, she sniffed the atmosphere, apparently trying to decipher the perfect scent.

There was no one around, it was the boundary between the Wildfire pack and Duskfire pack. I wasn't expecting to see anyone though. If they couldn't mate with each other, then they obviously wouldn't trespass; or even see eye to eye.

We kept going further till we got to some kind of market. It was situated in the middle of the pack.

'That's strange'

It sounded and looked weird. The aura of the place was eerie, although there were people going in and out of the place, it didn't feel right.

There was a huge signpost at the entrance of the market.

'Black market' was boldly written on it.

'Didn't any of the Alphas know about this place or they were just silent about it'

"Should we check it out," Ana asked. I agreed. It wouldn't harm.

We made our way to one of the overgrown bushes and I was back, putting on my clothes. I followed one of the cargoes into the place.

I was astounded by the sight in front of me. The outer view of this place didn't give an ounce of explanation on how magnificent the place looked on the inside.

Different colors of street lights filled the place, kids were running around, people blew fire out of their mouths and got cheers from the onlookers, and meals were sold at each junction.

My tummy grumble reminds me that I haven't eaten for a long time.

I felt Ana wagging her tail. I went over to a seller and took a meal and paid with a gold earring. It was a black market so they obviously traded with valuables.

I took a plate of French fries, popcorn chicken and some ketchup that was put in a saucer. I salivated as the lady decorated the meal on the plate, it smelt so good.

"Let's eat already" Ana whined

"Patience…" I said as I inhaled the scent of the meal.

Taking the plate, I walked briskly to a table and dug in. Chewing and relishing on the taste it had. It was so good.

I stopped eating, something was wrong. Someone was watching me and I could feel it. I made sure, no one followed me here but there was a shadow lurking in the distance watching me, my head snapped towards the said direction, where I had felt the eyes but there was no one there.

Just a beautiful pine tree that had different lights on it.

I continued eating but I could still feel the stare, boring into my back as if to create a hole there. I ignored it, giving full attention to the food in front of me.

I was done in a few minutes as my feet made their way out of the eating area, I moved further into the market and the dark shadow followed, the whole place was bustling with werewolves, music and I could smell the stench of blood.

It's a black market, I wasn't expecting any good thing though.

I quickened my pace, smoothly brushing past the goods that were heading my way, the shadow followed too.

My legs trembled as I sprinted through the paths, tumbling and jumping over anything that blocked my way.

I never knew I could be so fast, and soon I lost the shadow.

I took a deep breath trying to calm my racing heart and the short pants.

I scanned the place, there were tables at every juncture with old hagged men betting away their money like fools.

I caught hold of a man who just watched the scene in front of him. Unlike the old hagged men, he was young and clean shaven. He seems to be incharge.

I walked to him, putting on a sweet smile.

"Good day?" I fumbled but I quickly laced it with a smile.

"Can I speak with the person in charge?" I asked. His eyes scanned me, having a lecherous gaze.

'Freak'

"I'm the one in charge lady…" a man around his early thirties stood up from one of the tables, he wore a baby blue suit and had a cane in his hand.

"Ari" I completed. He smiled revealing his white teeth. I couldn't care, I didn't know that some wolves could flirt, maybe because of no mate or… whatever.

"You can call me Hitler" he said, watching me.

I nodded. "Can I have a seat?" I asked, lifting my head up to meet his gaze.

"Of course milady," he said in a French accent. He gave a sign to the young man and I was taken to an inner chamber.

"Make yourself comfortable " he said and I sat on the couch across from him, a forced smile forming on my lips.

"I am looking for something peculiar" I began. His eyes widened and returned to normal expecting me to say more.

"The cup" I whispered enough for him to hear. His eyes shone in excitement, a smile curling on his lips.

"I can only help you further if you give me some money," he said.

Oh right, how could I forget, nothing is for free.

"Greedy," Ana said.

I smiled at the man. I had little money with me, it was Ariona's and I didn't know if these people liked any of the packs.

I took out another gold earring and placed it on the table. He grabbed it at once scrutinizing it with his eyes and a little torch I never knew he had.

I agreed with Ana, the man is greedy.

"You can continue" he said as he flipped the earring, playing with it and soon it disappeared into his clothes.

"I'm looking for the cup where the spilled blood is," I said, my voice mixing with the silence.

"Do you believe that story?" He asked, chortling.

"Well I don't know where it is… but I heard it was buried"

I stared at him flabbergasted, did I give him the earring to get nothing. I sighed.

I couldn't do anything at the moment after all this was his territory. I stood up from the seat making my way to the door.

Not daring to look back.

"Is that all you want to know about Miss?" the man asked when I got to the door.

I ignored him and opened the door with a loud 'bang' and it hit the wall real hard, vibrating the room.

But who I saw at the door made me cower in fear. It was the shadow that was chasing after me. He had a piece of cloth tied around his mouth and a shawl covering his head, neck and shoulders making only his bloodshot eyes visible.

I saw a smile form at the corner of his eyes.

"You are too strong for an Omega," he said. His dreadful voice filled my insides with fear. I retreated, taking slow steps backward. He stood at the door watching me, not moving. When I was far away from him, I turned to run but there was another one at the other door.

Hilter was nowhere to be found. My eyes searched the whole room for an escape route but I saw none.

"You can't escape," the man said as he launched at me. I moved over swiftly, my body crashing against the wooden table.

I scurried across the table, heading for the door but the man pulled me back into the room.

"Let me go!" I screamed as I kicked him where the sun doesn't shine causing him to keel over in gut wrenching pain.

I moved quickly, as fast as my feet could lead me.

A loud bang echoed throughout the room. As pieces of a porcelain vase scattered on the floor.

Something was trickling down my head. It was warm and thick. I lifted my hand to feel the thick liquid. It was blood.

'My blood'

My head spun as I lost balance crumbling to my knees, my vision getting foggy and hazy, I tried to stand up but I was losing blood and it was clouding my eyes.

I was getting weak, getting sipped into a dark world. My eyes fluttered until it finally closed.

The last thing I heard was,

" I didn't tell you to hit her"

I couldn't figure out the voice as I became unconscious.