A Good Chase

Roselia ran for her life. She shuddered under the sunlight and nearly cried in relief as the breeze tugged through her hair. She knew she would never be able to outrun Alpha Kerpan. His laughter ran in the air, seizing her by the heart, and nearly crippling her legs.

'Hurry! Hurry!' Roselia chanted in her mind. She never wanted a wolf so desperately until this moment. 

Within minutes, her body was giving out. The trees were a blur. 

For a prisoner who had been locked up for god knows how long, Roselia was lasting longer than she expected. With each step, her feet bled from the sharp branches and leaves. Her bones ached, her lungs contracted, and her heart thundered. 

"GO GET HER!" Alpha Kerpan roared, his voice shaking the trees as birds scattered away from the monster.

Roselia pushed herself to the limits, hearing the wolves and dogs behind her. Tracking her. Chasing her. This was a losing fight. 

Roselia had dashed through these lands many times before, sneaking in and out with the love of her life before her family discovered of her sins. Though her memory was weak, she still remembered the way to her father's territory. She remembered the way home.

And soon, Roselia tumbled. She gasped as she fell forward, tripped by something… or someone. The blood drained from her face as she saw exactly what she had fallen over.

"Oh, my Moon Goddess," Roselia slapped a hand over her mouth, scrambling to hide behind the trees and catch her breath, for her limbs no longer worked. She didn't have the energy to stand any longer. 

Lying in front of her was a motionless rogue.

Barely covered by dirt and moss was a teenage boy on his last breath. He was pale with a bruised face, multiple cut wounds, tattered clothes, and missing fingernails. He was a prisoner, just like her.

"You don't have time for this," Roselia whispered to herself, clawing at the tree bark to stand. She could hear rapidly approaching footsteps and knew hiding was impossible. 

Alpha Kerpan would recognize her scent from a mile away. Roselia tried to not pity the rogue. Growing up, she used to hear bedtime stories from her Papa about the big, bad rogues who deserted their packs. The rogues roamed and snatched babies for breakfast, children for lunch, and women for dinner.

With much difficulty, Roselia finally got back on her feet. She hoped the rogue was dead. That way, he wouldn't be her problem. 

Abruptly, the corpse coughed.

Roselia internally groaned. Great, just great! He was going to give away their hiding spot. She exhaled and turned on her heels.

Roselia tried to run away. 

He didn't let her.

"Hey." The boy grabbed her ankle, his eyes snapping open and landing on her instantly. He coughed as he chuckled. "Where do you think you're going?" 

"Let go of me!" Roselia hissed, yanking her foot back. She nearly fell backward at his tightened grip.

"Alpha, I hear her!" a voice called in the distance, followed by wolves howling to signal the rest of the pack.

The boy attempted to sit upright. Rapid footsteps advanced toward them. He gritted his teeth and winced, but she beat him to the chance. 

"M-my name is Roselia Fiore, sole daughter of Alpha Cecil Fiore," Roselia whispered. 

"Okay, and?" he huffed, trying to stand, but to no avail. "Why should I care?"

"If you make it out of here, please tell my father that Alpha Kerpan intends to marry and impregnate me!" Roselia shakingly introduced herself. His brows scrunched together in confusion, barely processing the information. "I-I have to go."

He flopped back onto the floor and flicked his hand towards the trees.

'Go,' he mouthed, almost in defeat as he shut his eyes again. He grabbed the moss around him and continued covering his body with it.

Roselia ran off in the opposite direction as him, where Alpha Kerpan and his men wouldn't be able to stumble upon him. She was in still in disbelief. First, he hindered her escape. And now, he accepted his destiny to die?

Good riddance!

Roselia hoped he'd survive and convey the message. Her Papa hadn't forgiven her for that day, but she held onto the foolish hope that he'd come to her aid. 

"There she is!" 

Roselia heard it before she felt it. The swoosh of a creature hopping through the air. She screamed as two hundred pounds tackled her to the forest floor. Pain exploded in her body, her ears ringing from agony, and her vision blurred.

"Found you," Alpha Kerpan growled in her ears, still in wolf form. 

Hands grabbed her in every direction. Roselia clawed at the dirt floor, kicking and screaming 

"Let go of me!" Roselia shrieked, fighting for her life. They cuffed her again, wrist and ankle with thick silver, but it didn't her like it would other werewolves. She was smart enough to hiss and pretend the silver harmed her. 

Alpha Kerpan shifted to his human form, butt naked and wrinkled. He yanked her hair back, revealing her tear-stained face. 

"Stupid girl, don't you know wolves love a good chase?" Alpha Kerpan taunted.

Roselia opened her mouth, but a gag was shoved into her. She fought against it. Her attempts were futile. Her fate was sealed. 

Alpha Kerpan inserted a sharp needle into her neck. Roselia convulsed against the drug, but her body grew weak, and her limbs went limp. 

Roselia tried to fight against the drugs, widening her eyes to stay awake. Alpha Kerpan had sedated her. Once more, she was his prisoner. Once more, she had nowhere to go. Once more, Alpha Kerpan dragged her back to his pack house, where she'd be under his mercy for the rest of eternity.

The last thing she saw was his lust-filled eyes, haunting her for eternity.