Hold my breath.

Harper 

Everything was moving slowly around me, the only thing I knew for sure what that I was falling the ground no doubt waiting to meet me. My dark matted hair was flying past my face whipping in my eyes and racing my head to the floor. Finally, I hit the hardwood floors and my breath escapes me as my ribs crunch under the weight of my fall. After a few struggling moments I manage to suck in some air and breathe in the metallic scent of my own blood. Maybe it’s over I pondered, finally. I breathe a small sigh of relief and close my eyes and hoping the darkness consumes me.

Bright lights flickering above me burn my eyes as I push them open. My whole body feels heavy and groggy. Slowly surveying my surroundings, I raise my arm to block the burning light from my eyes. I feel a strong pull and look down to evaluating the silver chain cuff clasped around my wrist connected to a chain. Groaning I pull my left arm, dismayed to find it in the same state. I look down at my small frame assessing the damage. What’s left of my simple black bra is doing little to cover the scattered bruising on my torso, the bottom of my ribs a deep purple and red, no doubt indicating something broken. I scan around the small cell I’ve been left in, breathing in the familiar smells. It had been a while since I had been down here, but it was the closest thing to solitude, almost safe. Safe meaning not having to be around him. Shuffling into a more comfortable sitting position I crack my neck to the side popping the stiff bones into place. Reaching my hands up to the sides of my face I feel dried blood along my right temple dribbled down face to my chin. Tracing with my fingers I feel the tight skin that had almost drawn completely closed from the laceration. At least I was still able to heal. Some days not even that ability kicked in. I almost wish I had a mirror to see the damage, when I first came here I obsessed over every small injury. Now it’s useless, new bruises almost every day.

Three months, that’s how long I had been dealing with the monster. I barely remember what my body looked like before this, now it lays limp and fragile. Once I was an athlete, toned and strong, the fastest girl on the soccer team. Not that many humans stood a chance, but even for my kind I was quick. Not quick enough to get away from him though. It had just been my friend Katie’s eighteenth birthday; she was a few months older than me. We’d been in the pack house hiding from our parents and nursing hangovers from her weekend long celebration. I was sipping on orange juice trying to soothe my head when we heard the noise. Our alpha entered the kitchen glaring over at us as he walked to the fridge. He turned behind him offering drinks to his guests. Four large men entered after him into the suddenly claustrophobic kitchen space. My eyes drew up to the muscular tattooed arms of one of them. He met my eyes staring and smirked catching me out for staring. I blushed and looked back down to my juice. ‘Moving along girls’ the alpha grunted, nodding towards the door. Katie and I grabbed our glasses and scurried towards the door, alpha Hayden was grumpy on the best of days, disobeying would be suicide. My path to the door was suddenly blocked by the tattooed man. I gaze up to his smirking gaze with confusion. I clear my throat awkwardly hoping he’ll move. ‘Got a name?’ he asks, his voice clear and smooth. ‘Harper…’ I squeak out looking down to my beat-up converses. He hums in acknowledgement and moves to allow me past. Once in the safety of my room upstairs Katie squeals ‘He was so hot, and he so liked you!’. I blush furiously and laugh off her ideas. Little did I know.

That night in the dining hall alpha Hayden called me over. I could barely breathe wondering what I had done to get in trouble. I approached slowly and nodded in respect before gazing over the rest of his table. Tattoo’s was there and met my eyes instantly. ‘We have good news for you, you will be leaving the Rivers tomorrow with Everwood pack, you’re to be mated to the beta Liam’ the alpha says proudly. I gasped processing all the information. My brain finally kicked in, ‘But I’m not eighteen yet, I can’t sense my mate’ I stutter out. The alpha waves his hand off at me ‘Your mate is nineteen and he has already sensed you, you’ll feel it too when you come of age, no point waiting, you’ll go with them tomorrow. Save me the paperwork in a few months anyway’ the alpha commands.

The next day had been a blur of tears and saying goodbye to friends and my mother. Dad had passed a few years back in a fight with rogues, I wish he had been there. He would’ve fought for me to stay and not be taken so soon. It was rare, leaving to another pack before even getting to confirm the mate bond. I wouldn’t feel the pull until I was eighteen and it was an unspoken rule for mates to wait until they’re both of age.

The first few days were not the worst, I got my own room at first for me to ‘settle’ and he gave me space. He soon tired of that, and I was moved into his room despite my protesting. I soon learned how different Everwood was to my original pack. Rivers pack wasn’t perfect under Alpha Hayden’s rules but it far exceeded anything here. Rather than the beautiful love stories my parents had painted for me of finding strength in each other and being an equal partnership, I was told to obey and the consequences I quickly learnt were rough.

That last hit had been the worst; shoves, slaps, being knocked down had become frequent but this one had been bad. He had wanted to complete the mating and I had refused as gently as I could. His response to me was anything but gentle. I stray tear runs down my face as I remember the violent nature of my first sexual encounter. I’d managed to shove him off and run for the door when he attempted to bite my neck and mark me when he was done with my body. In his blind rage he’d punched me right across my jaw sending me to the floor, I’d been hoping I’d bleed out and it would be over. I’d never felt so worthless, he humiliated me and had violated my body. In that moment I didn’t want to let him take me forever, the bite would mark my skin for the rest of my life, and I would hate myself more than I already do. My stomach churns at the cruelty of being mated to such a monster. I dreaded the day I turn eighteen and start to feel the uncontrollable pull to him.

A sound pulls me from my wallowing, and I curl up trying to make myself smaller in the cell. Maybe they’ll take pity this time. Maybe.

A gruff voice I recognize as the alphas echoes off the walls, ‘We only have a few rogues down here, nothing of too much interest’. My ears twitched in interest, someone else was here. A new voice cut through the space, ‘You know I’m just following protocol, got to tick the boxes’. My heat hammered in my chest, was I about to have a chance? Is my rescuer only a few walls away?

The alpha spoke again, ‘Of course, we take the reported allegations very seriously, look as you please’. A few painful moments pass. I can hear my heart hammering in my chest. ‘Protocol also dictates checking your whiskey collection, care to help me check a box?’ the voice says again. Throaty chuckles of the two men bounce off the empty walls and I hear the heavy door slam shut along with my chance at rescue. My ears twitch curiously; I didn’t hear the latch….

The countless times I’ve been punished and locked down here over the last few months I’d become familiar with the system. Bottle of water thrown through the bars, heavy footsteps back down the hallway and up the stairs, thick door slams, latch clicks. I pierce my ears through the empty space waiting for the delayed click, it never came. Maybe I had a chance. I never wanted to experience what I had last night ever again, and I knew he wouldn’t stop until I was pregnant with his heir, and I bore his mark on my neck. It was now or never. I would die here if I didn’t take this chance.

I glance down at the silver cuffs on my wrists, they were pretty old and maybe a little big, the weight loss from Liam’s food withholding when I don’t ‘behave’ had thinned me down and maybe I could make it work. Turning myself around to face the wall crossing my arms in front of myself I brace my feet against the wall and push. Straining I pull my arms as hard as I can the silver digging into my wrists painfully. A whole minute cruelly passes slowly as I continue to pull. I feel a pop and let out a muffled moan as my left thumb dislocates and my wrist slips free. I grip my thumb and tug it back as it slips back into the socket. Dislocated joints will only hold me back further. Moving into a crouching stance I grip my right arm rightly and pull. Somehow, this wrist makes it out without anything dislocating. I stand slowly stretching out my sore body. I glance around the small cell eyeing off the door, it was held with a silver latch. Silver isn’t our kryptonite but is very uncomfortable to the skin. It leaves red irritation marks that take days to heal, my wrists would bare them for weeks based on my weakened state. What’s a bit more. I grip the latch through the bars and tug tightly blinking back tears. After a few agonizing seconds it moves with stiffness, and I ease it sideways. Releasing the silver, I push the cell door forwards and I cringe at the squeak.

For a plan that only started a few minutes ago I was pretty proud of my efforts so far. Every time I had tried running at the start I only got as far as the main foyer. This would be different. I had to make sure it was different. Tentatively walking up the hallway I hold my breath unsure if anyone else is down here. A whisper from my left breaks the eerie silence ‘Please, I just need the cuffs unlocked, the keys hanging on the door’ I whip my head around to the noise. ‘I’ll help you get out, c’mon girl. You won’t make it out by yourself’. I glance into the dark cell. Chained to the back wall was a large male, he bore thick red scars down his chest like he had been ripped down the front with claws. He had dark blonde hair stuck to his forehead and he was looking up at me with pale blue eyes. I took a deep breath; his scent was masked with the filth of the cells but I didn’t smell Liam’s pack. He had a point. Whatever was behind that door I didn’t stand too much of a chance by myself in my current state; a skinny female in her underwear, barely enough energy to shift.

I made a split second decision. The wolf was coming with, as much as males repulsed me after last night he could at least distract the guards from me. I found the key hanging just outside the door, no doubt to taunt the male wolf. I gripped the silver latch of his cell and winced as my hand burned under its touch. Slowly I creep into the cell, at this point my heart might just explode out of my chest with how fast it’s beating. ‘Deep breath, we’ll get out little wolf’ his voice coaches. He holds out his wrists gazing up at me. Working slowly trying not to move the silver cuffs around too much on his skin I manage to get them unlocked. He jumps up to his feet and stretches his shoulders out. Jumping back startled from his sudden presence so close to me I look back down to my dirty bare feet holding back a squeal. He towers over me in height. ‘Let’s get out of this fucked up place’ he growls pushing past me out of the cell. Silently grateful he’s taking the lead I follow quickly. He pauses at the top of the stairs his ears searching for indications of noise on the other side. The man turns to me and holds up two fingers. I nod following his lead. Two wolfs out there. Two we could take. My body had taken a beating but I’m more determined than my sore muscles.

Within a few minutes I could be free, I just need to make it over the border. Everwood pack fell beside free land, they wouldn’t risk being out in the open unprotected in rogue territory. Lone wolves prowled those lands, they weren’t known to be very friendly. At this point I’d take my chances. The door is pushed open and I take a breath. The other prisoner proved his worth pounding down the hall grabbing a surprised young male by the throat. Taking on my role I charge the second young male, they looked around my age. I pushed back a twang of guilt and grabbed his head smashing it into the wall he was half leaning on. If he wasn’t so surprised, he would’ve jumped me. Sprinting down the hallway after my fellow escapee who had already cracked the neck of the first guard. We hit a side door and don’t hesitate in pushing through it. We were out now, no point sneaking. Somehow, we make it across the lawn into the forest. Then my ears start twitching. The sound of feet hitting the ground, lots of them. Paws to be more precise. ‘Shift!’ my escapee partner yells out from in front of me. I was struggling to keep up as it is. Grunting through the spark of transition pain I push my body to morph into its wolf form. Pounding my paws into the forest floor I scramble to keep up. My ears are burdened with the heavy sounds of pack wolves approaching us from behind drives me to run harder.

Within a mile of the border line, I feel my feet swept from underneath me and I yelp. This distracts the large blonde wolf body of the escapee in front of me enough that he turns and is quickly jumped by three wolves. Heavy breathing hits my ears as I’m pounced on and pinned. I shake erratically trying to throw my attacker off. Claws dig into my shoulders and I let out another pained yelp as blood seeps out from the broken skin. Grunting under the weight of the wolf on top of me I kick my bag leg high knocking the wolf off balance enough to tuck and roll from underneath them. A quick side-eye to my right shows the pack wolves tearing the blonde wolf to shreds. He was done. Barely recognizing the pain, I pushed my body towards the border. I could smell the strong pack stench from the no doubt hourly border runs. One mile. Shaking out my snout as a I hit closer to the line I feel my head wound has reopened and is dripping blood down my face. Growls rip through the air as the pack wolves sprint behind me. My face wet with tears I hit the pack line and keep going. ‘Liam’s going to be pissed’ a voice rings out from behind me. One of them must’ve changed as they hit the border. They wouldn’t cross. Not with only a small team, too risky with the rogues. ‘She’ll get torn to shreds out there anyway’ a new voice says, I barely caught it as I continued to put as much distance between me and them as possible.

Hitting the hour mark, I slow my mad sprint to a jog. I can barely hold myself in this form anymore. Transitioning back into my human body I take in the sight of my naked body. The claws into my shoulders had almost gone deep enough to the bones. Blood was clotting but still dripping down my front and back. I’m sure I looked like a horror movie.I continue trudging forward determined to get as far away from the Everwood as I could. All I can smell is my own blood which was deteriorating my defense mechanisms for sure. For a few moments it was almost bliss, I couldn’t be afraid of an enemy I couldn’t smell or see. My body was giving up on this endeavor, my muscles were screaming. Collapsing to the ground I look up the sky dimming above me.For the first time today I let myself break down, the tears drowning my cheeks. Curling up on the forest floor I cry for myself, my broken body, my lost innocence. My tears wash me into the darkness and fall into restless sleep.