Chapter 14

Desiree. Run! Keep running, Desiree. The moon cast an eerie glow in the woods as I sprinted off in the darkness. Each step sent shivers down my spine and fear cling to my shoulders like a pair of hands. My heart pounded in my chest echoing in the silence of the night. Branches from trees grabbed into my skin, leaves crunched beneath my feet as the forest seemed to be an endless stream of darkness and I could barely acknowledge where I was going. All I wanted to do was leave this place. The past few days had been hell and I believed I was ready to go home, to the city because it was only getting creepy with each passing minute. Every rustle of leaves or snap of twigs set my nerves on edge as I looked around but didn't find anything. The distant howls of unseen animals sent my heart thumping louder in my chest. My breath came out in ragged gaps as the cold air hit my lungs. I stumbled over uneven branches, leaves crunching beneath my feet, and I wished I could disappear into the darkness, become one with the night and escape the tangled mess I found myself in. The uncertainty of what had happened with Maddox clouded my mind and I wondered if he had realized I was missing yet. I didn’t know what he was going to do but I didn’t want to be there to face his wrath. I picked up the pace and immediately fell forward, my small body colliding with the forest floor. Leaves crushed underneath me as I gasped for breath that had been knocked out of me by the impact. I frowned as I groaned and looked up. My breath left me at the sight in front of me. A black wolf stood in front of me, it was terrifying with its bright red eyes that promised me death. The fur was as black as night and it blended almost perfectly with the darkness of the woods. The creature was huge, even bigger than I remembered Maddox’s. It had an intimidating stare and its red eyes watched me in an intense stare that had me shivering. Its paws were buried on the floor as if taking a stance to size me up before it attacked and fear gripped me. I tried to scream but I couldn’t as I heard the sound of bones crushing. The snout was adorned with a set of powerful jaws that growled softly at me and I tried to step away but I couldn’t pick myself up. I was frozen in fear. I hadn’t even heard the wolf in the woods. But before I could even summon any strength in me to move away, it started to transform in front of me, its bones broke, rearranged and reformed into a human’s. Its black fur sunk into its skin and its snout became smaller to form a man’s face. He was handsome but there was something about him that told me he was dangerous. He had brown hair and intense hazel eyes that had s deep scar running through it and if I didn’t see those hazel orbs following me I would have thought he was blind. But they watched me with awe and curiosity. The man stepped forward from the darkness and my cheeks flushed red. He was naked! I looked away quickly as the man stepped closer to me and I managed to rise up from the floor and stepped back from him. He seemed to give me a little space as he stopped a few steps away from me. I didn’t look up at him, instead, I buried my eyes on my bare feet in front of me. “So you’re her.” I heard his deep voice vibrate through me and this time I looked at him, a frown on my face. “Why is it that everyone knows I’m here or who I am while I don’t have a clue of what is going on?” I said in frustration as the man smiled, At first glance, the smile didn’t look harmful, but something about it wasn’t genuine. “Words travel fast in the wolf community. There isn’t much gossip to keep us social so when a human is taken to the pack, it spreads like wildfire,” he said and I frowned. “So you are here to take me back to Maddox. Let me guess you are one of his guard dogs,” I said as the man clocked his jaw for a second, those eyes flashed red and I took a step back unconsciously. He sighed looking away for a second behind he turned back to me with normal hazel eyes. “I don’t work for Maddox.” “So who are you?” “You’ll find out soon.” I rolled my eyes at that, folding my arms to my chest. “Are all wolves this secretive, because no one ever answered my questions? And I seem to be the most clueless. Yet no one tells me anything.” “I would answer your questions. Maddox is a selfish bastard and won’t do you any good. Come with me.” He said and I saw him raise his hand at me but I stepped back. “I’m not going to be held captive by any of you anymore,” I said defiantly as the man nodded in understanding. “It’s alright not to trust us. But I’m on your side, Desiree.” “How do you know my name?” I asked and he shook his head at me. “That’s not the most important thing. But I have all the answers, you see, and once you are done learning all you need to know about us, I’ll return you back home,” he said and my eyes widened at that. “I’ve been watching you, you’ve been going round and round in these woods and soon Maddox would know you’re missing and I’m sure you don’t want to return back to that dungeon.” “How can I trust you?” I asked and something gnawed at the back of my mind not to trust this man but I needed answers. I was legit growing crazy with all these things happening and I didn’t know why. And someone who wasn’t on Maddox side was willing to help me and give me all the answers I needed and even take me home. It was an offer I didn’t want to refuse. “I’ll only answer one of your questions now. And the rest when you come with me. It’s dangerous out here.” He said and I absentmindedly reached for the scar on my neck lingering my finger above it but just touching it. “What is this mark?” I asked suddenly looking up at the man whose eyes had darkened but at my stare, he smiled at me. “That’s a mating mark,” he said and it reminded me of what Diane had said, something about brothers mate. “What does that mean?” I asked and the man stepped closer to me, but I didn’t move. Something about him compelled me to stand still and as he drew closer I saw his eyes fixed on my neck. “It is a mark that binds you to the person who bit you. Like a claim to a property. A brand to a cattle signifying that you belong to someone. And that person is Maddox.” He said and I looked away at that, and he continued but his voice was so small as if I had imagined it. “At least for now.” “So I’m some sort of object to him?” I asked, feeling my heart shatter at the thought of him doing that to me. “He branded me? Why? I don’t even know him.” “Because he’s a sick twisted bastard. Maddox captures young human girls like you and uses them to fulfill his wishes. It’s a good thing you managed to escape.” The man said and I hadn’t realized that he was touching my cheeks until he pinched it slightly. “You’re brave Desiree. You are beautiful and intelligent. Come with me and I’ll show you that you can be much more than a pawn in Maddox’s game. I have all the answers you seek and I’ll give you the freedom you desire.” The man said and I frowned at that, a sense of vulnerability filling me. And suddenly, I felt tired, I was fed up with being pushed around and I actually wanted to lean on someone. “I can protect you,” he said, his fingers trailing down my bottom lip, but his hazel eyes were fixed on me so intently like he was staring at my soul. “Would you come with me?” he asked and I didn’t waste any time in responding. “Yes.” “Tell me to save you,” he ordered. “Save me, please.”