The Twelfth Moon || ✔️

5. On The Road

"Alpha," I said, bowing my head to submit. I hoped this would be the last time I ever did that.

"Come. We have a long walk ahead of us." Beckett didn't really acknowledge me or my submission. He did look at my hand, and let out a low growl. I didn't think I was meant to hear that, it was more for himself. A reminder of the headache this would cause him at the Castle, when I would arrive there all mangled up and bruised. But I did not find it in me to feel sorry for that. If anything, it made me appreciate the brokenness that I was.

I followed him outside, where two other wolves waited for him. No sign of Dexter, though. He was probably obligated to stay here, to take over the Alpha duties while Beckett was away.

The three wolves led me through the darkness, my eyes slowly adjusting to the absence of light. I damned myself for being such a weak wolf, for having such underdeveloped senses. It almost confirmed Beckett's view of me - a useless wolf, a piece of trash.

I wanted to know how far we'd have to walk, but I didn't dare speak. I supposed we would get there, when we would get there. There was no use in my asking, that would only give Beckett and his minions the opportunity to get mad at me, to hurt me or to mock me. So I stayed quiet. Words would not be my friend in the presence of these dangerous men, that all looked at me with the same amount of hatred and disgust.

The men walking with me stopped paying any attention to me after a while, forgetting I existed. They talked about foul things, conversations probably not meant for my ears. They spoke of their females at home and about their sidepieces. The lack of respect in their words disgusted me more than anything, and I fought the urge to open my mouth. But I reminded myself that that would be a bad idea, so I followed the men in silence.

Beckett walked at the front of the group, leading the way for his miniature pack. Once my eyes had fully adjusted, I could recognize the path we were walking on. I had walked it two years ago, when I had tried hunting in the forest.

My heart dropped as I realized we were headed for those woods, to the very place that had damaged me almost beyond repair. It scared me to be confronted with that place again, especially in the presence of these men. Beckett huffed in the front, sensing the fear that crawled over me. He had probably planned our route to pass by this exact path, to torment me. Knowing what it would trigger, what it would do to me. I was in for a hell of a ride, but I would fight through every hardship Beckett threw at me. I was so close to the end, I wouldn't fail now.

We reached the forest in the same place where I had entered two years back. I felt that same hunger and agony I felt then, and then cursed myself for feeling it so vividly. I was sure Beckett could feel my emotions, that he could smell them. And I hated that, I hated that I had no privacy at all around him. I hated that he knew exactly how to get under my skin. I focused my attention on the back of the head of one of the men walking before me, not allowing myself to look beyond him, to see the woods that pained me.

I was so absorbed in it, I hadn't noticed Beckett had fallen back and was now walking beside me. "What a lovely night, don't you think, Sari?" He sounded so... polite. I didn't trust it for a second.

"Yes Alpha, I thank our Moon in the sky for it."

"Hmm." He barely acknowledged me, as usual, but it still felt different now. Less aggressive, less menacing. But the more I thought about the lack of threat, the more menacing he became. "Who set your fingers? I could have sworn I heard them shatter and break. Yet here they are," he said, pointing at my hand, "healing and well."

I looked at my hand too, seeing the swelling had indeed gone down a little bit already and the gaping wound had closed even more. "I did so myself, Alpha. I did not receive any help, if that is what you are asking."