Pack's Runt

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Morning chill crawled down my spine as I opened my eyes to the bright sunlight streaking over my face. A grunt left my throat. I turned around and placed my arm over my eyes, hoping the stinging light would go away on its own, but it didn't. It spread wider, all over the room.

I drew my hand over my mouth before opening my eyes again and staring at the man standing in front of me. It took me a second to take in his face.

"What do you want from me?" I asked, groaning at the fact I had barely gotten any sleep over the past few days.

"Get up." The Alpha said, reaching closer and closer to my bed.

I jumped up straight before he got any more closer. The events from last night weren't forgotten. He tossed something over the bed. It took me even longer to focus on anything as I was only seeing bright lights and a blurry room.

"Change and I want you down in ten minutes. Don't make me come up again." He said on his way out of the room he had let me sleep in.

I dropped back on the bed with my face against the sheets. My hair scattered all over me and another groan escaped my dry throat. I picked myself up from the bed and glanced at the windows where sunlight cascaded in from. Just then I realized I had only slept for three hours.

Three goddamn hours.

What could he possibly want from me now?

There were clothes on the bed, pants and a skin-tight sweater. A throbbing headache followed my every movement as I changed my clothes and washed my face before forcing myself out of the bedroom. Only if I couldn't slept a bit longer after the night I had to bear.

Just as I stepped out, I froze on my steps. My gaze drifted left and right while my brows furrowed. Where was I supposed to go? The hallway was dark, and it took me a long time to find the stairs to go down where the Alpha wanted me. From even far, far away, I couldn't hear anyone inside the house.

Only morning silence.

It wasn't a pack house even though I thought it was when I first came here. It was the Alpha's house and the portraits gave it up. There were lined perfectly across the hallway with pictures of several people and one certain young boy. I got up closer, staring at one picture for long where there was a boy seated on the ground, next to an older woman.

'Mrs. Rosalie Archer and Nicholas Archer.'

Just beneath the portrait, the names were written of the Alpha's mother and himself.

A smile curled on my lips and I went down the staircase which was next to the hallway. Below, I found him waiting for me in the foyer, his expression all stiff and mighty along with the rest of his body. Last night. I tried to brush away the thought, but it was impossible.

There was another man next to him, near to the door and when I reached downstairs, he opened the door.

"Hello, Nicholas." I teased, taking his name.

He stood idle and said, "Don't ever call me that again." It sounded like a threat, but it didn't register in my head.

My smile grew even wider. He walked out of the house and I followed him, staying a couple of inches back. I glanced over my shoulder, finding the man who was standing near to the door following us. Brows furrowed. Where was he taking me now? Especially at this time of the day.

It was hours later when my chest was tight. My breaths came out scattered as my heart thudded loudly. The hand on my elbow tightened, dragging me further into the woods. My legs were strained, tired, needing rest, but Nicholas didn't let me. He didn't let me stop for even a second.

The trees around witnessed the torment I was forced in—walking and running for miles and miles. While the air was clean and fresh, I didn't want to walk for hours with a moment of rest. Every muscle in my body was giving up. I was at the edge of fainting or tipping over some rock and hitting my head.

"I'm tired!" I exclaimed, my voice breathy.

"I don't care." He pulled his hand away from me, no sight of mercy in his voice as he continued to pave a way through the woods. I tried to catch up with him but my knees were failing.

"Please," I stopped and sat on the ground. "If you're trying to kill me then you're surely doing a very good job." I added as my hands moved across the dirt and the mud inside the woods.

The breeze was cold, keeping the sweat at bay, but even then, I could feel the heat inside my body surfacing and draining me. My chest rose and dropped. I stared at him as he stopped a few steps away from me. The man from the house had came along with him, he was standing a few meters back, trailing us across the woods.

I couldn't understand why he was doing this.

"I'm not killing you," He reached up to me and nearly pulled me back up on my feet, but I managed to push his hand away. "You need discipline. Get up."

"I'm tired. And I think I have enough discipline." I said, still gasping for air. My arms were around my chest, folding as I leaned back against the tree. There was nothing that could force me up on my feet right now.

"Get up." He repeated.

I shook my head while my gaze burned into his. His expression hardened, and before he came for me again, I stood up and marched away from him on the opposite direction. Defiance was going great until I tipped over a rock and fell straight into a large body of water.

Thankfully, I had been taught how to swim.

Water splattered all over my face and soaked into the clothes I wore. I came up to the surface while rubbing my eyes and getting rid of the salt inside them. Heavy breaths choked out of me. I pushed my hair back from my face and stared ahead at Nicholas who stood near to the body of water.

It was a clear pond, shallow and surrounded with green.

"Get out of there." He said as I continued to stay inside the pond. He didn't reach in, not even close to the water while floated further back from him.

I smiled, "No. I rather stay here than walk another mile with you, Nicholas."

"You don't say my name." His jaw tightened, and his eyes clicked away from mine.

"Sure, Nicholas."

The pain in my body and muscles was relieved by the water. It was slightly cold but the longer I stayed inside, the better I felt about the terrible hours I had spent with him, outside in these woods.

"Get out of the filthy water before I force you out." He threatened, still standing on the edge, waiting for me to listen to him.

As if.

"No, Nicholas."