To Be Protected

Chapter 6: Healing Wounds

Jackson's POV

My body was throbbing in pain, as I lay on my back on something firm and had something digging into my back. Everything was hazy and I tried to remember what had happened since I couldn't seem to open my eyes. All I can remember is Keller torturing me and then someone approached me, and I think it was Mathis. But I had told him not to follow me, so was it him? Pushing my brain to strain to remember I faintly remembered saying Mathis's name, then there is noting. But if that's true then that means that Mathis is in my clan! He's going to be killed! He may be strong but he is way outnumbered! There is no way he could survive that!

As I strained for control of my eyes and other limbs I fought with everything that I had and slowly but surely I was gaining feeling again. As I did I realized to my horror someone had their hands on me, and more specifically, on my wounds. The hands pressed and poked painfully but I couldn't even make a whimper. Mustering up all of my strength I still couldn't move, that was until a particularly painful poke had my eyes snapping open and I kicked blindly at the person. My kick connected on the person but my eyes were still trying to focus as I scrambled to my feet and grabbed what looked like a small dagger and held it out in front of me.

When my head stopped swimming and my eyes focused my fear doubled at what I saw. An Alpha woman was standing in front of me with her hands out in front of her as she watched me closely. Her dark brown hair was thrown all over the place in a messy style and her stormy gray eyes were watching me evenly and with a bit of weariness. My eyes snapped around the room and my panic increased when I noticed that the hut I was in was way bigger then any we had in our clan, and with a deep breath in through my nose I noticed that nothing smelled familiar. I wasn't in my clan anymore. A groan of pain had my attention on the figure lying on a mat on the ground and my breath caught when I saw it was Evelyn, and she looked sick, very sick.

My breath started to pick up in panic as my eyes snapped around again and they stopped when they landed on what looked like a door behind me. Glancing back at the woman she notice me looking at the door and took a step towards me, "Don't-" she started to speak but I was already bolting out of the door.

Busting through the swinging door I immediately ran into another Alpha, this time a male, and he stumbled as he looked at me in surprise and reached out for me. Jerking away from his touch I ducked under his arm and took off again.

"What the hell are you doing?" a female voice from behind me snapped, "Go get him!"

After the command was given I could hear footsteps start to follow me, but I was more concerned about weaving around all of the bustling people. This clan was much, much, much bigger then my own and there were also a lot more people, and most of them seemed to be Alphas. My breaths were now coming in short pants as my ribs burned from where I was kicked, but I ignored it as I wove in and out of the walking people. Now people behind me were shouting and I risked a look over my shoulder, but I wish I hadn't. There were six people, all Alphas it looked like, chasing me and they were all decked out in armor and had weapons on their hips and they all had the white warrior paint. They were starting to gain on me, I could tell by the sound of their footsteps, so I veered off of the road I was running on as I vaulted over a vendor and ran between a few huts. I had shook off three warriors but three were still tailing me. Spotting a few large boxed up ahead I pulled them down behind me as I passed and I heard the shouts of surprise as at least two of them got tripped up by the boxes.

Rounding the corner around the hut I skidded to a stop when I came face to face with a warrior group of eight. They all looked over to me when I came bursting out from between the huts but they didn't come after me. Spinning around to take off again I slammed into the chest of the one Alpha that I didn't manage to trip and a blood curdling scream ripped out of my throat as he grabbed one of my arms. My scream seemed to startle the Alpha and his hold loosened, but it was still there so in my panic I stabbed him in the arm with the small blade that I had. That did the trick and he dropped my arm with a little grunt of pain and I took the chance to duck around him as I took off again. Now there was at least nine warriors chasing after and I swear I could feel their breath on the back of my neck.