𝐀𝐑𝐃𝐄𝐍✔️

EIGHT|ROGUE

  THE FRESHLY FALLEN autumn leaves crunched underfoot as I moved through Black Thorn territory in the form of my beast. I wasn't far in, barely half a mile from the border, but I knew I had to get out of there, and fast.

The Black Thorn wolves weren't exactly known for their amity, and I was almost certain they already had patrols on their way.

I was just passing through on my way down south, heading to the Grey Winter cliffs, and hopefully, if everything went as planned, that was to be my final destination.

The sound of a twig snapping caused my head to snap to the source. I caught their scent before I saw them, the scent of rot, decay.

Three large, scruffy black wolves emerged from behind the thick trees, their fur was torn through shreds of thick, gnarled scars. They were fighters. Snarling at me, their lips pulled back to reveal rows of wickedly sharp teeth. The largest of the three stepped forwards, saliva dripping from his lips; borderline rabid.

The sound of bones shifting and snapping back into place filled the air as the largest wolf shifted back into his human form, as he stood there, entirely bare, making no move to cover his exposed manhood. He looked to be in his mid-to-late-fifties with short-cropped grey hair and sharp, piggy eyes that never once left mine.

"Shift" he demanded.

I weighed out my options. I could run, but they could run faster. I could fight, but they could fight harder.

The last option was to do as they said, to give in willingly and hope that they were better men than they looked. I shifted.

My bones broke and reformed into those of a human. I did not attempt to cover myself, I had already lost everything. I had nothing left to take.

For a minute, no one spoke a word, we just stood there daring the other to look away first, to make the first move, each sizing up their opponent.

"Alpha Hades wants to know what's happening with the rogue."

The man did not break my gaze, he did not turn to face his companions that had shifted back to their skin forms. Instead, a wicked grin tugged at the corners of his lips as he smirked at me and drawled. " — Tell the Alpha that he doesn't have to bother worrying about the rogue and that it has been dispatched."

The others mirrored his morbid smirk knowingly.

"Now rogue, listen closely. If you do as we say, you may leave Black Thorn territories alive... However if you scream or try to run, and you get us caught... Then may satan be your saviour."

He was mad as the morning may, I could see it in his eyes, the madness, lingering just beyond the threshold of felt. Then the three of them started walking forward in unison, startled I stumbled back, my spine slamming into the rough bark of a tree.

They were getting closer. Only ten feet away. Eight feet. Six feet. Three. And then they were upon me.

The old man was so close I could feel his breaths; warm and stale as they fanned across my face, whilst the two younger men stood back and watched in sickening glee.

I couldn't stop the shout that left my lips as I felt the man's hand slip between my legs. At once a rough fist clamped over my lips, cutting the shrill sound short. It smelled like gunmetal and sweat and grit.

"I thought I told you not to scream." He hissed, holding himself flush against me, letting the words of his whisper crawl over my skin like insects. I didn't miss the way his eyes flickered about the forest, scanning for foreign bodies on the approach.

His closed fist connected with my cheek, sending a bolt of white-hot pain racing through me, the force of the strike throwing me to the floor on my hands and knees. Like a dog. He took the opportunity to kick me in the stomach, and I rolled to my side, winded and spluttering for breath. I could taste something metallic and sharp, and as I coughed into the ground flecks of blood splattered the leaves.

His hands were on me again, forcing me onto my back as, he brought his foot down on my leg, hard, and the resulting crunch caused a blinding scream to pierce the air. I felt sick. Bile rose in the back of my throat and I swallowed the bitter taste down.

"I thought I told you not to fucking scream!"

Pain. Pain was all I felt, all I'd ever known.

I heard vague voices, distant and foggy, almost as if they were underwater. I could only make out a few words through the haze.

"...This is what happens to bad little rogues."

I felt his hands on me, they felt like fire, a searing, burning pain that consumed me, exploding from everywhere that he touched. They roamed body, groping and squeezing wherever they pleased.

They were monsters. Just like him. Then my vision turned black and I was lost within the darkness.

WHEN I AWOKE I was still in the same place, but I was alone. Those cowards couldn't even fucking kill me.

I tried to stand, but my body ached and my leg quivered beneath me. I tried not to look at it too closely, for it jutted out at an awkward angle and even the sight of it made me want to vomit.

And then I saw the blood. Not just the blood that crawled from my lip, or from one of the litany of cuts and scratches that littered my broken body. Instead, I saw the blood that stained my thighs, and the deep black and purple bruises that covered my waist.

And I knew then, what had been done. I'd seen it, felt it, one thousand times before. Each time was as pressing and painful as the last. The only thought I'd ever known had been one I did not want.

"ARDEN, WAKE UP!"

I flailed and screamed as strong arms embraced me. Sparks flowed through me. Not again. I would not let them take me again. " — Shh baby it's okay, I'm here."

"Let go of me!" I screamed, kicking out, trying desperately to escape the monsters, but it was no use, their jaws had already begun to close in around me.

The monsters were always stronger. Their vile claws dug deep beneath my skin. And now, they would never let me go.

"Arden... It's me! — Kaden!"

All at once, my eyes flew open, to see the familiar blue eyes of Kaden staring back at me. Hurt was obvious on his features and I couldn't help but flinch as he rested a hand gently against my tear-stained cheek.

"You were just having a nightmare."

I looked at Kaden unblinkingly. "They're not nightmares."

"What do you mean?"

"They were real."