The Alpha and The Red Wolf

Escape

VALERIE

For the first time in many years, a sense of protection engulfed me. But my brain was not ready to admit the same. I could sense this man, this alpha male, and given the way his command made everyone wary around him, I wondered why I felt safe around him.

I have seen enough alphas in this lifetime to know that they are heartless. My father was different, though, but then again, he was my father. Had he been alive, I would not have been here in the first place. I would not have been harmed or tortured.

I would have my wolf with me.

How does a shifter werewolf survive without a wolf?

I did not know. Till now, I have caged and the prospect of such never crossed my mind. But now that I could sense a fringe of freedom around me, I felt like a misfit. Years ago, I was an alpha’s daughter and now, I was no less than an omega or a fragile human girl.

A subtle knock sounded on the door as my gaze snapped up. A woman servant in a white uniform peeked inside the room and then placed down a tray of food in front of me.

“Miss, here’s your breakfast. Is there anything else you would like me to bring you?”

I looked up from the tray to her face, perplexed.

This was all new to me because till now I was not given any choice of food. In fact, I was starved for days until I begged and begged. For some time, begging did not help either.

“Miss? Are you listening to me?” She tried again, confused.

“Er…no, thank you,” I whispered.

“Please finish the food, and then I will have someone clean it up. Also, Alpha Caleb will see you later.”

I looked up at her, in equal parts fear and trepidation. Why does the Alpha want to see me? Surely I was of no use to him. And if he wanted information about Oslo or the slavers, I had none.

“Why?” I stammered.

The servant stared at me as if I asked something appalling.

“Well, we don’t question Alpha Caleb. If he says something, we obey. That’s how it works in this pack.”

I nodded, watching her leave as the door closed with a soft thud.

My eyes fell upon the tray, decorated with exotic fruits, breads and meat. Every possible delicacy was served with juices and a beverage. I picked a few pieces of the fruit which melted into my mouth and could not help but moan into it. I tasted the croissant too, which was something between buttery and layered with chocolate, and I wondered what did I ever do to deserve this?

The food laid before me was of an enormous quantity, and it was next to impossible to finish the same so I ate as much as I could and left it on the table.

Gingerly, I climbed out of bed, stepping onto the plush carpet beneath my feet and looked around the room. It was opulent to its best. Giant crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling and the decor was all modern and exquisite. I sauntered towards the window, overlooking a beautiful garden, but it was not the beauty of the scene that made me step back.

It was the window.

It was constructed with heavy bars and unbreakable thick glass as if someone would want to keep a prisoner within the four walls of the room. Was I rescued from one cage to another?

I tried opening the windows, but my efforts were in vain. When I moved towards the door, trying to unlatch the knob, it did not budge either. All the sense of security was slowly ebbing away, and new fear struck anew in my mind. This manor, this place was nothing but a proverbial cage—one I had been trapped in earlier.

Besides, why would the Alpha—Alpha Caleb—take pity on a broken wolf less shifter like me? What could I possibly give him?

At that moment, I had decided that I had to escape. There was no way I would let him torture me like Oslo. I was tormented enough for one lifetime and as stupid as it sounded, I was still hanging on to hope that someday I would be free—that someday I would be treated as a dignified individual rather than a slave.

My thoughts were interrupted when the door knob unlatched and the same woman who had brought me food earlier came inside to fetch the tray.

When her gaze fell on the unfinished tray, she looked up to me. “Miss, haven’t you eaten?”

“I did, thank you.”

“But your plate is almost full. Was the food not good? I can bring you something else if you want.”

“No, thank you,” I said hurriedly. “The food was delicious. But I do not have much of an appetite.”

Her face contorted into a punched expression. “Alpha Caleb won't be happy.”

“You can leave the tray for later if I get hungry. Your Alpha does not need to know.”

“I am afraid I cannot do that, Miss,” she almost gasped, making me realise that she was well-truly afraid of his wrath. And it spoke volumes of his personality. All the more reason I have escaped this place before it got worse for me.

My gaze darted to the door, which was still ajar, and I saw this as an opportunity for once and for all. If I could make it through the door, probably half my battle would be won. I did not know if there were guards or the exact way out of this, but I had to try.

I attempted to smile at her cordially. “I was hoping if you could help me with something else, can you?”

She nodded, a little unsure. “What is it that you need?” She asked.

“I think one of the faucets in the bathroom is leaking, and the floor is almost flooded with water. Can you please check?”

“That’s odd. Let me see, Miss.” She trotted over quickly, disappearing into the bathroom as I quickly sprinted towards the door.

And as soon as I was out of the room, I ran for the exit without even knowing. To my utter luck, there were no guards at the door so I could slip through. The manor was huge. The room they had kept me in was nothing in comparison to the decor it radiated. But I had little to no time to appreciate the same.

Luckily, I saw the stairs and quickly climbed down.

I could hear the hushed voices from in and around the place and prayed hard that no one would come out or cross my path. But my luck ran out the second I climbed down the stairs and a man came out of the room. I have not seen him, so in all probability he did not know me either.

He was tall, well-built and looked like one of the soldiers in a werewolf pack.

Dumbstruck, I plastered myself against the wall and simply bowed my head. He looked hesitant for a moment, but then quickly passed over mistaking me for an omega or a servant girl.

I immediately breathed a sigh of relief at the close call. ‘Thank you, Moon Goddess.’

As soon as the coast was clear, I darted out of the place and finally located the main door. My freedom, my safety—everything was right in front of my eyes. My heart throbbed so fast in my chest that I could feel the pulse racing through my veins.

I paced towards the door, pulling it open and was ready to step out when the loudest shrill of an alarm rang out.

Shit!

I raced towards the main gate and clearly underestimated the distance. It was at least a hundred metres away, and I could hear the shouts behind my back.

“There! She’s running away!” A female voice cried.

“Get the guards, now!” A male barked.

“Lock the f*****g gate!”

I ran as fast as my thin legs could carry me but years of starvation and drugs does not make you any less than fragile. I knew my physical strength was limited and the moment my steps faltered, I fell face first on the ground with a loud thud.

And no matter how much I tried to push myself off the muddy ground, I could not.

“C’mon!” I practically gritted, hoping to drag myself away from getting caught but the nearest hedge was too far for my reach.

The commotion behind me grew louder and closer, but it was a distinct, purposeful footstep that made every hair on my body stand up. Even before I turned around, I felt his presence. And suddenly the air in my lungs was sucked out.

I slowly turned around, watching him towering over me with a vacant expression. He got down on his haunches, giving me a quick once-over.

“Well, I do hope it was worth it, little wolf.”