Abused and Hunted

CHAPTER 11

SIERRA POV.

*DREAM*

Everything was so bright around me and yet I could see everything clearly. The brightness didn’t come from the sun or a light somewhere… it was just… bright. It looked like I was standing in some kind of woodland meadow. The space I was standing in was filled with a variety of wild flowers and grass up to my ankles. Trees stood tall and rich in green leaves all around me and I faintly heard the running of water that was close by. I looked down at my feet and wiggled my toes through the grass and a giggle escaped me as the grass tingle my foot and I inhaled a big breath through my nose. Closing my eyes, I let the pungent aroma of the trees and the flowers fill my nostrils, filling my senses with calmness and peace before I released the breath through my mouth, opening my eyes again to look at the spectacular view in front of me. It really was the most peaceful place I have ever seen.

I frowned to myself as my thoughts started to form in my head. What was this place and how did I get here? I wondered and I twirled around to look more closely at my surroundings. That was when I saw it. There was this huge tree in the middle of the meadow clearing and there was something under it. Without realising it, I started to move towards the tree. It was like now that I saw it… it was pulling me towards it. I looked around again. This place looked so perfect as though it was from a dream… and maybe it was. I thought as I tried to think back to the last thing I could remember before I got here. I couldn’t. My mind was blank and quiet.

I looked to the tree again. It got bigger as I got closer and I noticed that there was a type of boulder under the tree. It was the height of my waist with a flat surface on top. The length could easily accommodate a person that wanted to lie down, but instead of a person… there was a pure white wolf laying on it and she was calmly watching me approach with her luminous purple eyes. Eyes that I felt familiar with and it was then that something clicked in my head.

“Luna?” I called out to her but I knew it was her. The pull at the side of her mouth looked like a wolfish grin as she nodded her head at me. I approached her with awe as I looked her over. She looked even more magnificent than in the reflection that I was used to see her in. “How…?” I started as I reached her. She tilted her head in a cute way and I could see the amusement in her eyes as she watched me. “Am I… Are we dead?” I asked and she rolled her eyes at me. “No, Sierra. We are not dead.” She spoke and I raised my eyebrows at her in surprise. I didn’t know what to expect because I could always hear her in side my head, but her mouth didn’t even move when she spoke but I heard her clearly. “Then this is a dream… but how?” I asked as I quickly shook off my shock and turned around to look about my surroundings before facing her again.

“You are in a liminal state, Sierra.” Luna spoke and I watched her push herself up into a sitting position. She was larger than I thought… or it could just be that I was in human form in front of her. “You mean, I’m somewhere between being alive and almost dead?” I asked and that thought unsettled me a little. She nodded her big white head, blinking her purple eyes at me.

“We almost did die.” She said and hopped off the flat stone boulder that she was on. Now it looked more like a table and I noticed some carvings on it. I only managed to get an eyeful of the intricate carving patterns before my attention got pulled away from it when Luna spoke up. She stood close, towering over me in a non-threatening manner. “If it weren’t for our mate that grabbed onto our bond, then we would have died.” She said and I frowned in confusion again. My stomach flipped with fear as the image of Zion’s face, flashed in front of my eyes.

“I wasn’t talking about him, Sierra.” Luna spoke knowingly and a piece of that fear melted away, but I struggled to think. Another face flashed in my mind but I couldn’t see a clear image. “Mother realised that it was a mistake to match the two of you.” She spoke and my head snapped up to hers in shock. “Mother thought that you would be able to save him and his wolves soul, but he was already too greatly influenced.” She spoke and a sadness entered her eyes. “She wanted me to tell you that she was sorry to putt you through all of that.” She spoke and a spark of anger flamed in my chest. “Mother?” I questioned. Referring to the only one that it could be, the Moon Goddess. “Your mother is sorry!? If she really was sorry then she could have gotten rid of him if she really was so powerful as everyone claims!” I said angrily and Luna’s ears dropped slightly in shame. “Sierra, I know you are angry…” She started but I cut her short. “Angry!?” I am pissed and so should you be!” I spoke. “I didn’t go through all of that alone! What he did to me, he did to you too!” I said and her ears flattened even more and she looked away.

“She didn’t know our fate was going to turn out like that. She carries that guilt with her every day, that is why she gave us a second chance mate.” Luna spoke, looking at me again.

I huffed angrily. “What makes you think that she is going to be any better than our last mate?” I snapped and image became clear in my mind that wasn’t before. Her face against the night sky, framed by her short black hair around her beautiful face. Those deep hazel eyes sparkling with concern and the tingle of my skin where she touched my bare skin. I closed my eyes as I sucked in a breath. I have come to despise the tingling sensation that came with the mate bond but this was different. It was soothing and I vaguely remember feeling it again just before I woke up here. I rubbed my hand as it suddenly tingled from the memory. Taking another deep breath, I open my eyes. Luna was staring at me.

“It will be different this time and you know I am right because you can feel it too.” She said and I couldn’t argue with that so I looked away from her towards the carved stone table top.

I cleared my throat. “So, what do we do now?” I asked. Luna looked at me and I saw that wolfish smile pull at her lips. “Now we go back.” She said and I frowned as I looked around. “How?” I asked before fear knotted my stomach. “Do we have too?” I asked and Luna tilted her head as she studied me. “I mean, if we go back then we will only become hunted again. If we stay here…” I spoke before Luna cut me off. “If we stay then we will still be alive, only in a coma like state. Do you really want to live the rest of your life like that?” She asked and I shook my head. “Besides, we have a second chance mate waiting for us and I don’t know about you, but I am actually looking forward to it.”

I knew she was right but I was just so tired of being afraid and she knew it, but I had to face my fears eventually so I might as well start now.

I started to feel myself become heavy. The brightness of my surroundings became dull before darkness fell over my eyes. I knew Luna was still with me as I felt that familiar feeling come back into my mind of not being alone and a beeping filled my ears as strong antiseptic bombarded my nose.

*DREAM END*

I coughed as the strong smells overwhelmed me and the beeping beside me became louder and more insistent. Opening my eyes, I quickly had to close them due to the sharp light that filled into the room from the curtains beside my bed and I blurrily saw a figure hurry to close them. I took a few deep breaths as I registered a presence near me and I gasped when those pleasurable tingles ran from my hand and up my arm and I fully opened my eyes again to look straight into a pair of hazel ones.

She looked even more beautiful than what I remembered. Even though her black short hair stood up at all different angles around her face, like she had just woken up. We didn’t say a word for a minute as we looked at each other. It wasn’t awkward… it was just… nice.

“Hi.” She spoke and even her voice sounded angelic to my ears. I couldn’t help but give her a small smile. “H-hi.” I said. My throat felt dry and I tried to clear it. To my amazement, my new mate immediately grabbed a glass from the table next to my bed and poured me a glass of water from the pitcher that stood there and she brought it to my lips and I greedily took a few mouthfuls, spilling some of it down my chin. She set the glass down after I had my fill and she took her hand and wiped the spilled water from y chin with a kind smile. “How are you feeling?” She asked. Her hand tucking away a stray strand of hair from my face. I thought for a moment about her question. “I think I’m okay.” I said as I shifted in place and I hissed when I sharp pain shot through my upper thigh.

“Take it easy!” My new mate said. Her voice filled with concern and I stilled myself. “Sorry.” I said and looked away from her, feeling as though I had done something wrong.

“You have nothing to be sorry about.” She said and I looked up into her face again. “You’re not fully healed yet so I don’t want you to hurt yourself further.” She spoke and took my hand in hers. “My name is Nila Green. And this is the Dark Moon Pack.” She introduced herself and indicated to her surrounding as she still held my hand in hers. “No one can hurt you here, I promise.” She added and I felt myself believing her. “I’m Sierra Grey.” I introduced myself. “I- I don’t have a pack.” I added and looked away. I sort of expected her to let go of my hand but she only tightened her hold and ran her thumb over the top of my hand. She smiled at me. “You do now.” She said and my heart leaped and so did the heart monitor. I suddenly felt nervous and I knew Nila could feel it. “What’s wrong?” She asks and I shift in my bed again. “I don’t think your alpha will want someone like me in the pack.” I said and Nila pulled a face in disbelief. “What? Are you kidding? You are my mate and any mate of a pack member, whether they are rogue or not, is welcomed.” She said and this made me feel a little better. “Besides, I think that even if you weren’t my mate, he would still have propositioned you to stay.” She said and this confused me but I didn’t ask what she meant. I suddenly felt tired and again, I knew she could feel it too. “Why don’t you get some rest. I’ll be here.” She spoke. The warmth of her hand was comforting and I felt myself relax back against my pillow. We fell into silence again and this time I could see her mind whirl with all the questions but I appreciated that she was trying to not throw them on me.

‘See? I told you things would be different.’ Luna said in the back of my mind as my eyes drifted close.