Breaking the Bond

Hangry

The young werewolf lifted Lexi off the floor and up over his shoulders. The man pausing only to grab the discarded suitcase. Lexi tried to kick and punch her way off her captor, with very little effect. Finally being flung in the back of the SUV, the door closed then locked as the young werewolf climbed in beside her.

"Drive". The young werewolf clearly held some sort of authority as the driver sped off deeper into the Jade Moon Pack territory.

"So little star, what is your name?" For some reason Lexi couldn't answer the simple question.

"HHmmm, ok. I'm Tom. Ryan is my brother". Again nothing came to her. No words formed in her brain. Her was mouth dry. Terror, the familiar feeling started to build up inside her. Her past experiences flooding her mind as her freedom, her liberty started to slip away like sand through her fingers. The weight of her reality crushed her, were they going to kill her or maybe it was something far worse. Maybe the tyrant Alpha would cage and torture her, which had once been her life. She didn't think she could live through that again. The torment, pain and humiliation she had once experienced made her numb for years later even after being saved, many had given up on her, pitied the weak girl. She had become a walking shell of her former self. A living breathing doll that waited for the captor to play with her. That feeling of her soul retreating, wanting to escape her body due to fear of the pain that monster inflicted, returned in powerful waves. Not even her friend could save her here. All the coping mechanisms failed her as she went further into a state of panic.

"Hello? Is anybody home? yo-whoo- little star". A big hand waved in front of her face yet Lexi could only see her past life play out in her mind. Not even a friendly hand on her shoulder could drag her back to reality. Instead Lexi was still her in dark small cage, her captor grabbing her, the car filled with a sudden eardrum bursting shriek. Lexi's hands cover her ears as she rocked her body, tears falling from her life heavy rain. White dots appeared in front of her eyes and then darkness.

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"Brother I swear I didn't hurt her. She screamed her head off when I touched her shoulder to get her attention and passed out". Lexi recognised the voice but she couldn't open her eyes, she felt so weak, the click of a closing door echoed in her mind. Where was she? What happened? The last thing she remembers was Ryan, talking to some man, then wolves. Beautiful monsters.

Ryan.

Something snapped in her mind, the puzzle falling back into place. "Lock her in". The words swirled around in her mind. She felt nauseous, like she had sea legs, the motion of constant movement even when lying on solid ground. She needed to be sick. She shot up, eyes wide open, the light making her squint in discomfort. Her surroundings foreign and sterile, almost like a hospital. She was in a huge comfy bed with black silk covers. To her right, huge floor to ceiling windows and two chairs placed either side. A black marbled dresser table and mirror in the corner, silver photo frames on one side, bottles of perfume on the other. In front of her were two doors with a large flat screen TV hanging between, to the left black double doors. The room was painted white, black and white artwork littered the walls. Someone didn’t like colour in their lives. Lexi hoped that at least one door would lead to the bathroom. She shot out of bed, stumbling slightly as dizziness hit her. The first door swung open without effort, a closet, the second being a huge black and white marble en suite. If Lexi didn't feel the burn of the bile hit her throat, she may have enjoyed the lovely layout, especially the huge black bath.

Lexi hadn’t eaten since she was back in the cabin so the only contents were the burning bile that she wretched up between sobs. After swilling her mouth, she headed for the double doors. She needed to get out of here. She tried to control her emotions. These were werewolves. They had no reason to torture her, to keep her captive. She was just over reacting. That’s what she told herself. This was just a miss understanding. Ryan hadn't meant lock her in as a prisoner, right? The double doors were unlocked, relief surged through her body.  

Sticking her head out the door to check if the coast was, she noticed the corridor was empty, she could see right down to the front door, her suitcase and backpack sitting there, unattended. She smiled, internally dancing. On her tiptoes she crept down the hall, holding her breath. Just as she reached the final door of the corridor she step out into the open plan living room and kitchen area, and she was in awe. The floor to ceiling windows stretched each side of the apartment which meant they had the whole upper floor, or at least half of it. The living room looked cosy with a fire and huge white couches with a shinny grand piano at the far end, the kitchen on the other side looked modern and new. The apartment was massive, so clean and trendy with the black and white décor throughout. It wasn’t her cup of tea but she could appreciate the style. She stepped forward unable to see anyone and just as she thought she was going to taste freedom, a laugh erupted above her.

“Little star, you’re finally awake. You trying to run away from me, come on I’m not that bad”. She turned and looked up. There the young wolf stood leaning on the mezzanine railings. He had likely watched her as soon as she stepped into the living room, her creeping about must have been a comical sight.

He descended the stairs into the kitchen area. Smiling, a million dollar smile. He was also beautiful, what was with these werewolves being so attractive.

“I’m ready to leave now. Thank you”. Lexi attempted to smile back focusing on her breathing. She needed to stay calm, reason with the werewolf.

“oh no can do, little star. Alphas orders, you are meant to stay here until he gets back”.

“Look, I don’t know who you think you are but you can’t keep me here”. Her attempt at anger was laughable due to her shuddering voice. The young werewolf just laughed and shook him head.

“Tom. My name is Tom. I did tell you before you turned into a screaming banishee”. He giggled at the girl, hands in his jeans pockets, his grey top tight showing his defined muscles. 

"I was not a scream banishee. I……I….was afraid”. She looked lost and sad. The colour in her pale face had not returned. Right now she did look like a porcelain doll. Fragile and hopeless.

“no need to be afraid, little star, we would never hurt you, well.....you're a strange little one ain't ya”. She frowned.

“Why do you keep calling me little star”. She crossed her arms over she chest.

“oh….because you big brown eyes have flex of gold in them, like little stars. Quite beautiful if you ask me”. Tom held out his hand for her to take when the door clicked. She felt his presence before seeing him.

Turning round there stood the big bad Alpha.He looked refreshed, now wearing a t-shirt. For a split second, Lexi missed the view of his bare chest and abs but pushed that thought deep down to hopefully never resurface again.

“Where have you been? Why am I here? When can I leave?” Her squeaky voice making her sound child like as her questions spewed out one after each other without allowing Ryan to answer.

“You cannot leave”. The use of his Alpha command went over my head spiking Tom's fascinating.

“what do you mean, I cannot leave. I have a meeting to attend”. A life to runaway from or too. She was still confused; she had done nothing wrong, she was no threat, why didn't he let her go.

“Forget about the meeting”. He stalked forward, closing the gap between them.

“No. You will let me leave”. She tried to put her foot down but instead she looked like a toddler stomping its feet in a tantrum. If she cried she would successfully revert back to a baby.

“Never”. She gasped loud. Wide eyed and in shock. She wasn’t the only one, Tom also had the same expression.

“Brother, what is going on?” Tom stood beside Lexi, looking at the Alpha, who was growing increasingly angry. He was surprised that the little star hadn’t stepped back in terror or obeyed the Alpha command, becoming even more frustrated.

Hands in his pockets, Ryan walked to the living room. Lexi on the precipice of bursting into tears. He still didn’t make any sense. Pressure was building up, the tension becoming unpleasant for everyone.

“You know you haven’t even thanked me you big buffoon and now you’re keeping me against my will”. She had risked her own life to save this arrogant son of a gun. Yet instead of thanking her, he was holding her hostage. Yet she shouldn't be shouting at the werewolf, it was like poking a bear. She had no idea where her new found courage came from.

Silence. You could practically hear a pin drop in the apartment as the two werewolves stared at her. Just before anyone said anything, a loud grumble came from Lexi’s stomach. Blood rushed to her face through embarrassment and Tom laughed so loud she was sure the windows moved.

Lexi looked from Tom back to Ryan who actually had a small smile on his face, Lexi couldn’t believe that the wolf could have ever looked more handsome until now. Again, she was in awe. That smile made her weak at the knees. Not what she wanted when she was trying to escape. “Ummm, sorry”.

“When is the last time you both ate?” Tom walked to the kitchen.

“I haven’t eaten for a while”. Lexi nodded her head agree with the Alpha.

“So that’s why there's so much hostility, you’re both hangry”. Tom laughed and Lexi glared at the werewolves.  This was not the time for food she needed answers, why was she trapped here. She had no idea what hangry meant anyway.

“Hangry?” Her voice shaky.

“Yeah you know hungry and angry, hangry. A lethal combination. Come on we can talk over food”.

She dug her feet into her spot refusing to move as the werewolves headed for the kitchen. Folding her arms around her chest, how can the think of food. Tom pulled out some pasta and started making a bologna sauce as Ryan pulled out cold cans of fizzy drink from the fridge. If this was in any other situation Lexi may have enjoyed the view of two men preparing food for her but right now she felt trapped and helpless. 

"Sit, Lexi". Ryan's cold voice made her shiver.

"No". She answered sternly.

"I said sit". Ryan raising his voice slightly.

"No". Her voice broke a little. 

"Sit". Ryan hissed back. 

"No" Almost whispering her response. 

"SIT". A ferocious growl made both Lexi and Tom freeze.

Even though she sobbed out a no, her feet shuffled towards the glass dining room table. She sat to the right of the head of the table and Ryan sat next to her. Lexi silently sobbed into her drink, those words echoing in her mind 'Lock her in', as she tried to swallow her memories that triggered her panic attack. No other words shared between the three of them only the noise of Tom cooking filled the apartment. 

"Ta- da". Tom placed a large bowl of pasta in the middle of the table. "And you better be grateful Ryan, you have no food in this apartment, get some damn groceries or ask someone to do it". Tom didn't like eating in such a negative atmosphere, he was proud that he managed to rustle together something. Lexi didn't make a move to fill her plate, lost in her internal battle,even after the werewolves had started to tuck in. Instead her head was slumped forward as tears fell from her face. Just before Tom went to grab the spoon to help her, Ryan stepped in. 

"Stop crying and eat". There was now enough pasta on her plate to feed a pack. 

Lexi slowly picked up her folk, taking a tiny bit of her food which just tasted like ash in her mouth. 

"We not moving from the table until you finish every last morsel on your plate". Tom looked back and forth between the human and the Alpha. At this rate they would be here until Tom had grey hair, which he hoped would be more than twenty years time.

Pl...please....le...let me...go". Lexi could only beg. 

"I can't Lexi". The Alpha giving his final decision. 

"But....why, at least tell me that, let me understand". Lexi pleaded.

Ryan hesitated. 

"Because..........you're my mate". A noise came from across the table as Tom choked on Ryan's words. Finally looking up in disbelief.

"Mate?........ how?" Tom was frowning, concerned. 

"I don't know" Ryan shrugged. 

"I mean......it can't be possible Ryan.......not after.... well you know....".  Tom stared at Lexi. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure" Growling at his brother.

"ummmm....Whats a mate?".