Bad Boy Alpha's Daughter

Lost

Nova

Run!

Darkness

Run, you must get up and run!

Darkness

Nova!

Pain drives me to open my eyes. The smell of smoke is all around me, along with screams. I am lying on the ground in a forest. I have no recollection of how I got here. I slowly sit up despite the pain in my body. I look at my hands, which are covered in blood and burns.

Run!

The voice in my head repeats. I have heard it before, but I don’t know where.

Nova! You have to get up.

The voice urges me. Despite the pain, I slowly get to my feet. I am wearing no shoes and barely any clothes. I look around, and a house is lying in a smoldering wreck. A few people run by me, screaming in pain. The scent of burnt flesh is making me ill.

Run! He’s coming!

I attempt to speak, but my throat is on fire. ‘Who are you?’ I call out in my mind.

He’s going to get you! You have to run!

“Who is going to get me?” I manage to say out loud through the pain in my throat.

Nova!

“Who is Nova?” I ask.

A snarling noise makes me turn, and I see a man walking out of the burnt house. His body is covered in burns, and his eyes glow yellow. Tattered clothes barely cover his skin. There is something familiar about him.

A whip cracks the air slicing through my back. I scream out in pain.

“I’m sorry I have to do this, Nova,” He hisses. “But you forced my hand.”

I scream again as the whip hits my flesh. I cry for mercy. I beg for forgiveness.

“You brought this upon yourself,” He whispers as I look back and see the same glowing yellow eyes.

I blink, and the man is still approaching me.

“You!” He bellows.

Run!

The voice orders me, and I take off running.

“You will never get away from me,” The burnt man screams. “I will find you!”

I keep running through the woods, ignoring the sticks and rock pricking my bare feet. My whole body aches, but I know I have to get away. I wish I knew what it was that I was getting away from. After what feels like an hour of running, I have to stop. I slump against a tree to catch my breath. There is a trail of blood from wounds on my feet. I spy a trickling stream a few feet away and crawl over to it. I drink several handfuls of cold water until my stomach hurts. I sit down and put my feet in the water.

‘We can’t stay here for long,’ The voice urges me.

‘Who are you?’ I ask.

‘Leto,’ She answers me.

‘Leto?’ I question the voice.

‘I am your wolf,’ Leto responds.

‘Wolf?’ I scoff.

A twig breaks nearby, and I get up, ready to run, until a bunny hops toward the stream. It looks up at me for a moment before drinking.

‘We should get going,’ Leto suggests.

I take one more look at the rabbit before walking away from the stream. I cringe every time a rock pierces my feet. The trail of blood is becoming concerning. “I can’t go on,” I cry as I slump against a stone.

‘He is going to find us,’ Leto whines.

‘Who is us?’ I ask her.

“We, us, we are one,’ She responds.

“But you said you are a wolf,” I say out loud.

‘Yes, you are a werewolf,’ She explains, and I laugh.

“Werewolf?” I laugh again.

‘I am the spirit of a wolf paired with you,’ She continues.

“That sounds absurd,” I chuckle.

There is shouting echoing through the trees.

“She’s over here,” I hear a male voice shout.

I get up again and take off running. This time the pain in my feet seems to have disappeared. I feel a little stronger than I did just a few minutes ago. I run for a while and start to get winded. I know I must stop, but I keep hearing the men shouting behind me.

“What do I do?” I huff out. I spy a rocky cave but hesitate. The men will look there first.

“I think she is over here, Wade,” a male voice shouts.

I run into the cave. It’s cold and wet, and I nearly fall on the moss covered ground. It goes back far, so I move in the near darkness. I crouch down behind a formation and pray it will hide me.

The entrance darkens as two men step into my cave. They appear to be sniffing the air.

“I just smell mildew,” One of them sneers.

“She has to be here somewhere,” The other complains.

“Well, it isn’t here,” The first one scoffs. He slaps the other one’s back, “We have to keep looking.”

I shiver as they walk out of the cave. I linger for a little bit in the darkness.

“Nova! What are you doing?” He shouts.

I am sitting in front of my desk, working hard to make a new potion. Master says he needs man vials for a big order. All day long, I make potions. I have the ability to manifest almost anything. I can create animals and plants from my mind. I can also make potions, which Master demands I do.

“I was taking a break, Master,” I tell him. I turn, and the yellow eyes man is wearing jeans and a tight button-up shirt. He appears to be sweating profusely.

“The orders have to be done in a few hours!” He grabs me and gets into my face. I smell the feted stench of meat and tobacco as he gets into my face. “If you weren’t a Blythe wolf, I would kill you!” He lets me go and tosses me onto the desk. “Now get to work, you useless cow.”

I sniffle and nod. I sit on my broken stool and close my eyes to imagine the next potion.

A snarling noise awakens me, and I am face to face with a large cat. It bares its teeth, and I flatten myself against the cold rock of the cave.

‘Run,’ Leto hisses.

“How?” I say out loud, and the cat yowls at me.

‘I’ll show you,’ She responds, and the next thing I know, my hands turn into claws, and I see fur growing on my arms.

I try to scream, but it doesn’t come out. The cat whimpers in fear as my arm swings and slaps it. The cat turns and runs out of the cave. I follow the cat out of the cave and see it is night. I am impressed that I can see in the darkness.

‘I am still too weak to do a full shift,’ Leto explains.

‘What is a shift?’ I ask her.

‘I told you. You are a werewolf,’ Leto replies.

“Uh-huh,” I huff and look down to see my hands have returned to normal. My vision isn’t as strong, and darkness looms.

‘I’m sorry,’ Leto sighs. ‘I don’t have much else to lend you. We need to rest.’

I glance back at the cave and wonder if it’s safe. Will the cat return? I wonder to myself. Taking a deep breath, I stumble forward. The moon is rising overhead and providing minimal light. I tripped a few times on rocks and logs.

A smoky haze surrounds me as the smell of burning wood hangs in the air. The trees thin until I am in a clearing facing a simple house with smoke rising from the chimney. I see a man sitting in front, rocking on a chair. He freezes when he spots me. I stop and stare back at him. I must look like a mess covered in dirt and blood with barely anything on.

“Harold,” A woman calls from inside the house. “Harold,” she calls again and steps outside. She is an older woman with light blonde hair wearing a long blue dress. “Heavens!” She shouts when she spies me. “Child, where did you come from?” She tries to approach me, but the man grabs her.

“Ginny,” He grumbles.

“Look at her, Harold,” Ginny gestures to me. She pulls away from the man’s grip and rushes toward me. I stiffen when she touches my arm. “Who are you? My gods, look at you.”

I stare at her.

“Come inside. Let’s get you cleaned up,” Ginny insists.

“Ginny,” Harold mutters. “We don’t know who she is. She could be dangerous.”

“Does she look dangerous to you?” Ginny whines. She looks at me, “Don’t mind my husband. He isn’t the most social creature,” Ginny grins at me. “What is your name, dear?”

I stare at her for a moment. ‘What is my name?’

‘Nova,’ Leto replies sleepily.

“Nova,” I mutter.

“What a pretty name,” Ginny says. “What happened to you?” She leads me into the cabin. There is a wood-burning stove in the corner and a small kitchen. I smell something cooking, and my stomach growls. “Oh, you must be starving.”

I nod at her.

“Sit there,” Ginny points to a couch covered in quilts.

I sit as she moves into another room. Harold walks into the house and sits on a chair across from me. He glares at me with dark brown eyes. I look at the ground to avoid his gaze.

“Who are you?” Harold asks.

“Nova,” I respond.

“Nova who?”

I shrug, “I don’t honestly know my last name.”

“Hmm,” Harold rises from his chair and walks into the small kitchen. There is an old style fridge sitting beside a large sink. He opens the refrigerator and grabs something from it. He walks back to me, hands me a brown bottle, and sits down. He cracks open his bottle and chugs.

I try to take off the cap of my bottle but struggle. Harold grabs it from me and opens it. “Thank you,” I mutter. I put the bottle to my lips and cringe at the smell of beer.

The smell of food lures me out of my room and into the kitchen. Master is sitting at the table with his partner, Ellen. They are eating what smells like roast chicken with veggies. Master and Ellen are laughing as I sneak closer to them. Master chugs beer and sets it down when he notices me.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Master barks.

“I’m hungry,” I whimper. “I finished the potions.”

“You’ll get fed tomorrow after we get paid!” Master slams a fist on the table.

“Nova,” Ginny’s voice makes me jump. “I ran a bath for you.” She extends her hand toward me.

I set the beer on a table and take Ginny’s hand. She leads me down a hallway past a couple of bedrooms and into a rustic bathroom. There is a metal tub full of water.

“Now, I put out some soaps and a wash rag for you,” Ginny points out. “And I found a dress for you to wear.”

I see the dress folded up on the counter.

Ginny opens a cabinet and pulls out a towel. She sets it beside the dress. “I will leave you for now. Dinner is almost ready.”

“It smells delicious,” I say to her with a soft smile.

Ginny touches my arm with a smile, “You remind me of my daughter.” Tears well up in her soft brown eyes. “Excuse me.” She sniffles and shuffles out of the bathroom.

I peel the dirty rags off my body and look at myself in the mirror. I cringe at the image. I am covered in cuts and bruises with dried blood and dirt. I sigh and poke my foot into the bath. It’s a little hot but feels good. I quickly climb into the tub and keep from crying as I sit down. My wounds scream out in pain. I sit for a moment until the pain subsides. I pick up the wash rag and a bottle of soap.

I feel rejuvenated from washing my body. It feels like the first time in a long time. A soft knock on the door makes me jump.

“Nova?” Ginny’s soft voice says. “Are you doing alright, dear?”

I cover myself even though she is on the other side of the door, “Yes,” I respond. I stand up and look down at the black water. I feel guilty for making a mess of the tub.

“Dinner is ready, dear,” Ginny says.

“I’ll be right out,” I say. I step out of the tub and dry off. I slip the dress on and find a brush for my hair. It takes a few minutes to get the tangles out. I walk out of the bathroom and follow my nose down the hall. Harold is sitting at a round table in the kitchen.

Ginny places a platter of food down and gestures toward me, “Aren’t you a lovely little thing,” she snickers.

“You gave her one of Margot’s dresses?” Harold snarls, and I freeze.

“Margot isn’t going to wear it,” Ginny argues. She beckons me forward. “Come sit.”

“You’ll get fed tomorrow after we get paid,” Master bellows.

“Nova?” Ginny touches my arm, and I jump. “I’m sorry. Aren’t you hungry?”

I nod and let her pull me toward the table. I sit, and she puts some food on a plate. My stomach rumbles, and I don’t know when I last ate. The food looks and smells delicious, so I dig right in.

“Do you like apple juice?” Ginny asks, and I nod. She pours some into a glass and sets it in front of me.

“The food is good,” I tell her. It’s a pork roast with potatoes and mushrooms.

“Oh, that was Ted,” Ginny laughs.

“Ted?” I ask.

“Our pig,” She snorts.

“Oh,” I frown and look at the meat.

“He had a good life,” Ginny says. “And now he will nourish our life.”

I sigh and continue eating. Harold eats a forkful at a time while glaring at me. “Is Margot your daughter?” I ask Ginny.

Ginny presses her lips together as Harold drops his fork. “Was,” she finally responds.

“Oh, I am sorry to hear that,” I mutter, looking at my plate. We continue eating in silence. Harold glares at me the whole time, but I try not to let it affect me. After dinner, Ginny shows me a room with a twin bed. “Thank you for everything.”

“It’s nothing, dear,” she smiles. “It’s just Harold and me here. So we have the room.”

I sit on the bed and tear up.

Master throws me into the cell. “Get in there,” He groans. “Do not come out until I tell you.”

I huddle beside the pile of rags that I call a bed. Faint light streams in through the small window. I see a few birds flitting about in the fading daylight. I wonder if I will ever get out of here.

“Why are you crying?” Ginny sits beside me.

I sniffle, “I wish I knew where I came from.”

“You don’t remember?” Ginny looks me over. “It looks like the memories may have been beaten out of you.”

I nod, “I think so.”

“Was it your parents?” She wonders.

I shake my head, “I don’t think so.”

She pats my knee, “Well, you are free to sleep or read. We have lots of books.”

My eyes begin to droop. “I think I want to sleep,” I say.

Ginny nods and has me stand up. She turns down the covers and smooths her hand over the bed. “It was Margot’s bed.”

“I wish to thank Margot,” I tell her.

Ginny smiles and pats my shoulder, “Goodnight, Nova.” She steps out of the room and closes the door.

I look around the room. There is a white dresser with some horse figures on it with some pictures of horses on the wall. The bed has a quilt that appears handmade. I see a picture frame of a young woman sitting on the beach with Ginny. “Margot,” I say as I look at it. I sit on the bed and lie down. My muscles relax, and my eyes close. Within seconds I am fast asleep.

‘Wake up,’ Leto screams in my head. ‘You must wake up.’

I open my eyes, and sunlight is streaming through the window. I sit up and hear male voices coming from the living room.

“Have you seen this girl?” I hear them ask.

‘Run,’ Leto screams.

“Why?” I open the door just as I hear gunshots. Ginny screams, and then there is silence. I glance down the hall to see Harold lying in a pool of blood on the ground. A man steps over him and looks right at me.

“There she is,” He growls.

‘Run,’ Leto yells.

I slam the door and run over to the window. I open it and jump out. I take off running towards a field.

“She’s out here, Wade,” The same man yells.

I glance back, and two men are running after me. In front is a field full of cows and goats. I jump the fence and run across. I am getting winded as the men are getting closer to me. The wounds on my feet open as I stumble over rocks and cow patties. There is a forest just beyond the field. I am losing hope, but I get a surge of strength and fly over the fence and into the woods.

“s**t,” I hear one of the men yell.

“Keep going, Wade,” The other one shouts.

“We can’t,” Wade complains.

I glance back to see them stopped at the edge of the woods

“The Silverstar Springs wolves will catch her,” Wade says.

A low growl comes from behind me, and I turn to see a snarling wolf in front of me. I scream and back away from him. Two more join him, and I try to run from them, but that leads me back to Wade and the other man. I have nowhere to go.

The first wolf lunges at me. I let out a scream and quickly back away. My foot slips on a rock, I fall to the ground, and my head strikes another rock, causing everything to go black.