Fated To Save Him

Chapter 2

Two days later the flesh wounds on Jake are almost healed. It is just his broken leg that is taking a bit longer. It probably needs a couple more days but her time is up and Piper cannot risk being found.

Piper puts her small body under Jake's armpit, propping him up, wrapping her arms around his waist to stabilize him. She helps him slowly limp back to his pack lands which is surprisingly close.

"Remember what you promised me"

"I won't tell anyone. Do you promise you will call me?"

"I promise, but you can't call me yet"

"I said that I will get you a mobile phone"

"I know, just don't call until then"

"I promise"

On the border of jade moon, three wolves surround the two of them in a somewhat aggressive fashion. One shifts.

"Future Alpha Jake, we have been looking everywhere for you..."

He eyes Piper wearily.

"...What did you do to him?"

The border patroler's voice is full of reverence when speaking to Jake, but changes to accusatory as soon as he is facing the young girl. Jake glares at him, trying to pull Piper behind him in a protective way, puffing out his small chest.

"Don't you dare speak to her like that"

Suddenly, a massive blonde wolf with green eyes bursts into the clearing. He shifts. His voice full of sorrow, the area around his eyes showing signs of weariness from his worry and lack of sleep, his usually immaculate handsome face is covered in rough stubble looking more untidy than he ever has in his life.

"Jake, we thought we lost you"

He gathers Jake up in a bone crushing hug, burying his face is his sons dirty hair. Piper lowers her head and backs up, a quiver can be seen on her small body. The big wolf's eyes move to her only his don't have the same hostile look as his guard, he is wise enough to see the situation as it is, even in his sleep-deprived state.

"Jake who is this?"

"This is Piper. She saved me and looked after me..."

Jake looks at Piper with bright eyes then back at his father, his voice rising in his excitement.

"...You should have seen her dad. She killed two rogues"

"You killed two rogues?"

The alphas eyebrows are up so high that they have nearly joined his hairline, he looks at the little angelic girl in front of him, who doesn't even dare to raise her head. Apart from being a little dirty, she looks like a flawless little doll it is hard to believe that she could be capable of something so heroic.

The warrior wolves look on with just as much surprise.

"Umm yes sir, it was nothing sir, please may I go?"

The little girl is shivering in fear. Jake looks at her with a confused expression on his handsome dirt-covered face. This is not the same girl he has spent the last few days with.

"Piper are you okay?"

Piper finally snaps and runs off as fast as her little legs will carry her.

"Piper?"

Jake can't run after her because of his leg injury. All he can do is call out to her and look at his father for help. Obvious grievance in his voice.

"Dad, why did she run away from me?"

The large man looks at the figure of the small girl who is escaping as if she is being chased with a complicated expression on his face.

"She didn't run away from you Jake. I think she ran away from me"

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything buddy. Who is she?"

"The alpha's daughter of the Smokey pack"

Jake is still watching the space where she left. He misses the adults' knowing look.

"Maybe she is just a bit scared of alpha wolves buddy"

"So does that mean she is scared of me?"

"Of course not buddy, it is just that some alphas aren't as nice as us, do you understand?"

Jake's dad, Tom, scratches his head, not sure how to explain. Jake is reasonably sheltered in the ways of the world, only seeing a snippet of brutality, only when needed, never against their own pack. There is time to explain, but not now. He looks at Jake trying to change the subject in as gentle way as possible.

"Where did she save you?"

"It's her secret place. She doesn't want anyone to know about it"

"Did she say why?"

"Escaping and hiding or something like that"

Tom rubs the hair on Jake's head with a complicated expression on his handsome yet slightly haggard face, as he looks in the direction that Piper disappeared.

"Buddy, just because she is sweet, kindhearted and beautiful, doesn't mean she has an easy or good life"

"I don't understand"

"One day you will buddy, let's get you home to Mum. She has been worried sick about you"

Jake is helped home to his very excited mother.

***

Piper arrives home to a much different reception, being sure to wash off any remnants of Jake’s smell. She walks into the alpha's house. The alpha rushes up and grips her around the throat, throwing her heavily against the wall. Her small body groans in protest. Her voice is as soft and timid as a mouse.

"Dad let me go"

"Where have you been? Look at the dishes in the sink, I have had to go up to the pack house to eat. Do you think you could get rid of me by making me starve to death? You really are a useless waste of space"

He flings her small body down against the far wall. Her tiny frame collapses to the floor.

"I want dinner ready at six"

Piper's father, Kaden, walks off spitting the final sentence, without even casting a glance back at the small bruised and battered frame of his daughter who is curled into a ball on the ground, never questioning where she has been for all this time. Piper’s brother, Holt, comes out of the shadows, where he has been hiding watching the whole scene unfold.

"Piper, where have you been?"

"I just got lost Holt"

He kicks Piper hard in the stomach, a look of disgust over his somewhat handsome face.

"You are as useless as dad said"

Piper doesn't let the tears fall as she pushes herself back up off the ground, one arm hangs limply by her side. She braces herself near the door frame and finally, after a lot of effort, clicks the dislocated arm back in place.

She limps into the kitchen, ignoring her other injuries, and starts working. After dinner is served and her father and brother have eaten their fill. That is when she is usually allowed to eat the scraps that are left, but today she has a more important task.

"Dad, would I be able to call a friend?"

"A friend? How would a pathetic mutt like you have a friend? If you touch my phone, I will kill you"

Piper hangs her head, she doesn’t know why she bothered to ask. Of course, he was never going to let her.

"Okay dad"

Eight days later, Jake arrives at Piper's cave with a newly purchased mobile phone. He has been desperate to get it there, but only now strong enough to make it on his own, making sure to keep her secret place safe. He is hopeful, but she is not there, so he just leaves it at the entrance.

One day later Piper manages to drag her beaten and bruised body into the cave. Everything hurts so much she can hardly stand it, pain plagues her small frame. She sees the phone at the entrance and a small smile crosses her bruised pale face. Her smile through the obvious pain is a devastating look.

Piper reads the note as she picks up the phone and turns it on.

'call me'

Her small fingers fumble and her eyes are wide as she tries to work out the functions before calling the only contact. The phone is quickly connected. Jake’s excited voice comes through the earpiece.

"Piper, you finally got it"

"Yes Jake, thank you so much, sorry I didn't call"

"That is alright, are you at the cave now? I will come and see you. Just wait for me"

"No, no I am just about to leave"

Piper lies because she cannot let him see her like this. Jake is disappointed but understanding. He explains a few features of the phone before hanging up. Piper lets the painful tears flow as she lays back on the bedding, curling up into a ball and sobbing. She is too weak to treat her injuries, she has nothing left, not a single ounce of energy, she just hugs the mobile phone as she cries through the pain.