Alpha's Claim to Fame

Welcome to Hell

Katherine

‘Katherine.”

A voice I never thought I’d hear again.

‘Katherine, wake up.’

Atlas. My Atlas had come back to me.

‘Please wake up.’

But I couldn’t. I didn’t want to. All the pain would come back, and I couldn’t go through that again. I felt her rooting through my memories, lingering on the torture I had just endured. I felt her heart break, the despair flowing through my mind.

‘I’m so sorry Katherine,’ she whined.

‘Where have you been?’ I asked. ‘I needed you, and you weren’t there.’

She started pacing around my head, avoiding the question. ‘He found me. Our mate has awakened my spirit again.’

Mate? I have a mate? How is that possible? I’ve been praying for death this whole time, and yet I’m still alive. I’ve been so close to death for I don’t know how long, and to give me a mate like this was such a tease.

My face was tingling, like someone had tickled me with a feather. It made me feel warm and fuzzy, and then it was gone. And the pain came rushing back, and I heard voices all around me. Goddess, what were they going to do to me now? Why wont the Moon Goddess just let me die? I've been through enough, I don't want to do this anymore.

Everything was on fire. I could barely breathe without it hurting. I felt the need to cough, and when I did my vision went white and pain exploded behind my ribcage.

‘There’s a lot of foreign objects in your stomach,’ Atlas said. ‘I need to expel them before I can start healing you. I’m so sorry.’

I kept coughing and spitting up blood. I heaved myself up, ignoring the pain racing up my side and throwing up copious amounts of blood onto the floor beside me. Something hard and sharp shot up from my throat, tearing up my insides on the way out.

Suddenly arms were around me, and I was lifted onto someone’s lap. I groaned in pain and kept coughing, but something excruciatingly sharp caught in my throat. I couldn’t breathe and started gagging on my own blood.

My head was pulled back. I was panicking now, starting to hyperventilate and that only made it worse. Someone was standing over me, reaching for my face. “N-No! Get away!”

The arms around me tightened their grip. “Relax, Kitty. We’re only trying to help.”

Fingers reached down into my mouth. Whatever was stuck came up slowly, slicing through my gums and tongue. I spit up more hard pieces, letting them just fall from my mouth as my body collapsed into the chest of whoever’s lap I was sitting in.

I tried to focus on what it was they pulled out of me, but the room was spinning and I could barely keep my eyes open. It was small and silvery looking, that much I could gather.

The arms readjusted their grip on me. The body was cold, and didn’t have a heartbeat. I was thrown in with the vampires. They had every opportunity to kill me, to bleed me dry, yet they chose to save me instead. I wonder if they even knew who I was, but I heard my nickname so they had to have.

My throat was scratchy and burning, but I managed to get out “Katherine.”

“What?” It sounded like a woman.

I coughed again. “M-My name. . . is Katherine.”

It was silent again. Someone was talking, but they sounded far away. I tried to focus. Someone was in front of me. I think it was the woman.

“Katherine, sweetheart, how old are you?” She asked.

I hesitated. If the wrong person overheard, it would end my career. But in the other hand I’m stuck in this

Goddess-forsaken place. Who knows if I’ll ever even get out of here. I don’t even know how long they’ve been torturing me. All the days have blended together, and I wasn’t in a position to ask or even care.

I tried clearing my throat, but all it did was bring up more blood. I felt it trickle down my chin. “What day is it?”

“February second.”

My birthday hadn’t passed yet. I can’t believe I had to spend it in here, missing my brother’s first shift. And our first run together as a pack.

“I turn sixteen. . . on the fourteenth.”

The man holding me stiffened. I was finally able to focus on the woman in front of me. She was pretty, platinum blonde hair and deep blue eyes. She was handing over a rag that the man used to wipe my face. It was cold and wet, so soothing on my warm skin.

There was someone else now. Another man. He smelled of pine, and burning wood like from a campfire. Atlas perked up when he came near.

‘It’s him,’ was all she said.

I was being lifted and passed over to him, groaning as the movement irritated my side and made me cough again.

Another vampire. My mate is a vampire. His body was cold, yet filled me with such warmth and fuzziness. I felt his cheek against my forehead, probably trying to rid me of the fever I felt burning through me.

A small sigh escaped my lips as I flattened my hand against his chest. “What’s your name?”

“Gaize.”

Gaize. My Gaize.

Gaize

“What’s your name?” She asked quietly.

“Gaize.”

She sighed and nestled in to my chest. I pulled her in close. Just touching her sent sparks through my body, and through the smell of sour blood was the sweet smell of vanilla.

I rested my cheek against her forehead. Hopefully my cold skin will help bring down the fever. If I could sweat, I’d be drenched already.

Her heartbeat slowed down. She had fallen asleep.

Almost three days passed since Katherine was thrown in here. I haven’t moved since, as uncomfortable as it was. Every movement seemed to cause her pain, and I didn’t want that. I’m sure she went through enough.

She woke up on her own a few times. Her fever had gone down, but she was still on the warm side. She refused to eat, but ruefully drank the water that was brought.

Her wounds had healed considerably well, though that gash on her side showed no improvement. All the bruises were gone, and the color had returned to her face.

I needed to feed, and soon. The drugs were making their way out of her system, and the smell was too tempting. But I didn’t want to leave her alone, especially since we didn’t know what she was. The last thing I needed was some douchebag coming in after her. Or worse, a damn guard.

Michael and Nicolas offered to stay and watch her until I came back. I didn’t mean to seem too eager, but I couldn’t help but jump at it. Katherine let out a small sigh as I placed her gently down and pressed my lips to her forehead.

I practically ran from the compartment. The more distance I put between us the less agitated I got. It left a strange hole in my chest not touching her though.

I jumped straight off the balcony into the cafeteria, startling a few shifters eating nearby. They eyed me curiously as I made my way to the corner where the vampires generally stayed.

For us we had two options. We were able to choose between animals or type AB human blood. It was of the lowest quality, and not usually tested for illness. It didn’t usually satisfy the hunger. Not for me at least.

Mason had taught us to go after animals when we were first turned. They were easier to come by, and didn’t put up much of a fight, if any at all. It worked fine, considering I had at least some control around Katherine. I had no idea where they all came from though. The forest around us couldn't possibly supply the massive hordes of animals paraded through here.

The vampires around me parted and backed off, letting me through quietly. My family were already chowing down on a deer carcass, my sister holding up a small rabbit when she saw me.

It squealed as I tore into it ravenously, drenching myself in its blood. Marcy held out a rag for me but I bat her hand away. I threw the lifeless, bloodless hare back onto the table, dragging my sleeve across my face. The shifters can have my remains. They should be grateful I give them the time of day.

“You’re a f*****g mess dude,” Dina laughed. “At least wipe your face off.”

She pressed the rag to my chest. The whole front of my shirt was stained red, along with my shoes and top of my pants. I grunted and wiped my face to appease them.

“Why? I’m not trying to impress anyone.”

She just smiled and shrugged a shoulder. I felt a twinge in my neck, just under my collar. There wasn’t anything on me. It must have been my imagination.

I was sporting looks from all around. Underneath the rabbit blood were some bloodstains from Katherine. They must be smelling her scent on me, and for some reason thinking of her just then left a bad taste in my mouth.

A sharp pain few up my side. I couldn’t hide the hiss of pain as I clutched my hip. Mason saw my face and suggested we hurry back to the compartment. No objections here.

I caught a whiff of fresh blood from down the hall. I ran the rest of the way, my family hot on my tail.

Michael and Nicolas were standing side by side over Katherine’s head. They didn’t move so I pushed them aside.

Katherine was curled up on her good side, shirt lifted to show that nasty gash. It was bleeding slightly, but the stitching was still intact. In the bunk above her were a pair of black sweats.

Mason grunted as he kneeled down to apply more of that salve to her wound. “Kid’s a shifter then.”

I sat down on the floor by Katherine’s head, seeing the shudder pass through her from Mason's cold touch. Her eyes were open, following me. They were clear from fever, and incredibly beautiful. An odd mix of blue, green and amber, twinkling brightly as she gave me a small smile.

Mason got up and pulled the blanket back over her, pausing to pull the hair off her neck. He pursed his lips and leaned in closer. “A collar.”

I leaned over to look. It was black with numerous pins, but had a gold stripe wrapping around it. I’ve never seen one like it before, and from the look on their faces no one else has either.

Katherine reached out a shaky hand to caress my cheek. “Is that a bad thing? What are they for?”

Her eyes were filled with worry. I pressed her hand to my lips. “Everyone wears one. It’s how they keep us in line.”

“Oh,” she said. “What about the colors?”

“They represent danger level,” June answered. “White meaning little to no threat, black being the most dangerous.”

Katherine eyed my collar. “What color is mine?”