Owned By The Savage Alpha

6

Alicia's POV

Locked up in a dark, cold, and dirty underground dungeon, I could sense the buzzing excitement in the air. It was that time of year when the pack gathered together to celebrate the moon goddess on a full moon.

The guards had not been paying attention to me for days now. It had been over a week, and they rarely brought food. But when they did, all they could talk about was the preparations for the celebrations. It stung to realize that I wouldn't be able to be a part of the celebrations, but what hurt the most was when I overheard one of the guards say that my father intended to take me out during the celebrations as a way of entertaining his guests. I couldn't let myself be humiliated like that, I thought as I tried to come up with a plan that would get me out of that situation.

I spent the whole night contemplating what to do next, but I couldn't come up with anything. The next morning was the day of the celebrations. It took place at night under the full moon because it is believed that the full moon symbolizes the presence of the moon goddess. The guards brought my meal, which was a sorry excuse for a meal — a bowl of watery porridge served in a wooden bowl.

They paid no attention to me as they slipped the meal through the bars. An idea popped into my head, and I quickly grabbed the guard's shirt and pinned him to the bars while shaking his body hysterically, as if I had finally lost it.

"Let go of me!" He yelled as he struggled to free himself, but I held on tightly, "Hey, Baldwin, help me out. I think she has finally lost it." He called out to his partner, who was standing at the gates. He rushed over and hit my head with the tip of his weapon; I let go immediately and collapsed on the floor.

The two guards rushed out of the cell.

As I lay on the floor, my face lit up with a smile. I winced in pain, the blood from the cut on my head spilling down my face. I got up and opened my palm to reveal the set of keys that I had ripped off the guard when I had grabbed him.

My smile grew wider. I had to get out of here; I can't keep living my life like this. I would find my way out of here during the celebration when everyone would be distracted and gathered in the arena.

I waited until nightfall. I knew the guards were no longer at the entrance because they would have joined the others at the arena. So, I unlocked the door and stepped outside. Just as I had guessed, no one was at the gate.

I snuck out and crawled in the shadows, making my way to the main gate. I was so close that I burst out running carelessly when suddenly two guards appeared in front of me. I turned around to run in the opposite direction, but there were two more.

They moved closer to me, and two of them grabbed me by the arm. I was helpless; I couldn't do anything. I don't want to go back in there. I don't want to live like an animal. I don't want to stay anywhere around this place, the same place where my mother had died and the same place that my father had called me a mistake and a w***e.

For the first time in my life, I let my anger overcome my pain. I felt it bubbling under my skin and threatening to spill. The men were now dragging me toward that same underground dungeon where I had been locked up for days without food or water.

"No!" I yelled inside my head. "I can't take it anymore." I knew Ash could feel my anger, and I could also feel her. I let out a piercing scream as I felt my bones shift and my body give way to Ash.

Ever since my coming-of-age ceremony, I had been expected to become one with my wolf by morphing, but I had not been able to transform. In fact, that ceremonial night had been unsuccessful because Ash was halfway through when it suddenly stopped, and I became human again. Since then, I couldn't morph, and everyone tagged me as a weakling and a cursed child.

It felt different, painful, and oddly satisfying to let Ash take control. I felt the change as my body took the shape of a wolf, a large gray wolf with brown eyes. The guards staggered back in shock; they had not been expecting that from the woman they had called a weakling and a cursed child.

I knew they wouldn't let me go without a fight, so I pounced on them immediately, digging my claws into their vital organs. I knew that if I injured them badly, they would be too weak to morph into their wolf form, giving me the perfect opportunity to escape.

I ran past the gates and straight into the woods. I had no idea where I was headed or where I would go, but I just kept running. I ensured that I had placed a large distance between me and my father's castle before I finally slowed down to revel in the fact that Ash and I had finally passed the last stage of bonding. I had morphed.

Everything in the woods had a scent. I felt so powerful with such a sensitive nose. I could pick up anything that moved or seemed out of place with my nose. The race through the woods felt exhilarating. I was finally free, and I made up my mind to never go back to being the poor, helpless weakling the former Alicia once was.

Many would call me a rogue for leaving my pack and venturing out on my own, but it didn't matter as long as I was not treated like dirt wherever I was. Then that place would be my home.

I let Ash take full control, letting her instincts lead us. But as we ran forward, something didn't feel right. She slowed down, and it was at that moment I noticed it.

Six large wolves had surrounded us. With the look of their physiques, I knew I was no match for them. They snarled and growled as they moved closer. I inched backward, whimpering, but I had nowhere to run. I was surrounded by rogues!

One of the wolves jumped forward, his claws aiming right for my face. Subdued by fear, I stood there whimpering, and with my eyes squeezed shut, waiting for the impact of his claws.