Chapter 1
1089 Words
Freya's POV.
"Who...who are you?" I asked, as my eyes flickered open in a place that I could not easily recognize.
One of the rogues, who seemed to be the leader of the other rogues standing guard behind me, turned around, taking a few steps towards me.
"You are awake!"
I was quiet, as I tried to remember how and when I got here.
I could remember vividly that I was just taking a walk while caressing the bump in my belly when I suddenly lost consciousness.
Was I kidnapped?
My eyes widened in realization, as I looked for a way to escape, but they had outnumbered me, and I had to think of a way.
I closed my eyes to connect the mind link with Rowan, but many times, he was not answering my calls.
"Who sent you? What do you want from me?" I questioned, trying to loosen the grip on my hands.
"You have no business knowing who sent us; our job is to do clean work," he said, wearing an evil smile on his face.
As I kept thinking of what else to do, as Rowan was not answering, another rogue walked in, and whispered some words to the leader's ears.
He glanced at me and then at the other rogues, beckoning them to follow him.
"You!" He said, pointing to one of them, "Stay back and watch her in case she tries to do anything funny."
I watched all of them leave the room, and then, I knew this was my chance to get away.
"I'm thirsty, could you get me water, please?" I asked, feigning to be on the verge of dying.
Immediately, he turned away; I made my way out of the small door, running as fast as I could.
The night was thick and heavy as I ran through the dark forest without looking back.
My life was in danger now, and the only thing I could do was to keep running for my dear life.
"She escaped. After her!"
I could hear their feet stomping heavily on the ground.
My vision began to blur as tears clouded my eyes.
"Rowan, please answer me!" I said, trying to connect once again.
My breath hitched, and I tripped over a branch of a tree and fell, hitting my head on the tree, causing the rogues after me to catch up with me.
Blood trickled down the side of my head as I moved backwards, trying to get away from them.
I wondered who they were and what they wanted from me.
I couldn’t give in to fear, or else I was surely going to lose not just my life but the precious one I carried inside me.
My baby.
I tried to stand up and continue running, but I was held down to the cold stones of the forest, unable to break free from their strong grip.
One of the rogues approached me, his eyes gleaming with cruelty.
“Didn’t think the mighty Freya could be so easily captured, did you?” He said to his other rogues and turned to me.
He crouched beside me, tracing a rough finger along my cheek.
“But everyone has their weaknesses, don’t they?” He added, letting out a scoff.
"Did you really think you could escape from us?"
I looked at him, my eyes shooting a killer look as though I wanted him dead.
I refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing my fear. “You can do whatever you want to me, but you’ll never break me. The alpha will save me.”
The rogue’s smirk deepened as he grabbed my chin roughly, forcing me to look up.
“Oh, but you see, that’s exactly what they paid us for. To break you. We await the arrival of the alpha, as well.” He laughed, and the other rogues joined in, their evil laughter echoing through the dark forest.
I tried to pull free, to gather my strength and escape, but they had drained me, and I was not sure if there was even an iota of strength in me.
"Please, little one," I thought within, my heart breaking with each beat, "hold on. Just hold on a little longer."
Hours passed by, and the rogues showed no mercy.
"Enough of the talking now. Let's get to the main deal," he voiced out, and the next thing I heard was a thunderous spank across my cheek.
Soon, another one joined them, and I received a kick, so powerful, that I thought my bones were broken.
Each cut, each bruise, each broken bone seemed to be done to break me.
They were ruthless, as though they had no heart.
I tried to endure all the torture, hoping that Rowan might save me, but it was just an illusion.
I was alone in the hands of beasts, who showed no mercy, even to my unborn child.
But even as my breath grew shallow, and my vision seemed to blur away, I kept hold of one thought—the life inside her.
I couldn’t lose hope, not for myself, but for my innocent child. With every blow, I whispered silent promises to my baby, wishing my body to stay strong, if only for one more moment.
“You think you can kill me,” I mouthed, my voice almost in a whisper but firm.“But you don’t know who I am...and what I will do to protect my own.”
The rogues paused, exchanging uneasy glances.
They could torment me, torture me, and bring me to the edge of death, but they could never kill my resolve.
"Hey! What did you say?" The one who seemed to be the leader voiced out.
As much as he tried to remain calm, I could feel his body trembling.
I smiled.
"What is inside of me can renew my strength to tear each one of you apart."
They stepped back a little, and just when I thought I had them wrapped at the tip of my fingers, they all burst into laughter that pierced the silence of the thick forest.
"And who exactly do you think you are? Trying to scare us with mere words? I'd love to watch you survive this."
Immediately those words left his lips, I began to receive another round of torture. Each blow was stronger than the other, and I could feel life seeping out of me.
"I. I don't think I can last any longer. Rowan, please, I need you."
- Writer
