The Traitor and her Hybrid Husband

Chapter 3~Riddle~

Gabriel

“Gabe! Gabe!” someone shouted. I opened my eyes, my head pounding. My surroundings were tropical? No, that wasn’t right. It looked like we were dumped into the middle of a rainforest. The trees were tall and the plants had massive leaves. The sky was vibrant and everything looked neon or two toned, almost like I was looking through 3D glasses. Where the hell were we?

“This is so bad!” David exclaimed as he paced back and forth.

“Are we in a different realm?” Mason asked with a terrified look.

I groaned as I stood up. “It seems so.” I answered him while taking in the foreign landscape.

“How do we get back?!” David demanded.

“We can’t, you i***t!” Jacob shouted. My group of friends started bickering, their fear making them hostile.

“STOP!” I growled. The guys stared at me with helpless eyes. “We need to find an exit but we can’t do it if we are fighting. Let’s look for a way. Anything that looks like a rift or a black hole. But stay close.” I quickly ordered.

They grunted their agreement and started to search. I walked out, looking at the ground. There had to be a way back, I told myself. How could this happen? My body pulsed with anxiety. I took a calming breath. I needed to keep it cool.

Small tremors shook the ground. The harsh thud of footsteps approached us. I felt myself backing up as the footsteps came closer, the tremors stronger. The guys grouped around me in terror as the figure made its entrance. It towered over us, standing well above twenty feet. It took the form of a lion, its fur matted and black. The creature’s mane was wild and untamed, its eyes soulless. It smelled and looked as if it were rotting. This thing radiated with evil.

A ferocious growl came from the monster’s throat as it peered down at us. “Oh what have we here?” his voice boomed. Our fear stole our ability to speak. “It’s not often that we get visitors from Midhaven. What fun.” he purred.

“W-where are we?” I stuttered.The beast’s eyes locked on mine.

“You’ve entered the spirit realm where good and corrupted spirits live.” it answered.

“How do we return?” Jacob questioned it.

The beast eyed us with malicious intent. “There are several ways out for ones without magic. The easiest way involves a little game.” his words were heavy and cryptic.

“If we win the game, will you show us the way out?” I asked. The spirit studied me with its lifeless eyes.

“Yes.”

“What kind of game?” Mason wondered.

“A simple one. All you have to do is answer the riddle correctly by the end of the day.”

“The end of the day?! That’s too long, we need to be back as soon as possible.” Jacob panicked.

“Time flows differently here. An hour here is a minute back on Midhaven. So there should be no rush.” the spirit advised with a harsh chuckle.

“He said it was a game of riddles. You can do this.” David whispered. I shook my head, it was too easy. I didn’t trust the beast.

“Come on Gabe. You're a genius at riddles.” Mason added.

I didn’t care, something wasn’t right. I studied the creature. It was obviously corrupted. The evil aura coming off of it was thick and palpable. This proposition didn’t make sense.

“Don’t be so weary. I will uphold my part of the bargain.” the spirit growled. It pawed at the ground, digging up a hole that was black and shimmering. “You see? A portal. All you have to do is answer my riddle correctly and I shall let you pass.” he said. The guys jumped up and down at the sight of our way out.

“Don’t believe him,” my wolf hissed.

“If you had access to a portal, then why haven’t you crossed over?” I questioned the creature with a raised eyebrow.

The beast laughed as it demonstrated. It tried to push his paw through the barrier, keeping him out. “My magical aura is too strong. But those who possess no magic can come and go.” he answered as he positioned his body to cover the exit. My body was stiff with tension.

“You can do it, Gabe. Only you can bring us home.” David stated confidently. “We accept your challenge.” I shook my head. No, this wasn’t right. The beast purred with satisfaction.

“Tell us the riddle.” Jacob said.

“What can run but never walks, has a mouth but never talks, has a head but never weeps, has a bed but never sleeps?” The beast asked.

The guys spewed encouraging words as I thought of the answer. The beast’s eyes bore into me. The answer was a river, but I felt uneasy saying it. Why would an evil soul offer us an escape? I racked my brain, landing on the one plausible answer. It was just playing with us. The beast was going to kill us either way, it didn’t matter if we answered correctly.

“I don’t know the answer.” I boldly lied, looking around for an escape route. The guys started to freak out, each voicing their disappointment.

The beast began to laugh, the sound making my skin crawl. “Well, that is a surprise. I truly thought you would know it. Now I get to watch you reap the consequences,” It chuckled.

“Gabe you f*****g i***t!” David screamed in my face. Mason began to shove me back, his anger making his movements stronger.

“Calm down and let me explain. He’s going to kill us!” I tried to tell them.

“Do you know the answer to the riddle?” Jacob asked me, his face hard as stone.

“I do, but-” my sentence was cut off as he smashed his fist into my face. What the f**k?! The three of them started to hone in on me, their fists and kicks unrelenting.

The beast began to chuckle louder, “I forgot to mention that in the spirit realm, your true self is revealed.”

I grunted as I tried to protect my face as my friends beat the s**t of me. “You stupid f**k!” Mason roared as he stomped on my legs and torso.

“If only you had fallen in here on your own like we planned, none of this would’ve happened.” David added as he yanked my hands free and held them behind me. Jacob pummeled me as the others held me back. Everything was a blur and everything hurt.

It was all a set up. How could they betray me?

“You should’ve never been next in line for Alpha. It should’ve been me. You’ve ruined everything.” Jacob hissed, punching me until the darkness threatened to claim me. I faded in and out of consciousness, the sounds of their hateful yelling reminding me of the danger I was in.

My left eye was swollen shut while my right eye throbbed, allowing me partial sight. I didn’t know how long I was out but the distorted sun was starting to set. The corrupted spirit’s laughter shook the forest. Jacob pulled me off of the ground and dragged me closer to the monster.

“He knows the answer! Give us another chance.” he pleaded. The beast’s laughter stopped, it glared back at me.

“Do you really know the answer? I despise being lied to.” he growled.

I weakly shook my head no. Jacob growled as he delivered three more punches to my face.

“Answer him you filth.” he hissed.

I struggled to open my busted mouth, “A-A river.”

A low growl rumbled deep within the beast’s throat. He wasn’t happy.

“See? Give us another riddle and we will answer you correctly. Won’t we, Gabe?” Jacob said as he kicked me.

“F-f**k you.” I coughed, earning another kick.

The aura around the beast turned darker, his gaze lethal. “Very well, another riddle. But do not think you can trick me again” it warned while taking a defensive stance over the portal. The guys cheered, not noticing the trouble we were in.

“Atlas, do we have enough strength to shift?” I linked my wolf. He answered with a weak yes.

“Are you ready for the riddle?” the spirit asked, his body crouched down low.

“Yes!” the guys howled. I slowly moved away from Jacob.

“I can break, I can be clogged, I can be attacked, I can be given, I can be kept, I can be crushed, yet I can be whole at the same time. What am I?” the beast asked with a rough whisper. The fur on the back of its neck stood at attention as it waited for my answer.

My lip tore as I croaked my answer, “A heart.”

The beast roared with anger as it leaped forward. I rolled away and painfully shifted into Atlas. The guys' startled screams echoed the monster’s. The guys followed suit and quickly shifted into their wolves. My wolf was sluggish as he clumsily dodged the beast’s extended claws. I f*****g knew it. This thing had no intention of letting us live.

Atlas howled and yipped at the guy’s wolves, ordering them to take an evasive formation. I would never forgive them for what they’ve done to me, but their blood would not be on my hands. We ran in and out of the spirit’s enormous legs. My plan relied on the beast’s slow motions, but it was still fast enough to block us from the portal. The beast’s movements became sharper as if it was anticipating our next move.

I looked around, praying a new solution would form. We had to be reckless. Atlas let out another howl, making the other wolves follow behind us. We charged at the beast head-on. I was the first to break formation, causing the monster’s gaze to follow me. Its massive jaws clamped down, narrowly missing my tail. We had managed to move the beast away from its position above the portal. Atlas howled again as we jumped off the beast’s snout, launching our body through the portal. My so-called companions behind me.

I shifted before my feet could touch the ground. The earthy smell of the forest surrounded me, confirming we were back home. I watched my cousin, beta and gamma exit the portal. I stared at them in disgust. Jacob’s face was twisted by his hate.

“What will you do now?” he demanded. I cradled my ribs, ignoring the pain of my body’s slow healing.

“Overthrowing an Alpha is a crime punishable by death. We will be executed.” David whimpered.

“Spare us.” Mason pleaded.

I laughed at their sudden change in attitude. I had the upper hand and now they wanted mercy? They were pathetic.

“Is it over yet?” a sweet voice called out. I swung my head around to see Isabelle make her entrance. Her large emerald eyes stared at me in shock.

“Bell?” I heard myself say.

“You shouldn’t be here!” she yelped. Isabelle took a step back then ran away. I chased after my mate, catching her arm and forcing her to look at me.

“Were you a part of this?” I asked, my heart breaking. Isabelle cried as she tried to break free of me. “Why?” I choked out.

She stopped her struggle to glare at me. “Because you’re a monster! You f*****g disgust me. Every night I’ve wondered why the moon goddess would mate me to a bloodsucking abomination like you. I’d rather kill myself than be marked by you. You should’ve died.” she confessed with poison in her voice. I shook my head, remembering her sweet kisses. She claimed she loved me.

“Let her go.” Jacob ordered, his face still twisted.

I released her, watching her run into the arms of my cousin. Atlas howled in misery, knowing that we would never be accepted by our mate. They all hated me. My ears rang as I limped towards the pack house. My dads watched me hurry inside. I ignored their concerned calls. I took the stairs two at a time until I reached my floor. I kicked down my bedroom door and started to pack. My dads crowded the doorway.

“Gabe! What the hell happened to you?” Scott looked pale as he watched me throw my clothes into a bag.

“I’m leaving.” I growled.

“Leaving? You can’t go; it’s your ceremony night!” Scott said hysterically.

“I’m not staying where my own people plot my death!” I roared.

My dads shook their heads, not understanding. With my belongings in hand, I pushed William out of the doorway. “Sweetheart, please. I don't know what’s happening, but you can’t leave the pack. Just tell us what happened.” Scott begged.

I knew being an unclaimed hybrid was dangerous. Other packs would see me as a rogue and clans would see me as a raider. I would never be safe, but it was better than living in a den of snakes. My dads cried and pleaded as they tried to stop me from walking out the packhouse.

“Where will you go?” Scott wailed.

I turned to them, “I don’t know but anywhere is better than here. I’ll call you when I can.” With my final words I ran away. I felt my connection to the pack break as I crossed over the territory line.