The Wild Hunt

Part 13 The Mill

When I woke, the pain was the first thing that got my attention. Then the sticky feeling on the back of my neck, it was obvious that whatever had hit me had done enough damage to split the skin, and possibly my skull from the throbbing headache I had been left with. I tried to take in my surroundings, but I had been blind folded, the rough material that had been used was causing my skin to itch.

I tried to grab at the blindfold but my hands had been tied behind me, at my wrists and elbows. The wolf seethed with rage wanting to tear its way free, but if I let it out like this, if I turned in this position, my shoulders could rip out of their sockets.

I sniffed the air, desperate to find any information about my location. The place smelled of wood and saw dust, metal and blood, though the last two could be a consequence of the wound I had sustained. There was something else too, something familiar that I couldn't place.

I pulled and struggled against my bindings but it was pointless, the rope or what ever it was, had been tied in a way that left me helpless. I bet who ever had tied them, had left with a smile on their face. Knowing I would wake and struggle, but when they returned I would be pissed off, but right where they had left me.

An hour or so passed, though I knew it was useless I still tried to free myself, eventually I was too tired and passed out.

When I woke again it was because of the bucket of cold water that had been thrown at me. I inhaled sharply as the cold sent a shock through my system, pushed back against whatever I had been tied to and tried to stand, my feet were bare and couldn't grip the floor beneath me and I slammed back down onto my ass. I coughed and spluttered then my heart rate began to settle. Once the banging in my head subsided, I noticed the sound of people moving around, some of them laughing.

One of the people moved closer and I braced myself for what might come, instead they removed the blindfold. I had been in darkness for so long the light hurt. My eyes squeezed closed until the stinging sensation faded, then I opened them hesitantly. Stood in front of me was Lucian, grinning, behind him were two figures hidden by shadow. I was sure when my eyes adjusted I would be able to see them, but for now they remained a mystery.

"Long time no see!" Lucian said.

I spat at his feet, and he burst into exaggerated laughter holding his stomach, like the stitches I had him in were too much to bare.

"You got some brass balls kid, I'll give you that." he said pacing in front of me as though he were waiting for something.

The two figures stood behind him came into focus and they were both men, large in stature, both with thick black beards. Though I didn't recognise either of them, I could tell that they were both human from their scent. I had to wonder how big Lucian's crew was, and how many were wolves. It made an odd sort of sense to keep himself surrounded by people that were loyal to him, but that were not much threat.

"Why take me? What exactly do you want?" I asked.

He stopped pacing and crossed his arms, then sighed.

"That's the million dollar question right, why you? There's the long answer, that has history and that's part of it, dont worry we will get to that. There is honestly another reason, when I bit you, I meant to kill you, and believe me when I want someone dead, they get dead. But you left me with a little souvenir." he said pointing to the scar I had given him. "Then by the time I had got patched up and found your scent, you were in the wind. Honestly you hurt my feelings running out on me like that. Heck, when I walked out of that Diner and saw you, I almost ripped your throat out in the middle of the street, consequences be damned. I couldn't believe my luck, here I was scoping out the Alpha and I stumble onto my little lost lamb. Not only did you escape me, but you survived the turning too. God-damn I thought it was my lucky day." he finished.

I was quiet for a moment, he clearly hadn't come to town looking for me, but that didn't mean I was in any less danger.

"Why did you want me dead in the first place, I'd never met you, I knew nothing about this world. What could I have done that would warrant a death sentence?" I shouted, remembering the night I had been bitten.

"Ah, to the point, I like that. You see I had to send a message to a former associate of mine, and you were his obvious weak spot. He had gone into hiding, and the only way I could think to lure him out, was to kill you!"

My mind was racing, who was he talking about.

"I see the look of confusion in your eyes, and of course you didn't know, I'm talking about your father." he said with a grin.

"I never met him, Mom said he ran out before I could even stand."

"And that part's mostly true, the rest of it is a little more, complicated. Your father, like your Alpha, is a Natural-born wolf. That's rare because the wolf doesn't typically pass through to children, it's a small percentage, and those that are born, don't always make it to adulthood, because the change comes on around puberty, and it can be too much stress on someone so young." He paused as though he was giving me a moment to take it all in.

"So I was once part of a Pack, your father was the Alpha, we didn't exactly see eye to eye, so when I challenged him for Alpha, he wasn't at all surprised. I'm not ashamed to say he kicked the shit out of me, though I am a little sensitive about it, if it gets brought up in conversation. Unfortunately I'm a sore loser, and I may have overreacted and tried to kill his wife and unborn child." he said shrugging like it was something silly. "Then, your dear old Daddy, disbanded the pack, and whisked you two away. I got close to him once, and that was when he left you."

My mind continued to race, My father was a wolf, an Alpha. It couldn't be true. Mom made out like he was some drunk asshole that wasn't worth a damn.

Again judging the look on my face Lucian continued.

"Now don't get excited, your Dad's not gonna come bursting through the door to save you, no. I caught up to him eventually, in fact it was your disappearance that led me to him. About two months after you left, I heard whispers that he was trying to find you. One night while he was sleeping, I crept into the cheep motel where he was staying and slit his throat. He never stood a chance." He said with a smile, like he was looking back on a fond childhood memory.

"Honestly after I'd done it, finding you didn't seem important any more, but when I saw you, I knew I would kill you, just for fun." just then there was a knock at the door he had entered through, one of the large men opened it a little and spoke to whomever was on the other side, then moved to whisper something to Lucian. I tried to listen in, but all I could make out was, "impatient," and, "His turn." He rolled his eyes, then turned to leave.

A few minutes later the door opened, and a scrawny guy with round, thin glasses came in wearing navy blue, latex gloves, in his hand was a syringe filled with a yellow liquid. He moved for me and I tried to stand but the way I was tied only made it feel like my shoulders would dislocate. Once I stopped struggling he jabbed the needle into my neck, there was a cold sensation, then I was out.