Changed [Watty Awards 2013]

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DELILAH

I woke to a dark and dingy cage. I was still in Master’s possession. I knew deep down that he would’ve kept my body even if I had died.  Instead of being on the ground, I was laying on something soft and an unfamiliar warmth surrounded me. I was bound by my wrists and ankles to a bed.

This is weird, I thought as I tested the restraints. I couldn’t get enough leverage to break them. Where am I?

“Don’t worry,” a deep voice rumbled. I looked over sharply.  “We’re here to help you.”

“Where am I?” I demanded. My voice was surprisingly strong.

“You’re in the Pack’s territory—our home, Cliffhold.” He stepped forward and I saw his face clearer. He was handsome. He had straight dark brown hair that was mussed up in a sort of perfect way. His blue eyes shined with determination, authority, and a hint of confusion.

The way I felt around him, even though my voice at the back of my mind told differently, was like I was laying there with my tail between my legs whimpering. The wolf in my head told me that this man wasn’t just any werewolf. He was the werewolf and he wouldn’t let anyone double cross him or forget it. He was the Alpha.

“Why am I here?”

He opened the cage door and stepped in, shutting the door behind him, his nostrils flaring. I glanced behind his shoulder to see another person standing with his arms crossed, looking at me like I had ten heads.

I returned my attention back to the Alpha and watched as he untied my ankles with a delicate grace that I did not fully comprehend.

“A Rogue dropped you off on our lawn unconscious. He thought he killed you, but he’s an amateur and forgot to check if you had a pulse or not.” I could’ve sworn I saw him roll his eyes. “We took you inside and brought you down here until you woke up.”

I nodded. “But you had to restrain me?”

“We restrain every…Rogue,” he seemed confused by the word, “that comes to challenge us, and even though you were not exactly challenging, we couldn’t leave you outside in the cold and we want to capture your kidnapper which results in interrogating you.” He looked at me with sympathy. “We know this may seem intimidating, but we are not here to hurt you. All we wish to do is ask you questions and see what you can remember.”

“Can’t you just track him down?” I asked as the Alpha untied my wrists. I sat up on the side of the bed.

He shook his head. “We have his scent—it was on your clothing—but by now he is long gone. If he was smart, he would’ve fled as soon as he left you here.” He paused. “But then again, if he was smart he would’ve checked your pulse. So, any bet goes.”

He walked towards the cage door and opened it and walked out, leaving me on the bed unsure of whether or not I should follow him. The other werewolf gestured for me to follow, him taking the rear.

We wound up a spiral staircase into a gorgeous main floor. The walls were a nice warm brown. The huge chandler light reflected on ebony hardwood floors that opened into a massive kitchen. It had granite countertops with an island placed in the middle of the room with 3 bar stools in front of it. My eyes moved towards the living room where there were two teenagers, eyes glued to a flat screen TV, playing a video game. If the main floor looked like this, I’d like to see what the bedrooms looked like.

The werewolf behind me gestured for me to move towards the kitchen where the Alpha was currently pouring himself a cup of coffee. I sat down at one of the barstools.

“Nice house.” I didn’t know what else to say.

The Alpha shrugged. “It’s okay.” I gawked. Just okay? Was he serious? This was my dream home. Alpha turned around to face me. “Anyways, I don’t believe we’ve introduced ourselves. I’m Nick and that’s,” he fluttered his hand towards the werewolf behind me. “Caelon. I’m the Alpha and he’s Beta. You are…?”

“Delilah.”

He smiled. “Delilah it is then.” He blinked at me and leaned on the island. “What do you remember?”

I shrugged. “Not much. I was drugged most of the time. He never even told me his name; he went by the name Master.”

“You must’ve put up one hell of a fight for him to drug you.” An Australian accent said. I looked over to the voice. It belonged to Caelon.

I smiled. “Of course. It’s no fun when you let men walk all over you.”

Nick’s lips twitched.  “Anything else? Did he tell you anything about what he was?”

I hesitated. “I wasn’t the only captive he had. He had other girls there but I was the only werewolf and he told me that I was his mate. He told me that he would Change me and make me like him.” Nick let out a soft growl, but swallowed it quickly. “I loved and believed him for the longest time. I believed all his lies that he loved me…until he came back into my cell and told me he got me a present, telling me that I’d love it. It was a pink bejeweled collar,” my hands clenched at my sides at the memory and Nick let out a growl, a full one this time. “At and he asked me if I like it and called me ‘pet’.” I spat. “I told him that was not my name and he got angry, grabbed my hair and shoved me against the wall. He pinned me against it and put it on me and told me it added to my beauty. After that he asked me if I liked it and when I said no he made me say it again and he shoved me against the wall again and dragged his nails down my skin telling me to scream. He told me he loved me but he was lying to me. So, I called him out on it and that’s when he got furious.”

I paused. “He started to choke me and tried to kill me. That’s all I remember before I woke up here. I don’t remember how I got to him or how I got here, all I know is I was tired of his lies and I wanted out. And I want to go back there and save all those other girls before he turns them into a werewolf.”

Nick was pale and glanced at Caelon, who moved beside me at some point. Caelon nodded at him and Nick ran a hand through his hair. “This is a big decision, but I want to offer you a position in the Pack. I feel like it would be in all of our best interests if you were to join us.”

“Who is she?” One of the teenagers said from behind me. I turned my head to look at him. He had blond hair with stormy grey eyes. He had to be no older than sixteen.

“Delilah.”

“Why’s she here?” The other boy said, his brown eyes questioning.

Nick waved toward the living room. “It’s none of your concern. You’re father’s on his way here, boys. Go back to playing video games.” The boys huffed but obeyed.

Nick looked over at me. “I know it’s a hard decision, but you’ll be safe in the Pack’s hands. Here we all work as a team and we all respect each other. And believe me, right now all you need is us to help you fight.” He looked over at Caelon who nodded. “Will you join our Pack?”

I bit my lip. They must want something in return. Why would the Pack want me when I couldn’t even fight my own battles and stand up for myself? If I couldn’t even stand up for myself, how would I stand up for everyone else in the Pack? I was damaged—emotionally and physically. Bringing me into a strong Pack like this would just bring them down and make them look like a joke.

I wanted to join the Pack and have protection by them, but I wasn’t sure whether or not it was the right thing to do.

“Why would you want me anyways?”

Nick blinked and I swore I saw him blush. “It’s for your safety.”

“And you’re also a female werewolf,” Caelon spoke up. “Very rare in the Otherworld, I should add. And having you in our Pack would also be a weakness towards Mutts and other Packs.” Nick shot him a look and Caelon shrugged. “What? Nick, she deserves to know. It would be a benefit to all of us. And with proper training, you know that she will be amazing… possibly one of the better fighters we have.” He looked over at me. “Join us.”

I looked over at Nick. “I will join your Pack.”