The Alpha's Strength

Chapter Seven

     The room was dark. It was somewhere cold and lifeless, and I was chained. I was bound by some form of iron that I could not escape. 

     I willed my arms to fight, to break free, but it seemed that my energy had been drained from me. I was dying. 

     A voice floated through the air, deep and resounding. "Beware. Those who welcome are those who decieve." 

     And then a scene was shown before me. I could see myself, as a child. I was walking alone, with my schoolbooks grasped tightly to my chest as I followed not so closely behind my orderly mother. My eyes were on the ground, careful not to look up and catch the disdainful eyes of the other school kids or their parents. I was filled with misery. I wanted to die. 

     The scene changed, but the feeling stayed the same. It was a few years later.  I was walking home alone from the library, trying to avoid everything and everyone. There was a boy, a year older than me, following me. I didn't hear him. How could I? I was human. He snuck up behind me and shoved me to the ground, scraping my knees and ripping my shorts. He laughed. I didn't spare him a glance. I clammered to my feet and began my walk again, trying to ignore the searing pain in my knees and palms. I kept telling myself, "It'll be okay. It'll be okay. You'll get out of this town." But, deep down, I didn't think I was worth it. 

     "Stop," I pleaded. I didn't want to remember. I wanted to forget. "Stop!" 

     And suddenly, I was back in the dark room, rechained and unmoving. 

     The voice came again, though I tried to not listen. "Beware. Those who decieve are those who welcome." 

     "Stop!" I cried, gaining energy. 

     "Anna! Dear God. Anna... Wake up! It's a dream, honey, it's just a dream." A soothing voice broke its way through the lifeless room, finally bringing me out of the horrific memories and back into the guest bedroom at Alpha Daniel's packhouse. I clung to Luke, desperately trying to believe he was real, and I cried. After going so long being numb, I actually cried. 

     Luke held me tightly against his muscled chest, kissing the top of my head and murmuring sweet nothings to soothe me. I cried into his shoulder shamelessly. 

     After what seemed like a lifetime, my desperate sobs turned into soft whimpers. His grip had yet to loosen, but I think his hold was what was bringing me back to sanity. 

     "To think that after all that training, I can't help you when you need me the most." He said into my shoulder, his voice filled with anger and resentment. I shook my head. 

     "I just need you here." I told him through my broken voice, gripping his torso tighter. 

     He sighed into my hair. "I will always be here. I just wish I could do more." I stayed silent, mentally trying to quiet my breaths. I tried to think back to the day before, to remember all the good things that have happened just in the last 24 hours. I met my mate. I have a purpose now. I have to live for him.  

     I took a deep breath, trying to wrap my head around how important my survival has become. If I die, Luke and his pack will die. If his pack dies, all of the small packs relying on his will die, too. It all comes down to me. 

     I couldn't deny how intrigued, and yet terrified, that makes me feel. 

     "There were times," I began hesitantly, not entire by my own free will, "that I wished I had been dead." 

     Luke's breaths stopped. He was still, unnervingly so. He didn't ask me to go on, he didn't reply at all. I suppose that's why in the end, I did.