The Secret One

1

Chapter 1

I've experienced fear before. The crumpling kind that glues you to the floor and stops your every movement. What I'm experiencing now isn't fear. No, this is something else. I don't care what happens to me. I know that I need to run away from this place. I'd rather die than get caught and taken back. Anything is better than that place.

At least I tell myself that as I ran through the woods—naked, cold, and so skinny that I have no idea how I had enough strength to climb out the window, throw myself at a tree, and find my way to the ground.

As I leave the garden and enter the forest, I look back and ensure no one is following me. Every chance I get, I turn my head side to side to check my surroundings. The fear of being followed burns through my veins. I am gasping for air, tasting the metallic taste in my mouth.

I'm so tired. My feet hurt, and my arms are scratched. I'm staggering on my feet. Breathing in and out, I note that the leaves feel like paper under my feet. Now and then, I hear the brushing of the leaves, making me look up at the sky, watching the trees sway above me, remembering once again how chilling the real world is, how everything moves and makes a sound. Have they been following me? How long have I been running?

I'm trembling, holding onto my arms and covering my breasts. My feet start to hurt from standing barefoot on the earth. I push out a breath through my nose and swallow. Looking around me, I finally give myself a moment to sigh and relax. A lone tear falls from my eye as a whimper pushes through my mouth. A movement from the corner of my eye makes me jump and stumble to the ground. It's two men fighting—more like training.

They never make punches at each other but dodge each other's hits. I slowly stand back up from the ground; I look in their direction and see their eyes on me. My eyes fall to the ground and dart to my right to see a clearing for me to run- trying to make a run, but then I heard the deadly snap of a twig. I look back to see the two men getting closer. My breathing picks up as they get closer to me. One pulls his hands up in an effortless manner. I back slowly into a tree and fall back to the ground. Their eyes roam my body. I hear my heartbeat in my ears, and the blood drains from my face. I am going back- this is it. My hands find my hair as I shake and gasp for air.

"Are you okay? Do you need help?" one of them curiously asks while stepping closer.

"What happened to you?" the other man asks. "Are you lost?" Now, approaching the other man's side. My head snaps, and they both step back.

"We are not going to hurt you," the first one says, stepping toward me and putting a gap between the two men.

I try to swallow, and both men crouch to be at eye level with me. The buffer man has green eyes, while the others are almost black. They look nothing alike, "We are going to get you help." The green-eyed man tells me, "Alpha is on his way. I let out a defeated sigh as my head hung low. I thought, maybe I am free. Lost in my thoughts, I hear the men say Alpha to greet the pack's leader.

The Alpha walks towards the men and me, giving them a little bow of his head while holding a small bag in his right hand. Stopping in front of me, he bends down, causing the wind to whip around as he comes down to the earth to look me in my eyes. Honey eyes. Short spiked hair. His build shows he is a strong fighter. His smell overwhelms my senses, " Hello, little one," The Alpha greets me. A gulp comes from me. He slowly grabs the bag, pulls out a shirt, and lays it before me. My eyes darted fast and back up at him, "Go ahead and take it," I snatched the shirt at my bloody feet and pulled it over my body.

"Are you lost?" He throws at me, and I shake my head yes. He hums in acknowledgment. Alpha lets out a small smile and, stands up and turns to face the two men from before, "Let's get back to the pack and get her checked out," Alpha tells the two men. Facing me again, he reaches his hand to me for me to take it. I place my small hand into him- as I do, my body relaxes to the touch, and his eyes ease with the feeling, "You are safe now." He doesn't drop my hand as I stand, but when I pull away, he releases mine. I step forward, and the two men follow me. So, my back is protect as my front because I am following the Alpha.

His voice is soft and kind. It has been ages since someone has to talk to me like that. I force my head to look around to gather my surroundings. There is nowhere to go; I'm stuck. My frown thickens, and I meet the gaze of the Alpha as he looks back at me. My head tilts to the side in questioning manner, making him stop and turn around. The world is spinning around, and I fear what might happen. I watch the Alpha look at his men and then back at me. Our eyes met again, and I held his gaze—mesmerized.

The smile returns to his eyes as he asks, "Do you have a name?" I never answer, causing him to chuckle. Golden honey flakes reflect through his eyes. I look at his face. He's handsome. At another time, that would be enough to make me swoon. Now, I know that someone like him only looks at someone like me if they want a new toy to play and destroy. Someone like him will take me back to the hell I was running from when they know to whom I belong.

The chilly breeze swoops around us. I feel the two men step closer to me as the Alpha begins to walk again. I pick my foot up to follow. Leave one hell for another.