The Secret One

2

Chapter 2

The woods become less dense and open to a field with a house. Tall- intimidating building in front of me. People watch as we become closer. Everyone slightly nods to the Alpha as their eyes travel to me. Walking inside the house, the people greet the Alpha who encounters us. People smile at me but never talk. Alpha and the two men lead me to a small room- trapped.

My breathing picks up as I stop, and my head dips back. I feel myself leaning backwards, ready to meet the ground. I feel a warm hand on my back. I shudder and step away, "No one will hurt you. We are trying to help you," The green eye man states as they lead me further into the room. As we enter, the door closes beside us- trapped.

They help me onto a crisp white bed. The three of them don't leave, but the door reopens; a woman in a white lab coat walks in with a clipboard in her right hand.

"Hello, Alpha," a female speaks to us as she approaches us.

The Alpha bows his head to greet her. "Alex and Peter found her in the woods naked while they were training," he says to the female, naming the green-eyed man and the black-eyed one as well. Alex and Peter.

"I'll give her a check and see what is wrong with her other than being underweight," she remarks as she writes something down and walks closer to the equipment in the room. My eyes widen as she pulls a black cuff with a gauge attach and quickly approaches me. I shake my head. The female stops and looks at the Alpha and then back at me. I feel the tears prick in my eyes as I start to hyperventilate.

My eyes begin to feel heavy as I lose the air in my lungs- my head falls to the bed cover. My head is filled with memories of all the girls as I start to pull at my hair as the memories of girls with nasty steel collars on, waiting to be used. I shake my head to get rid of those memories. A small, warm hand finds itself on my shoulder and steadies me, "I know this is hard, but if I can't treat you. I can not help you. We can go as slow as you want. I can even make the men leave if that makes you more comfortable," The lady says as she pulls me out of my thoughts. I shake my head, making her head turn, and she does a little nudge to the door, and all three men leave the room.

"I am Izzie," Izzie tells me, sitting on the bed beside me, dropping the cuff beside her. I wipe my sweaty hands on my legs, letting out a shaky breath, "Do you speak?" Oh, that simple question- the one that haunts my mind. I place my right hand on my throat and rub it around, remembering another hand was there. She shakes her head and writes on her clipboard, "This is a blood pressure cuff. It tells me your systolic reading. It gives me an indication if you have high blood pressure and if you need to be treated for it. All it does is tightly squeeze your arm," She tells me as she shows it to herself. I nod and put my arm out so she can wrap it around it. She tightens it and releases it. She nods to herself and writes it down.

Izze walks to the cart in the room and grabs wet wipes, "Can you throw your legs over the edge of the bed so I can see the damage to your feet and treat them, please?" She questions while sitting on a stool. I do as she says. She carefully lifts one of my feet to her legs and places it on her thigh. I watch as she gently examines my foot carefully, "I am now going to wipe the blood off your feet. If it gets too much, just let me know," Izzie reassures me. I nod and watch her slowly wipe the red stains away. I don't flinch from the pain, only sigh. Her treatment stays like this. Izzie telling and showing me what everything does finally ends as she pulls the needle out of my arms from drawing blood.

"I am now going to call the alpha back in, okay?" She wasn't asking. It was more of a statement, but before I could nod, the Alpha was back in the room.

"From the tests I have run, there are past broken bones and past wounds that did not heal correctly, but her body healed those the best it could, so I can't undo the harm that has happened. She doesn't speak, which you gather by now. She is underweight and dehydrated. The young lady seems to be suffering from PTSD. I will have to do psychological testing to find out more," the white-coat lady tells the Alpha.

I look down, ashamed of what I have become. Tears prick my eyes as I remember my past life. I was innocent.

"Hey, it's okay; all that can happen now is for you to get better," The Alpha tells me, seeing my sad eyes. "Let me fill you in on some things," Alpha tells me.

"You are in the Blood Moon pack. My name is Jake Southern. I am the Alpha. We are going to help you, but you have to be willing to let us," Jake tells me. I blink and nod my head. Trapped. "You felt relief when you grabbed my hand in the woods?" He questions me. I don't dare make a move. It may be a joke. I don't know what he is doing, but it may be a test. He sadly sighs, "You are my mate, little one," That sparks my attention. He looks broken. Is it because he is my mate? I gasp, and tears fall from my eyes. He tries to touch me, but I pull from him, making him stop, "Please let me help you," Jake pleads to me. I mouth, "I can't."

"You can," Izzie speaks up. My head is heavy. I cry out, tired. I am giving up. Just give up.

"It will take time. That is fine, but you are safe. We will talk later," Jake says.

Switching topics: "I can start an IV drip on her. It will be a long healing process for you," Izzie declares. All Jake did was nod, "Water and crackers would work best because feeding her a big meal- will only hurt her; her body is not use to it, so let's start light and work up," My eyes dart to the door and Jake. I could run. It's not too late. "I will go to the kitchen and get some crackers and juice for her," Jake tells us as he slowly leaves the room. All Izzie did was nod her head.

"You know, you are in a great pack. No one will hurt you anymore. Jake helped me heal when I was bent. You are never broken. Do you have a name?" Izzie tries to start a conversation. I dragged a breath in and released it. I am never safe, even if I want to believe her words. To answer her question, I shake my head yes. "Here, use the piece of paper to talk," Izzie drags on, placing the paper and pen into my hand.

At this time, Jake walks back into the room, holding a pack of crackers and a glass of some liquid. Jake gives me a small smile and tries to hand the glass and crackers. I flinch away, causing him to put the glass and crackers on the table beside us. I slowly reach for the glass and drink the liquid in the cup, finding out it is apple juice. Jake grabs the seat Izzie sat on a while ago. I write down my name and flip it over to the two people in the room.

"Ruth is a lovely name," The werewolf says, his lips curling up. Looking at the doctor, he adds, "The Dark Shadow Pack's leader called me as I was getting Ruth juice and crackers. They are looking for someone who escaped."

The doctor looks at me. "Her?"

The Alpha nods. "According to the description. Still, the way we found her," he inhales sharply. I may be unwilling to speak, but I can hear just fine. The Alpha's words ignite the pendant fear of having to go back from where I've been trying to escape. Jake places his hand on the bed beside me, "Don't worry, Ruth. No one will take you away from here. I told him that I didn't see you." His words allow me to breathe again.

"Izzie, I hope I can trust you with this secret," Jake asks the doctor.

"Jake, you are one of my best friends and a person who saved me. Your secret is safe with me, but you might start a war," Izzie reminds him.

"Take pictures of her condition. I'll take this to the council if I must," the Alpha said with a determined face and leveled voice, sending shivers down my spine.

"Ruth, tell me just this," I look at him, waiting for his question, "Do you want to go back?"

Tears threaten to fall on my cheeks, and I vigorously shake my head and start to lose air again. I can't go back- I won't go back. He can't make me go back!

"You will not be going back. Please relax," He tells me as he hands me a cracker. "Now that's settled, let me take care of my patient. She needs to rest, and you'll have to figure out what to tell your pack members about her arrival." What on earth did I get myself into?