Remember

Chapter 12: So You're the Alpha

Hello everyone! Just an FYI I head back to school tomorrow so my schedule will become more hectic. Nonetheless I will do my best to update regularly. That being said here is the next update so please read, vote, comment, and enjoy!

I fought against the dryness that held my eyelids together and the weight that also held them down. I felt the burning remnants of the rag that was stuffed into my face as I try to sucked in more air. All of a sudden the feel of bindings against my bare wrists and ankles shocked my system and jump started my mind. A thousand questions and thoughts raced through my mind. Where am I? Where was my kidnapper? What was going to happen to me?

As my mind tried to sift through the overflow of ideas I missed the sound of the door creaking open until it was too late. The face of the man in front of me was revolting, and not because he himself was disgusting in appearance. Instead, it was the exact opposite, he looked like the man next door. The person who coaches your sports team or joins in for the neighborhood dinner. He looked normal , so very normal, but looks are deceiving.

I remembered with perfect clarity just how I got here. I was walking back up to the high school from grabbing food before practice started when a nondescript red truck pulled up next to me. He rolled the window down and started to ask for directions. My every instinct screamed at me to run, but I just ignored it. After trying to explain for a while the man got out of the truck with a map and had me start to show him. He moved closer to me and before I could move away I felt a rag being shoved into my face and a sickly sweet smell burned it's way up my nose before everything faded to black.

I shook my head, if only I had trusted my instincts then I wouldn't be here. A sharp biting pain across my stomach quickly shook me from my reverie and brought me to the present, where a chunk of my flesh was being carved into by a mad man. As time passed and his punishment continue I slowly felt the pain and the accompanying insults fade away. I no longer heard my kidnapper cursing me out and explaining how I was a failure to him. It shook me to my core, I could feel his words pulling down at the walls that surrounded me, undermining my every confidence in myself.

Soon the pain ceased completely, as did the constant berating. I felt the haze that had formed in my vision lifted and what I saw made my earlier punishment seem like child's play. Standing in front of me was my kidnapper, and he had a whip in his hand. Before I knew it he had grabbed me and had me rebound, but this time, my hands were chained above my head in shackles while my ankles were free. Next, he took the knife, still covered in my blood and cut my shirt off of my back. He began his beratement again, my walls were only hanging by a thread and I could feel just how close I was to breaking. The pain I felt as the whip cut into my back was excruciating. I screamed out, drowning out his count as he continued to whip me.

When he finally reached twenty-five I felt something inside of me snap. My walls were back up, his voice was just a dull drone that was incomprehensible. I began to plan, my mind racing through scenarios and the whipping I was receiving faded to the back of my mind. I just HAD to survive. I didn't yet know why or how, just that I had to, because I had made a promise, and I always kept my promises.

I finally felt the quite surround me, the stillness of the air gave me enough warning to put my plan into action. I allowed my body to go limp, gritting my teeth as I allowed my head to hang. Once he undid the shackles around my wrists I swung into action, I felt my arm muscles scream in protest as I pulled myself up and smashed my legs into him. As he fell to the ground I let myself fall and I began to run. After I made my decision to live I felt my senses heighten and eventually placed a nearby roadway and now I pushed myself to the brink to reach it in time.

My eyes flew open and in an instant the events of the last few days raced through my head. I took a deep breath and tried to calm my racing heart. I untangled myself from the sheets and softly padded my way to the bathroom. Once I splashed water onto my face I allowed my thoughts to run rampant. In turn, they returned to what happened after I escaped from my captor.

It had changed me, there was no doubt about it. The girl who I used to be wouldn't have been able to overpower her kidnapper and escape. She wouldn't have the ingenuity to pull an IV out of her arm and stab someone with it. Let alone in an area that would kill him. How I had changed in that one event.

Looking back now I know that it was my beast that allowed me to escape. That was the first time that my beast rose to the surface and challenged the Hunter's poison.

My thoughts then made their way to what happened last night. My fingers tightened their grip on the countertop. Why had I given him another chance? Another shot to hurt me? Why would I give him power over me? As these questions raced through my mind they all centered around one giant what if. What if he hurt me again?

Once my thoughts finally settled I made my way back into the bedroom. A quick glance at the clock told me that I should probably be getting ready and gave me a way to block any wayward thoughts.

Just as I finished getting ready I heard a knock on the door and my senses were on high alert. I familiar scent surrounded me and I felt myself relax ever so slightly as I opened the door.

"Hey, Noah," I said as I slipped out into the doorway. I sensed the tension that thrummed through his body and could practically taste the nervousness that flowed off of him in waves.

He just nodded at me and motioned for me to follow him through the hallway.

Something was wrong, and that desire to protect that ran through my veins rose up. "What's wrong? " I said, the authority in my voice surprised even me.

Noah turned to face me as he continued walking. His Adams apple bobbed nervously in his throat before he answered me. "The Alpha is back," His voice barely more than a whisper. "And he wants to meet you. He isn't too happy that you are Janus's mate and plans on kicking you out of the pack. He called you a rogue!"

The beast inside of me let out a deep growl, reverberating through my chest. My mind went off at a hundred miles per hour, planning, scheming, thinking. There was no way that this upstart of an Alpha was going to be telling me what to do.

I turned towards Noah, the fear was evident on his face. I rested a comforting hand on his forearm before I answered him. "Don't worry. I will take care of it."

He nodded trying to look comforted, but I could see that he truly wasn't. He took a deep breath before pushing open the doors to an outside meeting area.

There was a large rock stage in the front and on it stood a physically intimidating man. Yet as I looked at him I saw a glimpse of his innermost thoughts. A scowl of disgust crossed my face at the thoughts of this so called leader. He ruled through intimidation and fear and punishment. He had no right to be called an Alpha.

My feet carried me closer to the man on stage and as I passed through the people of the pack my disgust for the man grew. I saw bruises on men and women alike. Children who were afraid to move in fear of punishment. By the time I got to the stage I had reached my line in the sand. As I looked up onto it I felt myself snap. Standing next to his father, head hanging dejected, face covered in bruises, was Janus.

My beast rose to the surface, letting out a deep growl, challenging the authority of the Alpha standing in front of me. His head snapped towards me and I felt the might of his mind snap towards me in an attempt to crush any resistance. Unfortunately for him, I was well prepared for his attack and repelled it with ease. The others were not so lucky. I watched as he imposed his will on everyone in the pack, forcing them to bow to him in a show of the utmost respect. My slow burning anger ignited into a forest fire of rage. In a matter of seconds, I freed everyone from his control and took ahold of his mind, forcing him to submit, on his knees.

When I finally let go he was trembling, whether in fear or anger I didn't know. Before he had time to react the sound of clapping drew my attention away.

Making his way through the crowd was a man about my age. His pale blonde hair accentuated his silver flecked blue eyes. The overpowering arrogance that surrounded him immediately instilled my dislike of the man. As he continued his slow, mocking clap he made his way into my personal space.

"Not bad, little girl."