The Girl from the Trees

Chapter Seven:

When I woke up, I was laying in a bed and in the room, there was a balcony that faced the trees. I loved the view. When I woke up, everything came together and I realized that I might be in a different world. Why was I not dead?

As to answer my question, the door was opened and in walked the Alpha and his son. In an instant, I frantically looked for a knife or something to protect myself with.

"Whoa! Relax, I have not come here to harm you. I have come to honor you and offer you something." The Alpha said in a soothing tone. I was really confused and I am pretty sure it was obvious on my face. What the hell was going on?

So he continued, "You see, in our culture it is a tradition for women, if they choose, to prove themselves worthy of men in the arena. If they choose to fight our greatest warriors, we recognize them not as women, but as warriors. They are held to the greatest honor and respect. And until they do so, they remain inferior to the men in our pack. It is very rare for a woman to ever prove herself worthy like you have done last night. And although you are a criminal, your need of survival has offered you a second chance at life, We can see it in your eyes.. And we like to believe that if ANYONE proves themseleves worthy in the arena, then whatever their charges or reputation are, it is wiped clean. Because it is so rare that women usually survive the arena, it is our law that if a woman proves herself worthy enough, she is presented to the next in line with honor."

The only thing that I could muster out was, "are you fucking kidding me?" I glanced to his son and he looked incredibly embarrassed. I was so confused. So they're not going to kill me because I was a bad ass in the arena? Wait, marriage to his son?? Well, that's a thought..

"I thought you might object to that, so as a reward then, would you be willing to take the position of our Warrior Trainer and be given free housing, food, and anything else you desire? We would not require you to be part of the pack. We can see that you are a lone wolf and prefer it that way." The Alpha finally finished and I was left speechless. The Alpha seemed so different, he seemed.. less cruel.

This is such a queer place. But then I saw an opportunity with what the Alpha was offering to me. They saw me just as equal to there Alpha, which was rare in Alphas. It was true though. Packs always saw their women as weak and inferior. I saw it over the years and I made sure the packs that I crossed knew that a female beat the shit out of them.

"I will agree to this position under the following circumstances. You will build a small cottage in the woods for me. I will under no circumstance, answer to you for anything. I can leave your territory without a given notice. And you will leave me alone. Oh, and we do training, my way.  Do we have a deal?" I said a little too confidently.

"We have a deal, Alaska of Iona."

At hearing my full name being said out loud, I jumped from where I was. I charged at the Alpha and grabbed the Alpha by his throat and demanded, "How do you know my name? Who sent you!? Answer! Or you will die!" The whole room was filled with tense air. No one breathed.

He twisted from my grip and was able to get out of my hold and said, "I know who you are. You're the daughter bastard of one of the best packs in the world. Born to one of the most well- known Alphas, out of wedlock, of course. I know your story, Alaska."

I couldn't breathe. I took a couple steps back and tried to process what I heard. That was so many years ago. Before I could think of an escape plan, the Alpha's son, who had been quiet the whole time spoke.

He said, "We can offer you protection, Alaska. We can hide you and entwine you to our pack, so that no one will ever know of your true identity."

My mind was racing. Being alone for many years and just having to struggle and survive on my own, suddenly became overwhelming. I was exhausted of everything. I was just so tired. And once again, the words that I kept hearing in my head, the words that haunted me for so many nights rang through my head over and over again:

"Bastard daughter. Alaska of Iona. Bastard daughter."

And just when I felt so cold and lost, I heard a  little voice in my head whispering and begging me to listen, "My name is Alaska. I am untamed and I am alive".

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-A