A Wolf's Tale (Book #2) Shadows of the Past

Chapter 24

Picture of Ella above by StarWolfLegacy thank you! :D

I think it was time for a different P.O.V. ;)

She screamed as she was flung to the ground. Bruises were beginning to form under her fur, she could feel it.

Ella winced, feeling blood trickle down her chin, mixing with the tears rolling down her cheeks. Her claws scraped over the stony surface of an abandoned hollow with rock walls rising up on three sides.

She closed her eyes and rested a cheek on the cool stone. Her pelt felt like it was on fire. Even the sound of the trickling water dripping down the rock walls wasn't enough to calm her racing heart.

A shadow fell over her. "Don't you dare humiliate me like that again!"

Ella cried out when a sharp jab to her ribs shook her. She looked up in the cold brown eyes of her mate.

"Skylark...Please...it was an accident."

The silver wolf snarled and kicked her. She rolled over the stone and landed in a small stream. A pair of paws were suddenly in front of her eyes.

"An accident?!" He struck her across the face. "That was no accident! You shamed me on purpose!"

Like you haven't publicly shamed me before, but whatever. Just ignore everything you've ever done to me. Sweep it under the pelt.

They had been planning a hunt. One in which Skylark was in charge. He ordered to sneak around the opposite side they were facing the elk. Ella pointed out that they would be standing with the wind blowing from behind, sending the prey the message that they were being hunted. Skylark dismissed the matter and they went through with his plan. It failed, and afterward, he grabbed Ella and hauled her far away from camp, and began beating her for "humiliating" him.

Ella didn't even bother to cry out again when he kicked her. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of screaming for him to stop.

Skylark spat on her and bent down to her eye level. "Now, this is how it will be, got it? I'm in charge, you are not. I give orders, you do not. I have permission to speak, you do not. I make the plans, you do not object." He growled, revealing his long canines. "You may be the mate of the future alpha, but that does not give you the authority to back-talk me. You are no higher than the scrubs in this Pack." He gave her a bone-chilling grin. "Like your scrub of a brother."

Ella's eyes widened when Skylark mentioned her brother. Well, the one she actually considered a brother. She lifted her head and gave him an icy glare.

"Don't talk about Rascal like that." Her voice was a hoarse whisper.

"He's a coward!" Skylark barked. "Running to another Pack after being forced out of his original home! He's a fool!"

"He's a hero," Ella corrected. "If it weren't for Rascal, the entire forest would be in human control. And you would be dead."

That wouldn't actually be so bad. Having you dead!

Skylark didn't even look swayed by her words. "He's trying so hard to be a hero. So everyone will love him!" He pushed his muzzle in her face. "Well guess what, sweetheart? Rascal isn't fooling me! He may have the whole of Flame Woods Pack wrapped around his paw, but he's not tricking me!" He bristled and began pacing.

"Rascal isn't like that." Ella calmly replied. "He wants his species to live, to strive to keep going." She narrowed her blue eyes on him. "Unlike some wolves."