Page 18 of Blood Pearl
I look at Randall, who is sitting nearest to me, and the other three on the opposite side of him. He gives a small nod, understanding that we need this male fully awake and able to fight. Rue, who has shuffled over to sit next to Randall, is whispering. She will inform him of our plan to pick the cell lock and everyone else’s cells to get us out of here. He gives me a side-eyed look and a slight nod. When he tips his water out I know she’s told him not to eat or drink what we are given.
Once the meal is completed, she-wolves who had been serving now walk around collecting mugs and bowls. They all look ready to give in and just survive from one day to the next.
The cottage door opens and Beta Jackson steps out with Fragina and Izzy in front of him. They are handed a plate of food as they sit on the ground on each side of the throne.
The Alpha places his hand on Izzy’s head and strokes as though she is a pet. She leans into his hand, savoring his touch. Rogues, I would rather die than be one. If this is what a rogue comes to be, I would rather my body be feeding the forest.
From the corner of my eye, I see a rogue female trying to feed the chained alpha, but he must still have some fight in him, as he won’t open his mouth. I can feel myself getting angry at the disrespect that is being shown to him. When the female licks his face from chin to the corner of his mouth, then to his cheek below his eye I can’t hold back.
“You that desperate female? You know…that you would assault an alpha…you are pitiful and deserve to be rogue.”
I can see that has gotten under her skin, and hearing my females join in the taunting has her vibrating with anger and embarrassment.
“Be quiet. It has nothing to do with you,” Izzy shouts, and gives the Alpha, who’s still stroking her like a pet, a sultry look.
“You are as bad. Look at you, being petted. You never were much, but you are even less now.” I know that will get her crazy going, and her wolf was always as bad as her, but I could beat both of them without Aztec coming out to play. “You want to be his Luna? A true Luna would do something about me mouthing off, but we all know you are not capable.”
‘Yeah, always lost in training.’ ‘For sure she did, pathetic.’ ‘She cheated all the time to try to win.’ ‘I could kick her ass, and I’m not even a warrior.’
The taunts continue, and I can see her getting more and more irate. The Alpha leans down and murmurs something in her ear, which has her eyes nearly popping. Oh, this has got to be good, I think to myself.
Standing, Izzy walks to the center of the camp area, and I follow her with my eyes, but am alert and ready for anything. Leaning over, I whisper to Rue. “Get that bitch away from the Alpha, and don’t let him eat or drink anything.”
“Okay.” Rue shuffles even closer to Randall and I place my full attention back on Izzy.
“I challenge you to a death match,” Izzy says loudly, so all can hear.
My females all laugh as they turn to look at me, waiting for the response they know I’ll give. “Okay. No problem. Do you want to die now, or later?” I ask nonchalantly, much to not only my females’ amusement, but everyone in the camp.
Izzy attacks before I’m fully on my feet, but it’s okay. I throw myself to the right, rolling twice before surging up and taking a fighting stance. That throws her somewhat and her eyes flick to the ‘Pretender,’ showing me how insecure she feels.
Her lack of attention gives me the moment to throw my arm forward and punch her in her torso, doubling her over as her breath surges from her lungs. I don’t wait for her to recover. I leap behind her, grab her on either side of her head and could give her the death she is begging for. But, as with Fragina, I don’t give them a way out of this existence. I kiss the top of her head, release her, and step away.
The camp is silent, and Izzy spins, attacking me again, although she would have been dead by this point. I duck at the last moment, hit my shoulder in her abdomen, and flick her over my head. She lands on her back once again, losing all her breath as she hits the dirt.
Cheers, jeers and sounds of clapping hits me. The camp is enjoying the display of aggression, and as I look at the ‘Pretender’, I see he’s not happy with the result of this fight so far.
I am happy that he seems to have forgotten that Wyn and I were to fight to be his Luna. Neither of us would have fought, and we all would have died together if he’d ordered one of us killed. He would have had the worst in-fight on his hands that he’d ever seen or tried to control.
“Take her back inside,” the ‘Pretender’ says, and Jackson steps forward, grabbing ahold of Izzy, who is struggling to get free. But when Jackson whispers something in her ear, she quietens down and meekly walks inside.
Standing from his throne, giving us all a look over, he strides away with his band of rogues behind him. I look at Fergus, who has stepped away from the others and he gives a shrug of his shoulders.
Seeing the disgusting female still messing with the Alpha, I walk over, grab her by the hair, and drag her away from him. She, of course, screams and acts like I’m killing her, but when I lean down and glare into her eyes, she shuts up. “You try that with him again and I will kill you. I won’t mess around. You will be dead before your body hits the ground. Now get away from him and stay away from him.”
I walk over to my pack members, sit on the hard ground with them, and wait for the guard who is near to wander away before I quietly speak. “I had Warrior Gerry with me, and I hope he’ll send help to get us out of here. But we need to help that alpha. I don’t recognize him, so he cannot be from any of our packs. He has to be from one of the Parklands. Do you know if any of his pack are hostages with him?”
“No. He was not alone. As far as I remember he was with others but not his pack members as far as we know,” Rico replies, and everyone agrees.
“It’s strange that he would not have any pack members with him when he was taken,” I add to the conversation.
“Unless he did, and they killed them all,” Fergus responds.
“You need to watch closely what they try to do with him. He is getting out with us, and I’m going to do that as soon as I can. The signal I give will be a tap on my forehead three times. When I do that you pick the lock and get yourselves and everyone else out of the cells. But you make sure the Alpha is with you. I’ll deal with our cells and meet you as we run toward the border. Either Spirit Walker Pack border, or our own. As soon as our wolves come forward we will do this, so no eating or drinking what they give you.”
“Yes, Alpha,” they reply in unison, and I give a nod of satisfaction as I look around the camp once more. Fragina is watching us and I give her a finger wave, which has her huffing and storming away, but amuses my pack, and others watching the exchange.
Alpha Arric, the Pretender, re-enters the camp and steps into the cottage, not taking notice of anyone or anything around him. He is by far too confident, and let’s hope that will be his downfall.