Forbidden Territory

Alexina

The sound of paws thudding against the earth reached my ears, but I didn’t move. A quick sniff of the ground confirmed my suspicions—I was in another pack’s territory. Their scent was everywhere, a clear warning that I was trespassing.

The thumping of paws grew louder, accompanied by low, menacing growls. Still, I didn’t move. I lay there, eyes closed, waiting for the inevitable. Waiting for them to kill me.

Hours ago, while I was running, I’d felt the Alpha order sever from me. It could only mean one thing: my father was dead. I deserved to die too, for abandoning him and our pack.

I hoped these wolves wouldn’t show mercy. I wanted them to tear me apart, to punish me for the shame I’d brought upon my family.

I could hear them surrounding me, their numbers somewhere between twelve and fifteen. I waited patiently for them to deliver my death sentence. Two wolves growled at each other, their voices escalating into a heated argument.

Really? I thought, ~They’re arguing now? Can’t they just kill me and then continue their disagreement?~

Patience was a virtue I found hard to muster when waiting for my own death.

I was ready to accept any pain, any punishment they wished to inflict. I wouldn’t fight back. I deserved the brutal death that was coming my way. Besides, there were possibly fifteen of them. Fighting back would be pointless.

Another growl echoed through the air, and time seemed to slow down. It appeared I was getting my wish—I was going to feel every ounce of pain they intended to inflict.

I remained still, my senses heightened. I could hear everything—the sharp claws digging into the ground, the tiny granules of dirt squeaking as they rubbed against the nails.

The dust particles kicked up by their paws sounded like sprinkles landing on a tin roof. I could hear the wind raking through the approaching wolf’s fur—swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.

Then, teeth sank into my shoulder, and my wolf let out a pained howl. Without warning, my wolf took over, switching into survival mode.

I tried to fight her, to tell her to stay down and accept our fate, but she refused to listen. Instead, she blocked me out completely.

She pushed herself to her feet, shaking off the wolf that had attacked her. The wolf got back to his feet, looking stunned that we were fighting back. The side of his mouth tugged up in what looked like a smile.

He was a large wolf, his fur a mix of dark brown and black, his eyes a blue that almost looked gray. He didn’t waste any time launching his next attack, lunging for my neck.

I sidestepped his advance and caught him by the back leg, causing him to cry out in pain. One of the wolves circling us growled, only to be countered by another wolf’s growl. I wondered why they didn’t all just attack me.

I was trespassing on their lands, and with my ties to my father’s pack broken, I would carry the scent of a rogue. What was stopping them from tearing me apart?

The brown and black wolf turned and swiped his paw at my face. I tried to pull away, but his claws caught me, drawing blood that soaked my white fur. I whipped around and reared up, planning to grab onto his back, but he reared up at the same time, causing me to only grab his arm.

I gripped his arm tightly and bit down until I heard the bone crack. For good measure, I twisted it a little before letting go. He fell to the ground, growling in pain.

He was trying to get back up on three legs when I heard another wolf approaching from behind. I wasn’t fast enough to move, and his body slammed into mine, causing us to roll together until my back hit a tree.

I yelped in pain as I pushed the other wolf off of me. He was quickly back on his feet and lunged at me again. I pushed back the pain of what I was sure were a few broken ribs and squirmed out from in front of the tree just before he reached me.

Before he had time to change his advance, I grabbed him by the neck and flung his body as hard as I could toward the forest. His body collided hard with a tree, breaking it in half and causing it to fall to the ground.

I took a second to take in the wolf I’d just thrown and realized he looked just like the wolf whose arm I’d broken. I turned around again, only to feel teeth sink into my back leg, pulling me to the ground.

I cried out in pain as the wolf bit down, breaking my leg. I struggled to get out of his grip, clawing at his back until he let me go. He charged at me again, and I lost my balance, falling to the ground. His teeth sank into my arm, breaking the bone instantly, and then my body went flying through the air.

I caught a glimpse of the tree I was about to hit, and then everything went black.

Beep… Beep… Beep…

The sound of something beeping by my ear woke me up. I opened my eyes, only to immediately close them again due to the blinding light.

I tried again, this time taking it slow, allowing my eyes time to adjust to their surroundings. The first thing I saw was the fluorescent light right above me, hanging from a bright white ceiling.

I turned my head to look around, and the movement made me dizzy. When the room stopped spinning, I realized I was in a small, all-white room. The beeping sound was a heart monitor hooked up to my body. I tried to move my hands but found I couldn’t. I must have been medicated.

I was in some type of hospital room, most likely an infirmary, because I could smell other wolves’ scents in the room. I was alone, but it hadn’t been long since someone had been in to check on me. I could still smell a strong female scent in the room.

The sound of footsteps echoed from what I presumed was a hallway beyond the door. I quickly feigned sleep, my heart pounding in my chest.

“Why the hell did you bring her here? If she’s a rogue, you should’ve killed her on sight!” A deep voice thundered from outside the room.

A shiver ran down my spine at the sheer power in his voice. It was unmistakably an Alpha.

“Klaus, there’s something different about her. She’d only been a rogue for a few hours—I could still sense her old pack on her. She was submitting when we found her, she didn’t mean us any harm,” another voice pleaded.

“If she meant us no harm, then why were two of my men brought back injured?” Klaus growled back, his voice making me wish I could sink further into the bed and disappear.

“That was Tristan’s fault. He attacked her, she was just defending herself. Klaus, there’s something different about her, you should’ve seen the way she fought,” the other man replied, his voice steady despite the Alpha’s palpable anger.

The door swung open, and I listened as two sets of heavy footsteps approached my bed. I worked to keep my heart rate steady and my breathing even. I wasn’t ready to face this Alpha. I needed him to believe I was still unconscious.

A warm touch skimmed down the side of my face. I fought the urge to lean into it.

“Hmm… You’re right, Dane. There is something special about her,” Klaus said, his tone now even, a stark contrast to the anger that had filled it before he entered the room.

“She can stay here for two months to recover and figure out where she’ll go. Put her in cabin five so we can keep an eye on her from the pack house,” he instructed, pausing for a moment. “Send Chloe in to look after her.”

“Chloe?” Dane asked, sounding surprised.

“Yes, Chloe,” Klaus replied, chuckling as he walked out the door.

I heard Dane follow him, and the door closed, leaving me alone in the room once again. I let out a sigh of relief once their footsteps disappeared down the hallway. Why did they let me live? Why were they letting me stay here? This wasn’t typical behavior for a pack. They knew nothing about me; I could be a danger to their entire pack.

I still hadn’t come to terms with the fact that I was even still alive. I shouldn’t be alive. I didn’t want to live knowing that my whole family, my entire pack, everyone I had ever known was probably dead. What did I even have left to live for? I had nowhere to go, no money, nothing. Tears began to fall down my face as the pain of losing my family started to consume me once again.

I must have been crying for a while before I fell back asleep.

Beep… Beep… Beep…

The sound was driving me crazy as I tried to clear my head from my nap. I opened my eyes slowly this time, learning my lesson from before.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” a girl’s voice came from my left.

I jerked my head to the side to see who it was, and an instant wave of dizziness washed over me. I rested my head back on the pillow to recover.

Once I felt normal again, I turned my head to take in the woman sitting in a chair a few feet from my bed. She had long, dark brown hair like mine, but hers was pin straight. Her beautiful brown eyes matched her hair, and she appeared to be maybe five foot six if she was standing—only slightly taller than me. She was absolutely gorgeous, as expected of any werewolf. I wondered if this was the Chloe that the Alpha and Dane had mentioned.

“Hi,” I rasped, my throat dry.

“I’m Chloe. I was sent to ‘look after’ you,” she said, using air quotes as she held up a glass of water with a straw. She held the straw to my lips, as I still wasn’t able to move my limbs. I drank the entire glass before she pulled it away, the cool liquid soothing my parched mouth and throat.

“Thanks,” I said when I was done drinking.

“You’re welcome. So, what’s your name?” she asked.

“Zena,” I replied. No one ever called me by my full first name, except my parents, so I figured my nickname would suffice for now.

“So, are you just stupid or do you have a death wish?” Chloe asked, rummaging through her purse.

“What?” I asked, confused.

“You ran into another wolf’s territory without permission. That’s usually a sure death sentence. You’re lucky it was Dane who found you and not my brother. He probably wouldn’t have thought twice before ripping your throat out,” she said, applying some lip gloss she’d pulled out of her purse.

“I wasn’t thinking,” I said, staring at the ceiling. I wasn’t ready to explain why I ended up on their land yet. I hoped she wouldn’t pry more about it, even though she had every right to know.

“You think,” she said, not hiding how obviously stupid she thought I was.

“Anyway, it’s lunchtime,” she said, opening a container that was sitting on a table next to her. The smell of raw meat assaulted my nostrils, and I turned my lip up at the smell, making her laugh.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, sticking a fork in a piece of meat and bringing it towards me.

“I am not eating that!” I said, turning my face away.

“Why not?” she asked, amusement clear in her voice.

“That’s revolting. Why on earth would I consume raw meat?” I declared, steadfastly refusing to glance her way, fearful she might attempt to force-feed me.

“Eating it will speed up your healing. Haven’t you ever tried raw meat before?” she inquired, her tone laced with such surprise that I found myself compelled to look at her.

“No, I’ve never even heard of such a thing,” I responded, my mouth beginning to water as my inner wolf contemplated the prospect of devouring the meat.

“It’s not as bad as you think. In fact, I quite enjoy the taste,” she stated, popping a piece of the raw meat into her mouth and beginning to chew.

I’m certain my face contorted in disgust as I watched her masticate the raw meat and swallow. She let out a soft chuckle when she noticed my gaze.

“Just give it a try,” she coaxed, holding a piece of meat near my face.

Reluctantly, I leaned over and took the piece from the fork. The sensation in my mouth was peculiar; it was simultaneously mushy and chewy.

It wasn’t vastly different from ordering a rare steak, and the seasoning was absolutely divine. Before I knew it, I was happily munching on the raw meat, engaging in light conversation with Chloe.

I was relieved that our discussion revolved around topics like our favorite music and foods, rather than the circumstances that brought me here.

When the nurse came in, I persuaded her to disconnect the pain medication; I was eager to regain control over my limbs.

I was well aware of my injuries: a broken arm, a broken leg, several fractured ribs, and deep claw and bite marks scattered across my body.

I’d rather endure some pain and have mobility than remain immobilized any longer.

As sensation returned to my arms, I reached up to touch my face, recalling the first wolf that attacked me had left a deep gash.

All I could feel was a thick bandage stretching from near my ear to my chin.

“Do I even want to know what I look like right now?” I grumbled at Chloe, examining the rest of my body.

“No, you don’t,” she replied, continuing to file her nails.

I sighed and settled back into the bed. It didn’t really matter what I looked like now. In a few days, I’d look completely different, one of the perks of being a werewolf.

I glanced over at Chloe when she suddenly burst into laughter.

“What?” I asked, puzzled.

“I just find it hilarious that three guys got their asses handed to them by one girl. The whole pack is talking about it, especially about Tristan,” she said, a smile spreading across her face. It seemed she took pleasure in Tristan’s misfortune.

“I was in survival mode,” I lied. Well, partially. Even if I hadn’t been, I could have still kicked their asses.

They weren’t skilled fighters. I could have taken them down quicker if I hadn’t been so exhausted.

“I don’t care what mode you were in, that was badass!” she exclaimed, reaching out to give me a high-five, but retracting her hand when she remembered my current physical state.

“Thanks,” I responded, and we both burst into laughter.

Dane

I was in the midst of a patrol when a scout picked up the scent of a female rogue in our territory. I immediately sprinted in the direction of the scent.

We hadn’t encountered a rogue on our lands for over six months. I was intrigued to discover this one’s motive, if she even had the chance to explain.

I caught up with the scout and we began tracking the scent. About ten other wolves joined us as we followed the trail.

The scent grew stronger as we neared, and soon we spotted a white wolf lying in a small clearing.

She was on her side, breathing heavily, appearing utterly exhausted as our group of wolves encircled her.

“This one’s mine!” Tristan growled through the mind-link, advancing towards the female rogue.

“Stop!” I commanded. His wolf growled at me, displeased with my order. My wolf growled back, equally displeased with his disrespect.

“Look at her. Do you honestly believe she poses a threat?” I retorted, gesturing towards the white wolf.

“She’s a rogue and she’s trespassing. I don’t care if she’s a threat or not,” Tristan snarled back.

“We’ll take her back and let Klaus decide what to do,” I declared.

“Fuck that!” Tristan spat, and before I could stop him, he was sinking his teeth into the wolf’s shoulder.

The white wolf let out a pained howl and, to my surprise, managed to shake Tristan off as she rose to her feet.

Tristan regained his footing, and I could sense his anticipation for the fight. The corners of his lips even curled into a smile before he launched another attack.

The female was swift, dodging Tristan’s teeth and sinking her own into his back leg.

“That bitch!” Trevor, Tristan’s twin, barked, stepping forward, ready to join the fray.

“No! This is your brother’s fight. You will not intervene,” I commanded. He halted and backed up, accepting my order.

I turned back to see Tristan swiping at the female. His claws tore into her face, sending blood and white fur flying.

She spun around to face him, and they both rose onto their hind legs, challenging each other.

The female managed to grab Tristan’s arm. I heard the bone crack as she twisted her head one final time before releasing him. He fell to the ground, growling fiercely at her.

While Tristan was trying to regain his footing, Trevor slipped away from me and slammed into her, causing them to roll across the clearing until her back hit a tree.

With a grunt of pain, she shoved Trevor away from her. He stumbled, but quickly regained his balance and lunged at her again. She deftly sidestepped his attack, and before he could change direction, she had him by the throat, flinging his body into the nearby trees.

His body collided with a tree with such force that it snapped in half, crashing to the ground. She glanced back at Tristan’s wolf, still writhing on the ground in agony.

Suddenly, Jayden was there, seizing her back leg and biting down hard until the bone cracked. She thrashed and squirmed, trying to escape his grip. His claws dug deep into her back as she managed to break free, leaving long, bloody gashes in her skin. Her once-white coat was now almost entirely stained red with her own blood.

She’d barely escaped Jayden’s grip when he caught her by the arm, jerking his head to fling her body into the forest. The force of the throw broke her arm.

Her battered, bruised body hit a tree with a sickening thud, knocking her unconscious.

I shifted back into my human form and instructed the others to carry her, Tristan, and Trevor back to the infirmary.

I called Klaus, who wasn’t due back for another two hours, and told him to meet me at the infirmary as soon as he returned.

I was surprised when Klaus agreed to keep her alive. Judging by his reaction, there was something about this girl that I was missing, something that Klaus had picked up on immediately.

As I made my way back to the pack house to find Chloe, I racked my brain, trying to figure out what it was. The only thing that stood out about the girl was her fighting skills.

I decided to see if I could get more information out of Klaus later. For now, I had a temperamental werewolf to deal with.

“Klaus has a job for you,” I told Chloe when I found her in the living room of the pack house, her feet propped up on the coffee table as she painted her toenails.

“What kind of job?” she asked, her tone sharp. She didn’t even look up from her task, making another swipe with the bright red polish across her toenail.

“You’ll be watching the rogue we found today,” I said, trying to sound cheerful. I knew she wouldn’t be pleased with the assignment.

“Excuse me?” she said, finally looking up at me with a look of distaste.

“She’s in the infirmary. You should get there before she wakes up,” I said, standing up from the couch. I could tell Chloe was about to lose her temper, and I wanted to be able to make a quick exit.

“I am not babysitting!” she snapped, capping her nail polish.

“Alpha orders,” I said over my shoulder, heading for the door. I could feel her anger building.

“Where the fuck do you think you’re going? We’re not done here, Dane!” she bellowed. I’d hoped to make my escape before she exploded.

“If you have a problem with it, talk to Klaus,” I said, hoping that would put an end to the argument. It was the truth—I couldn’t change his orders. If she wanted out of this, she’d have to take it up with him.

“Fine, I’ll go babysit the fucking rogue. Get out of my way, asshole!” she spat, storming past me and out the door.

I let out a sigh of relief once she was gone. I’d been bracing myself for a much bigger argument.