"Get up, bitch."

Please don't let it be him.

I took in a stiff breath as I closed my eyes, my body already aching at what was inevitably coming. The sound of jingling keys accompanied the sliding of my cell door, and before I had the chance to force myself up, a large hand grasped a clump of my matted locks.

"I told you to get up!"

I became airborne; flying across the cell, colliding with the silver bars before hitting the concrete floor with a thud. My flesh instantly began to burn at the contact due to the silver, and I began to roll away from it before my captor's hands found their way around my neck, forcing me against it.

I screamed; thrashing, clawing, and kicking as the man's sick laugh filled the cellar.

"Oh, you are always so much fun." The man before me grinned, bringing his free arm back and striking my cheek in a brutal right hook. "I'll never understand why he keeps you locked up in here," he says, pulling me from the bars and tossing me to the middle of the cell floor.

His boot clad foot shot forward, striking right below my ribs, and I screamed, curling into myself. Kneeling down, he tugged me up by my hair again, forcing me to bring my eyes to his - bright blue and full of ill intentions.

"You might not be the prettiest thing," he claimed, bringing his hand forward and thumbing my bottom lip. "But the fight in you is a huge turn on."

I immediately began shaking my head, trying to back away from his grip. "Fuck you," I spat, kicking at him. But it was weak, just like me in his hands.

His eyes darkened, his wolf taking the lead, and tears pooled in my own - this couldn't be happening again. "That's the plan." His voice was different; deeper, more powerful, and with little effort, he picked me up and tossed me onto the cot.

"No," I shrieked, tears blurring my vision as I pushed, slapped, kicked, but to no avail, his hands inched up my tattered shorts. "No!"

Let me take over. You won't feel it.

I shook my head insistently at my wolf.

Please, you shouldn't do this by yourself.

Tears slipped from my eyes as he pinned my wrists above my head just as his middle finger dipped into me. I sobbed at the contact, kicking at him again only for it to result in his hand moving from my wrist to my throat. He gripped me painfully, nearly cutting off my airflow.

Neither should you, and our mate is the reason we are here. Let me, please.

I kept shaking my head. It hurt enough that my wolf, the most beautiful part of my soul, knew exactly what was happening. But I would be damned if she would feel it, too.

He ripped my shorts from my body before unbuckling his jeans, and in one swift move, he entered me.

Devastation flooded through me as it always did. All the fight left me as I tried to dissociate myself from each thrust, each moan, each touch. I would rather take beating after beating than to feel this; another's touch against my will, against my wolf's will.

Another sob escaped and he moaned.

I'm sorry, Kris.

***

He zipped his pants, looking down at me with a smirk. I laid completely still, turned over on my side with my arms wrapped around myself. Bending down, he patted my cheek harshly.

"That was fun."

"Beta."

I snapped my head up, looking at the man as his glare fell on the guard outside the cell. The Beta? I had never been allowed to know his name, much less his title, but now that I knew that this man held the second most important position in a pack, the same one my father had held, a bile began to make its way up my throat.

"What," he snapped.

"The Alpha has been trying to reach you. He needs you in his office immediately."

The Beta nodded, bending down to my level and gripping my jaw, no doubt leaving a bruise. "If the Alpha comes down here, you keep your mouth shut about my visit."

He was here without the Alpha's permission. It made me wonder what would happen to him if I did happen let out that information. Today's beating was nothing compared to past ones, meaning he didn't want me to appear any different than when the Alpha last saw me two days ago.

"Speak when spoken to," he commanded, and I was unable to control the submissive bow of my head.

"Yes, sir."

He shoved me down, turning and walking away without sparing me a second glance. I watched as the guard unlocked the cell, letting the Beta out before securing it back.

Once I was alone the sobbing began. Loud, uncontrollable sobs as I fought against the bile rising. I could still feel him, the reminisce of him.

I shot up from the cot, running towards the toilet in the corner, throwing up the little food that was in my stomach. I cried as I clawed at my shirt, tugged at my hair

I couldn't do this anymore.

Falling to my haunches, I fought to catch my breath. I fell to my side on the cold floor, shaking as I timed each inhale and exhale. And I wasn't sure how long I had laid there until I finally gathered a little composure.

I peeled open my eyes, blinking against the tears as I tried to focus. Looking around, I narrowed in on something silver in the corner. It was tiny, and hidden away under the cot. I blinked once more before my heart seemed to stop.

His keys.

Scrambling to my hands and knees, I rushed towards them, falling to my stomach and reaching from them. When they touched my finger tips, I nearly cried out.

He had dropped his keys.

From what I had gathered, the Alpha, the Beta, and the guards all had a set of keys to each cell in the cellar. The Beta had used his own to enter, but the guard had let him out. They must've slipped from his pocket during his 'fun'.

I hastily stood to my feet, making my way to the lock pad while looking down the corridor and then to the keys in my hand. There had to be at least a dozen, and I hadn't the slightest clue which one it could be.

We have to move fast. Once he notices.

My wolf trailed off, but I could hear the array of emotions; excitement, fear, hope, and just beneath it all, anger.

I fumbled with the keys, easing my arms through the silver bars and starting with the first one. It would probably help if I could see the lock.

"Come on," I muttered, moving on to the next one. The first five hadn't been a match and I was growing impatient.

Once the seventh key slid in perfectly, I nearly fell to my knees. I gripped the handles, not giving a damn about the burn as I slid open the cell. Stepping into the corridor, I didn't give myself time to dwell before I was racing down the way everyone came and went.

Other prisoners watched with pleading eyes as I ran as fast as my weakened legs would carry me, ignoring their cries for help.

I spotted the exit in the distance, and I knew there would be guards. I also knew there was a very high possibility that I would be outnumbered, but I was out of choices as well as time.

I halted at the door, grabbing the handle as I stared out the single square window at the guards flanking each side of the tiny room. Before them were a set of stairs that would more than likely lead me to the outside world.

We either escape or die trying. I'm not letting you go back in there.

I let out an slow exhale, stepping back from the door

With that, my body began to shake, bones began to crack, and when I fell forward, I was staring at the black paws of my wolf as she pushed to the forefront of my mind. Everything was so much clearer, my senses so much stronger, and a shiver of pleasure made its way down my spine.

This had been the first time since being taken that I had shifted in my wolf form, and to my surprise, I felt stronger than I ever had before.

A growl rumbled from the back of my throat, and before either of the guards had a chance, I pounced forward, taking the door off its hinges. My jaws were instantly around one, not giving a second thought as I jerked to the side, breaking his neck. The other one's eyes seemed to glaze over, and I growled, knowing he was mindlinking for backup.

My jaws were around his neck before dropping him beside his dead friend. Without wasting a second, I darted up the stairs, slamming my body into the double doors atop of it before stepping out into nature.

I stilled, grimacing in the sunlight. The smells of nature were overwhelming as I dug my paws into the soil. I could hear the birds chirping, the leaves rustling, and the deer beyond the brush munching on the grass. After being held in captivity for so long, everything was heightened, and I was having trouble grounding myself.

Forcing myself to focus on my surroundings, I cursed only for it to come out as a growl - I could hear them coming.

The heavy laps of their paws came from my left, so I went right, running as fast as I could, as fast as my legs would let me, and I allowed myself to revel in the feeling of it. The stretch of my limbs, the cold wind in my fur felt euphoric, but it left as quick as it came.

I could hear them gaining from behind me, and I felt dread seep through me as I pushed myself harder. I began to zigzag, hopping over fallen trees as I prayed that the border of their territory wasn't too far. But before I could leap over a small creek, jaws clamped around my back leg, and I yelped, falling into the cold water below as I was tackled.

Managing to throw the wolf off, I stood before crouching, releasing a threatening growl as I flashed my canines. And once the wolf returned the favor, I felt the tension change.

It was the Beta.

Power radiated off of him, and he began to slowly circle me like prey - he was fighting to kill.

I didn't allow him to study me, to look for any weaknesses, instead I jumped first, taking him by surprise as I knocked him to the ground. We rolled, snapping and growling as I pawed at his muzzle, trying to find a way to get my jaws around his jugular.

Swiping, I managed to claw at his left eye, immediately blinding him. A growl escaped as he bit down on my shoulder, and I began whining, thrashing under his hold against the hard ground. He clenched harder, and I slumped in defeat.

I felt him huff in victory as he drew back, looking for the kill, but his slow reaction time gave me the perfect opportunity to leap up and clamp my teeth into his neck. He struggled against me, and I used my front paws to push him backwards, falling with him until I sunk my teeth further.

But before I could rip out his neck, a powerful bark echoed through the forest from a distance, and I knew it was the Alpha.

My wolf released the Beta, letting him slump to the ground at my feet, blood oozing from his neck as he whined softly.

Then I ran.

***

I ran for hours, unable to bring myself to stop no matter how much my body begged me to do so.

The sun had been high in the sky when I had escaped the cellar, telling me that it had been around noon. Now the moon had taken its place, full and shining brightly through the branches, lighting my way through the forest.

I had no idea how far I had traveled, nor did I have any idea where I was. All I did know was that I was bleeding, starving, and freezing. I had vaguely noticed it being chilly when first stepping outside earlier in the day, but as nightfall came, the temperatures began dwindling. Now I was a shivering mess.

That myth about werewolves being hot all the time was bullshit. Sure, we had slightly elevated body temperatures compared to mortals, and our wolf form could handle the cold better than our human form. But none of that meant we were immune to freezing to death. And between my bleeding shoulder and malnourished body, I was a little fearful that would be the case.

My wolf huffed at the thought, but slowed our staggered running, nearly toppling over once at a stand still, completely and utterly exhausted.

Finding a spot under a tree, I curled tightly into a ball, and I finally felt all of the emotions from the day overtake me. A whine left my wolf. I was free. No more beatings, no more rapings, no more cell.

I wonder where we are.

I looked around, seeing nothing but forest vegetation for miles. In all my hours of running, I hadn't encountered any civilization. I was running with the sole purpose of not being caught, and I wasn't sure where I had landed myself - not that I had any idea where I was before.

Do you think we are far from home?

My wolf let out another whine at that.

Guilt flooded through me as I was hit with the memories of that night all over again, so much of myself lost from those few hours of misery.

I had been taken from my pack, Silver Crescent, at eighteen. My captors had knocked me out, and when I had woken, I was in a cell, completely unaware of where I was or what pack had taken me. All I did know was that after I had counted days over a year from watching the sun rise and fall through the skylight window, I had stopped counting.

I had realized then no one was coming to help me, that my mate wasn't coming.

Anger coursed through me at the thought of him, but soon it was replaced with the same fierce pain that still had yet to dull, even after all this time. A gut wrenching reality that my mate had not only rejected me, but had sold me for his own benefit.

He was packed into a corner. He was protecting our pack.

I sighed. My wolf would forever think of him in this light that would never shine for us, but I couldn't blame her; it was easier that way. Losing a mate was detrimental to a wolf. A mate was put on this earth for one person; hand picked by the Moon Goddess to complete them, be their soulmate And once a wolf lost that, a piece of them would be lost for the rest of their life.

And my wolf, Kita, was a part of me. She and I were two souls intertwined with one, sharing two forms, and it was as intimate as that of a mate. Kita had her thoughts, her own personality just as I did my own, although her's was fiercer and stronger than I ever would be, but we performed as one. She was the little voice inside my head that would come out to play every once in a while, my best friend - she kept me brave and I kept her rational.

I wouldn't have survived without her. I couldn't imagine if I would have lost her like some after the loss of a mate. Rejection could kill, and there wasn't a day that went by that I wasn't aware of how lucky I was.

"Rouge."

I jumped at the sound of a voice to my left. Echoing across the forest with reverence. Deep, demanding, and holding nothing but venom. Fear clouded my judgment, and I stood quickly, crouching low and releasing a threatening growl as my ears laid back - a stupid thing to do.

"Stand down, rouge!"

A man stepped out with three men behind him. A twig snapped from behind me, and I whirled around, still growling as I spotted three other men. I was surrounded.

No. No, this couldn't be happening.

"Shift."

One of my ears raised as I began to shake uncontrollably.

"Did I stutter," he snapped. "Shift. Now."

I growled again, but the three from behind me stepped forward, one taking off his jacket before extending in my direction with a sigh.

"Just shift, mutt. Here's a jacket. Don't make this anymore difficult."

A little whimper slipped as I slouched, bowing my head. I could feel my adrenaline draining. My shoulder burned, and I was in no condition to fight. I couldn't have fought them off even if I tried. With a huff, I shifted back, falling to my knees as soon as I was in my human form. The jacket was immediately draped over my exposed body, and I pulled it around me, trying to gather as much warmth as I could.

It wasn't until I looked down at my shoulder, taking in the dried, sticky blood covering my arm that I realized just how dizzy I felt. Everything spun as I shook, and before I could catch myself, I hit the ground.

And the last thing I saw was a concerned face accompanied by a murderous growl.

I was going to die.