Caged Wolf

Author's Song of the Chapter: Monsters by Skillet

They separated Dusk and I so we could dress after the ceremony burned our clothes off, or maybe I did that, I’m unsure. I wouldn’t have cared to dress if it meant not being separated from Dusk, I didn’t get that option. Thus the beginning of how I ended up sitting in the cafeteria sucking marrow from a rib bone while anxiously watching the door for Dusk is told. The room is jam-packed with more Wolves than normal, my packmates sit at my table with me. Kiki is up to her old antics which is greatly aggravating because she will challenge Dusk for me and that pisses me off, mainly because I can’t do anything about it.

“She’ll be here any moment,” Carl reassures me as he nudges my shoulder causing me to take in my packmates agreeing nods, they are all uncomfortable with Kiki for the same reason I am.

Kiki clears her throat trying to garner my attention, I ignore her as Sicora growls at her annoyed. Danny elbows me lightly as he motions towards the door causing me to refocus on it. Dusk has just walked in her presence has captivated the whole room as she oozes power, Reaper quickly joins us as he walks from her side. I stand as she saunters over to me slowly her eyes zeroing in on Kiki who is growling.

“Oh, shit!” Grant, the red-headed alpha male, at the next table over calls to his companions.

I smile happily as Dusk reaches me embracing me before nuzzling my neck and kissing me. I’m enjoying the extra attention even if it’s her way of asserting her claim to me and dominance over Kiki. She kisses me again before entering the line to get her dinner. A few moments later I’m scooting my chair back as I usher her onto my lap to sit as many other mates sit. Dusk doesn’t get the chance to sit as her tray goes flying when Kiki launches across the table to place herself firmly between Dusk and me. With an annoyed growl, Sicora rises and passes Dusk another tray stating her beta rank as she asserts herself while Tucker passes Dusk his undrunk drink. Dusk sets this tray down along with the drink as my instincts scream at me to rise and defend my mate, for Dusk’s sake I don’t. This is a battle Dusk has to fight on her own for both her honour and dominance as an alpha.

“Don’t touch my mate again!” Kiki spits at Dusk furiously causing me to bristle at the claim.

Dusk sighs simply and shakes her head before she easily moves Kiki aside and plops down on my lap helping herself to her second tray of ribs. The room has fallen deadly silent. I blink and suddenly Dusk is on the ground and Kiki is on my lap. I quickly raise my hands to show Dusk I’m not touching Kiki but it doesn’t matter.

“Are you psycho? Do you seriously want to challenge me for my mate, you? You’re barely an alpha, back down before I hurt you!” Dusk’s tone is deadly even, this is the final warning before things get violent.

“You’re the psycho bitch coming in here and laying claim to what’s already been mine for the last three years!” Kiki spits her eyes beginning to glow.

Dusk gives a final warning growl that rumbles for obedience and makes many Wolves whine with submission.

“She used that growl on me the first time we met, I was kneeling so fast I couldn’t believe it. I was so pissed as up until that point I believed I was the worst Wolf around.” Reaper jokes to Carl who let’s out a surprised laugh that travels around my packmates.

Kiki turns snarling towards the laughter, that’s when Dusk attacks. Dusk grabs Kiki by the back of her shirt and hauls her to the ground before tossing her into the opposing table. Wolf instincts work as the table quickly jumps up trays in hand as they avoid Kiki’s flying body. Dusk settles herself on my lap once more and sucks the marrow from a bare bone. She growls as she does so making Wolves tremble, Kiki trembles. Kiki rights herself, her muscles quaking with the urge to shift as she fights Dusk’s growl. Dusk squares off expecting Kiki to charge her, neither one of us is ready when Kiki attacks me. I let a holler of surprise and pain out as Kiki’s teeth sink into my leg and she yanks me from my seat tugging me protectively behind her. My packmates let out angry growls as I let out my own angry growl at Kiki causing her to release me in confusion, her lips coated in my blood and her human form detached from her rational mind if she ever had one. My packmates swarm around me to protect me due to Kiki’s injuring me but it’s unnecessary. Dusk moves swiftly taking Kiki to the ground and grabbing a tight fistful of her hair, she slams Kiki’s head into the ground hard.

“I can handle a psycho challenging me, I can handle a good fight, I will not handle nor tolerate some sick bitch attacking my mate.” Dusk sheathes as she holds Kiki tight in her grip

Pulling her hair tight when Kiki squirms.

As my one beta Garth steps up offering me his blood to heal my leg which continues to bleed. I accept his blood as Kiki breathes hard but stills beneath Dusk.

“Let’s get two things straight. Noah is my mate, stay the fuck away from my mate. Say yes if you understand.” Dusk snaps before leaning closer to Kiki and listening.

“Fuck you!” Kiki spits out and Dusk shakes her head.

I push Garth away when I’ve had enough to heal and nod my thanks. Dusk meets my eyes and I know she’s warning me that things are about to get a whole lot worse. Snapping her arm back Dusk slams Kiki’s head into the ground repeatedly until she hears the crunch that she wanted. Blood gushes from Kiki’s broken nose causing Dusk to stop.

“Have we learned anything yet?” Dusk questions Kiki savagely only to get spat on as Kiki spits her own blood at Dusk.

Dusk is becoming frustrated and fed up as she smacks Kiki’s head off the ground once more causing a groan to leave Kiki’s lips before Dusk throws her into the nearest wall. Kiki’s body gives a resounding smack as it hits the wall and then the floor. Dusk turns and watches Kiki, her face is a composed mask as she waits to see if Kiki will come at her again. With a loud grunt Kiki rises, I stiffen as her muscles shimmer than she shifts and charges. Dusk stands her ground when they collide Dusk catches Kiki by the shoulders controlling her snapping jaw and her weight easily.

“Submit or I’ll kill you,” Dusk warns, her body is a hot tense coil waiting to spring.

Kiki struggles wildly her eyes on me, I understand Kiki’s set on killing me if she can’t have me. Dusk moves fluidly letting Kiki think she has a clear break for me than grabbing her by the tail and yanking her hard enough that Kiki ends up on her side a couple of tables away. As Kiki rises Dusk falls into her Wolf form causing those around us to back up with new respect, seeing Dusk at her full size in good lighting can be intimidating. Dusk in this form easily towers over Kiki and everyone can see it, this causes Kiki to look about nervously. No one will step up to help her, no one will stop Dusk not that the warnings were given.

“How quick do you think this will be?” Sicora prods to the others behind me.

“With what Dusk’s been through, quick,” Crane states as he settles back down at the table, our packmates joining him.

Kiki makes the first move as she launches herself at Dusk. Dusk simply plucks Kiki from the air by the throat and slams her into the ground. Once pinned Kiki stills as any move means death by Dusk’s jaws. Dusk emits a new growl that I’ve never heard before but gets me damn horny. Her growl gets my heart racing, around me others fall into Wolf form and emit their growls. Soon everyone joins Dusk’s growl adding their voices to it. I simply sit in my human form listening until Dusk’s ears flicker to me as Kiki whines in defeat. I move slowly as Kiki’s whines become high-pitched with panic. I reach Dusk’s side where I join her in Wolf form and we growl at Kiki together, only then does Dusk release her. Kiki whines pitifully against the growls as she curls into the ground head twisted to show her throat and tail between her legs. Satisfied we all go silent and Dusk gives one final snap showing mercy. That is where it should have ended but Kiki just wouldn’t let me go. Dusk senses Kiki’s decision, as Kiki lunges Dusk turns and slashes her claws across one side of Kiki’s face spraying blood. Dusk’s claws sink deep enough to scrape bone and Kiki shrieks in horror and pain as her right eye is ruined in its socket. Kiki stumbles and cries as Dus has shamed her. This injury will scar her for life and take away her alpha status. Dusk isn’t satisfied as Kiki had every chance to backdown. Advancing forwards Dusk unleashes a brigade of attacks upon Kiki who attempts to defend herself. In the end, Kiki collapses onto the ground, she could be roadkill with the way Dusk shredded her, however, she is alive. She’ll survive, she’ll heal, but she won’t forget this, this lesson. Dusk will always haunt her.

‘I didn’t want it to go that way.’ - Dusk tells us in our minds before she pushes past us and out into the hallway.

‘She left you no choice, she would have kept coming at us Dusk!’ - I respond and I take off to chase after Dusk.

Dusk doesn’t respond to me as I catch up to her. We walk in silence to her room we’ve taken over. We move into the bedroom and I close the door behind us knowing Dusk needs a break. We simply curl up in bed her head on my chest and her thoughts in my soul. We don’t want to have to act monstrous, not if we ever want our freedom. I fall into a fitful sleep as torturous realistic nightmares plague me. Nightmares about slaughter, nightmares that involve streets of cities and towns running red with innocent blood.