Chapter 3

“Say my name,” he said hoarsely, his tone deep and authoritative, reminiscent of thunder rumbling in a tempest. “Say it, little bird.”

Vape.

That's how he referred to himself. Yet, I was unable to say it—I couldn’t utter a word.

My throat ached, phrases confined within the quiet that had imprisoned me for such a long time. However, he did not halt. His grip was unyielding, drawing me further into the tempest.

His lips grazed my neck, warm and risky. "Say it," he whispered once more, his breath warm on my skin.

I didn’t reply, was unable to reply. My body shuddered beneath the significance of the moment, and he interpreted my stillness as a provocation.

His teeth brushed against my neck before he sunk his teeth in. A sudden, intense pain coursed through me, burning and intense, but it disappeared just as swiftly, giving way to a wave of deeper emotions—something instinctual.

Flames erupted within me, spreading rapidly like a blaze, engulfing my entire being. My lips opened, and after what seemed like an eternity, a sound was released.

"Vape!"

I screamed, the sound hoarse, shattering quiet, dismantling everything that restrained me.

He leaned back slightly to lock eyes with me. His gaze was intense and turbulent, yet there was also a gentler quality present—something I couldn’t define.

"You're mine," he murmured, his tone gritty yet assured.

And for the first time ever, I had faith in it.

I awoke to the aroma of cedar and smoke, with a subtle hint of iron underneath. My head pounded, and my body hurt in ways unrelated to Rio or his dismissal. The space was silent, the buzz of the marketplace beyond soft and far away.

The recollections washed over me like an ocean wave. The unknown person, his hands on me, his mouth. The blaze that had erupted beneath my skin, devouring me.

My face turned red as I propped myself up. My hand touched something cool and sleek on the nightstand. A piece of jewelry worn around the neck. Uncomplicated, graceful, featuring a gem that glimmered softly in the dim illumination. He placed it there.

I placed my hand on my neck where his fangs had penetrated. The spot remained sore, and my fingers quivered as they glided across it. It wasn't a friend mark. It can't be. Yet it signified something—something I couldn't grasp.

I let out a groan, hiding my face in my hands. "What on earth did I do?" My voice was rasping, harsh from lack of use. The sound took me by surprise. It seemed unfamiliar, as if it was meant for another person.

I had talked. After years of quiet, I shouted his name. Vape.

The noise of it continued to resonate in my thoughts.

I nodded my head, attempting to clear my thoughts. There was no opportunity to focus on him or how he had made me feel. I needed to continue progressing. I didn’t feel safe here, and I definitely couldn’t return to Maple Grove.

I tucked the necklace into the fabric of my dress, then stood up and straightened my outfit. They were wrinkled, frayed in spots, but they would suffice. My stomach churned as I remembered the pack, Rio’s sneer, Jenny’s stares, and my mother’s icy indifference.

Not anymore.

I walked into the vibrant market, the clamor and frenzy a stark difference from the quiet of the room I had exited. Merchants yelled, their voices clashing in a clamor that caused my head to whirl. I maneuvered through the throng, my gaze searching for any indication of threat.

My mind was in a swirl, ideas coming together and then disintegrating just as fast. I possessed no funds, no companions, no definite goal. All I possessed was a recently discovered voice and a bite mark that continued to sting.

"Look where you’re headed, jerk," someone snarled as they pushed by me.

I tripped, softly whispering an apology to myself, but they had already vanished.

I was deeply absorbed in my thoughts and didn't see the shadow hovering behind me until it was too late.

A powerful blow hit me from behind, harsh and relentless, knocking me down onto the chilly, wet ground. My hands reached out reflexively to break my fall, but they scraped against the harsh ground, and pain erupted in my palms. My knees hit roughly, and the jolt of the collision sent pain racing through my legs.

"Ha, ha," echoed a mocking, well-known voice. The noise halted the air in my chest. "See who believed she could get away."

I didn't have to look to realize who it was. Brian.

My blood turned cold as I gradually raised my eyes. There he remained, looming above me, his malicious smile contorted with glee. The faint illumination of the clearing created shadows on his face, enhancing his threatening appearance.

“Thought you could escape, did you?” he snarled, bending down to seize my arm. His grip tightened around it like a clamp, the force causing me to flinch as he pulled me upright.

His grip strengthened, and he turned my wrist just enough to make me inhale sharply, although I quickly stifled the sound. I won’t provide him that satisfaction.

“Got nothing to say?” he mocked, bending in nearer. His breath emanated an odor of old beer and something foul. “Numbers.” “Consistently the silent oddball.”

His laughter was rough, irritating—a noise that sent shivers down my spine.

“Let’s go, small pup,” he exclaimed, pulling me ahead. “We have a location you must reach.”

I battled, tugging with every bit of strength I still possessed, but it wasn't sufficient. My body felt excessively weak, excessively damaged. Brian was incredibly strong, his grip as firm as steel.

"Quit the fighting," he retorted, his tone tinged with annoyance. "You're just making things more difficult for yourself."

He tied my hands behind my back with coarse, frayed rope, the strands digging into my skin. Then he pulled me through the woods, his speed unwavering. The lively noises of the market vanished into quiet, supplanted by the whispering of foliage and the snapping of branches beneath footsteps.

The clearing appeared, illuminated by the dancing glow of torches. A group had assembled, their expressions a blend of ridicule and excitement.

In the middle was Jenny, her arms folded across her chest, a triumphant smirk adorning her lips. Next to her, my mother remained rigid and still, her expression a frigid, inscrutable facade.

"Well, well," Jenny started, her tone laced with malice. “See who chose to return on hands and knees.”

I lowered my head, focusing my gaze on the ground. My heart raced in my chest, each beat resonating in my ears.

“Have you got nothing to say, Sia?” she pressed on, moving around me like a predator hunting its target. “Not a single apology for attempting to take my partner?”

A whisper spread among the crowd, their murmurs cutting through my determination like small blades.

"I—" I attempted to say, but the words lodged in my throat, terror suffocating me.

Jenny's face contorted into scorn. "Pathetic," she exclaimed disdainfully.

Her piercing stare focused intently on my neck. Her pace hesitated briefly before she charged ahead, seizing my chin and making me meet her gaze.

“What is this?” she whispered, her eyes growing larger as they noticed the faint, reddened bite mark.

I recoiled but remained silent.

Jenny's anger flared up. “You bold little hussy,” she spat, her hand quickly reaching for the necklace partly concealed in the fabric of my dress. She tore it away, the chain breaking with a sudden metallic noise.

““And what is this?” she asked, raising the necklace for everyone to view. "An offering from your partner?" “A symbol of your treachery?”

I tightened my jaw, determined not to provide her with the response she sought.

Jenny's laughter echoed, sharp and brutal. "Do you really believe you can leave, sleep with someone you don't know, and return here as if nothing occurred?"

The audience burst into laughter, their taunts more intense, piercing, and agonizing than the ropes digging into my wrists.

Jenny looked at me again, her eyes shining with wicked purpose. “Bind her to the pole,” she commanded, her tone icy and authoritative. “Allow her to remain out here and reflect on her role.”

Brian and another member of the pack pulled me to the middle of the clearing. I didn’t even attempt to fight back as they pushed me against the old wooden pole, tying me securely. The coarse ropes pressed into my skin, the jagged edges cutting into my wrists and shoulders. It wasn't the first occasion I was tied to the pole. It will not be the final one.

All I needed to do was persist and get through the night.

However, that was simpler to say than to achieve. I observed the sky grow darker, with ominous clouds hanging above, and shortly after, rain started to descend, initially as gentle drops, then transforming into a fierce, unyielding torrent. It penetrated my clothing within minutes, the cold piercing directly to my bones.

"It will end shortly." I said to myself. "Next, I'll find a way to break free once more." "This time permanently."

The crowd scattered as the storm intensified, their laughter diminishing into the distance. Yet I remained, bound to the post, solitary in the shadows.

The night stretched endlessly, the chill relentless. My body shook uncontrollably, my teeth chattered so violently it seemed like they could shatter. My wolf whined gently in my thoughts, her presence a subtle solace amidst the overwhelming burden of anguish. However, it might be more severe.

Ache pulsed in my wounded leg, an unyielding reminder of my past hardships. My fingertips felt tingling, my skin cold against touch.

However, I did not weep. I would not. Crying won’t make a difference.

As the rain transitioned to sleet, my sight started to distort, the borders of reality dissolving. My breaths arrived in shallow panting, each one more difficult than the previous.

Then, amidst the fog, I caught it—a howl, low and echoing, slicing through the tempest like a knife.

One came after, then another. The noise was eerie, intense, and it increased in volume with every moment.

We are under attack.