Watch The Dark
six

After a few days of not speaking to anyone, not even Sincere, Tana's wolf was aching to be let out. She had never gone this long without going on a proper run and it was driving Tana insane.

However, her wolf bore scars that reminded her of the past that she didn't want to see. That she didn't want anyone to see, in fact. Tuk was the only one who knew and she wanted to keep it that way. Which only left her one option.

To sneak into the forest without letting anyone know.

She had consistently observed the patrols over the few days she had been there and she had finally gotten to know their patterns and when the best time to bolt would be. Declan's room faced the woods from the side of the pack house where there wasn't much shade and the pack wolves didn't really hang out. This left her a good opportunity to escape without being seen. The best time to go would be when patrols were switching which meant that the current and previous patrol group all met up at the front of the pack house for about ten minutes before resuming their positions.

She had all that planned out, but her biggest problem was that Declan's room was the highest floor out of five floors. Her wolf could easily make that jump, but the moment she shifted in the room or on the balcony the guards outside the door would be able to smell her and would stop her.

Which really only meant she needed to do everything as fast as she could.

On a particularly sunny day, right after Declan had left after dropping off lunch, she moved quietly towards the balcony and took off her more restraining clothes, looking over her shoulder every now and then to make sure the guards didn't come in to see what she was doing.

Calling her wolf forward was simple. Although they weren't exactly in tune, they had a common goal. They needed to run or else they would go absolutely insane.

Tana felt uncomfortable in her wolf form. From the healed over collar of furless skin around her throat to the slashes that littered her body, nothing about her wolf screamed refinement. Nothing about it made her look like a wolf that should be respected.

But it didn't matter. Once she was in her wolf form, she immediately took a bounding leap off of the balcony just as the doors to Declan's room flew open. The guards let out growls from the balcony when Tana's paws hit the ground, but she was already running. Wolves in packs could mind link which meant Declan probably already knew what was happening, so she sped up.

Once she was in the forest she felt much more comfortable. She could hide and outrun them with the plethora of bushes and trees surrounding her. But she knew they would come after her, so she couldn't stop.

Her wolf was happy yet sad at the same time. She didn't want to be away from her mate but she needed to be let free so desperately that thoughts of Declan subsided and the two of them just ran, following the scent of the river to guide them.

She could smell wolves coming after her but she didn't stop. This was her one chance to get away and she wasn't about to lose it. She would fight her way out if she had to but she seriously hoped it wouldn't come to that.

She was born to be a scout, which meant her wolf was small and lithe. The wolves crashing behind her were pure bred warriors so they were at a disadvantage when it came to stealth and speed. Tana had the upper hand, which meant she had even more confidence that she could lose them.

She made a sharp turn when she heard the wolves gaining on her. One of them was Declan, judging by his scent. Her wolf wanted to run to him but Tana was still in control and could overpower her, which was the only reason they sped up to try and lose the wolves again.

Mate. We need to go to him. He's going to be angry, her wolf whined, but Tana just growled and continued. She was almost at the river. She could lose them there. She hoped to Aurora that she could.

A loud growl that was far too close for comfort erupted from behind her. She just needed to make it a little longer. She couldn't slow down or they would pounce on her almost immediately.

This wasn't her first chase.

Tana was meters away from the river when a huge black wolf tackled her to the ground and kept her pinned there, his fangs bared in her face. Tana just growled right back. Declan wouldn't hurt her, and even if he did, it would only give her more reason to hate him.

The wolves behind him trotted up, their heads lowered when Tana made an attempt to snap at their alpha, but Declan didn't give them any sign to attack and just pressed Tana further into the ground. He wanted her to submit to him, but there was no way in hell she was going to.

They were like that for at least 20 minutes before Declan let her stand up, his wolf backing off of her enough for her to get up but not enough for her to escape.

He shifted back in front of her, clearly not at all phased that he had no clothes on. After all, werewolves were always first taught to never be ashamed of nudity.

His warriors did the same, but when Tana didn't, he crouched in front of her and grabbed her muzzle to force her to look at him.

"Shift," he spat. Her wolf retreated, giving her only a few seconds to shift back in front of him, which he seemed to enjoy quite a bit.

"Fuck you," she said as soon as she stood up. She could see the anger flooding his face, his fists clenched at his sides, his warriors behind him extremely tense as they watched the scene in front of them unfold.

"Keep pulling shit like this and I'll leave you to rot in the cells, Tana. I've tried to be nice to you. But if you want to act like a prisoner, you'll be one," he snarled, turning to his warriors.

"Take her back to my room and make sure she stays there. It'll be your asses on the line if she gets out again," he snapped, storming off just as the warriors nodded to her, ready to escort her back to the packhouse. She glared after Declan for a few moments but eventually followed them back, his words rattling around in her head.

Perhaps she shouldn't be so harsh towards him. He hadn't done anything wrong. But there was no other way for her to get him to understand the danger he was in by keeping her in his packhouse. The same packhouse where his most vulnerable wolves lived.

***

Once she was back in his room and had found a pair of shorts and a baggy shirt to wear, she collapsed onto the couch. She buried her head in her hands, trying to push away any painful memory that tried to surface. However, there was one that continued to linger. One that would never go away no matter how hard she fought.

She was 14. It had been a year since Talon took her from her parents and distanced her from Tuk. He was 10 years older than her but it felt like he was far older. Such insanity couldn't have manifested in such a short time, and yet it had. It was the first time he had asked her to punish an omega. Punish, in Blood Wolf terms, essentially meant to torture them until they died a painful death. Tana had refused, over and over again, so Talon had told her to shift right on the porch, which puzzled her.

"Until you realize that you are mine to control and don't have a say in what happens around here, you'll stay out here, like the miserable mutt you are. Had you simply submitted to me, this wouldn't have had to happen," Talon spat, knocking her head down when her wolf raised her chin. He was locking a silver collar around her throat to ensure she couldn't break free or shift back, attaching it to the front of the packhouse so that every member of the Blood Wolves could torment her. She only got food and water twice a day and endured kicks from whatever bored warrior happened to walk by.

She had lasted three months out there. Three months, rain or shine, before she submitted to Talon.

And it was the worst decision she had ever made.

"Tans? Why are you crying?" A small voice sounded from the doorway.

When Tana looked up and frantically wiped her eyes, she smiled at Sincere, who tilted her head at Tana curiously before wandering over to her.

"Is it cause you and Tuk got in a fight? He told me that you got real mad. Then Daddy told me that you tried to run away. How come you're running away?" Sincere asked, cuddling up into Tana's side the way she used to when Tana got a break from Talon. Back then, it had only lasted mere minutes, but on that couch, Tana realized that she could sit with Sincere for however long she wanted. Perhaps, in a way, she was freer here than she had thought.

"No. Just thinking about some things. It's adult stuff, Sin. Don't worry," Tana explained, running her hand over Sincere's hair, subconsciously untangling the unruly curls as gently as she could.

"My friend Luke said that his mommy told him that you're Declan's mate. That means you have to love him a lot. Do you love Declan a lot? Because if you love him a lot that means you can be my mommy. I think Mama would say it's okay for you to be my new mommy," Sincere said, fiddling with the edge of Tana's shirt.

"I'm your cousin, Sin. That's all. I think my wolf loves Declan a lot," was all she said. Sincere seemed to accept that because all she did was curl closer to Tana and let out a sigh.

"I think Declan's wolf loves you a lot too," she whispered, causing Tana to tense up. Right as she was about to ask Sincere what she meant, she realized the pup was already fast asleep.

It made sense that their wolves developed feelings much faster, but if that was the case, it meant Tana had already been around too long.

Now she couldn't leave. Her wolf simply wouldn’t let her.