Noah's Truth

(Anna)

At some point, the ordeal became so much that I fainted. Without my wolf, the pain of rejection, the pain of seeing my father die and the pain of betrayal fried my brain sending me into a comatose state. To preserve my mind and body from completely falling apart.

I was jerked awake by smelly water being repeatedly thrown on my face. The stench from the cold water attacked my senses bringing me out of the tragic slumber I had fallen into.

As my eyes groggily opened and adjusted to the dim yellow light, they fell first on the face which I didn't wish to see in a thousand years. Every muscle in my body went taut to the point of breaking, seeing her disgusting face. It used to be a source of happiness for me before yesterday.

Her golden stiletto was clicking on the floor right in front of my face. The sound grinding on my raw nerves. I wanted to rip her head off for the betrayal.

"Look at you, how the princess has fallen," she taunted, flicking back her raven hair.

Drenched from the murky water I gathered myself and sat up straight, facing her with my head held high.

From the looks of it, they had locked me up in one of the cells in the dungeon. The chains held me against the wall so I couldn't scratch her smug face. My anger itching at my hands to claw out her face.

I asked. "Why? We were best friends Ruby. I trusted you. How could you do this to me?"

Ruby threw her head back and laughed mockingly. She haughtily answered.

"You are really naive. If you had paid attention then you would have understood that I only befriended you because of how strong your pack was. I could barely stand your jabbering about Noah and your perfect life."

Her lips and right hand mimed the movement of, "Blah, Blah, Blah," as if mocking me.

My body jerked forward as I bared my teeth at her, and a menacing snarl left my throat. All the veins in my neck went taut as I frustratedly yelled.

"You will burn in hell, you backstabbing bitch."

Her kick instantly landed on the side of my face, splitting my lip open. The blood gushed out as my head was propelled sideways by the force.

Clutching my golden brown hair, she yanked roughly to lift my head back up. Bending down her smug face was in my personal space.

"You think Noah loved you. He only pretended to do that. In reality, this was all his revenge plan against your father."

My head throbbed in pain as I tried to make sense of her words.

"My father?" I hoarsely asked.

"Yes, your father killed his parents and exterminated his whole pack. Only he was spared and later adopted by your father. He thought Noah didn't know but he remembered everything and now he will exact his revenge by executing you."

I couldn't believe the words falling through her lips. I knew my father, he was a benevolent and kind ruler who never took an innocent life. This was a huge misunderstanding.

"No, that's not true. My father could never do that." I tried to shake my head but her grip made it difficult.

"You are at my mercy now, there is no saving you. Noah is mine." She banged my head against the back wall so hard that I almost blacked out from the blinding pain that danced at the edges of my eyes.

I could understand that Noah was either tricked or lied to. I had to talk to him, to make him see the truth.

"Noah! Noah!" I desperately called out at the top of my voice, using all the strength my body could possess.

The barred iron door soon opened with a ringing sound and Noah entered with an icy glare. His glacial eyes held nothing but hatred and coldness for me.

Halting exactly in front of my face he went on a tirade.

"What would you do Anna if your parents and whole pack were butchered right in front of your eyes? I saw your father, snapping the necks of my parents and annihilating my whole pack. I promised myself that day I would seek revenge against my parents' killer and today I have fulfilled that promise. Only you left now."

"No, this is some big misunderstanding. You knew my father your whole life. He adopted you and loved you like his own son. This can't be true. Together we can uncover the truth," I pleaded. I couldn't let him ruin my pack. He had already killed my father, the least I could do was clear his name and get to the bottom of whatever this was.

He derisively let out a snort as if mocking me.

"Your father was a hypocrite. He adopted me because he thought I didn't know the truth, that I saw nothing that fateful night. But I was aware of every heinous crime John Carrol committed and I had planned for years, even acted to love you. But in reality, your face repulses me. The daughter of a killer is what you are."

His words cut deep and hurt even deeper, but I had to try to make him see sense. To escape from here and form a plan. I couldn't just die, the moon goddess must have something in store for me.

Leaning forward I clutched his leg, begging him with an overly aching heart as my tears flowed in abundance.

"Please! Noah, don't kill me. Let's work together and I am confident we will be able to catch the real culprits. My father is innocent. Just give me a chance to prove it."

With a jerk, he set his leg free from my grasp and stepped back from my range. Ruby triumphantly watched from his side, her index finger twirling a lock of her onyx hair on it.

"There will be no chances for you except death. Goodbye Anna," he spoke with so much hate that my insides churned.

The face of my beloved father roamed in front of my eyes. Noah left the cell with a very content-looking Ruby, banging the door closed behind him.

There was this chasm of darkness in my chest and I could feel myself slowly getting lost in it. My whole life whirled around me and I wondered what had I ever done wrong.

Memories of my loving father made me sob as I gathered my legs against my chest and openly cried.

I tried to connect with Sable but had begun to understand they must have injected me with Aconite (a substance known to inhibit one's wolf).

***

Near dawn I sensed Sable stirring within me. A surge of energy invigorated every cell of my body and Sable woke up from her slumber.

'They dared hurt us, I will show them. But first, we need to leave here, Anna,' she spoke to me but I could sense her sadness.

I was more than ready.

'Let's go, we need time to make a plan and understand what has really happened.'

But before we could act the door opened and guards entered to take me for my planned execution. Their angered faces revealed their disgust for me.

"Get up traitor, it's time for you to pay for what you did," one of them snarled at me, dragging me up. He had known me since childhood and yet all it took were a few words from Noah to change his mind.

The mere thought crushed my heart at how the people I had known had turned their backs at me.

They yanked me outside the cell and up through the stairs towards the pack grounds where they must have arranged for my said execution.

Soon the raised platform with the hanging noose came into view along with an angry-looking Noah and a smirking Ruby.

I knew it was time to escape since the forest adjacent to our pack was near. They thought Sable was still under the effect of aconite so they had put me in ordinary chains.

'Time to go, Sable,' I whispered to my wolf.

Sable didn't need to be told twice. My beautiful gown was shredded to pieces as the bones began to twist and change. Some lengthened, others shortened as I transformed into her and stood on all fours.

The chains broke and cluttered on the hard surface of the cell. Sable jumped forward and began to gallop. Our main goal was to escape the pack territory.

The guards panicked and followed behind but Noah's loud command held them at bay.

"She is mine to capture."

Sable didn't pause, or waste any time since it was dawn most of the pack members were sleeping and I knew where the guards were usually positioned and avoided those places.

Our destination was the cliff overlooking the Vaium Sea. If I could jump, the water would take me far and they wouldn't be able to follow.

As quickly as her legs could carry, Sable ran through the forest adjacent to our pack. Her feet were agile making no noise on the ground. We ran for our life.

But soon I could sense two werewolves behind me. A large brown one and a smaller black and grey one. The ones I knew too well, Noah and Ruby. They were on my trail.

We skidded, and cut the corners but kept running as the wind whooshed past us and branches broke under Sable's paws.

The cliff was near but so were Noah and Ruby. His voice filtered through the mind link.

'Stop running Anna or I will punish you severely.'

I didn't respond, a few more meters and we had arrived at the pointed cliff. Down below the wild waves angrily crashed against it.

Noah and Ruby's werewolves came to a halt about 15 feet away from us.

'Give up, Anna. Your attempts are futile,' Howler; Noah's wolf growled baring his teeth at me. Even he was with Noah on this.

'How did you even escape?' Ruby's voice came through the mind link. 'You have nowhere to go now,' the triumph and self-assurance in her voice bordered on pride.

But I was done with these two hypocrites.

'I will be back with truth and revenge,' Sable snarled back at them before she turned and jumped head-first into the roaring blue waves below and let the cold water engulf us.

Brutal Punishment

I am not sure how long we swam before hitting a shore. I transformed back into my human body and lay on the wet sand, panting. Not sure where I had landed as I got on all fours and choked out water letting it escape my lungs. My auburn hair matted on my face as I pushed them back.

Sable had gone silent in my mind again.

I could hear some men in the distance and all my senses became alert. I tried to get up and run, but the fatigue had consumed my limbs. It was impossible to stand.

"There, I see her," someone shouted and I saw two burly men with their heads shaved from the sides and tattoos covering their arms, running towards me. There was no doubt they were werewolves and from the uniforms they wore, it seemed like they were guards.

A coat was thrown over my naked body as they drew near.

"We have got you?" One of them said in a dangerous gruff voice and harshly grabbed my arm.

"Where am I?" I asked, wrapping the warm coat against my shivering body, this place was cold. I stared up at them. They watched me in disbelief as if I was some alien and not a woman. The fear settled in my heart.

"You dare ask that, after that stunt you pulled. We will tell you where you are." He shook my arm as if I was a ragdoll.

It was a new place and I had no clue what I had landed myself in. Literally.

They held my arms and picked me up as if I weighed nothing. I tried to stay calm and take in the beach and its surroundings but their menacing attitude had left me shivering.

"Don't you know, you are on Whispering Bay Island? The home of NightRiders Pack. We are taking you back to the castle so you can be punished for trying to escape."

Castle? Punishment? For what? What kind of place had I landed myself in? So many questions brimmed my mind.

"Punishment? I didn't do anything," I tried to plead my case but was met with a sharp slap from one of the guards. It left stars dancing in front of my eyes and my cheek stinging.

If only Sable was with me, I would have torn him apart for laying his hand on me.

"King will be furious to learn that one of the candidates went missing." The one who had thrown his coat at me spoke and the other one barely nodded in answer.

Not understanding who this king was, I decided to silently listen and get more information for now.

"Almost all the she-wolves have arrived. Let's see who gets to be the lucky one to carry the King's child and become his surrogate," the other one said and they both nodded in agreement.

Surrogate? Seemed like the king didn't have a mate or maybe she was dead making him search for a surrogate for his heir and I was mistaken as one of the women who had applied to become one or had escaped.

I took in my surroundings and found the island to be home to a very unique kind of flora. Tall trees were scattered all around, their leaves shed for the approaching winter.

A grey and black castle with four high towers, whose spikes seemed to be piercing the heavens stood on high grounds. For a second I was left stunned to watch its archaic design intermingled with modern style.

They dragged me inside the castle through heavy doors. I observed how heavily guarded it was, it would be no easy task to escape.

Once inside I was taken underground to a dark and damp room. From one dungeon to another. Some rotten luck I had.

"Tie her up," one of the men instructed the other. There was a long red stool on the hard floor and I highly doubted it was for sitting.

Roughly pushing me down on the floor they spread my arms on the stool and tied them up with ropes.

"All she-wolves were supposed to be not harmed but you decided to run away. An example needs to be made so no one else even dreams of it." He flashed me a smile of pure evil as his partner handed him a pair of pliers.

My heart dropped into my stomach, without my wolf I wouldn't even be able to share the pain or heal.

"No, please! Listen. You got the wrong girl…" They didn't even let me finish when the nail of my index finger was pulled.

I thought I knew pain but his actions proved I didn't. Never had I felt such torture, my helpless screams filled the entirety of the dungeon. The tears wet my face as my hand was drenched in my innocent blood.

Curses flowed through my mouth and I swore I would give him tenfold the pain he was inflicting on me.

They would have continued but another guard arrived, informing them the king had arrived.

The men left me there and hurriedly left while I wallowed in my pain and misery. Questioning the moon goddess what had I ever done wrong?

A stern-looking woman in her early fifties arrived soon after. Her greying hair were tied so tightly at the back of her head that it seemed even painful.

She began to untie the ropes.

"I am Linda Afolis and if you want to survive this place, it will be advisable to listen to what I say. Follow me" she said stiffly, scrutinising my attire and my bloody hand which was missing a few fingernails now. I was almost naked, minus the coat.

"Yes!" I quietly answered and struggled to get up. Scrambling to my feet I began trotting behind her.

I followed her into a room which seemed to be some kind of changing room. She began to bandage my shaking hand. The blood tripped on the clean floor.

"One of the she-wolves ran away and we will be using you in her place. So keep your mouth shut and do what you are told."

After seeing what kind of barbaric people they were, who could go to any length to cover up for their mistakes. Everything made sense now but I decided to stay quiet and plan.

But it did make my wonder what kind of king they had as a leader who allowed such barbaric acts.

Can I Meet The King?

(Anna)

I was given a white sundress to put on and quickly did as was told.

She then took me to a large room, where I found many other she-wolves sitting around. Some excited, others quiet.

I took one of the unoccupied single beds beside an over-excited blonde.

"Get yourselves comfortable, we will talk soon," Linda ordered, no emotions were reflected in her voice and left without giving any more information. The door locked behind her.

Despair fell on me as I wondered how I was to escape this fortress. The future seemed bleak. What if they turned me into a breeder and I could never get away?

But then the image of my father and his closest comrades, lying there dead flashed in my brain, giving me new courage.

I knew I would have to find a way to escape and win my pack back. The name Shadow came to mind, father had once mentioned that it was a secret organisation that trained werewolves and sent them all over on covert missions. If only I could find my way to them.

Feeling overly exhausted and worrying thoughts clouding my brain I slipped into slumber.

I was woken up by Linda's stern voice. I rubbed my eyes, my hand throbbed with pain as she began to address us.

"Listen here, girls. All of you are here for one goal only and that is to produce an heir for our King, to act as his surrogate. So if you have dreams you wish to be fulfilled, get pregnant with his heir and all your wishes might come true. Now we will be taking you for your medical checkups. Freshen up."

Listening to her words freaked me out. I didn't wish to become a surrogate, I was supposed to be having the time of my life with my mate back in my pack. But it seemed like a long-lost dream now. This was my reality.

Without Sable, I was merely a human and stood no chance against the werewolves.

We filed in a single line, everyone was wearing the same white dress I had on. We were made to enter an enormous snow-shaded room with a white door. The pristinely made beds in two rows had been laid out for us.

It screamed clean and bland, even bedsheets were white.

I observed there were eight of us and all of them were chirping amongst themselves.

"From now on you girls will be staying here and following every order. Failing to do so will result in death. So don't even try," Linda's menacing words sent a chill running through my system.

Quickly peeking at the walls I saw security cameras directed at every bed. They were going to be monitoring our every move. The thought horrified me but I kept my mouth shut.

We stayed in that room for a week without going out. My hand throbbed less now and a doctor had been cleaning it to avoid infections.

Our meals were served there three times a day. There was a treadmill in the corner to be used if our legs become stiff from sitting. A single window with silver-coated bars ensured we could stare outside but not escape. It felt like a prison.

After a week, Linda came to fetch me one day and took me straight to a laboratory for my physical examination. A few girls had gone before me and returned a few hours after.

The female doctor asked me a few questions.

"What is your name?"

"Sara Wikins." I gave her a fake name, everyone knew by now my luggage and IDs were lost in the fake boat wreck and I was sticking to the story.

"Are you mated?

Are you a virgin?"

The questions stung but I boldly informed her, "No and yes."

She noted down the answers on the writing pad in her hand.

After the physical examination, she made me lie down on a bed. Before I could ask what was going to happen, she injected me with a clear liquid, instantly turning my vision blurry. I passed out soon.

When I opened my eyes again, I was back in the monitoring room with the girls. Feeling slightly disoriented and totally clueless about what they did to my body, I asked the blonde who occupied the next bed. Her name was Malory.

"Who brought me here? Did they say anything?"

"Nah! They just carried you inside and left you here under Linda's instructions. No one knows what goes on in that laboratory after they make us unconscious," she answered, sending my mind swirling with all kinds of negative thoughts. But I was strong, I knew I could survive this.

The next two weeks went slowly. We all followed the same monotonous routine of eating well-balanced meals, taking one cup of green tea in the evening. I had read somewhere that it helped with fertility so that's what they had been aiming for.

The routine never changed, they seemed to follow it to the dot. We weren't allowed to step foot outside these four walls and I was getting pretty sick of staring at these bleached walls and doing nothing.

Where was the colour? At least add some paintings or fresh flowers.

Duh!

Half a month later, which passed at sloth's pace, they collected my urine sample. The next day, Linda called me to the laboratory and showed me the results with what seemed like an effort to smile. Her lips weren't flatlining like usual.

My eyes roamed the white sheet of paper which said, 'Pregnant.'

I felt dizzy at the news, carrying someone's child without even meeting or knowing the man.

What if he was also an asshole like Noah? That's not how I had envisioned my life or getting the news of my first pregnancy. I felt nothing but a lab rat in that instant.

"Congratulations! Sara, you are carrying our King's child. You have to be very careful now…" She kept on speaking but all I could hear was a ringing sound as I blankly stared from the piece of paper in my hand to her and then at the man standing behind her.

From the mere choice of his clothes, he seemed like some kind of fancy butler.

"Hi! I am Eden. Our king will be delighted to hear this wonderful news. He has been trying to have an heir for quite a while. You have rekindled hope in all of us," he told me with a genuine smile.

A flicker of hope birthed inside my rapidly beating heart. The joy on their faces told me this was huge news. It made me wonder if I could meet this mysterious king and ask for his help in locating the legendary 'Shadow' in exchange for this baby. I knew they would never let me keep him or her, that was the whole point of surrogacy.

I asked, "Can I meet the king?"

"No one can meet the king," Linda flatly refused but Eden held up his hand and offered me a kind smile.

"It's certainly against the rules but what you have achieved hasn't been done in the last eight years. I will fight tooth and nail to arrange a meeting with the king."

A small hope was rekindled in my heart at his words. If I would be able to find Shadow, it certainly would pave the way to secure my revenge plan. A genuine smile covered my face and I nodded at Eden.