Chapter 97


    7. Hard Choices


    YILEYNA


    The three-headed whip with spikes dragged on the floor as I did my best not tosh out in anger. The man


    wielding it looked at me coldly. His eyes hard and devoid of emotion orpassion. Right in front of me,


    Andrea and Zoe were kneeling on the floor, beaten and bloody because I had hurt Theon. They were being


    punished to hurt me.


    They had both lost so much weight since thest time I had seen them. Both were covered in burns from the


    silver they had been bound in.


    I had awoken to find myself tied in this empty room, drugged and poisoned. The spells and chains that


    shackled me were powerful, yet the moment I had created a barrier around me, they had brought Andrea and


    Zoe, forcing me to lower it.


    I had been whipped and beaten for hours, there were moments I would ck out and others when it was


    taking my all not to unleash hell upon them all.


    But even though I was remaining calm for the two women before me, my anger was rising.


    I needed to get out of here, the only person who I didn''t know the location of was Gamma Henry... The urge to


    break free and get my pack out of here was tempting. As heshed me continuously, my mind was working on


    a n, refusing to give in to the pain.


    "I told you not to shield yourself!" He hissed, bringing the whip down on my back with a violentsh.


    “I''m not." I hissed back, but the pain wasn''t as severe as it was moments ago.


    "Then tell me, why you aren''t bleeding?" He growled, yanking me back by my hair. I didn''t scream, even when


    he snapped my head far back, hearing something crack "Monsters don''t bleed." I spat resentfully. "Yes, and we


    both know you are nothing more than a filthy monster." He pped me across the face, and I clenched my jaw.


    I didn''t regret what I did to Theon, even if it hurt me too, because he deserved it... But the look of confusion on


    his face when I rejected him niggled at my mind. What did he expect? That I would forgive him and join sides


    with them?


    "Fine, then I''ll teach these women a lesson instead." He moved away from me, his dirty blonde hair sticky with


    sweat and his pale eyes full of hatred.


    He grabbed Zoe by the hair, yanking her to her feet before running his hands down her waist. She tried to pull


    free, but she was too weak to even put up a fight.


    "I think this will be better if you strip." He said, his eyes raking over her, before he tore her shirt from her body


    leaving her in her bra. My eyes shed at the fear in Zoe''s eyes. All three of us knew his intentions were far


    worse than a beating. "Don''t touch her." I warned quietly, trying to remain calm, despite the heaving in my


    chest. My anger was increasing and the pain in my back was fading with each passing minute,


    despite the fact I had been bound and beaten all day. "Why not? She is a beauty..." His gaze went to her


    breasts as Zoe covered her chest, only for him to m her into the wall and yank her arms away. "Do not


    disobey me!"


    Andrea looked at me, her eyes calcting, as if trying to devise a n herself. I had tried to mind link them all


    throughout the time they were here, but the silver in their bodies was stopping me. ''Andrea!'' I tried again, but


    once more I hit a wall. Andrea stumbled to her feet, trying to pull the man who was trailing his filthy hands up


    Zoe''s leg, but she was far too weak and he kicked her to the floor. My own anger was pulsing within me, and


    my eyes shed.


    "I said, do not touch her." I growled, feeling my alphamand ripple through me and into my voice.


    The man instantly turned, his hands pausing from the band of her pants where he had been trying to


    one-handed to remove her belt.


    "You bitch!" He growled, angry at my interruption, but it was obvious I had an effect on him.


    I could hear it all; the blood rushing through our veins, our erratic heartbeats. The temptation to free


    myself and punish him rising. I could feel the presence of my wolfe to the forefront of my mind, as


    if wanting to break free. 3


    It was different, this feeling... it wasn''t like when I was screaming at Theon, it was so intense, full of light


    and strength with the urge to protect. "Yiley..." Andrea trailed off, but my eyes were on the man whose


    hands remained on Zoe. "You will lose the hands thatmit sin." I whispered. My voice was deeper


    and more eloquent. Then I felt it, the shift within me as I almost felt like I was pushed into the back of


    my own mind.


    A true growl left my lips as I used all my power to break free from the bindings that held me. Feeling the


    intense pain as my bones snapped and reformed, it was a feeling I had never experienced before, and


    I realised what was happening. Pearly shimmering white fur now covered me. Iunched myself at the


    man, without a second thought I bit a chunk out of him, crushing one of his hands at the same time as


    he fell to the floor unconscious. My eyes zed as I tossed the chunk I had taken out of him aside,


    breathing heavily. 4


    Any pain I had felt was gone, I looked at Zoe and Andrea, both who were staring at me in awe, I knew I


    wasrger than most wolves.


    "You are an Alpha." Zoe said hoarsely, clearly in awe, as if my wolf was the proof of that, which I guess


    it was. I looked down at my body. Aside from the pale lc in my tail, which looked a lot fluffier than the


    usual wolf tail, the rest of me was a pearlescent white. 1 ''Thank you'' I said in my mind to my wolf as I


    felt her step back and return control to me once more,


    It took me a few moments to force myself to shift back. I turned to the body on the floor. He was


    bleeding out fast.


    Before he dies and Theoden realises the bond''s broke, we needed to get out of here. That''s if he hadn''t


    managed to warn him already. I was done, we needed to get out of here.


    "We don''t have much time, where is Henry kept?" I asked, pulling the shirt off the man and slipping it


    on. Although I didn''t want to touch anything of his, I had no other choice.


    "He is not in the pce, but there''s a room under the stables. That''s where we were kent." Andrea said


    quickly. "We''ll get him, it''s time to get out of here." I replied quietly. "We can get the women and


    children to make their way to the western side-" Andrea ced a hand on my arm and shook her head.


    "We can''t, if we take them, they will be caught. The Obsidian Shadow pack is huge and the majority of


    their people are warriors. If we leave them here, they will get to carry on as usual, but if we take them."


    "They may get killed..." My heart crumpled at the thought that I was about to abandon my people.


    "She''s right, Alpha, you need to get out of here so we can fight against them, to gather an army.


    There''s also no ce where we can hide them all, we''d be caught instantly." Zoe added, squeezing my


    hand I pressed my lips together. The thought of leaving them here, would they really be safe?


    "What if he kills them in anger?" I asked fearfully. "If he wanted to kill us, we would have been dead by


    now, let''s have faith in Selene. It would only make him look worse if he does so." "Then what of the


    warriors.... If we took them, they would kill their women..." "Then... You are the only one who needs to


    get out of here." Zoe said quietly.


    “I''m not leaving you two, and Gamma Henry."


    "Listen to me Yileyna- no, Alpha Yileyna. You can only truly help us if you go out there and seek the


    help that only you can gather." Andrea said firmly. "It''s wrong."


    I could hear shoutinging closer.


    "No, it''s a sacrifice you need to make for your people." "Theon said that Theoden would kill you all."


    "Then we will die martyrs." Zoe said firmly.


    What was the right thing to do? I ran my hand through my hair, looking at the two women, it was


    obvious their minds were made up.


    "Ok, what about the three of us, we can at least go together?" I asked, ncing towards the door.


    "Then we will all be caught and killed. You need to go alone Alpha, now." Andrea refused


    firmly. I looked at them, torn between the choice before me. "Gamma Grayson, Raiden, Rhys and Ryan


    are all alright. I''ve been in touch." I added quickly, wanting to give them something to hold onto, taking


    their hands before giving them a quick hug The relief was clear in their eyes, and pulling away, I closed


    my eyes.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    Sensing the presence of every being that was touching the ice that encased the entire castle through it.


    My heart skipped a beat, feeling Theoden and Arabe not too far. If he gave Arabe themand to


    find me, we may have some trouble. She was disturbingly powerful, and for a fleeting moment, I


    wondered how she hade to be on Theoden''s side.


    "May Selena be with you." Zoe said. 1 I looked at them, they were weak, and despite not wanting to


    leave them... I had no choice...


    If we stayed here, we would die.


    "Take care." Andrea added.


    I nodded before taking a deep breath. Pushing open the door, I nced back at the two brave women,


    giving them a smile of promise.


    I will be back


    I ran out of the room and through the dark halls. "Get her! She''s gone that way!" "There''s nowhere for


    her to run to!"


    I could feel several heavy footsteps closing in on me as I ran up the only stairs ahead. My heart


    thundered when I realised I was in a simple circr room. I looked around, spotting the small window


    right ahead. This room was in one of the towers of the castle and that was the only one way out.


    My heart was pumping, I knew this was a risky idea, but it was the only one I had... Taking a deep


    breath, I ran to the tight window, mming my fist into it, shattering the ss just as several men came


    through the door behind me.


    "There she is!"


    One foot on the windowsill, I turned quickly, creating a huge wall of ice stopping them in their tracks before I


    turned and looked down at the ground far far below.


    Here goes nothing. Closing my eyes, I jumped, willing myself to shift. I felt the power roll through me, using the


    wind to slow my fall. Inded on my paws and broke into a run, get to the wall and get out of Westerfell... Once


    I was out, I would be safe. The wind and snow were swirling around me as many wolves followed me, yet I


    was faster, using the wind to slow them down greatly. ''To everyone, if you can hear me, then I just want to say


    that I promise I will fix everything. I don''t know how, but I will. Stay strong and protect each other. I will return


    for you all.''


    Murmurs of good luck and we will await your return followed me, but I was unable to reply, feeling the deadly


    darkness of Arabe approaching. I wasn''t strong enough to fight her and an army of wolves right now. The


    beating and poisoning had still weakened me to an extent. I changed direction, heading towards the White


    Dove, the narrow path that only someone small could fit through would be my way out. I had left the blizzard


    behind, and I hoped Arabe became confused. I squeezed between the fence, trying to calm my beating


    heart as I squeezed my way behind it right to the end, ignoring the way my chest and behind were being


    scraped, it was too tight here....


    I finally reached the end and climbed out, remembering that night I had tried to alert everyone about the attack.


    I kept running, my paws barely hitting the ground. My wolf was confident and headstrong and she didn''t stop


    even when I felt pained at the thought of the people I was leaving behind... While staying there, I had not been


    able to do anything. A sudden sharp pain wrapped around my left leg, and I went crashing into the snow. I


    growled looking down to see the silver that was wrapped around my leg. So in wolf form, silver hurt me


    "Congrattions on your shift."


    My heart thumped as I looked up at the one who had stopped me.


    He stood there, with the wind wreaking havoc behind him. The entire city was covered with a blinding


    hurricane that loomed above the city walls behind him, yet he stood unmoving despite how pale he was,


    bandages that were already staining red covered his torso and I was forced to shift when the silver became too


    much.


    "What do you want from me?" I asked icily, moving away from him and the silver. Inching towards the raging


    waters behind me.


    He closed the gap between us and I looked into his pale amber eyes, that were half lifeless.


    "This wasn''t how things were meant to be." He said quietly, his eyes skimming my body. I saw the slight frown


    on his forehead, and was that anger in his eyes? Before he looked away, almost as if trying to stop himself


    from looking at my naked body.


    Why hadn''t Arabee by now? She would be here soon, I had to go.


    "You did this, when you betrayed us, if there is an ounce ofpassion within you at least keep the people of


    Westerfell safe." "Until you return?" He asked emotionlessly, looking back into my eyes. I didn''t respond and


    he advanced closer. I stepped back, not wanting him near me. Until he epted the rejection, this bond would


    continue to sizzle between us.


    He stopped in front of me, and the water was alreadypping at my ankles.


    "Go away, Theon." I said, not hiding the hatred in my voice. "Is that your final wish?" He asked quietly. I


    frowned.


    Final wish?


    I raised an eyebrow. "Do you really think you can defeat me? Right now I''m a lot strong than you. Go run to


    your precious father." I spat, turning away. I had no idea where I was going but anywhere away from him. I


    didn''t have much time, I needed to leave.


    He grabbed my arm, stopping me from leaving. The tingles were still there, stronger than before the bond but


    weaker since my rejection. "Tell me, is that what you want from me?" "Yes! What else did you expect? I


    rejected you! I hate you, I want you far away! I want you to ept this rejection and just let me go!" I snapped


    in exasperation, the pain of my parent''s death killing me.


    He had hurt me far too many times.


    He nodded slowly, before he let go of my arm and I let out a breath of relief, turning my back on him. But to my


    surprise and irritation, he wrapped his arms around me from behind, making my eyes widen in shock, my


    breasts resting against his arms. My stomach fluttered and my body disobeyed me, reacting to his touch. What


    was he doing?


    Our hearts thundered as one and I felt the sting of agony within me, apanied by the prickling of tears


    wanting to fall. Why was this love so painful? Why didn''t it just go away? His arms squeezed around me, and


    for a moment it felt like it was just him and me. Every sound from the crashing waves, the roaring wind and the


    howls of the wolves faded away... He buried his face in my neck, when I suddenly tensed thinking he was


    about to mark me, ready to jerk away, but instead he spoke, his voice low and thick. "I, Theon Alexander Hale,


    ept your rejection. Goodbye, Little Storm." 31