Filed to story: Wolf Crying Mate of the Alpha by Jazz Ford
‘Answer me, Astrid. This is your last warning, he says. I look James dead in the eyes.
‘Alpha Ryker is my mate! And I’m the Luna of Shadow Crest! I suggest you take your hands off me before Ryker finds out where I am and rips you apart, limb by limb! I threaten. James growls in anger.
‘You’re my mate! Not his!’ He says. ‘Why didn’t the Moon Goddess bless me with a mate like you? Why did she bless Alpha Ryker with you?’ He asks, frustrated.
“Maybe because she doesn’t like you!’ I say, kneeing him in the crotch. He falls back in pain. I quickly wiggle myself from under him and start running again.
‘Save the feistiness for the bedroom! James yells while John chases me in his wolf form. My foot catches on something, and I fall face-first into the ground. I try to get up, but John presses his foot into my back, keeping me down. He sits on me and moves my hair away from the back of my neck to inhale my scent. He emits a lustful growl.
‘Why should James have all the fun?’ He says, rolling me onto my back and gazing into my eyes.
‘Why are you doing this? You have your mate. You have Amelia!” I yell.
‘You’re so beautiful. I might need to help myself to a bite, John says. His wolf’s fangs protrude, and his face lingers near my throat.
I scream as he is about to sink his teeth into my neck. His eyes were full of hunger. Then a flash appears out of nowhere. James pulls John off me.
‘Are you f*****g crazy?’ He yells at John.
‘Not only did you almost mark my mate, but you would also have killed Amelia for marking another she-wolf!’ James yells.
I’m sorry. I couldn’t help it. Don’t tell Amelia, John begs.
‘I will not tell her anything. It’s Astrid you need to worry about with Amelia.”
I let them discuss their issues and run again. They shift, catch me again, and James knocks me down. He holds my arms behind my back in human form.
‘Enough, Astrid!’ He snaps, lifting me with my arms still restrained so I can’t hit him. He holds me closer to his naked chest and carries me back to the packhouse.
‘About bloody time! Bring her downstairs!’ Zenith growls, walking down the staircase.
‘To the cells?’ James questions.
‘Do you expect her to stay in her room obediently?’ He asks.
‘No, but,’ he says.
‘She’ll keep in the cell until you have marked her. Then, she won’t be able to escape.’ John and James follow Zenith downstairs to the basement. It’s dark and eerie, and I can hear water trickling in the walls or the drainpipes and the squeaking sounds of mice. Our exhalations are misty in the coldness. I’m shivering. James pulls me closer to keep me warm.
Zenith unlocks a cell door. James walks in and places me on a stone bench. Chains with silver cuffs adorn the walls, and I’m thankful James doesn’t cuff me.
He kisses me on the forehead instead, making me shudder.
‘It’ll be okay, Astrid. We have some things to sort out. The sooner you let me mark you, the sooner we can get you out of this cell,’ he says, cradling my face in his hands. I jerk my head out of his grasp.
James leaves and stands beside John. Zenith comes into the cell and strikes me aggressively across the face.
‘Try to run away again, and that split lip of yours will be the least of your worries!’ He snaps. He slams the loud, creaking metal door closed, and the sound reverberates around the basement. He locks the door with a key.
I hug my knees on the bench as they walk away. It’s dirty and cold where I sit. The stone wall behind me is full of cobwebs. The few other cells I can see are the same. It’s pitch black, not even moonlight comes in. My arms and legs sting from all the abrasions, but I can’t see them.
‘Ryker, I’m scared. I’m so scared. Please save me! I want to be back in your arms!” I cry out, but no one can hear.
At midnight, I’m still awake and freezing to death. I hear light footsteps coming downstairs. I squint toward the stairs to see who it is.
Astrid, it’s me, Amelia,’ she whispers. Jumping up, I run to the cell door.
‘Amelia! Please, Amelia! Please help me. Please unlock the door,’ I beg.
‘Shh! I’m not supposed to be down here. I’ll get into trouble if anyone finds out, she whispers. She passes me my hoodie from my room.
I thought you’d need this. I know how cold it gets down here, Amelia says.
‘Have they put you down here before?’ I ask. Amelia nods.
‘It was a long time ago. Alpha Zenith bought me from my old pack. He chose me as John’s mate. So, I had to stay down here until John marked me,’ she says, sadly.
‘John isn’t your fated mate?’ I ask in disbelief.
‘No. And I haven’t been able to leave the packhouse since. If 1 found my true mate, he wouldn’t want me now. I’m marked and mated by another,’ she sobs.
‘Oh Amelia, I’m so sorry,’ I empathically say.
‘I overheard James and Alpha Zenith arguing about you upstairs. Instead of down here, James is begging him to let him chain you up in his room. That’s how I knew you were down here,’ she whispers. We hold hands through the bars.
‘I don’t want you to have the same fate as me, Astrid. So, I will do everything to help you out of here,’ she says, as her eyes go glassy with tears.
‘I have to go now. I’ll come back when everyone is asleep tomorrow night. Don’t let him mark you, no matter what, she says as she walks away.
I examine the cell and rattle every bar, hoping to find a flaw so I can break free and escape. But, to my dismay, none of the metal bars moves or budge.
The ground is mainly dirt. I scoop dirt away from the back of the cell. After an hour of digging with my hands, I hit a large stone.
I’m left defeated with no way out and curl up on the cold stone bench and hug myself. Even with my hoodie, it’s still freezing. My teeth chatter, and I eventually fall asleep.
Alpha Ryker
I’m excited about spending the day with Astrid. Every day, she trusts me more and more. She is thankfully adjusting to werewolf life. After my shower, I knock on her door. There’s no answer. I knock again.
‘Astrid, are you awake?’ I open the door. Her bed is neat and creaseless. She hasn’t slept in it. Strange. I knock on the ensuite door. She isn’t there either. One of her drawers is open. Inside, Astrid’s clothes are strewn about. She must have been in a hurry.
My stomach sinks. Her bag is gone. I sprint downstairs to the dining room. Seth and Mia are at the table with Kane, Hayley, and Vanessa. They all stand as I enter.
‘Has anyone seen Astrid?’ l ask. They shrug and say they haven’t.
‘Is she still asleep?’ Mia asks.
‘No, she isn’t there, and her bag is gone too,’ I say in a panic.
‘Ryker, I’m sure she’s around somewhere. I’ll mind-link the pack to keep an eye out for her, Seth suggests. I call out for Astrid, running through the house, searching every room and end up back in the dining room.
‘She isn’t in the house!’ I panic.
Alpha Ryker, your breakfast is ready, Alice says.
‘You haven’t seen Astrid, have you, Alice?’ I ask.