(RHEA'S POV)
I allowed myself to be taken back home by one of the wagons from the Alpha. And throughout the ride, I replayed the scene that had taken place back at the Alpha's mansion.
Thinking about it filled my mind with anger. Who did the Alpha think he was that he could come and marry me without my consent? Because of some prophecy ? And who did he think he was for him to think that he understood my feelings about my father?
It made me angry to think of it, but I knew that I could not do anything about it at. He was after all, the Alpha and he had control over every single pack member. My attempt at a negotiation with him did not work. And to make matters worse, I could not imagine what my step mother would say the moment she finds out about this.
Thinking of her made me look up from my thoughts just in time to see that we were getting close to the orphanage.
"I will like to stop a little ahead please." I said to one of the security men with me in the chariot.
"We were told to take you straight home." Came the blunt reply.
"Well, I have a job here and my house is just a little up the road." I said which was all the truth except for me saying that I had a job.
The men exchanged a look and then one nodded.
"Let her down here." He ordered the rider.
Relief washed through me. It was an opportunity for me to see the pups but it was also a way for me to prevent any one at home from seeing me getting down from the wagon.
I got dropped off and I walked off to the orphanage. I could see the pups playing out in the yard and a smile settled on my face. At least seeing them would make me happy and take away what happened with the Alpha. It could make me feel better and make me not think about what happened and what is about to happen.
I was so deep in my thoughts as I walked towards the lively orphanage that I did not hear the sound of approaching feet coming from behind me. It was only when I heard someone shout my name that I stopped. I knew who it was and I knew what it meant. Well, I did not know who in particular but it had to be one of my step sisters.
I turned around slowly and met Hori's raging face as she matched towards me angrily. She emerged from the trees. Then she stood close to me with a hand on her hip and an accusing finger pointed at me.
"Well you sneaky lying human!" She said at me angrily. "You are lying to us, aren't you? Why the hell did the Alpha's team just drop you off?"
Her voice was high pitched and loud. From the corner of my eyes, I could see the young pups and Jodie turning their attention to where I was. They had stopped playing and were all now looking at us.
"Are you deaf?" Hori asked in a hiss.
"Hori, I-"
But before I could complete my sentence, she gave me a slap on my cheek and scratched me too. I gasped at the striking pain of her sharp nails tearing my skin. It took a moment for me to realize that she had drawn out her claws for that slap and intentionally peeled off my skin.
I moved backwards in a stagger with my hand on my cheek as the pain seemed to drain away my energy. Hori looked at me with a mean smile on her face.
I brought my hand down and looked at it to see that there was blood smeared on it. The skin on my cheek tingled in pain and deepened. I held my cheek with my hand again.
"How about you come closer and you start talking about where you are coming from so early this morning or you let me give you another slap and this time around, it's not just my hand that would be transformed." She said with a wicked smile.
She had an evil look in her eyes. One that was good enough to tell me that she was not joking at all.
The young pups had started crying now and I watched on from where I stood, I could see Jodie looking on with pain.
"I'm sorry. Please let me explain." I pleaded with her.
She cackled. "You are going to be in big trouble you filthy human!" She said
And then we heard quick rustling in the leaves.
At the same time, Hori and I turned to the direction of the noise to see Tay running towards us. Tay is our family wagon rider.
"I thought I fucking told you to stay in the damned bushes!" Hori yelled at him angrily .
Of course I knew at once what that meant that they had been in the bushes together. But there was a more important thing to address at the moment.
And it was Tay. He was running towards us as if his life depended on it. He was yelling nothing in particular and his eyes were so widened that they looked like they were joking to be popped out of their sockets. He looked very scared and it made me feel some kind of strange feeling in my gut.
Like something terrible was about to happen.
Tay ran towards us and he yelled "Run!" Just before he transformed in to his wolf form and raced past us.
Hori and I looked at him and then we looked at one another and just then, we heard a loud strange screech. We turned around and immediately, I knew why Tay had been running like his life depended on it, because it did.
A huge scary and ugly winged creature was flying towards us while screeching loudly.
I felt my soul leave my body. I had never seen that creature in my life but I knew what it was,
A Kralin.