She was only a child back then, but while she retained things like name, birth-date and basic knowledge of her kind, everything else was non-existent, as if meticulously carved out of her mind. She knew not why her body was littered with scars nor why things were the way they were. The stinging mark on her chest along with her white fur stained in red, were the last remnants of where she came from.
But there was some kind of instinct, something deep inside her that kept telling her to run. She thundered through the forest with open wounds all over body and twigs bursting through the slits on the soles of her paws. Then, in time, she came upon Alpha Luke's lands.
With the vicious eyes of the pack wolves stabbing her left and right, she was destined to be killed from the moment she stepped onto their territory. It was chaos. Those who did not hide themselves amidst the trees, either held their arrows pointing towards her or trembled in place as they drew out their claws. Alpha Luke came not long after, demanding that she be killed and her remains fed to wild animals. He desperately told them it was for the good of the pack, for he believed setting foot on their lands would curse them, and killing her was the only way to break it. But neither him nor anyone else had the guts to spill the blood of a white wolf, a child at that.
Only a woman; Tyra, bravely stepped out from amongst her people. A flash of pity swept across her face before being buried beneath the nonchalance she tried hard to maintain. She dragged her deeper into the woods, but she didn't take her life as she promised. Instead, her arms curled around Brittany's small form, rocking her back and forth with tears spilling from her eyes.
The first few years after that was spent in a dark storage room at the back of Tyra's house. It became her new home and she was never allowed outside. And then, when the pack was attacked by a neighboring Alpha and everything was in shambles, Tyra seized the opportunity to squeeze her in under the guise of a child orphaned from the fight. But things didn't go as smoothly as she thought it would. For the sake of both of them, Brittany had to bury her wolf's consciousness and blend in, but as time passed, it became harder to control her urges.
The night of a full moon was the moment everything went downhill, and Brittany would never forget what happened after that. She owed her life to Tyra and yet, she pathetically watched as they burned her alive as a ridiculous sacrifice to the goddess. They were cleansing the pack of evil. It was what they said. But it was done more out of spite than anything else. They didn't want her there but they were too scared to get rid of her, so instead, they took the only family she had.
All this time, Brittany forced herself to believe she had forgiven them all. Not because she thought they deserved it, but because she didn't want to be the same as those 'wicked' witches they despised so much.
"Are you ready?"
"I was out for a while. Its almost time to leave."
Brittany's eyes refocused, blinking as the door creaked open behind her. She quickly dropped her head, wiping away the stray tear that trickled down her cheek. "O-Oh. I didn't hear you come in, sorry." She frantically grabbed the purse she'd been given from the dresser and used her hand to brush her flowy satin dress at the front before readying to get out of the chair. Hands settled on her shoulders before she could, gently pushing her back down.
"Let me put this on." Nathan pulled out a black veil that matched the shade of her dress and lowered it over her mouth and nose then hung the straps on her ears. "Did someone enter the house?" He asked, as his eyes watched her through the mirror, scrutinizing her coldly.
There were times when he looked at her and it made her feel as if he could see into her soul. It was the same as now.
She broke eye contact, entwining her fingers in her lap. "No…not that I've seen."
"Then is there anything weighing on your mind?"
Aside from being stuck with him, what could be more stressful?
She shook her head.
"I won't ask again if you chose not to tell me…" He averted his gaze across the room and the atmosphere seemed to shift as the creasing of his forehead made him seem almost disgruntled by her response. "If it is my father that you fear then there is no need. If not anyone else, he knows not to touch anything that belongs to me, my wife is no exception." He declared. "And contrary to what you may think, you are most dear to me. You do not know your worth and that is why you doubt me. I am still deciding whether that is good or bad, but I want you to know that I will be your sword and your shield if that is what you need. So… do not cry. Please."
Brittany's breath was caught in her throat. His firm words and his strange dedication to soothing her mind…was more than likely another façade of his.
She was not to be shaken, she knew that. But she couldn't help the tingle that spread through her body when she remembered it clearly…the words Tyra said the moment just before she died.
'I will gladly be your shield if that is what you need. This is the path I have chosen. None of it is your fault…so do not be weak. Do not waver. You must find your purpose'
Tears pooled at the corner of her eyes but she did not let a single drop fall. "A-Are we leaving now?" She wanted so desperately to change the subject.
"You look stunning."
The sudden compliment took her by surprise.
"E-Even though you had me cover half of my face?"
His hands went for her cheek and the hairs on her skin rose as he brushed her from under the mask, "Yes. I'd rather see your hair down, but nevertheless, still beautiful."
Her head tilted backwards and she stole a glance up at him. She thought his appearance was nothing short of angelic, but she reminded herself not to forget that he was also unhinged. Nathan meant no good to her. Allowing him to distort her mind would be foolish.
Yet despite those conflicting feelings, her cheeks had already flushed with heat.
"Thank you…"
"Mhmm." He kissed the top of her head then withdrew his hands, pulling back. "We're ready to go now." He shrugged off his jacket and draped the garment over her shoulders. He had already dressed himself in a neat black suit before he left the house and although she noticed a new red stain peeking out from under the collar of his dress shirt, she forced her mind to ignore it.
Reaching up and behind, she pulled the hair-tie off her hair, letting the strands fall freely over her shoulders. Then her hands grasped the ends of his jacket tightly, holding it in place.
"Okay…"
It was too soon for him to start breaking down her walls, wasn't it?