Scarred Alphas by Norisha May
Chapter 30

This...this can't be my home. I refuse to call this place my home.

I watch as men and women are displayed like cattle. As we continue to walk, we come across an area where a man is bent over a tree stump, and from behind, a guard holds a long hot metal rod that he presses against the man's spine. The man screams as the metal brands his back and smoke comes out.

"What is this, Poppy?" I whisper.

"This is the reforming camp. As she says this, we walk near a few erected cemented walls. On these walls, there are chained werewolves in their werewolf form aggressively trying to get free and trying to attack the guards. I can see how the silver chains burn through their skin. The guards whip them with silver thin wires that cut through the werewolf's skin. It is horrible to watch.

"These are mostly Alpha werewolves who do not want to comply...so they are being broken," Poppy explains.

I look away, unable to stand it. And then I see it. What Colt had told me about.

There is a long rectangular stage in the middle of the camp. On the stage, there are long wooden poles with chains and attached to these chains are what I believe to be men and women. It is hard to make out because their skin has been melted just like Colt told me, with silver liquid. Some paragraphs are incomplete if you are not reading this novel on Narugi.com. Visit Narugi.com to read the complete chapters for free.They breathe but these people are not alive, not really. I feel so disgusted.

And to think that this is all what Colt, Dash, and the others all went through. I want to cry just thinking about it.

"Why did you bring me here first, Poppy?"

This is behind the official pack house about a hundred feet away from it. It is far away from the main home where I am staying so you really can't see any of this.

"I didn't want to show you the worst part last because then it is the only thing that will stick with you."

I shake my head. "It will still haunt me. This is horrible."

She looks down and nods.

I look behind us where Colt walks a few feet away, following us as he guards me. He looks at me but I can't read his expression. There is no sadness, anger, or anything else.

"Let's go to the pack house," Poppy says but as she says this, we pass by a small building that almost looks like a bunker. In front, there are two chained men. I put a hand on my mouth as I stare at them. They have muscle tendons showing on their back as if the outer skin was cut from their body in precise long rectangular strips. Skinned alive yet still alive.

Poppy notices where I stare. "Uhm...it's a punishment..."

"No...it's hellish t*****e."

After what seems an eternity of silence, Poppy leads us to the front of the pack house where now you can't see or hear what is happening in the back. The pack house is bigger than the one on Colt's pack.

When she goes in, the house is filled with children running around laughing and playing. To anyone else, this would be a tender sight but I know these are orphans and probably many are children to the people being tortured in the back. "Miss Poppy! Miss Poppy! Who is that?!" They ask Poppy and look at me with curiosity.

"This is Miss Casseopea." She responds. "Did you all hear that there will be a festival tonight!" "Yeaaaah!" they all cheer.

Leaving the children with their excitement, Poppy leads me through the pack house meeting a few of the pack members. They are all curious as to who I am but Poppy only tells them my name and reminds them of the festival tonight. Between the pack house and the main house, there are fields of crops and I can even see some cattle in the distance.

Poppy points to the forest on the right. "There is a lake in that direction. That is where we have our moon festivals and you can go there whenever you are looking for a swim." She points to the left. "There are jogging trails that way. And that is it. You are free to roam the areas with your guards but...you are not allowed to leave the pack territory. Not without your father's permission."

"Okay." That is all I say.

She pats my back and walks away.

I head back to the house. As I walk back, people stare at me and I am not used to it, though at this moment I am very distracted by something weighing heavy on my chest.

I walk inside the house from a door in the back. I have no idea where in the house I am but I start walking through a hall. Colt is silent behind me.

The feeling inside me busts and I am unable to get to my room before I am overwhelmed by these feelings. I turn to a door and open it. It looks like a fancy living area but it is empty of people.

Once inside, my hands cover my face. I hear the door close behind me. "What is wrong?! What is it?!" Colt asks sounding a bit desperate.

"I...I...I am sorry.

"What?"

I lift my head to face him.

"Why are you crying?" he asks.

I can see that he fights with himself to try not to come over and comfort me.

I point to the window.

"That... out there...that was not okay."

He takes in a deep breath and nods. "I know. But you will get used to it."

"No. I will not allow myself to get used to seeing that. It is so wrong." I look up at him. "I am sorry."

"Why are you saying this to me?" He asks still confused.

"I am so sorry for what you went through," I tell him.

He slightly smiles. "It's okay. I am okay."

"How are you okay?"

Taking a deep breath, he looks around the room making sure no one is there. He then suddenly picks me up and sits me on a console table that is against a wall, almost knocking down the decorative vases on it. His hands cup my face and he looks straight into my eyes. "I am okay because every day that passes, you mend my heart just a bit more."

I look into his eyes and he looks into mine. I could get lost in those green orbs for all eternity and not mind one bit.

He starts to get close and I whisper. "You are so...corny."

Even as I say this, I still have tears in my eyes.

He stops and looks at me with surprise. "Corny!?"

I start laughing-wiping my tears-and so does he. But then he grabs my chin and crashes his lips with mine. "Mh..." I moan.

He ends the k*ss, smiles, and mutters. "This girl calling me corny and ruining the moment..."

This makes me laugh again.

"Hey...could we... could we go for a run tonight?" I ask him.

"After the festival?" He looks down as he thinks, then nods. "Yes. I think we can.

"You are free to roam the pack as Poppy said. Just as long as we don't cross the border." he says.

"And what if we did. What if we ran? There is nothing stopping us now."

"Nothing? Except that Warrick has the borders heavily guarded, not to mention the men he has outside near the pack. We wouldn't get far, Cass. And besides, this is probably a test. There is no way he is a hundred percent convinced about all of this. He'll want to see if you will stay or leave. I am sure that putting me as your guard is also a test for me. So..."

He backs away and takes me down from the table. "Let's not do anything stupid."

I take in a deep breath feeling irritated but nod.

He opens the door and walks out then waits out in the hall for me.

I come out and start walking but I have no idea where I am going. Suddenly, Victor appears in front of me.

"There you are. Here."

He hands me a piece of paper.

"What is this?"

"Your training schedule, you start tomorrow." He says and nonchalantly walks away.

I look at the time on the schedule.

"Five- Five in the morning?!"I scream after him.

"Yeah." He replies now at the end of the hall.

"...Great..." I say with sarcasm.

I DO think learning self-defense and how to properly fight is a good thing. I have never learned how to fight or anything like that but I am a lazy person. I don't want to get up this early to get my a*s kicked.

I wander around most of the day, exploring the house. I found a theater room where I spent a good amount of time watching a movie. Colt acts distant the whole time and stays a good distance away from me. I get why but I don't like it at all. To say that every time I see him I want to jump his bones is an understatement. How I wish I could be in his embrace all day. He makes me feel safe. When evening comes, Poppy comes to my room to help me get ready for the festival. I wear a long black flowy dress with large pin flowers. She called it a maxi summer dress. It looks casual but once on me, it looks amazing. Again, it is a dress that shows cleavage and my back but I am not worried about it at all cause I still look good.

"Yes?!" Poppy asks to the knock that sounds on the door.

Colt walks in and stands staring at me with his hands on his back.

"Alexis! Doesn't she look beautiful?"

Colt clears his throat as he stares me up and down and nods. "Yes, she does. I came to tell you that I am relieved of duty tonight. It is Serge's turn to watch over you." He says all this as he looks at me through the mirror which I stand in front of. "Oh...okay." I am disappointed but it is what was agreed to.

He nods again. "See you at the festival, princess."

I watch him close the door and feel deflated.

"He's a handsome one, ain't he?" Poppy asks.

I nod fully agreeing with her but making sure I do not look so enthusiastic.

When I am done, she takes me downstairs to the back of the house where the festival is already underway.

Surprisingly, it is cheery despite all that bad stuff I saw today. I guess people in this pack are used to the way things are here and obviously, there is nothing they can do about it.

"Well look who's here! The guest of honooor!" Beck says.

His words sound a bit more dragged than they usually do and I am sure it all has to do with the drink he has in his hand. It's probably not his first.

"Shoo! You vermin!" Poppy says putting a hand up to him.

I almost laugh.

She continues walking until she reaches Warrick. She kisses him on the cheek and motions towards me.

Again, his eyes suddenly glisten as sadness fills them.

"Casseopea..." he whispers, barely audible but even Poppy hears it. And the thing is that it didn't seem like he was calling my name or even referring to me. It is as if for a split second he was seeing someone else.

He clears his throat and straightens. "Excellent.

Come, daughter. Let's make a round." He lifts his hand to me and I hesitantly take it.

He starts walking around with me in his arms, greeting people. Most of these people are from the pack but then we come to some men at the edge of the forest that seem...off. They dress in drags and look a bit dirty but by no means do they look harmless. They are scary and to me, they seem dangerous.

"Crow," Warrick calls him.

The man who seems to be the leader, smiles at me with his rotten teeth showing as

Warrick speaks to him. "This is my daughter. Remember her well."

"Of course, Alpha Warrick." They all say with a bow.

"Who are they?" I ask as we go past them.

"Those, my dear, are my tracker rogues."

"Rogues?"

"Yes, rogues and they are good at what they do so if I were you, I wouldn't get any ideas. These men would replace you within minutes."

"I-I never thought of running."

"Who said anything about running?" He asks.

"I-I mean, that's what I assume you meant."

He laughs.

This man makes me so nervous and he obviously enjoys it.

"One would think you are almost evil, Alpha Warrick."

A tall man walks into view. Even taller than Victor and that is saying something because Victor surpasses almost all pack members I have seen here.

His blue eyes rake over me and marble my face as if he is studying a piece of art.

"What can I say? My reputation preceded me."

Warrick gives him a silly smile.

The tall man is no Adonis but he is still an attractive man. His ashy blond hair is slicked back yet a strand falls on the front.

"Cass, this is Oliver Vald. He is Alpha to a new pack, the Crescent Pack. They came from Europe and established their pack on the northern territories just a few months ago.

"It is a pleasure, lady Casseopea." The man takes my hand in such a gentle manner and then kisses it. If his European accent was not enough to melt me already, the gesture surely did. He looks up as his lips finish touching my skin and smiles a smile that could take down any hardheaded maiden. He has such charm and subtle swag that even I am taken by him.

"We are working on an alliance of a sort," Warrick says bringing me back to this real world.

The man called Oliver, straighten up and gives Warrick a small side nod, almost like a bow.

"Though we have much to learn from each other before we get to that," Warrick says.

The man gives a side smile. "All in due time, Alpha Warrick.

"Yeah...due time..." Warrick acts almost impatiently. He pulls my arm and takes me away from the charming man who smiles at me as I walk away.

"Alliance? I didn't think you did alliances." I whisper to Warrick.

"I don't...but, even I know I am not always right and I have plans that require some flexibility on my part in order to succeed. I just have to make sure of this man's intentions first."

"So you don't trust him?"

"My dear, I trust no one. You will learn to do the same."