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Word Count: 2123

~Thea

Making a noise wasn't an option, as a hand slapped over my mouth, the other person used to keep my wrists together behind my back so I could hardly move. Being abducted or kidnapped was never something I had to worry about back in the Devotion Pack, so the unfamiliarity of it all stunned me into stiffness.

"You're not from around here, are you?" the man murmurs in my ear.

My mind wanted me to do so many things. At the very least, it wanted me to lash out and defend myself in any way, so I could escape, but my body refused the command. Paralysed, this man has complete control over me until I snap out of my disorientation.

Is this what this Pack is like? Are they all so sexually deprived, they have to kidnap woman to satisfy them?

Suddenly, my body kicks into gear. Not only was it the idea of what could come from this situation, but the idea of not doing anything to stop it. I've been strong since the moment I decided to leave my home and follow Jasper. Not once have I broken down, and I can't let that all be worth nothing now.

So I kick back, the heel of my boot knocking his shin, loosening his grip as he cursed crudely in my ear. Twisting around, I rip my wrists from his grasp, pushing at his stomach with a vicious jab forcing him backward.

Stumbling backward, the lights of the street capture me, like a halo of safety. Whoever that man was, he didn't dare follow me out, as I mold back into the crowd again.

With a hand over my beating heart, I follow the ground again, swallowing the lump in my throat. Did I seriously just escape that?

No one bothered giving me a second glance as I began to run. I can't stay on these streets if I want a chance of surviving another moment. Maybe I need to escape the streets and find a safe place to catch my breath again.

The magic of this place that first drew me in, has now diminished.

Most of the places weren't ones that interested me in the slightest. At first, I was mesmerised by this place, and now, as I discover the secrets behind the bright lights, it's daunting. So, I decide on a small bar that didn't seem too occupied. At least no one can lure me anywhere...

Pushing through the doors, I am hit with the aroma of cheap beer and fries. The only people in here are the bartender wiping down the bench around a drunk man slumped over the counter, with someone else in the corner throwing back cider with what looks like his girlfriend on his lap.

I take a seat on the stool two spaces away from the drunk man.

"Need anything?" the bartender asks. Just a faceless person interrupting my time to think. I shake my head and they leave me alone to wallow in the faint jazz music coming from the speakers at the corners of the room.

Suddenly I turn in time to see the man from the corners girlfriend storm out the door, swinging her purse over her shoulder in a huff. All I can see of her is her back as she moves out onto the street. From behind, she has the same dark curly hair as June, forcing memories on me. Whoever she is, that man did something to make her angry.

I catch his glance as I turn around. He stares directly at me with dark eyes. The attention we share between us is brief, as I turn back around again.

Resting my head against the counter, I close my eyes. That girl reminding me of June couldn't have come at a worse time...My best friend betrayed me, and somehow that is worse than Luca. Because I loved her. She spent her entire life trying to convince me that her own species was real, when I chose not to believe. Why?

I didn't have time to think about it, as the sound of someone taps the counter by my head.

It was the bartender. "Take this."

She slides a tall glass of what looks and smells like cider. Instantly, my nose curls up in disgust, as my distaste for alcohol hits. Ever since Luca and I got drunk on our graduation and I spent the entire night throwing up while he continued partying, I have never thought about drinking ever again.

"No thank you," I murmur, planning to rest my head in my arms again, but she nudges it closer.

"Someone bought this for you," she mutters, as if she couldn't care less, but it clearly was her job to endure my attitude. She looks as if she wanted to be out on the town like everyone else seemed to be, but was stuck in here.

Her statement made me look across the bar, to my left. Not only was the drunk man there, but also the man from the corner, only a seat across from me.

He looked like a creature from another planet. Maybe that was an unfair observation, but he hardly looked normal. His skin was deadly pale, with the slightest violet hue to it, although nothing like Jasper's eyes. This man's eyes were coal black, to match everything he wore, and even the colour of my teeth. I wanted to recoil from him, and the toxic smell of alcohol he reeked of.

"You didn't have to," I say uneasily, knowing immediately that it was him who had bought me the drink. I'm not flattered in the slightest...Especially after what he did to that girl, and the fact that he had stealthed his way into that seat.

He shrugs. "It's the thought that counts, I suppose."

Not bothering to acknowledge him, I lean back on the counter, still needing time to think, rather than he harassed by another stranger. The moment I leave this Pack, the relief I will feel will be instant...

"So, you're from the Devotion Pack?" he questions.

I wasn't worried that he knew where I was from. Our Pack is known for the bleakest features and the darkest hair, which tends to be our best feature. He probably figured it out from a single glance.

But still, I ignore him.

"You seem really lost-"

"Look, I don't mean to be rude, but I have had the worst day today. I have a stalker, a fake uncle and a man walking around who attempted to abduct me. If you could give me some time to think, I would appreciate it!" I snap.

Taking a deep breath, I slump back on my seat. I hadn't meant to blurt out my problems to him, and probably the bartender, but it felt good to vent. My chest felt a little lighter knowing I had actually said it, since my habit of sometimes keeping things close tends to weigh me down.

Tentatively, he slides onto the seat right next to me. Past the horrific scent of vodka, he wore some kind of spicy cologne applied a little too thickly.

"This Pack can be tough on the best of days. I've lived here my entire life, and I still get lost in the feel of it. It entices you in, but the reality of it can be harsh. You have to learn to live off it, make the best of it. That is why this Pack is so brilliant aesthetically, and our Alpha is the wealthiest of them all. Just don't wander out alone," he tells me.

His lecture was long and somehow helpful in an unhelpful way. The sincerity told me a lot about the strange looking man. No way did I trust him, but something told me his advice was actually meant to assist me.

"What did you do to that girl?" I question, deciding to bring up what truly made me wary of him.

He chuckles. A weird sound. "I rejected her business offer. If you know what I mean."

I shake my head, not even wanting to think about it. But was that really what had gone down? She seemed pretty mad at him, like it was personal. I decide not to question.

"Are you staying here? Like in a hotel or something?" he asks me.

His question takes me off guard. What am I going to do? Jasper is Goddess knows where in this Pack, either looking for me, or out taking advantage of the town. The latter I highly doubt, but at the same time, it almost worries me that he could have left without me.

What am I thinking? He has a book dedicated to creepy drawings of me. As much as I probably need him, that still makes me wary.

As I think back to the question posed, I scrabbled to come up with an excuse. "No. My mate and I are staying here. I should probably go find him..."

Aware my excuse doesn't really match what I had admitted to him earlier, I stand from my seat, making the decision that I really need to leave. But the moment my shoes hit the floor, he grabs my wrist, thrusting me back to him.

My surprise is instant. Why are men here so desperate and rough with woman? And despite my protest, no one in the bar looks twice, as if this couldn't be closer to normal.

"Let me go," I growl, half on his lap already. He held me close to him, but I still resisted, trying to force myself off his lap.

He grinned slyly, almost as if he is enjoying watching me struggle. "Let me help you get used to the life of this Pack."

His hand found my thigh, which set alight a fire deep within me. Twisting my arm, I was out of his grip enough to slap him straight across the face. He flinched, as I pushed myself off him. If I could have stayed and thrown my drink over him too, I would have been very pleased.

Instead, I turn and push back through out the door and into the street.

How it happened, I don't know. The size of this Pack is so large, the probabilities of seeing him were slim. Was Fate playing his games? Probably. At that moment, I left that bar to see Jasper standing across the street, made me forget the book. Forget everything. I just remembered how he had never failed to save me before.

The run I make across the street could have been potentially fatal. I hardly looked both ways as I weaved between cars waiting for the green light to flash, making a beeline for the Alpha of Devotion.

We met gazes for a brief second as I neared him. Emotions such as relief, and something like happiness danced there, and I'm sure I mirrored it.

And I hardly had control when I threw myself at him, my arms encircling his torso. It may not of been skin on skin contact, but I still felt his body heat, and his familiar scent, as I buried my face in his cotton shirt.

Clearly he was surprised, as he hesitated before wrapping his own arms around me.

"I was looking everywhere for you," he breathed, as we separated.

But for reason, I didn't want to move away. Because as much as I didn't want to admit it, that simple hug felt like the first flicker of home I've felt in a long time.

💛••💛

Want more, and don't like to complain? Check out the rest of Jasper now on Radish! (:

Malik is also up now, so I hope you'll check it out!

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I made a video that I think a lot of you should watch. (For better quality, check it out on my YouTube channel)

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

So I got a lot of people getting annoyed at Thea last chapter...If you read between the lines earlier, you would have read that the Pack was under a spell that lured her in.

She's spoke of being attracted to it, and wanting to explore...Thought I'd give a heads up to those that spent too much time calling her stupid, rather than actually reading the story :D

This is my super salty rant :p

Anyways, I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! My Bae is coming next chapter (:

Snapchat: MidikaCrane

Radish: Midika

~Midika 💜🐼