by Mya West
“Why?”
“My dogs are hungry. Something tells me I need to be your personal driver all night to get out of this mess. I know you’re not a huge fan of Jack and Jill. Never mind, I can do it.”
“No, it’s okay. I remember where their food is.”
We part ways, and I make my way outside to the Aldridge’s backyard. Inside a large fenced in kennel is Jack and Jill. They look pretty pissed off as soon as they see me. Both bark furiously at me until I get closer to a large plastic bin where their food is kept. Both suddenly look at me like I am their best friend.
I throw some food to Jill, and she tears into her fancy dog food. Jack comes up to the fence and sticks his snout through the rings. I was afraid of both of his dogs, and still am of Jill kind of, but Jack has sort of grown on me. I feed him his food from my hand.
Chase walks up to us with a smile. “Aren’t you guys getting along like old pals.” He places a large duffle bag on the floor beside me. “I think we have everything you will need. Before you go, I need to know something.” I look at him with a smile but meet his cold gaze. “Did you kill them?”
“What?”
“Nat? Jax? Did you kill them? Are they dead? What exactly did you do with them?”
“No, I escaped from them. They had me in some run-down house.”
Chase looks at me with narrow eyes. “That makes no fucking sense, sweetheart. None. They would have killed you, not keep you hostage.”
“I swear. Can we just go?”
Chase looks at his watch. “It’s ten thirty-three. I’m a sport. I’ll give you ten minutes.” He takes out his cell phone and starts recording a video. He raises the phone towards my face, smiling and prompting me to wave at him.
“What the fuck is this? Ten minutes for what?” I start backing away from him, the whole time he keeps a psychotic smile targeted at me with his cell phone in front of his face.
“My dogs are still hungry.” Chase frowns for a moment. “The rules are that there is supposed to be a witness for this, and they record it, but I suspect nobody will complain too much. We are usually sticklers for rules, but you’re an exception.” I point my gun at him, but he does not blink an eye and looks back down at his watch. “You lost a minute already, love. You should probably start running. I gave you the shoes because I am a sport. Oh yeah, by the way, you can only run towards the bush in my backyard. If you run towards the front of my house, I’ll open the kennel right away.” He smiles at me and looks at his watch intently.
I take out the magazine from the handgun and realize with horror that there’s no bullets inside. “You fucking asshole!” I throw the gun at him, and it strikes him in the face hard.
He covers his face in pain. “You bitch! Not the face! That’s going to cost you!” He whistles, and Jack and Jill start furiously barking at us. “This is going to be the most gruesome Ritual, ever. One for the records. You’re about to be famous!” Chase looks at me through his cell phone with a devilish smile.
I turn and run, without looking back. I run towards the forest surrounding Chase’s property. Last time I was able to stay safe from his dogs by climbing a tree. Once I am safe, I can call the police with my cell. His dog’s barking is getting more distant as I run like hell towards the forest.
Suddenly, the sounds of the dogs are getting closer rather than further away. Had ten minutes already past?
I continue to run as fast as I can, but I can hear the dogs are getting closer. Suddenly, I hear a gunshot and manage to go run even faster. The loud barking of the trailing dogs lessens a moment, then I hear the sounds of one dog getting closer.
I look back and can see Jill panting and running right at me about a hundred yards away. I notice a thick broken branch on the ground and stop to pick it up.
I turn towards Jill and close my eyes. I breath out slowly and look at her. “Come on, you fucking bitch!”
Chapter 7
Lance
From inside his home, I see Chase opening his dog kennel. His two large ferocious dogs run out through the field.
Chase raises his cell phone in his hand and tapes his dogs.
I know immediately what he is doing, and it makes me sick. The smug smile of satisfaction on his face makes me feel more ill.
I open the backdoor, and he looks at me, wiping away that smug smile almost immediately. I’m not sure if it’s my presence or the double-barreled shotgun I have pointed at him that has him more concerned.
“Call them off, Chase!” I demand.
“That’s my family’s vintage Belgian shotgun,” Chase says with a look of anger.
“Yeah, you guys have a lot of guns in your home, and ammunition. Now call off the dogs, or I use it to blow your face off.” I walk up closer to him, keeping the gun raised towards his chest.
I get within six feet of him, and the fuck smiles at me. “You lost, Lancelot. It’s over. I am your Alpha. The Cain’s lost. Get over it. I’ll be running this town, not you or your father.”
“I won’t ask twice, Chase,” I say pumping the shotgun and aiming at his face.
Chase smiles. “The rules are if you kill a member, you face—”
I fire the shotgun into the air to get his attention. “Enough of your shit. Don’t make me kill you.”
Chase sighs. “Such a sore loser, Cain.” He takes out a dog whistle from inside his jacket pocket and puts it to his lips. In the distance, I can see one of his dogs start to head back towards us, but the other is not stopping. Chase looks at me with a sly smile. “That must be Jill. Girls never listen.”
I poke the smoking barrel of the shotgun into Chase’s cheek. He recoils in pain and looks at me in rage.
I smile at him. “You will still be handsome, Chase, but if you keep this up, you won’t have a head to worry about.”
Chase blows into the whistle several times. After a few moments, I see his other dog running back towards the kennel. I hold the shotgun towards Chase’s chest until both dogs are in the kennel. Chase continues to pat the red circle on the side of his face while looking at me with rageful eyes.
“Lock the kennel,” I demand. “Any quick movements, and I’ll fire.”
“Would you believe me if I said I was unarmed?”
“Not remotely.”
Chase nods his head and locks the kennel door. He turns to me with his arms open. “What now, Lance? You ruined my chances at being Alpha. You broke I don’t know how many rules…” He takes a deep breath. “And you mutilated my face! What now?”
“I haven’t thought that out yet, but I do enjoy aiming this fancy shotgun at you.”
“It was you who killed them, wasn’t it? Jaxson and Nathanial? I thought it could have been Elle, but you have been helping her this whole time. Tell me, who was that other guy you killed by the lake? They still haven’t identified him.” I don’t answer him but watch his movements. I know Chase is a marksman. If he has a weapon hidden, he could easily end our conversation. “I knew you wanted to be Alpha, but not this bad. This goes so far against the rules, I don’t even want to know what’s going to happen to you.”
“Fuck the rules. Fuck Alpha. This is not a game, Chase. What they were making us do is wrong, very wrong. Can’t you see? Or are you so caught up in our family’s rivalry that you would do anything to win?”
“You and your father treat my family like second class citizens! The Cain’s throw their power around with ease, pissing all over the Aldridge’s name! Enough! My time is coming! You think because you come off like you don’t care about having the Cain’s name matters? You think just because your cunt mother died in some car crash everybody will feel sorry for you? They don’t!”
I quickly take the muzzle of the shotgun and blast Chase in the face as hard as I could. Chase crumbles to the ground, unconscious.
“Always with the big fucking mouth.”
Chapter 8
Elle
Jill continues to run towards me. I grasp the long branch in my arms. I know my chances aga
inst a trained animal are slim. I know this could be painful.
All I knew is that as soon as Jill came close enough, I’d swing and try and hit her as hard as I could.
Jill slows her pace when she gets closer to me, as if hearing my thoughts. She raises her ears and looks behind her. After another moment, she turns and runs back towards Chase.
I know what’s happening. I heard the blast of some powerful gun when I was running into the woods.
Chase wants to kill me himself. He wants to hunt me.
I know better than to bring a stick to a gun fight. I continue to run deeper into the woods, as fast as I can.
His property line must end somewhere, and when I find it, I’m not stopping until I get the fuck out of Ryland.
From the corner of my eye, I see a road through the tree line. I realize it’s the main town road that goes straight through Ryland. When I run to it, I kneel on the paved road and take a deep breath. I have a good idea where I am now.
I am not out of the woods yet, though. Chase may not be as far behind as I think. He may have even gone to his sports car, realizing the head start I have, and try to catch up with me. He could be coming up the road any minute.
I know there is a restaurant another mile or so up the road. I could have an Uber waiting for me and go back to the city. I could get to Candice’s house, and we could leave the whole state. I would not be able to let the Uber driver take me close to Candice’s home though, plus I have no money. Once in the city, at some point, I would have to dash on the driver at a red light.
Not exactly nice, but I could give him a five-star review later.
I take out my cell and turn it on. The cell does not turn on, and I’m about to panic when I hit the button again and the screen lights up. I take a deep slow breath out, but realize I only have two percent left on my phone.
I need to make this quick.
Before I open the Uber app, I get a call from an anonymous number. I decline the call to try and open the app, but before I can, the number calls again.
I decide on instinct to pick it up. “Hello?” I say.
“Thank God!” a familiar voice yells into the receiver.
“Danna? Where have you been?”
“I have a lot to tell you,” Danna says. “First off, are you safe?”
I look down the road and behind me into the woods. I half expected to see Jack and Jill jump out with Chase smiling behind them. “No, not really. A lot of stuff has happened since I saw you. My phone is about to die, and I need to get out of here.”
“Okay, so listen. I need you to come back to the house you ran away from today.”
“You were there?”
Danna sighs. “I really need you to get here, and soon. Do you remember where the house was?”
“Somewhat near Bryce’s neighborhood,” I say trying to retrace my steps in my mind.
“Do you know how to get to Bryce’s home from where you are?”
“Yeah, I’m near the main road. I can find my way.”
Danna gives me some quick instructions on how to get to her from Bryce’s neighborhood. “Be careful!” she says. “All of them are looking for you now. Do not trust anyone. Get here as quickly as you can, as safely as possible. Lance will be driving around looking for you.”
“Lance?” I ask utterly confused.
Danna laughed. “I know, right. He is with us. Without him we would all be dead already. It’s especially important that when you get here you—” The phone call ended abruptly as Danna was trying to tell me something important.
Great. Another beautiful day in Ryland.
∞∞∞
It’s dark by the time I get close to the abandoned home.
I am back where I started, and unsure how to feel.
I trust Danna, but I do not trust Lance.
After what Chase tried to do, I feel like I could be walking into a trap. I am walking right into the Beast’s plans.
I wait outside in the large backyard of the property, watching the house. I cannot see any movement inside. All the shades and curtains are drawn. No one has entered or exited the home in the last hour.
Something is telling me to just go and knock on the backdoor. My head is telling me I am being stupid, again.
I managed to get away from Chase somehow. I am not sure I could do it again if I had to.
I’m starving, hungry, and my legs are sore. I have never run this much in my life.
Danna would not tell me to come here if it wasn’t safe though. My head and my instincts are in agreement with that, for a change.
I come out from hiding and slowly make my way towards the backdoor of the abandoned house. A car whizzes by on the road nearby, and I duck to the ground right away. It almost sounded like a sports car. It could be Chase.
An image of Jill intrudes my thoughts. I can see the vicious dog, drool coming from its lips, running towards me.
I cannot do it again.
I stand up and run towards the backdoor. Lights from a car shine into the backyard.
It feels like my heart is about to bounce out of my chest.
I knock furiously, until it starts to open slowly.
Jaxson opens the door and looks at me in shock. Firmly in the grip of his large fist is a kitchen knife.
Chapter 9
Lance
I drive up to the side street of the Smithson’s house. I need to be careful who sees me. If a nearby neighbor notices all the activity, we could all be caught.
I need to be careful, but I also need to know if Elle has made it here safe. I have been driving around all day looking for her.
It is starting to be dangerous for me to be in public now as well.
I am not sure what Chase would do when he woke from his forced slumber. Would he talk to his dad? Would my father know what happened?
Chase was right. The number of rules I broke today could be damning. They could order me to be killed.
I have not received any texts or calls though. Not from any other members, Chase, or my father. I am leaning towards that’s a good sign, but you can’t be too cautious.
Ryland is a dangerous place now. It is time to leave.
The Smithson house won’t be a haven for us for much longer. When I park my car, I open the door and can hear screaming from the Smithson’s backyard.
I run quickly toward the source and find Jaxson putting pressure on his fist. “She can fucking bite.”
I can hear movement in the dark yard behind me and run towards her. I manage to get close to Elle and tell her to stop while being cautious about how loud I am being.
She does not listen. She starts to scream.
“Stop, Elle!” I demand, but she only runs faster, and her screams grow.
I finally tackle her to the ground and shove my hand firmly over her mouth. “No more screaming. No more running. Stop! You’re going to get us all killed. Do you understand?” I look at Elle and see the tears forming. “Listen, make this easy, please. Come back to the house, and we’ll tell you everything. I’m going to let go of you now, and you’re not going to scream, okay?”
I ease my grip from her mouth, and she shrugs my hand away. “You are a fucking piece of shit!” she yells.
I cover her mouth again and pick her up. “Nothing with you is easy, Elle.”
Chapter 10
Elle
I manage to settle, after a while. I sit on a couch that is covered in plastic and Danna sits beside me holding my hand. When I am calm, the three of them take turns explaining everything to me.
Apparently, Jaxson was trying to prepare peanut butter sandwiches for dinner when I knocked on the backdoor. Why someone would need such a large knife for PB & J is anyone’s guess.
Danna tells me how Lance caught her in the clock tower spying on a Beasts meeting and brought her here for her own safety. He planned to have her leave the Smithson’s house once he knew she was safe and had not been caught by any monitor systems or Beast security team.
&nb
sp; I look at Lance. “So this whole thing with me is about trying to win some competition.”
Jaxson speaks up. “It’s not just any competition, Elle. It is everything. You win, and you’re top dog. One of the leaders of The Beasts. You will be wealthy beyond measure. Your kids, your kid’s kids, and all future generations will never have to worry again.”
“But that comes with a price,” Lance says, chiming in. “The few that are chosen to be a potential Alpha have to show they are the most cunning and willing to do anything for success. A random girl is chosen by the elite members of The Beasts. The Chosen must make her life hell. They must be mean to her. They must embarrass her. She must feel pain because of the Chosen. When the girl is at her lowest, the Chosen must turn the tables. They must find a way to get the girl who likely hates them, love them instead. My father says this way, the potential Alpha can show they are a master manipulator. A trait needed for any Alpha.”
It is all coming back to me as Lance speaks. Jaxson and his friends, embarrassing me with throwing pies at me on the first day of school. Running through Chase’s property when I thought hunters were firing on me. Lance publishing my diary for the whole student body to see.
The night before with Jaxson. I felt what I thought was love for him. I wanted to give myself to him. I was eager to. That’s when him and Nathanial Price did what they had.
I looked at Jaxson in disgust. “So, after you get the girl to love one of the Chosen, what happens next?”
Jaxson looks the other way, avoiding my eye contact, and Danna squeezes my hand.
Lance answers instead. “That’s when the Ritual can be performed.”
“Ritual?”
Danna looks at me and speaks through thin lips. “Nice words for saying murder you.”
Lance nods his head. “That’s right. If one of the Chosen kills you after you fall for them, then the Ritual is complete. Another member must observe it happening. In the old days, it was enough just to witness it, but now they want it recorded.”
“Some sick people,” Danna says folding her arms. “Would have been a killer story.”
