Animal Instinct

by Noelle N

  Hide.

  That was the first instinct that came to mind, and I spun on my heels, glancing wildly around the room. But the place was bare and small. Hiding in the shower stall was useless – it didn't even have a door. The bed was too low to the ground to squeeze under.

  The only other option – the closet.

  Blindly, I raced to the closet and wrenched the door open, throwing myself into the small, confined area and pulling the door shut behind me. Instantly, I was enveloped in pitch darkness, just as a loud pounding threatened to break down the door of my room.

  My breathing grew erratic as the knocking grew louder, which was quickly followed by a loud crash. I could practically picture it. What was originally my door was now splintered into tiny wooden fragments. And all that was left separating me from whatever lay out there, was just the doors of this tiny closet.

  Hugging my knees tightly to my chest, I let out a terrified exhale and clasped one hand over my mouth to prevent myself from screaming, the fingers of my other hand wrapping tightly around the fork. Just in case.

  The doors of the closet swung open a split second later, and I found myself face to face with a man who stared down at me with an indefinable expression, his black hair falling roguishly into his green eyes.

  Wait.

  Green eyes?

  Bracing an arm against the frame of the closet, he reached into the pocket of his jacket with his other hand, only to retrieve a familiar shard of silver. My eyes widened when he held my knife up, long fingers sliding against the sharp edge.

  The faded bloodstains that tarnished the gleaming surface were unmistakable.

  His green eyes met my gaze squarely and when he spoke, his voice was the kind of smooth, deep velvet that was barely audible. "Hello, Quinn."

  03

  CLAIM

  All around me, I could hear growls and screams faint in the background, but that was all drowned out by the pounding of my heart, so loud I swore I could almost hear it in my ears. To say that I was terrified would be an understatement, and I kept my mouth clamped shut as I looked up at him. Some people babbled in the face of danger. I, on the other hand, remained deathly silent.

  Three full seconds ticked by before a flicker of uncertainty crossed his eyes, and then he swallowed roughly, falling a step back from the closet. It was just in time too, as another man entered the room, his brown hair slicked back and eyes sharp.

  He didn't notice me at first, dipping his head briefly to acknowledge the other guy. "Alpha." He sounded breathless, rubbing the hem of his sleeve roughly across his bleeding jaw. "We've got some of them cornered in the hall, but we couldn't – " He paused, eyes lighting up as he suddenly saw me hiding in the corner of the closet. "You found her?"

  The other man didn't reply. After exchanging a quick look with his friend, he reached towards me, one hand outstretched. I instinctively stilled, only to relax fractionally when he placed my knife down on the empty space beside me, along with an iPod with the black earpieces tangled up.

  "What're you – "

  The question was on the tip of my tongue but I trailed off in surprise when he shrugged out of his jacket in one swift move, placing it on my lap before I could even blink. His scent was earthy – that was the first thing I noticed, and I was so caught up in my confusion that I barely noticed him exchanging a quick glance with his friend before leaving the room altogether.

  I surveyed the brown-haired man sceptically. While he didn't look as intimidating as the other, he was still a stranger and my defences automatically went up when he took a step closer to me.

  "Luna." His voice was polite, and he inclined his head. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you."

  I frowned, my fingers slowly but surely reaching for the knife. Just in case. I had deposited the fork somewhere and if I had a spoon, it'd be a full set – but, really, I was more concerned with picking the utensil that could keep me alive. "Are you here to kill me?"

  His eyes widened. "What? No, I'm here to rescue you." He smiled and held out a hand. "Beta Adrian Massey at your service, Luna."

  Tentatively, I took his hand, slowly climbing out of the cupboard. "It's Quinn actually," I said quietly, straightening myself once I had my feet on the floor. He held out his friend's jacket for me and I froze. "What're you doing?"

  "Alpha's orders," he said reassuringly, pulling the jacket up my arms before I could shift away. I kept my fingers curled tightly around the knife, the sharp blade directed threateningly in his direction but he was hardly fazed.

  I faltered. Something in the way he acted made me realise that he had nothing but complete and absolute trust in me. The blade was close enough for a lethal stab, but he didn't seem to care. Reluctantly, I lowered the knife, reaching for the cloth to cover the sharp part of the blade. "The man earlier," I started, "he told you to do this?"

  "Yes," Adrian returned calmly. Tugging the hood over my head, he reached for the iPod and stuffed the earpieces into my ears.

  "But why?"

  "To keep you safe. Come on, we have to get out here before they seal up the perimeter again." He smiled at my confusion, before tapping the play icon on the screen of the iPod. I couldn't help but wince at the sheer decibel of the music. "Music on," he said, just loud enough so that I could hear. He reached down to take my other hand and placed my palm over my eyes. "Eyes closed."

  "What?"

  "Trust me. I'm not going to hurt you."

  Uneasily, I kept my eyes shut as he stuck the earpiece back in and latched his fingers back around my elbow to lead me out. He didn't let go of my elbow once, but his grip was gentler, almost careful like I was fragile enough to break. I didn't know where he was taking me, but I did know that I had to leave this place, at least.

  Everything else could be decided once I was out of this hell-hole.

  My mind, however, was cataloguing every detail of my surroundings. He led me through what seemed like a narrow and never-ending hallway, before entering a place that somehow seemed dangerous, if the way he pulled me closer to his side or tightened his grip around my arm was any indication at all.

  Halfway through, I accidentally bumped into what seemed like someone's leg, and he quickly angled himself to take the brunt of the crash when someone else collided into us. We managed to make it out unscathed, and it wasn't until he removed my hand from my face when I finally deigned to open my eyes, pulling off the earpieces.

  We were standing next to two nondescript black cars parked along a winding path. The building that I'd been locked up in was a good way behind, far away enough to get a good head-start if anyone decided to chase after us. Nothing but shadows surrounded us, the forest looming in the distance like an ominous landscape.

  Adrian opened the door of the first car. "Get in."

  I hesitated. A part of me was grateful for what Adrian and his friend had done for me, but another part of me feared them. You feared the shadows when you couldn't see the light. And when you hadn't seen the light for awhile, you feared everything. "I don't think this is a good idea – "

  "Luna – "

  "It's Quinn."

  "Fine, Quinn." He exhaled heavily and leaned against the door. There was nothing but seriousness on his face when he spoke. "You have to come with us. You're no longer safe on your own."

  "But my home – "

  "No longer exists."

  I froze, my fingers tightening around the iPod in one hand and the knife in the other. "What?"

  He swallowed, a flicker of uncertainty crossing his face before he continued to speak, slowly, like he was bracing himself for my response. "That place you call home? It no longer exists. Bianca and her men raided it the night they captured you. We had to step in and do some damage control. Everyone thinks you've moved across the country. There's no trace of you left behind, and there won't be any to leave."

  Something in his words was so final that I felt my chest tighten. "I don't understand," I began unsurely. "Why does everyone have to think that I moved ac
ross the country? I know that I'm in some sort of danger when Bianca and her men are still out there searching for me, but I can go back when things simmer down, right?" The flicker of hesitation on Adrian's face was unmistakable and I couldn't help but ask again. "Right?"

  He shifted, falling a step back like my question had unnerved him. "I'm sorry, but going back is no longer an option. You're with us now, and you'll be safe with us."

  "Safe from what? Freedom?" I swallowed, shaking my head and trying to keep a firm clamp down on the hysteria rising within me. "If you're not letting me go back then you're keeping me against my will, which is precisely what Bianca has done. And the bunch of you – you're not like her. Are you?"

  He flinched. "Of course not," he said, sounding almost disgusted by my suggestion. "Look, I don't know how to explain things without scaring you, but just trust me on this. If not, then trust him – "

  "Him?"

  "Yeah, Alpha – " He stopped, before shutting his eyes briefly and shaking his head. "The man who saved you," he corrected himself. "We risked a lot tracking you down and coming all the way here, the rest of us have nothing to lose but he's – well, let's just say he's laying a lot down on the line to do this."

  "For me," I said, my words more of a statement than a question, and Adrian nodded in confirmation. "Why?"

  Adrian had just opened his mouth to answer when footsteps sounded nearby. The man with dark hair and green eyes from earlier was heading towards us, with five others in tow. I could see under the faint light from the car that one of them was limping and they looked battered and bruised, but that didn't stop them from staring at me with what could only be described as blatant curiosity.

  "Sorry, Alpha." Adrian lowered his head and stepped aside. "I was just about to get her into the car."

  The man gave me a cursory glance; his green eyes bright and sharp like a cat's in the dark, before he went round to the other side of the car, pulling open the door and getting in. The others were already piling into the car behind, the front lights illuminating the dark path ahead.

  Adrian nudged me. "Please get in, Luna. If you won't do it for yourself, then do it for him. The longer he stays here, the more danger he's in."

  My eyes widened. "Really?"

  But Adrian was already pulling open the door by the driver's seat. I made a split second's decision. Either I could go with them, or I could take the path less travelled, literally, and find a way home myself. And after the episodes I'd been through with Diego and Bianca, I had no wish to find out what other kind of hazards lurked out there in the dark.

  So I picked the lesser of two evils.

  With a resigned sigh, I climbed into the car and strapped myself in. Adrian shut the door after me, before climbing into the driver's seat and cranking up the engine. Moments later, we were pulling out of the driveway and speeding down a path that seemed familiar to them, at least. There was an almost unnerving silence in the car. The man Adrian addressed as Alpha was staring out of the window, and I glanced at him. It wasn't the best time to be noticing trivial things like these, but the aristocratic slope of his nose and piercing green eyes made him look intimidating in the shadows, but breathtaking when the faint moonlight hit him.

  Sensing eyes on him, he turned suddenly and looked at me. I blinked, before tucking a stray lock of hair behind my ear in an almost self-conscious manner. "So," I started delicately, shifting the knife wrapped in cloth carefully in my hands and cracking a polite smile at him, "you're the ring-leader of this midnight mission, huh?"

  He nodded, once, before averting his eyes from me and turning to face the front.

  "Well, I really appreciate it. Thank you – you and Adrian both for, you know – " I darted a glance at Adrian through the rear-view mirror. " – risking your lives to save me. Even though I'm not entirely sure why you did but – thanks."

  Adrian smiled at me in amusement. "Don't mention it."

  I smiled at him before shifting slightly so that I was looking directly at the man sitting stoically beside me. "And, okay, I know this is a lot to ask, and while we're at it, just feel free to add it to my list of favours-owed. But is there any way I can go back home? Not to live there or anything, apparently you guys think it's not safe for me there but…just to see it for one last time, you know? Even if Bianca raided the place, there will be some things salvageable. Maybe?"

  My words were met with a stony silence that lasted for so long I half thought that neither of them had heard. But I didn't miss the way Adrian and the man had exchanged glances through the rearview mirror several times.

  After what seemed like forever, Adrian sighed. "Fine," he said to me, in what seemed like faint resignation, "we can go tomorrow."

  "Really?" Relief surged through me and I smiled at him. This wasn't ideal compared to my original plan of actually returning home, but one step at a time. "Thanks!" I said, before turning to the man beside me. "Thank you."

  His eyes flickered to my face and he stared at me for a mere second before he turned back to stare out of the window all over again. But I could've sworn the hardened expression on his face softened almost imperceptibly when he looked at me, before he was consumed by the shadows once again.

  * * *

  The house was the kind of dark I knew my eyes could never get used to.

  The drive alone was a winding, exhausting one, but I'd forced myself to keep awake so that I could at least have a good grasp of where they were taking me. Eventually, though, I'd lost track. There were so many turns, so many paths, so many shadows that I felt like I was trapped in some sort of labyrinth.

  But when we finally pulled up to a dimly lit driveway, I realised that the house looked no better than the one I'd left behind earlier. Granted, it was far bigger, grander, like it had stood for many years and then some, crafted by some fine architect way back when. But vines crept along the sides of the house and everything was dark.

  I didn't realise I had instinctively shifted closer to the man with green eyes until I felt the warmth of his body barely inches away from mine. "This is where you all live?" I murmured, my eyes wide as I stared at the building.

  "No," Adrian sounded amused. "This is where you live, and that – " He pointed east, and I turned, only to realise that there were several other houses lining the driveway. Far smaller ones, but all lit in varying degrees. " – that is where we live."

  "What?"

  "Just go with him." Adrian nudged me when his friend began to leave, making his way towards the front door. "He has a spare room all set up for you."

  I stood there for a moment as logic and caution warred inside me. I'd been living on my own for so long that self-preservation was sometimes second nature to me. Going into a dark house with a man was literally the beginning of a horror movie.

  But logically, this situation wasn't exactly setting off any warning bells. Why would a man who'd rescued me and gave me back my weapon want to hurt me? Then again, there was always the proverbial wolf in sheep's clothing, but –

  "It'll be okay, Lu – Quinn." Adrian's voice sounded beside me, and his lips lifted up in a reassuring smile. "He's not going to hurt you. Believe me, you're safer with him than you'd be anywhere else."

  I looked up, realising that the man was waiting for me on the front porch. Throwing one last hesitant glance at Adrian over my shoulder, I smiled faintly at the others standing silently behind, before heading towards the house. The man placed a hand on the door as he waited for me to step inside, letting the door swing shut when the both of us were in.

  He tapped a switch on the wall and the hallway was lit with a dim glow. Still wasn't enough light for me, but it was far better than nothing. He looked down at me, green eyes meeting mine for a moment, before he jerked his head as an indication that I follow him. Nervously, I followed him up the stairs, my fingers gripping the knife wrapped within the cloth tightly, my mind churning with please be a sheep, please be a sheep as I went along with him.

  Because, really, there was no kno
wing when the tables could turn.

  Sometimes, I blamed myself and my tendency to give people the benefit of the doubt. It landed me in the worst situations. Only, when he turned the knob on a door to one of the rooms, I was greeted by a sight that stunned me as he switched on the light for the room.

  It was – extravagantly furnished, to say the least. The room was spacious, a large bed and dresser, a study desk, a door that led to a private bathroom, and that didn't even begin to cover all the smaller, more minute details. Like the way everything seemed pristine and new, or just – perfect.

  I stepped into the room, running my fingers across the wallpaper with delicate white pattern. He was watching me, his eyes intent like he was gauging my reaction. I looked at him. "This is all mine?"

  He nodded, his eyes still dark and indecipherable, and I absent-mindedly pulled open the remaining door that lined the wall. My eyebrows shot up when I saw the walk-in closet inside, each shelf stocked to the brim with clothes.

  Feeling rather overwhelmed, I quickly closed the door and glanced over my shoulder at him. "You guessed my size?"

  Much to my surprise and amusement, he flushed, the smooth planes of his cheeks tinting a faint crimson before he retreated from my room, shutting the door firmly behind him. My lips twitched up in a vague smile at his abrupt departure, but as I looked around, I suddenly felt myself swamped with a strange feeling of solitude.

  Which was ridiculous, given that I'd lived alone for a long time.

  But this was – this was different. How could I even begin to explain it? Home was that one fixed point for me. It was my centre; my 0, 0, 0. But now, my world had shifted off its axis and I had no idea how to right it.

  I took a deep breath and forced myself to stay calm. Deep breaths. One thing at a time. I needed to take a good, long bath after being manhandled by Bianca and Diego. Yesterday, I was just a waitress and today, I was – well, I didn't know what I was but yesterday sure seemed like a lifetime ago.