Chapter 56 Gather the boys
A full moon? She knew what that meant for the wolves, but she didn’t know why it would matter if she
was there to witness it or not. Enzo gave no further hint for what that might mean or what would unfold
and Doris was too exhausted to even ask. Doris made sure her window was closed tight and her door
was locked before she dressed for bed. Her mind was wild and wouldn’t stop replaying the moment the
man grabbed her. The smell of alcohol still haunted her senses and she swore it lingered around her as if
it was stained on her skin. She pulled the covers over her head and prayed to the moon goddess for a bit
of rest. Her luck had only seemed to be getting worse, perhaps it was fate telling her she wasn’t meant to
survive so many close calls. Before she was marked, she never had one before. Now it was almost a
weekly occurrence. Unless… unless it was the mark William had given her that left her with such rotten
luck. Doris rubbed at her skin where the mark still showed underneath her clothes. No matter what she
did, it wouldn’t heal as other scars did. It stuck out harshly against her pale skin
and brought back fresh memories of how she’d gotten it. Only when her own thoughts exhausted her did
her body finally allow her to rest.
Something clamped tightly over her mouth in the dead of night. Doris woke to see an unfamiliar man
standing over her bed. He squeezed her face and grinned down at her. He smelled like rubbish and
looked as if he hadn’t bathed in months. “The palace likes their pretty things, don’t they?” Doris thrashed
under his hold, but he only gripped her tighter. A cold gust of wind chilled the room, her window was left
wide open but she swore it had been locked before she went to bed. “Ay, she is a looker. No wonder
Stephen couldn’t keep his drunk paws off her.” Another voice said from across the room. A lanky boy
around her age was seated on her dresser. He had her undergarments in his hand and he tossed them
up in the air as if they were a ball. When he grinned, he had a few teeth missing in the front. “What’s that
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇton her neck?” He hopped off the surface and shoved the cloth in his pocket before came to pull down her
nightgown more. Doris kicked the boy in his chest. He let out a rough breath of air and stumbled back a
bit
“Ooof, she’s a fighter.” “You dumb ass. Stephen said not to get too close. Tie her up or something.” The
man holding her said. “With what? I didn’t bring no damn rope!” The boy neared Doris again and dodged
her kicks this time. He bent over her to observe her neck again. “Look at this, she has a mate bite.” “No,
no. Jules said she was bitten when she was kidnapped.” “Are you stupid? You can see that bite there,”
He pointed to the other side of her neck. “This one is the mate one. It never heals.” The older man
leaned closer to inspect it. He moved her nightgown down further than he needed to and Doris bit the
palm of his hand as hard as she could. He screamed and yanked his hand back away from her and Doris
was out of the bed in an instant. “You moron!” The boy shouted. He brushed back his greasy hair and
went after her. She picked up the candles on the bedside table and threw it at his head. “Ow, you bitch!”
“Get away from me!” Doris screamed. She picked up a glass vase and threw it at the older one when he
tried to get closer to her. It smashed against his head and rained down bloody shards of glass against
the floor.”
What do you want from me?!”
“Stephen sent us.” The boy spat. “He would’ve come himself if he wasn’t nursing his lost tongue. He
wanted us to make sure we took care of you before the morning.” The boy took a step across the broken
glass. “So why don’t you come over here nicely and we’ll get this over with.” “You‘re absolutely mad if
you think you’re coming anywhere near me!” Doris grabbed the fire poker near the fire place and lifted it
between them. She swung it at his head when he took another step closer. The boy ducked just in time,
unfortunately. “I’ve had enough of this, get over here!” The old man roared. Doris swung the fire poker
and caught him right in the side of the head. He went down with a hard thump. While she was distracted,
the boy tackled her to the ground and pinned her wrists above her head. “Normally, I like it when a girl is
rough, but not tonight.” He hissed through his teeth. Doris kneed him between the legs but he only
tightened his grip and groaned. “Where’s your mate tonight, huh? Back at that big palace you left
behind?”
Doris leaned up to bite his wrist but the boy only laughed. “I would never usually go after another wolf’s
mate, but I’m sure he won’t mind if I have a taste.” “I thought you were here to kill me!” Doris
shouted. She hoped someone would hear her eventually and come help her but But maybe she didn’t
need anyone to save her. Maybe she could save herself. Doris glanced at the older man and saw he laid
unconscious in his own blood. If she could get out from under the boy’s hold… “I will do that too, don’t
rush me.” The boy grinned as if he was flirting with her. Doris knew wolves weren’t kind lovers, but this
boy was deranged if he was turned on from any of
this He leaned down to lick her neck, she shivered from disgust. “It’s been a long time since a pretty girl
came through here. All the ones here are either too young or taken.” “You’re disgusting.” Doris spit on his
face. He released one of her wrists to wipe it off him. Doris quickly gripped the closest piece of glass she
could reach. “Don’t get kinky with me, baby. I don’t hold back my emotions.” He growled before he
slapped her harshly across the face. He ran his free hand up her gown and Doris stabbed him in the
neck. His blood blinded her when she removed the glass. It felt as if time slowed a bit as he gripped the
side of his neck where blood gushed. His eyes looked as if they were bulging from his head, he stared
down at her
in disbelief as if he couldn’t believe she actually defended herself against him. Doris pushed him off her
and he fell next to his friend like a heavy lump. She scrambled off the floor and gripped her bed post. The
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏmboy laid still, staring at the ceiling with no life behind his eyes. The older man still breathed despite his
blood loss. She had… She killed someone. 1 Doris threw on her cloak and shoved her feet into boots
before she rushed out the door and into the freezing snow. A strong wind blew through her hair and
almost pulled her cloak right off her shoulders. There wasn’t another soul outside, she was all alone.
Doris glanced back at the cabin and saw her own footsteps stained their blood in the snow. Doris turned
and ran towards where Enzo said his cabin was. She banged on the door desperately, as hard as she
could. She didn’t trust going to anyone else. What if they cared for the ones she harmed? What if What if
Enzo punished her for what she did? Doris stumbled back from the door and hurried away before he
could open it. She stumbled in the snow and fought against the growing winds. Where could she go? For
the first time, she wished William was here. She wished he was here to take her back to the palace
where she could be in her own
– comfortable misery again and far from here. “Doris!” Enzo shouted over the wind. She glanced back to
see him and Elena half dressed and shrugging on jackets. Doris resented herself. He moved like his own
storm, he was by her side in seconds. He gripped her arm gently and turned her to face him. When he
saw all the blood down the front of her nightgown, his eyes darkened. “What happened? Are you hurt?”
He said loud enough for her to hear. Doris shook her head, silent tears fell down her cheeks. “Then
where is all this blood from?” Doris said nothing, she simply pointed towards her cabin where her door
was still wide open. He glanced at Elena over her head and soon she felt the woman guide her back to
Enzo’s cabin.
“Come now, you’re safe.” Elena said gently as she seated Doris by the fire. “There is no safe for me.”
Doris said bitterly as a warm drink was pressed into her hands. Enzo came bursting through the door
with wild eyes moments later. “Elena, gather the boys. Now.”