Welcome to the Sneak Peak of my new series 'Running With The Wolves' - a Twilight fanfiction
I hope you guys like this story, and it will definitely be a little different from the novels. I wrote this to give my own realistic and dark twist on the characters and storyline that was originally created by Stephanie Meyer.
I would love to hear feedback on the content I put out and get opinions on how the story should evolve. If I get positive reviews on this story, I am really interested in adapting it into my own original fantasy novel.
With that being said, please enjoy this little sneak peak and let me know your thoughts!
Her skin felt like it was submerged in an ice bath, but the sharp stinging she felt under her skin wasn't enough to distract her from the hard marble grasp on her arm. It wouldn't have bothered her if she didn't already have the remnants of a fading purple bruise crawling up her arms from the many other times she felt that grasp. It felt drastically different from the hot and strong hands that she craved.
Her body, although wrapped in the finest silk, was sore and uncomfortable. She knew it wasn't from the conditions of her 'prison' because she had been put into a rather elegant and extravagant room. Her feet, bound by a tall and strappy pair of heels, felt like they were just dragging underneath her as she was pulled down the long stone corridor. She had no idea how long it had been since she first arrived, but it had been long enough that she could feel her . The ice cold hands that held her up jerked her to a stop as they stood in front of the massive and heavy wooden doors at the end of the hallway. As if they had a mind of their own, the doors slowly opened, revealing the drastic contrast between the dark and depressing hallway to the bright and opulent room in front of her. A room that she dreaded stepping into.
Taking one last deep breath and pushing her shoulders back, she walked into the room, shrugging herself away from the hard grip that bit the skin of her arm. The heels she wore made an echoed click as she walked across the floors, and she could see the three chairs staring back at her.
"Miss. Wilder, you are such a vision this evening"
His blood red eyes seemed to look straight into her soul and at first it made her feel naked, but after all this time it now just made her feel resentment and anger.
"I wish I could say the same"
He laughed. The sound of his childish giggle made her skin crawl and her ears ring. Every time she was in their presence she felt the same hum of tension and pure hatred ripping through her body.
"You are so charming, my dear" He motioned for her to follow him to the long banquet table that was set with dinner for her. She walked over and hesitantly took her seat in the chair, not wanting to abide by anything they asked her to do, but at the same time knowing that her hunger was almost too much to bear.
"Have you taken any more time to think about our deal?"
She watched as he walked to the other end of the table and sat with just a beautiful cup filled to the brim with potent and thick 'iron wine'. She couldn't help but grimace as she watched him bring the cup to his lips. The liquid, staining the pale skin surrounding his lips a bright red.
"I don't need time to think about it" Her eyes shifted from him to the rest of the room. She saw that the rest of them sat politely in their seats as if made of stone and watched with intent.
"Now, now, now. We wouldn't want to make hasty decisions. You know the repercussions…"
"You won't hurt me"
"I won't hurt you if you give me what I want, my dear"
Her stomach growled at her as she looked down at the plate before her covered by a massive gold shield. She could still smell the fragrant and savory smell of whatever was hidden before her.
"You won't hurt me at all. Because you need me...alive." She could feel the confidence in her words and she truly believed in every word she said. It was as if she was manifesting her strength and fight in that moment and she felt like she was invincible.
"And what makes you think that?"
She felt the corners of her lips lift into a sadistic and knowing smirk as she starred her dinner companion straight in his eyes. Her bravado didn't go unnoticed and she could see the tiniest bit of confusion and concern flash across his face.
"Because killing me will only seal your fate"
She saw his face fall and the once youthful and jovial look was replaced with one that chilled her bones. She didn't see as someone approached and swiped the plate of food away from its spot in front of her. She could feel her stomach fight against her as the plate vanished.
"Take her back"
He pushed away from the table in anger and she could sense the air in the room thicken with his rage. She didn't get a chance to get up to her own feet before she felt those familiar marble cold hands grab at her again, but this time she fought. She enjoyed pushing his buttons just a little too much.
"You know I am right. You can feel it just like I can."
"Get her out of here!" He shouted so loudly that it's echo seemed to bounce off the walls and rattle the floors.
She just smiled as she was tugged out of the room but she couldn't resist one last look over her shoulder as he paced the room and pulled on his hair frantically. Two others went and pulled the doors open as she was being escorted out, but she could feel that she got under his skin - and she couldn't resist another jab before she left for the evening.
"He's coming for you, Arlo"
He gave her one last manic look in the eye before the doors shut and she was pulled from the room. All she could do was smile as she was dragged back down the stone corridor, but this time her heels confidently strode across the floor and the hand that was gripping her didn't have to pull her away unwillingly. She was riding the wave of adrenaline that fueled her as she burned the memory of Arlo's face, marred with pure frustration and anger, into her mind. She knew this meant that she would be locked in her room and given the bare minimum for food and water until they decided that they were desperate enough to try and break her down. Having been trapped for what felt like months, she knew that as scared as she was, they would have killed her a while ago if they wanted to. They needed her if they wanted to get to him.
They came to the fork in the hallway where if they stayed to the left it led her back to her room; however, the hallway to the right went down a dark stairwell where if you listened closely you could hear muffled cries of pain and anguish. She felt lucky to some extent that she was never brought down those steps, and instead went in the other direction where she had a bed to sleep on.
She was pushed into her room and the door was shut and locked behind her. While she was starving and on an adrenaline high, she knew that if she crawled into bed that sleep would most likely overcome her. She went over to the wardrobe in the corner of the room and slipped the silky gown off her body, leaving her in just her thin bra and panties. The tall mirror in the room caught the reflection of her thinning and tan body. She walked closer so that she could get a better inspection of herself just so that she could be reminded that she was real and that this wasn't all a nightmare. She took inventory as she looked over herself from top to bottom - her long deep chocolate brown hair looked like it was dull and limp and her sharp green eyes looked lost. Her body, once healthy and curvy, now felt thinner and weak. She knew some of it was a result of being locked up but she also knew that some of it had to do with feeling the emotional and physical distress from her strained imprint bond.
She crawled under the lightweight sheets and rested her head on the pillow and felt the tears start to sting the inner corners of her eyes, and she tried her best to contain the salty bullets from running down her cheeks, but it was nearly impossible. She felt a need to be strong in the face of the Volturi; however, once that door to her room locked and she could hide herself under the sheets of the bed, she felt like she was safe enough to be vulnerable. She could let the weight of the situation really sink in and she would spend the moments before she drifted off to sleep, praying with all her heart that he would find her...before it was too late.