The Way Things Used To Be (Duke)

She was acutely aware that Jace was there.

Memory kicked in as she slowly came to her senses. Was it all a dream, with running away and finding Duke and almost getting her ear chewed off? She felt Jace wrapped protectively around her. Had he been out? He smelled different. She fluttered her eyes open, seeing the winter wonderland through blurry vision. She blinked a few times, and she abruptly trembled in fear. She quickly shut her eyes. If Jace was there, and he was awake and saw her up, he'd take her yet again.

She clenched her teeth to keep from letting out the soft whine that was building in her throat. He couldn't be awake yet, or else he would've already mounted her by now. Was he asleep? She opened her stormy orbs just a little, and saw a dark brown tail wrapped around her, a similar colored body pressed against her back. That wasn't Jace. Jace was black. Was she with a new male? Perhaps the Delta? Maybe the Admiral? She didn't remember much of the previous night, so maybe she had been traded off again.

But the weird thing was, Jace had warned everybody that once he claimed Emily as his mate, no male would ever touch her again. And he definitely warned them to never do anything except be pleased once and return her immediately. She was never allowed to spend the night with another male, let alone cuddle with him through the sleeping hours.

Plus, she wasn't in a den. It was an unwritten and unsaid rule that if you were going to violate a female, the males would do it in private.  They maintained their practices and kept them to themselves. If they found the weakness in a fae, it was their secret to keep. They never shared, unless they were trading the females, that is.

So who was this wrapped around her? Why was her head pounding? Why did her ear subtly burn? She didn't dare move, in fear of waking up the male pressed against her back.

Ever so slowly, the alpha awake feeling the storm ease up. Though he was awake, he kept his eye lid shut refusing to get up quite yet. He became aware of the body pressed against him. Memories seem to flood his head. Ah, he remember seeking warmth from the female. The little bird's breathing change upon waking. His lips turn up in a wolfish smirk. Duke was highly amused as her heart beat quickens. You would think she was dying. He open one golden eye sparking with mischief. Duke flicked his tail against her, to frighten the she wolf. She was just to easy sometimes. A chuckle rumble in his chest.

Finally taking pity on the terrified wolf, he stopped his teasing. lifted his head and let a great yawn loose. Licking his muzzle, Duke looked over them noting her ear was looking just fine. The only thing she would be feeling would be an ache. In a much chipper mood then yesterday, he nose her ear, nipping softly. "I know you're awake, little one." He grunts, moving his head to nibble on his shoulder.

His mind shifted to the tasks he plan for the rest of the day. He had to show his beta around first of course. Maybe should go hunting as well. They couldn't survive on one merely rabbit. Duke wanted to see what his new beta could do. If she was truly worthy to be in his pack. That and what he needed to teach her. He remember saying something about being an alpha's daughter. Surely he taought her something besides abuse.

She finally let out the whine as the stranger's tail flicked against her flank. They nosed then ever so slightly bit her ear, the one that burned. She flinched, trying to move her head away. The voice paralyzed her. Oh shit... she whimpered in her mind. How long until she would be forced to her tired feet and mounted?

"I'm tired. I can't stand," she whimpered. Sometimes that bought her a little time with Jace. Tears welled up in her eyes. Why couldn't that dream have been real? She had actually escaped from Jace and River and every other male. At least that male, the one who appointed her as his beta, had no clear intention of violating her.

She snuggled more into the stranger, hoping to buy more time. She felt so weak, and the headache was killing her. She knew she couldn't handle more exhaustion or pain at this rate.

His ears perked forward at her words and little whimpers. He had a feeling they were not entirely directed at him, since they didn't make sense to him. Not really bothered by them, he nuzzle her thin fur that covered her back. Strange, much to thin for a wolf. She really was unhealthy. He briefly wondered how she survived the cold. "Then don't." He huffs in his low rough tone. He wasn't ready to leave yet anyways. Feeling her snuggle closer, his brow raised curious. What was she doing? Not sure if he liked it, Duke shifted onto his paws. His banner high keeping a dominate pose.

Shaking the snow clinging to his thick coat off, Duke then proceed step over the female to the half eaten rodent. His dark fur standing out. "Can you eat?" He questioned over his shoulder to Little Bird. The alpha pawed the frozen treat. Can't have things go to waste. If she couldn't eat, he certainly could.

A white fog seem to settle over the clearing, making it almost impossible to see 10 feet in front of him. In this weather most likely going to be difficult finding prey. He was up for anything. He'll make sure Little Bird was too.

She sighed as the stranger said she didn't have to get up, which in her mind, meant she had plenty of time to regain her strength, both mental and physical, to prepare herself again. He got to his feet, but she still didn't open her eyes. She just shook her head in response to his question, not knowing what he was asking her to eat, but her stomach protested at the thought of it.

She finally opened her eyes, and she rolled from her side to her belly. She saw a figure padding away from her, the brown fur that was wrapped around her and kept her warm. At that thought, a breeze smacked into her and immediately, she felt like ice.

"It's cold," she called, trying to make small talk. She shivered, successfully shaking off the little snow on her body, thanks to the male's barricade. "Thank you, for keeping me warm last night. I probably would've frozen to death..." she murmured. She stared at him, flicking her ears back and forth. She finally got up the courage to ask the question that was on her mind.

"Who are you?"

He snorted. "Of course its cold. It's winter after all." Grabbing onto a rabbit's leg, he ripped into it. The taste of meat eased his stomach pains for now. It wasn't fresh, but he couldn't complain. There were times he never got a meal for two weeks. Duke gulp a few more bites down saving a tiny bit for her. Even though she said that she didn't want any, he'll still get her to eat. Its better to have something in your stomach then nothing at all.

His thoughts turn to the old days when him and Ben use to fight over the meal. Sizing each other up, seeing who was strongest. His usual cold eyes softens, a sad emotion hidden in their depths. He quickly pushed those emotions away. Those were weaknesses he refuse to have. Duke was stronger then them. The ghost will not have him.

The alpha grunts in knowledge to her thanks. She was right, the fragile female would have died. She should be grateful to him. Shaking his head, he turn to her sharply hearing her last words. Was she joking? His Little Bird must have mistaken her for someone else. His golden eyes fell on her, amused smirk on his muzzle. "Forgotten me already? I'm hurt." He teased, nudging the dead rodent to her. "Here I thought I was unforgettable." Duke hums, proceeding to groom his lighter mixed color chest.

She ducked her head in embarrassment. "My memory's been a tad foggy... I don't remember much of last night either..." she says. His replies were so suggestive, it irked her. What had he done to her the previous night?

She shook her head at what was left of the frozen meal that was nudged toward her. Her stomach was churning. Here she was, in a strange and unrecognizable place with a male she didn't remember and had no memory of what he had done to her. She watched as he groomed his fur, and she licked her nose as the cold air was drying it out.

She found the tips of tree roots poking out of the fog. "What's that?" she asked in reference to the hidden, fallen tree. Still lying down, she nodded toward the wooden structure. She blinked a few times, her eyelids still heavy. "Sir, if you don't mind me asking... where am I?"

His dark eyes flash with anger once more at the word. His mood quickly changing. He stopped his grooming to looking at her now. She already forgot everything huh? Well time for her to remember who she was calling sir. A low grumble escape his muzzle as he approached her, tail lazily swaying back and forth. An almost charming smile on his muzzle. He kept to a relaxed stance so to not alert her to his intentions. Standing in front of her, he lower his head to her injured ear. His dark eyes never leaving her face, wanting to see every emotion coming off of her.

"Now little bird, who do you think you are calling Sir?" He whispered, spitting the word sir. A dark snarl escapes his chest. How dare she forget her alpha. "Maybe this will refreshes your memory." The alpha snapped his jaws near her muzzle like before, a warning. "I'm alpha to you." Duke then nudge the rodent to her once more. "Now eat some, or you won't have an ear no more." He threatens, his own torn ear flickering. A wolf couldn't catch a break now could he.

She scrambled backwards as it all came back to her. Little Bird, being appointed as beta, running away from Jace, the attack on her ear, everything.

It wasn't a dream.

"I-I-I-I... I'm sorry!" she pleaded. She nodded at his command and hesitantly lowered her head toward the meal. She took two bites, then shook her head and backed away yet again. She glanced up at him. "I'm sorry... alpha," she whimpered.

She didn't feel like a beta, to put it blatantly. She felt like a lowly omega, or at least that's how he seemed to be treating her. What were his plans for her? A billion things ran through her head, all terrible possibilities. She shook her head at her own mind, tears welling up in her eyes. "Please don't hurt me, alpha," she begged.

His ears perked forward, observing his beta finally eat. Satisfied, he nodded towards her signaling his aggression comes to an end. Deciding they need more rest before venturing anywhere else, Duke laid out his large paws spread out in front of him as he rested on his stomach. His muscles ripple from his every movement. Licking his champs, Duke focus his gaze out towards the noisy river. It seems the ice was melting. It was close to an end. How lovely was his only thoughts.

"What do you know?" He suddenly spoke up, ignoring her begging as he referred to her knowledge of survival. At least she was finally catching on to his strict rule. Always follow his command. He didn't want another outbreak like that ever again. Swallowing the growl he wanted to release after thinking of the disease wolves. His stubby ear laid flat against his skull.  He noticed the fog breaking up and the ghost lurking beyond the forest. Sharply he turned his head to Little Bird, rather look at her then the zombiefied wolves. This time he waited patiently for her answer much to comfortable to use brute force on the female.