Thyra's POV
"What the hell is that!?"
The deep, slow breath he let out before he answered irked every single, already irritated fiber in my body.
"A shifter, werewolf."
Stop it! That was not a werewolf! Massive, ugly, and monster-like, yes, but not a werewolf! That thing looked more like a hellhound or a steroid-fed naked Chinese dog!
"Well, this world is a bit different than yours, human!"
"Human me this and human me that! I know what I am and where I am from, but do you?! Don’t answer and stop breathing like that! "
Finally, that filthy man made a good decision and walked away. Huffing, puffing, and stomping like a toddler with clenched fists, but at least he left, and I don’t have to listen to that whiny voice. Kneeling, my body still stiff after a long time in the bush and wilderness, I turned my focus toward the cage. And I forgot all about how terrible it had been waiting out in the wild here, all about that animal of a man and his whiny voice; all I saw was her.
This new place, this new world, still surprised me, still scared me, and still managed to amaze me. However, this was new. The size of that beast was nothing short of impressive, and watching it slaughter the entire fake army is something no amount of therapy can help me forget. The screams, those sickening crunching and breaking sounds, would forever be carved in my marrow and memory. But now, I felt like I looked down on a dirty, naked, and mistreated version of myself.
Her hair was matted with blood and gore, and her pale skin was covered with bruises, cuts, scars, and wounds. Not to mention all the dirt, grass, and unknown debris that covered the girl’s body. The contrast between her and that massive, dark, nightmare-fueled creature that killed everything that moved was staggering - from that horror to this peaceful sleeping woman.
The moment the cage closed around it, I swear it laughed or at least smiled as it curled into a ball on the grass before the shift began.
The shift? The transition? I have no idea what these freaks call it, but at least it started shifting from monster to human. The moment the beast was gone, she was there. Just lying there, sleeping. From screams, growls, and despair to deep, steady breaths. She almost looked peaceful, like a child who had just had the time of its life in the forbidden mudpuddle. Curling up like a ball on top of blood-soaked grass, she slept. How could she even sleep? Here, and now? She looked cold, but at the same time not. She just slept, like she didn’t have a care in the world.
Angry, I stood up and kicked the cage-one, two, then three times.
"Let me go!"
I barked out just as some idiot rushed over, grabbed my arm, and pulled me back. At the same time, we both held our breath and listened to the deep growling sound behind us in the cage. It felt like minutes before we slowly turned around. She hadn't moved a muscle. Still curled up, her chest rose and sank in a steady rhythm, but the deep rumbling was still there. It almost sounded like she suddenly started snoring, but we’re no fools; even I, the phony human, could feel every single hair on my body stand straight up.
"Take her away!"
First, I just watched the caged, waiting for her to be transported to the custom-built carriage. However, I soon realized he was talking about me!
" Do not touch me, animal!"
I scoffed as I attempted to yank my hand out of his grip.
"Ouch! You are hurting me! Let me go!"
His fingers tightened around my upper arm, and nails, or claws, or whatever he had, threatened to pierce my skin.
" Shut up, human! Do not forget who you are and why you are here. Get her away, lock her back up."
He shouted the last part over my head just as he pushed me back, making me stumble and fall.
My cheeks burned, and my anger boiled beneath my skin as one of his little warriors lifted me up and knocked me on my ass. He didn’t even bother to check if I fell or if I was okay after! Just waved us away before turning his back on us and walking over to one of the torn-down tents.
"You can’t treat me... like this! Ouch!"
"Please stop talking!"
The warrior spoke in slow, bored tones as he dragged me away before I could finish talking or yelling. These idiots might smell bad and look dirty, but they are strong. No matter what I did or tried, nothing stopped them, and I ended up being half-dragged and half-running on my toes after him.
I hate this place!
I hate these creatures, humans, beasts, and monsters!
For hours, I sat alone in that small, dark crate. Watched from a distance as the others cleaned up the field and began preparing the cage for transport. Too far away to hear what was said or see what they truly did, I watched. Alone, I curled up in the little wooden box, looked through the steel bars, saw the sun pass across the sky, and held myself tightly as the shadows grew taller and the cold crept over my skin.
Not once did anyone check on me, not once did anyone even offer me water. What if I died? Didn’t they ever think about that?
I will have a serious conversation with him when we get back. I know they need me, and I will demand they at least treat me with respect!
He will make sure they do. Perhaps, I could even punish some of them if I play my cards right.
My little wooden prison jumped and rattled as we moved down the bumpy, dirty road, and the pitch-black night hid my smirk.