I fell asleep with the book in my arms, waking up to sunlight streaming into my room. I groaned sitting up, the sound of the book hitting the floor causing me to jump and my heart lurching into my throat. I leaned over to see that the book fell face down on the floor, the pages bending. I held my chest, not realizing that the book slid out of my grasp until it was too late. I seized it as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes with a long, drawn-out yawn. I slid off the bed and walked out of the bedroom and down the hall to the kitchen, but not before I made a pitstop in the bathroom.

I examined the clock to see that it was almost 8 in the morning. I yawned again, placing my book on the counter as I went to the fridge to see that my skipped meal had been removed during the night, along with the milk. I frowned, pulling out the appointed breakfast and going to heat it up in the microwave. The person either never left the house or they were close by to easily come into the house while I was asleep. The food was the same as yesterday's, making me frown with disappointment. Was this what I would be fed? The same couple of meals for the rest of my days?

I sighed, at least I was going to be fed. I thought to myself as the microwave beeped, signaling that my breakfast was indeed done. I looked to the front door, food in hand. Did I dare go back to see if it was unlocked? Surely it wasn't. I moved to the door, twisting the handle and pulling. Much to my surprise, it was open. I eyed the area around me, seeing if there was any sign of the beast that was guarding the house.

Seeing nothing, I grabbed my breakfast and went to sit at the table, looking around the place I was in. I chewed my breakfast slowly, less hungry than I was last night, noticing that there was no noise around me. Not even birds chirping. A sign that a creature was indeed close. That's what I hated most about the beasts that lurked in our town, small animals like birds and squirrels and such didn't live in the area's that they frequented. I only ever saw them consistently in the forest where I went to sit often. 

I gulped, looking around the tree line to see if maybe I could catch a glimpse of something moving, but couldn't see anything. I knew it was there, I could feel it deep down. I didn't need physical proof to know that there was something hiding in the treeline, watching me. It was highly unlikely that the creature would come out unless I left the porch like I did last night, so as long as I kept to myself, it would too. Or so I hoped. I did my best to not seem bothered as I finished my breakfast, but the feeling of being watched continued to egg at me. I stood up, going to the edge of the porch, looking around. I took a deep breath, looking down to see a flower bush underneath me.

I took a peek to see if anything was close and went to the stairs, standing on the last step. I heard a growl in front of me, a warning guttural noise that made me freeze for a second before I continued to reach for the flower. I couldn't quite reach it from where I was standing, so I stepped down another stair. I jumped but paid no mind to the second growl. I had no plans of leaving the stairs. I knew better than that.

I leaned over the railing, my fingers wrapping around the rose and pulling it off. I leaned against the wooden structure, studying the flower. It reminded me of my grandma's house and the many different flowers she had planted. She always said that flowers ward off evil, because what was more innocent than a flower?

I didn't hear the sound of wood cracking until it was too late, and I was being dumped into the bushes below me, causing me to scream in shock. I panted settling in the bush and felt my skin tearing as the thorns ripped into my delicate flesh. I cried, doing my best to try and get out of the bush without getting hurt even more. I stopped moving, realizing that there was no way out of this mess unless I got hurt more. I closed my eyes, heaving a sigh. I debated laying here until whoever planned on getting me later arrived. Trying to find the best way out of this scenario without getting hurt. 

My eyes snapped open, the sound of footsteps growing closer made me want to jump right out of the bush. My heart began to race and I attempted to escape, but the stupid fabric of the dress kept getting snagged on the thorns, making me grow frustrated. I realized that the sound of footsteps seised, making me stop struggling.

I looked over to see a large muzzle rooting the dirt. I heard the sound of the creature sniffing, then a low irritated growl came out of its mouth, baring its teeth at me. I held my breath as I watched with horror the creature move to where I was laying, giving me another growl. I watched as its massive paw came down on the bush revealing the creature to me. I didn't dare move. I didn't know what to do.

The creature softly growled again, as if telling me to get up. "I can't- my dress is stuck," I stuttered looking down at my scratched and bleeding skin. The creature looked down at me, seeming annoyed. "I didn't leave the porch! The porch dumped me off!" I cried, trying to untangle myself from the bush but failing, every time I seemed to move the dress only getting more and more caught. I was growing more frustrated by the minute, giving one last sigh and covering my face with my hands feeling a lump form in my throat. I was so helpless, I couldn't even get myself out of this mess and now this creature was very clearly belittling me. I didn't want to cry, I couldn't cry in front of this thing, I didn't want to show it that I was vulnerable. And most of all, I didn't want to break my promise to August.

The beast let out a huff, leaning down and nipped the dress I wore, causing part of it to shred in the process. I gasped, afraid of what the creature was doing. I realized after it leaned away, it had torn a hole large enough for my hand to fit into. I breathed a sigh of relief, finishing the job by ripping the delicate fabric off my body and leaving it behind me as I stood up, earning more scratches on my skin.

I covered myself, the feeling of being bare in front of the creature making me feel embarrassed for some reason, not that I cared or anything. The fact that the creature could possibly see me again was my biggest issue, and it would recognize me, but I wouldn't recognize it. I may have had panties on, but I didn't have a bra, since I was not provided one. The creature looked at me, giving me a soft grumble. It took its paw off the bush and stood beside me, nudging my legs. I looked down, too afraid to move. The awe that I felt replaced with fear again.

I felt as the creature's tongue lapped at my legs, making me gasp in shock and disgust. I looked down to see that it was cleaning my wounds. I watched as the cuts began to disappear, mouth agape. "What the-" I began to say but was interrupted by the creature's growl. I looked down at my other leg that was also now rid of cuts. My eyes went to my arms and torso, I breathed realizing that I had no choice but to let him lick my arms and bare stomach. I looked away, not wanting to watch as the creature licked me clean.

After it was done, it gave me one final growl. "No need to tell me twice." I sped into the house and closed the door behind me, not bothering with my bowl on the outside table.

I took a deep breath, sinking into the chair in front of me. That thing could have killed me for disobeying it, but it didn't. Instead, it helped me out of the bush, after all, the creature could have just let me suffer in the thorns until I mustered up the courage to finally get up myself. I let out a shaky sigh, the dirt, and leaves that covered my body needed to be washed off, so I went to take my second and final shower. Praying that I would be given a second dress and I wouldn't have to be naked in front of the stranger or strangers that would be here in a matter of hours now. Much to my relief, there was a second dress where the first one was yesterday. I lamented, climbing into the shower knowing that I didn't have to walk around naked until I was taken later.

I showered instantly pulling the rose leaves out of my hair as I washed it. Eventually, after being in there for so long that my fingers and toes pruned up, I climbed out. Squeaky clean and ready for lunch and my next lesson. I was exhausted and my body felt like it should still be tingling with pain since I did just fall into a rose bush, but there was nothing. I couldn't feel anything, let alone not see any markings on my body.

I made my way back down the hallway to see that my breakfast bucket was sitting on the table, along with the rose that I pulled off the bush. I pursed my lips, shaking my head as I looked around the house, "I feel like you're rubbing it in now." I grumbled. I was right, there was someone nearby keeping an eye on me. Imagine their surprise when I fell off the porch into a heap into the bushes.

I brought the bowl to the sink, then went to the fridge to grab out my lunch since I was late and my lesson most likely would begin soon. I popped the food into the microwave, checking the time to see that it was almost 12. I rapped my fingers impatiently on the countertop as I waited for my food to completely heat up. As if time was passing faster than I expected, the microwave beeped, signaling that the food was done. I took it out just as the tv beeped, indicating that my new lesson was about to commence. I took my lunch to the living space, sitting on the floor because I didn't want to get food on the chair.

I took a bite as the counter ended and the 'Standby' screen appeared. I leaned against the chair, watching as the male appeared once again. I opened my mouth, "Welcome," he spoke his now-infamous opening as I mouthed with him in perfect unison. I chuckled to myself as the man greeted me, a new image appearing on the screen. It was a graph. I was slowly putting the events of earlier behind me.

"Today, you will be learning about the basic structure of a pack," he told. "Alpha, if that wasn't obvious, is the leader of the pack, so-called King, if you will. There are two alphas to a pack. An Alpha male, who leads the entire pack, and an Alpha female, who looks after the females of the pack only. Their word is final, their word is the law. Beta's, are second in command. Whenever the Alpha is away, regardless if it be female or male, Beta is in control. Their position is not to be challenged, and they are respected as well. There is normally an appointed male and female Beta, however, if they should die, everyone underneath them is shifted and moved up. Betas typically are not mates, but can be." He explained in his deep vibrato voice. I raised my eyebrows in interest, popping more food into my mouth. 

"Gammas or elders, are retired Alpha's who now hold a lower position in the pack, but are still held with great respect. They are sought for guidance on things of great importance, often referred to as the Council. There are many Gamma's or there can be, many Gammas in a pack. Delta's are seen as messengers, but they still hold great importance to the pack. They often speak for the Alpha's if the Alpha's cannot be somewhere, such as the Culling. Alpha's prefer to let Delta's deal with Culling's since their identities are known amongst the most if not all the neighboring human establishments. Epsilon's are the pack guardians, specially trained to protect the Alphas at any cost. They also protect high ranking pups. For those of you who may have strayed outside your appointed home may have run into one, since these are often placed outside the temporary homes of Culling's who the Alphas may think may try and escape."

My mouth fell open, a green bean falling out of my gaping mouth. The alpha gave me a guardian because he knew I would try and get out! Well, jokes on him. I didn't intentionally try to escape.

"The others in the pack hold no importance to you unless you want to know more about them. There will be someone to explain more to you when you arrive at the undisclosed location where you will be sorted into your proper place." He spoke, his voice droned on and on about what was going to happen later tonight, adding to my nerves. Even though my nerves were on edge, I seemed to get through my meal.

I stood up after my lesson ended and went to the kitchen to put my bowel in the sink. I sat down at the table see that it was already after 3. Only a short few hours before my future began...

I didn't want to face it, but I had no choice.

Survive or die trying.