Chapter 4

Snow's Point of View [POV]

The Queen's words echo through my mind when I see Ellie awake and standing on top of that hill above the river. No, she screamed, giving away her position. I also see a dagger in her hand. My dagger.

Just more oddities since the snow started to melt after Ellie's cursed 'death'.

I had my suspicions and now they were confirmed with Ellie breathing.

The Queen of my demise is always there; taunting me with her words. Always. An echo of the curse. She was a hideous witch. The face of a raven and claws of a cat. She held immense power for shifting body parts while sharing her body with other creatures.

She was warped and she was connected to powerful magic; the very magic that made me into what I am.

A wolf warrior. With my pack. My friends. My men.

At the time, over 250 years ago, we needed the shifting power from the Queen, now it all seems like a sorrowful nightmare I was glad to forget.

Except we never did forget, because we were still cursed.

We were not 'werewolves' but we used the supernatural myth as an excuse to disguise our mission - finding the one to Burn our Curse.

The Queen overpowered me that final day she asked me to kill my family. Even when I snapped, she planned it, she expected it and used my anger against me. But in her will, she decided to torture me for a good while; a small eternity for my betrayal.

When you break your curse, Snowred, you'll only find love once again. You don't deserve love when your loyalty lacks a heart for your real true love and mistress; me. I. Have. Always. Owned. Your. Heart. It was the price for your position and power that I gave to you. And when I give it back to you now, as you've kindly requested by trying to kill me, it'll be to your witless end - because when you snatch it up and try to tame it - you'll break it. What is it, you ask? I'll give your heart to a girl. Weak and ravaged by life. She'll be timid and shy. Meek and mild. The catch will be that she has a will for independence as her greatest strength. The only way to get her to love and return your heart will be to break her will. In that moment, she'll either fall in love with you for your arrogance or cut out your heart for your cruelty. When a weak woman finds her fury through being ravaged by a monster like you, you'll see what she chooses is wiser only for her. You'll see that you're not worthy of someone's mercy. Everyone dies, Snowred, and some like you deserve it - preferably by the hand of someone you love.

Such dramatics.

But it was still spoken by words of truth that had laid out my fate as she commanded it.

And that is why I run for Ellie now.

It was all weaving together.

Ellie was alive from my blood so she was the one to break my curse. I could not let her escape.

Ellie would be the key to my freedom.

I did not love her. I did not love anyone.

So. I didn't care if she screamed.

From now on, I had my task and that was to crack her remaining stubborn will.

Crack it, then watch her fall at my feet.

As for my pack behind me, tagging along - they would also enjoy the female company.

It had been too long since we shared a meal together.

And Ellie would be the perfect treat with a rewarding end, whether or not it went in my favour, I would enjoy every moment just to spite that bitch Queen.

Ellie's [POV]

Oh, no. I can run fast but I can't run fast enough in this long night gown. My gown keeps getting caught in the winding twigs from the trees.

Then my quick fate is to hear Snow's snarling breath getting closer, as my night gown gets snagged one more time and then my feet trip under an exposed root.

I tumble down as Snow lunges over me and I pull up the dagger to protect myself.

"Stop!" I scream, but as I hold up the dagger - snatch.

Snow takes it back as he lands by my head smoothly, looking down at my felled form with a wide smile.

"Ellie," Snow snarls with such amusement, "Welcome back to the land of monsters. No. This isn't the afterlife - you are still alive. Nothing to worry about, honey."

Snow squats down and uses the tip of the dagger to flick a piece of dirt off my cheek.

I jerk my head to the side, gasping.

Only a moron would risk such a move - a flick to the ninth degree would have cut me.

"Wolves," Snow looks up as the other men dressed in their breeches, same as Snow, surround me and look in, "...we have warmth in the weather, you all have your voices back, and now we have a fated female too... doesn't it just get better and better?"

"What are you talking about?" I whisper it, still getting my breath back.

"She's rather small framed," one of the other wolves speaks.

"Aye, a meek and fragile thing," Snow murmurs, watching me and not helping me up.

Fine. I'll do it myself!

I roll to my front and I go to stand, but as I try it, Snow's boot lands on the back of my head - keeping my face into the dirt. He doesn't rub it in, but he doesn't let me get up.

"Ellie," Snow speaks, "I have some news you may not like."

"Let me up!" I scream and only then does Snow take his boot back. Impressed by my lungs, I guess, because I finally 'speak up'.

I scramble to my feet and dust off the dirt, glaring around at the pack of wolves who lean on tree trunks, winking and smiling at me.

Flirting with me?

In a time like this?

And then I face Snow, my fists clenched and held up in front of me as he stands with one foot on the root culprit that tripped me up, and a fist on his hip, with the dagger in his other hand - so comfortable as he twirls it around.

"What news?" I ask, "Perhaps you should ask if I have news, since I survived your cursed blood -"

"The only news that is relevant is my news, child," Snow says 'child' just to provoke me.

It works.

"I'M NOT A CHILD!" I scream at him.

"What a voice. Okay Ellie... you're a stag."

"I'M NOT A STAG EITHER!"

"You're a horse," Snow rumbles with laughter, oh, he loves this game.

"I'M NOT A HORSE!" ARGH! I want to pummel my fist through his stupid face, if only he wasn't so tall and out of reach, "Why are you calling me these silly names?"

"They're just things I eat to survive on cursed blood. Children's screams. Animal's guts. The hearts of women. You're a lady... Ellie," Snow gives in, half shrugging, "I'll go with lady, shall I? There's no difference to me. I'll eat you all the same," he smirks.

"I wouldn't be very tasty -"

"I'm not done speaking, honey," Snow barks yet more laughter when I gasp with his rough talk, "...I'm going to savour you... every bit of you..."

"Like I said, I wouldn't be very appetising. I have a small frame, as he - he said -" I look over at him and the name is on the tip of my tongue, for the knight with a lopsided mouth and lazy handsome brown eyes, "Noel?"

Noel's eyes widen.

Snow's amusement falls flat.

I look around, my mouth running off with gifted knowledge with my rebirth through this magical fate, "Claus," covered in handsome freckles, "Leif," muddy hair, killer abs, "Vali," a typical arrogant prince who always looks bored, "Kip," impatient and short tempered, "Wes," a singer and a graceful killer.

How do I know all this?

"Snow?" Leif speaks up, clearing his throat, "Only the Queen knew those names..."

"I know," Snow growls it, menacing, like he wants to kill me for acquiring such knowledge.

I gulp, "I told you I have a story to tell, before I woke up - this raven with one eye- it - um..."

Snow's eyes widen at the mention of the raven.

"The Queen made you into a hunter?" Snow asks, shocked.

"...um, yes..."

Snow breaks out into a silent grin and looks at the rest of them.

They all share handsome, unsure grins.

"What is a hunter to you, Snow?" I whisper.

"Well, it only makes sense," Snow sing-songs to his pack, before meeting my eyes with a twinkle of excitement in his own, "You do need the strength to kill me. Because I have the task of ravaging you, Ellie. And it's your choice... what you want to do... tolerate me, teach me to love, teach me to feel again - because I feel nothing. Or... kill me when you realise I'm completely soulless," Snow smiles like the wolf in the wild that invites you to his house for tea, only to do as he truly desires. Ravages you. Mercilessly. All for his selfish gain.

"I actually have a statement to make," I raise my chin, "Soulless. Or not," I glance around at the pack, "I. Will. Not. Kill. Anyone."

"You'll change your mind," Snow speaks generously, "Oh, you will. Trust me."

"Why?" I snap.

Snow pauses and inhales a big breath, glancing over, smugly at each member of his pack.

Then his ice blue eyes glance at me and they flash with more devilish thoughts.

"Are you a virgin?" Snow asks, quietly. I nod. Meekly. No need to lie about that, "Shame."

"Shame -?"

"It means we'll have to be gentle the first time," Snow's lip curls, "Because you're going to be our little whore, Ellie. Feel free to run along. We love a good chase. And this one ended too quickly, so..." Snow stalks forward, the big lumbering warrior, reaching down to my dress.

I'm terrified he'll throw it off me with what he just spit out.

Instead, Snow stabs it through and rips it off past my knees.

He spins me to take the length of it off.

"Better," he murmurs, grabbing my shoulder and shoving me along, "Go."

"I won't just run knowing you'll catch me."

"True, so here is some motivation," Snow leans down to whisper at me like I'm daft, "If you get back to the den first, I'll pour you a hot bath and let you bathe in private. I'll even feed you a hot bowl of broth and give you a chance to... get to know us, in that female way, you call it... talking. How about it?"

"And if you catch me before I get to the den?" I whisper it, nervous.

Snow doesn't want to answer me, he just barks out a half laugh and stands tall, hand pressing to my hip as he pushes me along once more.

"How much of a head start?" Noel asks Snow as I stumble through the dirt before I pick up speed.

"7," Snow starts calling out, "...6... 5..." I know he's doing it to give me an idea of how many damn wolf-men I need to service if he has his way with me, "...4...3...2... oh, and me, which counts for about, another 7."

Roaring laughter shared by all of them.

And I've managed to put some distance, with my freed legs and my new strength.

However, I just don't know if it's enough -

No.

It is.

I'll make it.

I just have to focus every stride, not take the wrong direction, maybe take a short cut or two and I'd make it back before they would.

It was a short run and I was determined to make it. I was dying to win the challenge set forth. It might win me some respect. It certainly wouldn't if I lost.

I had no choice. I had to make it back before they caught me. What Snow said, it had barely registered.

I didn't want to believe it.

So I simply had no other option.

I had to win this small challenge. He would keep to his word - I... think.

Except for one fatal mistake on my part. I forget...

...I can't hear the men running because...

Oh. No.

When I look over my shoulder - I see big fast moving shapes.

Fur of predators. Top of the food chain in this area of the world.

The wolves are closing in, tongues lolling, eyes focused on their prey, being led by one white wolf, bigger than all of them.

Snowred has a red tongue and red eyes in this form.

He is barely running. He is barely pushing any of his muscles to make an effort.

But his eyes - they are narrowed and they look angry and... disastrously lustful.

Oh, shit, no!

I face forward, adrenaline pushing me forward before I feel wind whip by my head and I see the raven.

It flies up and drops the same white bone dagger from before.

Yes!

I snatch it from the air as it falls and for once I'm glad to hold it.