Chapter 4 Heated dance

I didn't know I could fall in love with dancing, especially if you ignore the unpleasant audience but it's been two weeks and I now look forward to the beginning of my set and the end of it.

The start was because I was fast becoming good at this and the end was because of the money.

Vic picks the money himself, being the Scrooge that he is, and then right after he hands me my half.

It gave me space to take a deep breath;

My sister's drugs cost so much but with each payment, I get closer to having enough to get something for myself.

Today, I finished my set, and the money was enough to give Steven something; I'd had to stop recently.

“You always have stars in your eyes,” he said as I dropped the money.

I shook my head, laughing.

“You always say the craziest things, Steve.”

A figure pushed off the wall and the second I saw who it was, I pulled out the knife Vic gave me last week.

I'm not a violent person and I probably wouldn't be able to do much damage but if this asshole doesn't move out of my way…

“So this is why you've been blowing me off, huh?” Matt sneered, “Because you want to whore yourself out to these wolves? Do they fuck better than I do?”

I flinched.

“Everybody fucks better than you, Matt!” I snarled, my fingers tightening around the knife. “Everybody is better, stronger, and kinder than you. You can't even blame the ley lines for your corruption because that's all you ever were. Get out of my way or I swear to God I'll kill you before these raiders take me again!”

I was shivering but for the first time, he saw me and what he saw must have scared him shitless cause he was out of my face in seconds.

At least he's good at running.

"Now there's fire in your eyes."

"Thanks Steve," I grunted, and began running to the hospital.

There were hardly any cabs around the outskirts, everyone was scared of getting kidnapped. Only the trains taking people into the walled cities were vetted and trusted.

So, everyone walked or ran, because there was probably a wolf raider lurking somewhere.

It was a terrible way to live, constantly in fear but we didn't have much of a choice.

We lived this way and if we don't make it out, we die in the hands of our oppressors.

Protesting led to nothing but bloodshed and we already have enough of that.

When I got to Marvel's ward, a small room with fifteen other people packed together, my eyes watered.

My sister was lying on the small cot, her body glowing blue but I knew she was immobile.

It was devastating the first time I knew that and it still is now.

"Oh you're here," I turned to see Doctor Brown in jeans and a faded shirt walking into the ward after me.

"How is she, doc?"

"She's ready to be discharged," he replied, barely looking up at me.

"Dis.. discharged? Why? She's still bedridden!"

"And would probably be for the rest of her life but at least you can spend her last days with her without all of this...dreary air."

"But you promised you could heal her," I whispered, my voice broken.

"I could if I had the right drugs, but the type I have access to and that you can afford, will only keep her in this state. She's able to talk now and move a few fingers but that's it. If you can take her to New York, then she'll be back on her feet in less than two weeks," he droned on, handing me a pamphlet. "But other than that, I'll assign her a nurse so you don't have to bear the burden alone."

"My sister is not a burden!"

He gave me a look behind his blue-tinted glasses and proceeded to write something in his notebook.

"I'll send someone to help you move her. Please pay him well," he said after a few seconds, his voice filled with nothing.

He'd lost his touch with his humanity and who wouldn't?

This place was filled with people marked for death.

"What about her drugs?"

"Pick them up from the counter as usual Miss Moreno," he snapped, walking past me to another patient.

It felt like I was being drowned with a lead tied to my neck.

---

Without my sister's life assured, this whole thing felt like a waste of time.

But still, the wolves surrounding the fighting ring roared for action, for excitement... For the dance they were promised.

Several other pubs existed around here but ever since I started dancing, the crowd has been getting larger.

And rowdier.

My body moved to the beat but my enthusiasm was gone.

It felt like a job now, one that I hated so much I felt like throwing up.

I was so tired too, taking care of Marvel during the day and dancing here at night was taking its toll on me.

But there was nothing better to do and I just wanted my mum back.

My set was coming to a close when the crowd suddenly grew silent, the hall filled with a hush that scared me.

Have the raiders taken things a step further?

I didn't stop dancing though, I wouldn't want to start this whole thing afresh, I was working from muscle memory at this point.

That's how distracted I'd been.

But my eyes were at the entrance where more bodies trooped into the hot and full pub, making the wolves there uncomfortable.

And soon I realised why.

From what I've learned, werewolves are territorial, and even when it's not really theirs, once they lay claim to it, they will be vicious about protecting it.

So when I saw the rogue Alpha walk into a predominantly non-rogue pub like The Pit, I knew trouble was coming.

But that's not where my problem lies.

It was my own body suddenly deciding we now have the zeal to dance.

I didn't know his real name but I could draw his eyes with mine closed and despite the chaos around him, he was staring right at me.

And suddenly, I wasn't tired anymore.

I wanted him to see me, to like me to...

Fuck, what is wrong with me?

Is this because he rescued me?

It didn't matter why, I just kept performing, doing splits I didn't know I could do and soon, the crowd shifted their attention from the intrusion to me.

And the arousal seeping out of me.

I couldn't smell it as much as they could but I saw tongues and noses pushing forward.

But my eyes remained on his own, and fuck, I haven't had sex in a while but he was dripping with it.

The way he sat like he owned the room, sipping from the cup he was just handed... I wanted to lick the wolf tattoo on his naked chest.

Okay, get it together, Raven. You don't like werewolves and they destroyed your life.

Wrap it up.

Thankfully the music was coming to an end and I finished my set with a spiral around the pole I usually didn't touch.

All for him.

I think I'm going to be sick.

More money than I'd ever been thrown poured from the crowd, like it was a contest of some sort.

No matter, I can finally start saving money for us to go to the city.

I was heading towards the back door so I could watch Vic and make sure he's not cheating me when I heard a growl that shook my insides.

I turned around and it was like in the five seconds I'd not been looking, the rogue alpha had gone into a different type of transformation.

He wasn't in his wolf form but he looked like he was about to burst into flames.

Before I could wonder, he roared.

"WHO POISONED MY DRINK?!”