Another day, another beating. Noelle had become numb to the feeling of being mistreated, disregarded, neglected, talked to as an object. Everything had become her new normal, and she learnt how to deal with it. 

Like mentioned before, she doesn't know who her captures are. They're smart, that's for sure. 

"I think that's enough for today, mutt, go back to your cage", he muttered while panting for air. He clearly didn't go easy on her, since she could barely move. Her bones felt like glass, as if they would shatter at any second. Her face felt swollen and bruises, and she can already tell she looked like a painting of pain, coloured in red, purple and green. But still, she made her way back into her cage. Funny how she feels the safest in there. Although it's uncomfortable, she knows no one can hurt her whilst she's in it. 

"Oh sweetheart, it keeps getting worse and worse", Noelle jumped at the source of sound, banging her head on the top of the metal cage. She whimpered and rubbed her head. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. The Alpha has ordered me to tend to your wounds, would you allow me to do that?", the woman asked sweetly. Noelle recognises the voice, though she cannot see her face. She nods and the doctor unlocks her cage. Noelle exists and stretches her weak, pained body. The doctor sighs deeply. 

"Here, lay on your back so I can disinfect the wounds on your stomach", she says and Noelle does exactly as she's asked. She hisses in pain when she feels the cold, wet liquid rub against her skin. The doctor mumbles a quick 'sorry'. 

"I don't know why they do this to you, sweetheart. Someone as special as you deserve to be treated like a queen", she admits solemnly, and Noelle shrugs at her words. 

She remembers how she was treated like a princess back at the Highlands. Everyone would speak to her with courtesy and respect, even though she was only a child. The King made sure she was happy and healthy, as even he was besotted by her. Not only was she the adopted daughter of his most loyal companion, but she was his future daughter in law. 

"I don't deserve to be treated like a queen, but everyone deserves to be treated with kindness", Noelle whispers humbly with a sigh at the end. The doctor brushes Noelle's tangled, auburn locks away, so she could tend to the bruises on her face. 

"I don't understand though, you're the rarest of your kind, why would they want to hurt you?", she queries, confusion laced in her saddened voice. 

"It might be because I'm a weak fox, it might be because I'm a female. These Alpha's cannot stand a female with more power than them. I'm a weapon in their eyes, and that will never change. Life is unfair", once Noelle finishes, the doctor tears up, not understand how they could hurt someone so beautiful and pure. The doctor looked down at Noelle's body, anyone could easily mistake her for a 16 year old, possibly younger. She's got a tiny, fragile frame, but with mature, adult features. 

"It's crazy how I've known you for around 10 years, yet I don't know much about you", the doctor says with a little laugh at the end. It's true, no one knows anything about Noelle, except for her powers, name and where she came from. 

"I don't know what any of you even look like, so I think that's fair", Noelle says and the doctor sighs. 

"I would show you my face, but the Alpha said I'm not allowed to", 

"It's okay, I understand."

"Well, I've finished so I guess this conversation is over", the doctor states while picking up her medical kit. Noelle crawls back into her cage and gives her a weak smile. 

"See you tomorrow", she whispers and the doctor gives her one final wave. 

Noelle enjoyed talking to the doctors, it was her only source of interaction that didn't include getting beaten. At least this pack was kind enough to allow doctors to tend to Noelle.

She took a deep breathe in, and prepared herself for another event-less day.

Back at the castle: 

"Tell what you found, son", Alexander orders while all the high ranking vampires sat in the office. Easton looked up to meet his fathers eyes. 

"He was working with Robinson", he says in an emotionless tone, regarding the traitor. The room was silent, only the whispers of the crisp, cold air from outside could be heard, and the faint sound of birds screaming. The birds never sang, not after Noelle had been taken. Even they had sensed her absence, and cried for her. 

"Alpha Robinson", the former King repeated in a hushed voice, loud enough for the whole room to hear. 

"Our history with his pack goes way back", Nathaniel muttered while staring at the long, wooden table. 

Alpha Robinson's pack. The Falcon's pack. The vampires went to war with the wolves decades ago. The battle had lasted for over 5 years, each species going after the other. No side had won. It was a constant fight that didn't end victoriously for anyone, so they signed a treaty, a truce if you will. Parts of Europe belonged to the Wolves, and the other parts belongs to the Vampires. Not one is allowed to trespass on the others side, or break territorial rules, or else there will be problems. The Falcon's had difficulties co-operating with these rules, and had run into the Vampires numerous times, and each time a portion of there pack was killed by the Highlands.

"The last we had seen them was over a decade ago", Nate, short for Nathaniel, added. 

"So they want to stir up a new problem", Victor, Theodore's father and Alexander's second most trusted companion, spoke in an angered tone while fiddling with his pen. 

"If a war is what they want, then a war is what they'll get", Easton muttered menacingly while gripping the sides of his chair harshly. 

"We can't get too ahead of ourselves", Alexander argues, and Easton sighs. 

"Fine, we call for a meeting to discuss the rules and regulations, if they break rules again, I will declare a war", Easton finalises, anger and anticipation evident in his voice. 

"Here or on their lands?", Nathaniel asks. 

"I don't trust the Wolves one bit, we'll go over to their lands. We can stay with the Knights for a few days", Alexander suggests and Easton nods in agreement. 

The Knights are the only family of Wolves that the Highlands trust, mainly because they have a secret treaty between them. They are always to have each others backs if one is in trouble, and at this moment, there could be an upcoming war. 

"I'll call them to inform, you're all dismissed", Easton says and the men all leave the room. 

Easton places his cigarette in the ash tray beside him, and picks up his phone to call an old friend. The phone rings 5 times before he hears a voice. 

"What?!", he hears an frustrated voice yell. 

"Damn did I interrupt a special moment?", Easton teases in a flirtatious voice. 

"Get to the point Easton", he ordered, already tired of Easton's antics. 

"Right, so there's a little problem going on with the Falcon's, and we need a place to stay for a couple of days. We were wondering if we could stay at yours", Easton explains. 

"F*cking Falcon's, always getting themselves into something. Of course you can, as long as you don't set fire to the kitchen like you did last time", 

"Oh come on, I was like 15", Easton argues. 

"You were 20", he chuckles. 

"Whatever, not like you can cook", Easton mutters. 

"I learnt a couple tricks from the missus", he says cockily. Easton frowns at his words. When someone mentions their mate or beloved, it instantly reminds Easton of his Noelle. He's envious of his friends that have their beloveds and mates right beside them to cuddle, hold, talk to, but he tries not to show it. "Damn, I'm sorry I didn't mean to bring it up", he says in a regretful tone once he notices Easton's silence.

"It's alright, I'll see you soon, ", he states and hangs up before another word can be spoken. He takes a deep breathe in, staring at the pictures that surround his office. 

Yep, that's right, he's got pictures of Noelle all around his office. Since he spends most of his time here, he wants to feel like she's right there next to him, and with the memories and happiness that the pictures evoke, he feels at peace. Just one look at her face calms him down. 

He always wonders what she looks like now. Has she grown taller, or is she still as short as she was 10 years ago? He loves her regardless. Has she shifted into her fox yet? He wondered what her fox would look like, he imagined it would be as cute as she was. Small, fluffy, with fur the same colour as her auburn hair. He hopes she isn't hurt, or being mistreated, but that is unlikely. 

They've been searching for years, but luck has never been on their side. That doesn't stop Easton though, he'll never stop searching until he has Noelle in his arms again.