Elara's Point of View
I ran.
Through the pack's deep, shadowy forest... past the churning river border... and plunged headlong into the rival pack's woods. Where was I going? I had no idea. My mind was a blank slate, emptied by fear and exhaustion, with only one command: move.But one thing was certain—I wasn't going back to the witch clan. I'd had enough of their lies, their profound betrayal. Hiding the truth of what I was—a true witch, not just a pawn. Twisting my mind, making me believe I was powerless, doomed. Training me like a weapon, then casting me aside.No more.
I ran until my legs burned with fiery pain and my throat stung from gasping for air. The only sound I could hear was the frantic pounding of my own footsteps, a desperate rhythm against the forest floor. The trees blurred into indistinguishable streaks as I stumbled through them, branches tearing at my skin, thorns snagging my already ruined clothes.In the distance, the first faint light of dawn broke the sky, painting the edges of the horizon in bruised purples and greys.I paused—only for a moment—leaning heavily against the wide, rough trunk of an ancient tree.
My chest heaved with labored breaths, each one a struggle. My eyes fluttered shut, trying to find a fleeting moment of respite.But even as I rested, darkness crept into my thoughts. The cold of the dungeon, the lingering phantom ache of my bruised body, the horrifying memory of my own blood on Tiara's hands—it all surged back.
You're a fugitive now, Elara. There's no going back. I needed to move. Keep running. Anything to escape that suffocating fate.
My hand instinctively reached for the peach Jessie had given me—my only food, her last desperate gift, a symbol of hope.Gone.The peach is gone.Panic, cold and sharp, lanced through me. A silent scream tore through my mind. Someone had been here. Someone knew.
"Hello?" I whispered, scanning the woods frantically, my senses stretched to their limit.Silence. Heavy. Threatening.No scent, no sound.Except... wait.Two figures.
Behind me. My senses sharpened—two males. Young. Strong. Born Alphas, their confident scent subtly filling the air. No fear on them, only a bold, unnerving curiosity.
"We ate your apple," one said smugly, his voice carrying clearly through the quiet trees.
"It was a peach," I muttered, my voice raspy, unwilling to play their strange, dangerous game.I backed away before their boldness could turn into trouble. My pace quickened, then faster, transforming into a desperate sprint. I had no time for wandering Alphas, not when warriors from another pack could be lurking near, or even hunters looking for a lone wolf.My heart leapt.
I caught the unmistakable scent—warriors. Low-ranked. A Gamma led them, his scent rough and authoritative.I dove behind the nearest thicket, crouching low, holding my breath as they passed, their gruff voices fading into the rustling leaves. I stayed hidden, pressed against the dirt, until minutes stretched into an hour—or more—before daring to move.
My stomach growled painfully, a hollow ache. How long had it been since I last ate? Twelve hours? Maybe more? My body was weak, aching, protesting every movement.Then... salvation.A tree heavy with ripe, gleaming fruits stood ahead, a beacon in my despair.I scrambled up its gnarled trunk, snatching one, then another. I devoured them greedily—three, four—like a starving thief in the night, juice dripping down my chin.
"Who's there?"A sharp voice, closer this time, cut through the quiet of my desperate meal.I froze, fruit juice still on my lips.Without looking, I bolted. Fast. Away. The voice shouted again, closer, closer.Footsteps pounded behind me, gaining.They're following!I pushed harder, my body screaming, lungs burning, heart threatening to explode from my chest. I hadn't escaped the dungeon just to die in disgrace here—alone, filthy, hunted.
Run, Elara. Run. Jessie's voice echoed in my head, a fierce, desperate command that fueled my failing limbs.Branches tore at my skin as I crashed blindly through the underbrush, leaves whipping at my face. My mind lost to pure, unthinking panic. Everything blurred—thought, sense, time.
I ran.Through what felt like days... weeks... years... centuries.The world spun. My legs finally failed, buckling beneath me. My body gave in, collapsing to the earth.
The light faded.Darkness swallowed me whole.
And then—nothing.