I crumbled to the ground, my face paled as many thoughts came swirling in my mind right at that moment.
He shouldn't have found me, but how? I had gone through the phase of sealing my wolf soul just for this very purpose—so I would be free from the same pack I had tried to flee from all these years. Yet, it seemed like my worst fear had finally come to haunt me in the end.
He had found me.
"What am I going to do? I can't. I can't let him take me back there. No... no... " I thought, perplexed at the whole situation happening.
My death was announced to the whole pack, including him; it was all playing out so well. He had no idea I was still alive to even speak of my scent.
I stood up, hastened into my house, and began packing my clothing. I couldn't stay another night here. It was risky; I couldn't take that.
The best and only option I had was to escape tonight and flee from this city.
My hands slowed down in packing as a thought hit me: James, Rosella, Rhea, and the others. To think I would be leaving them all, the only true friends I had managed to make here.
It was hard. Tears crumbled down from my eyes, splattering onto the ground. I clenched my fists as I found myself on the ground, weeping, crying, "Why!" I yelled, biting my knuckle as my hand slammed against the wall.
Why did he have to find me? Just why must I have to flee again? It only made me wonder when I would be truly free from his reach.
I gently stood up, using the walls as support, and continued packing my luggage. "I need to go now..." I whispered, done packing. I made my way outside my home, my eyes darting back and forth before I left walking through the road, only to branch beside her house.
Arabella—she owned a small local bar in the town, and we were close friends. I should really say I was friends with everybody in this town; they were all quite caring enough to even allow me a place here. It only hurt me more to know how they would feel when they discovered my true identity—that I had lied to them all this while.
I gently knocked on her door thrice, a signal that told her it was me. She gently opened the door, allowing me entry, and then shut the door behind me.
"Why are you here so late, Elara? Did something happen?" Arabella asked, but her words came to a pause when she noticed the luggage in my grasp.
"Wait, don't tell me you're leaving town?" she questioned.
"I have to, Arabella, please. You have to help me. I need to leave tonight," I pleaded, but I noticed the curiosity in her eyes. She wanted answers and needed them, but even as close as we were, I believed I would be putting her in danger by telling her anything.
"Why, Elara? Is something wrong? Did you do something?" Arabella pried.
"I can't tell you, Arabella... but know it's nothing like that. Just know, I have to leave soon. Before he comes..." I blurted those last words, which I silenced even though I was already too late.
"Before who comes, Elara?" Arabella inquired, piqued.
"Tell me, Elara. You need to tell me, or I'm sorry, I can't help..." she uttered.
But I found myself crumbling to my knees, hands in a pleading gesture. "Please, Arabella. This is a life and death situation. I promise to tell you one day; you just have to help me leave this town..." I whispered, those tears almost breaking out from my eyes.
As she bent down, she helped me back to my feet. "What are you doing, Elara?" Arabella questioned, helping me back to my feet. "I can't believe you're really planning on keeping something so important from me, but I guess I should help you. Just make sure to keep in touch." She conceded, despite her unwillingness to go along with it. Arabella was a close friend, but she grew less attached to me and more curious when she learned I was hiding many things from her, one of which had to do with my wolf scent. Not many had figured much out, but I was quite shocked when she sensed something through my scent on the first day we met.
"If you're planning to leave tonight, then we better move now," Arabella said as we left her home, gently walking through a path I had no idea was in the town.
"This is going to lead us to the town's edge, and from there, you can leave immediately, Elara," Arabella explained.
Her eyes darted back at me before they went back to where she was heading.
Yet, I questioned in my mind: should I at least tell her about Rendell? That he was the one I was running from? I feared the worst when he comes to the town, and with her having no idea, would she be able to hide from him? What would he do to her when he finds out she helped me escape the town?
But right then, as I hoped to utter a word, I watched Arabella stop in her tracks.
"What happened, Arabella?" I questioned in a whisper, only for me to notice it also: four elders standing at the town's edge as they bowed, greeting some soldiers who stood blocking the path.
A tall man was standing in the middle, one that I wasn't able to get a clearer vision of, but he was dressed differently from the rest of the soldiers. Could he be the commander? But wait—why were they here? Could it be they were sent by Rendell?
My legs trembled backward. "Retreat!" My mind echoed in thoughts.
If what I was thinking was the truth, then there was no choice in it. I had to leave now. They shouldn't see me—not now, not here.
I turned, hoping to make a run, only to feel a grasp on my hand, one that caused me to pause, turning. It was him, the same tall man I assumed to be the commander. His eyes pierced through me in those moments.