310
~Belinda's POV
I had been hiding for two days. Two long, endless days. My body ached, my wounds still raw, and my stomach gnawed at me like some cruel reminder that I was weak. I wrapped the dirty, tattered cloth around me as best I could, shivering under its thin layers. My head was hot, feverish, and my body screamed for rest. I knew the pack would be swarming with guards soon. They already knew I was here.
I curled up on the floor, my tears leaving salty tracks down my face. "Why… why did it have to be like this?" I whispered to the silence, my voice hoarse and broken. I felt so small, so helpless.
A sound, soft, tentative, made me freeze. The door creaked open. My heart jumped into my throat. I tried to steady myself, forcing my weak legs to move. I stood behind the door, clutching it, peeking through the narrow crack, scanning the empty hallway. Nobody. My chest heaved, and I almost let myself sink back to the floor, thinking maybe I had imagined it.
