Seraphina's POV
I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to breathe. My heart was doing that thing where it felt like it might explode right out of my chest.
Sure, the forest was basically a death trap. Wild rogues who'd tear me apart for fun. Territorial packs that shot first and asked questions never. Plants that could kill you just by touching them. Oh, and deathly cliffs.
But staying here? That meant marrying your worst nightmare.
Whatever waited in those woods couldn't be worse than becoming some twisted trophy wife to the most dangerous Alpha. At least in the forest, I'd die on my own terms.
I glanced at my door again, probably the millionth time tonight, and finally got my butt off the bed. My legs felt like jelly, but adrenaline was kicking in hard now.
This was it. Time to get the hell out of here.
I grabbed my bag and checked my supplies one last time. My hands were shaking like crazy as I slung it over my shoulder. Before heading out, I pressed my palms together and whispered what would probably be my last prayer.
"Okay, Moon Goddess, let's talk. I know you think my life is your personal reality TV show, and honestly? Your taste in entertainment is seriously messed up. But maybe—and I'm talking maybe—you could go easy on me tonight? Just once, could you not let everything blow up in my face?"
The words felt empty. Deep down, I knew she'd given up on me ages ago. She was probably up there right now with a bag of celestial popcorn, waiting to see how spectacularly I'd screw this up.
Still, desperate times called for desperate prayers, even the futile ones. I wrapped my black cloak around me, pulling the hood up. The dark fabric would help me disappear into the night.
Taking one deep breath, I stepped out of my room.
The house was dead quiet except for some dim lights throwing creepy shadows everywhere. I crept through the hallways like some kind of ninja, carefully avoiding the floorboards that liked to scream "SOMEONE'S SNEAKING AROUND!" at the worst possible moments.
My heart was beating so loud I feared it would wake up the entire pack. Everyone should be asleep by now, as it was way past midnight, and werewolves weren't exactly night owls. Still, I chose to be careful.
As I snuck past Jake's room, I heard... sounds. Gross sounds. I nearly threw up right there in the hallway. Seriously? Tonight of all nights?
Well, at least his little rendezvous would cover any noise I made. I picked up the pace and headed downstairs. Instead of risking the front door, because I'm not completely stupid, I went for the back exit.
The night air hit my face. The wind rustled through the trees, carrying that earthy smell of moss and wet leaves. Somewhere in the distance, an owl hooted a lonely sound. The darkness seemed alive, full of shifting shadows and unseen movement.
I squinted as I headed toward my planned escape route. My heart was racing faster with every step. I was almost there at the pack boundary. Just a little bit more and I'd be free...
Suddenly, I froze. My eyes narrowed with confusion when I saw two guards standing right where I needed to go. What the hell!Oh, you've got to be kidding me.
I quickly ducked behind a thick oak tree, my mind racing. Since when were there guards there? In all my years here, that path had always been clear. Why now? Why tonight? That's when it hit me. A certain handsome, infuriating face flashed through my mind.
"Great. Just perfect," I hissed under my breath. "Had to be him. Alpha Adrian, an absolute pain in my ass."
I cursed quietly, but I wasn't giving up yet. Tonight, I was going to leave, and no one was going to stop me. I peeked and stared at the guards who looked half-dead on their feet, swaying like they might fall over any second.
Maybe if I created a distraction, threw a rock the other way, I could slip past while they went to investigate. It was a simple plan, and simple plans always worked. Plus, these guys looked about as sharp as a dead mouse.
I was just reaching for a rock when a cold voice made my blood freeze.
"Planning to distract them?"
My eyes went wide as I spun around and found myself staring into those familiar brown eyes. Alpha Adrian? What the hell was he doing here?!
A scream started climbing up my throat, but before it could escape, he slapped his hand over my mouth and gave me that predatory smile that made my skin crawl. "If you scream, those guys will catch you," he whispered in my ear, his breath making me shiver in ways I absolutely hated.
And there went my stupid body again, reacting to him like he wasn't my literal worst nightmare. What was wrong with me?
I clamped my mouth shut and glared at him with everything I had. I was angry, so angry. This was the second time. How does he keep doing that? How does he ruin every single one of my plans? Did he plant some kind of tracker on me when I wasn't looking?
His eyes traveled slowly from my face down to my black cloak, and I saw that annoying amusement flicker in those dark eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched up.
"Running away again?" he asked, though we both knew it wasn't really a question.
I shook my head frantically, trying to look innocent. Several excuses flashed through my mind. I was just out for a midnight stroll! Maybe I was sleepwalking! That was totally a thing, right?
"Liar," he chuckled, and the sound ran a shiver down my spine.
Well, duh. I rolled my eyes. What did he expect, a detailed breakdown of my escape plan?
His hand stayed over my mouth while those dark eyes studied me like I was some kind of amusing puzzle. I could feel the rough bark of the tree pressing into my back as he stepped closer, trapping me completely.
I glared at him and pointed at his hand with my eyes. He nodded and slowly took his hand away. The cold night air suddenly felt way too hot between us. My breath caught as I stared up into those dangerously dark eyes.
"You really thought you could sneak away?" His voice was dripping with mockery, that cruel smile playing at his lips. "Did you learn nothing from your last spectacular failure?"