Violet
I looked back at the territory I'd left behind.
Relief hit so hard my knees almost gave out, but I grabbed a tree to stay upright.
However, it was too soon to stop. Pack wolves could still enter neutral territory. I forced myself to keep walking until Shadowpine faded behind me.
My body felt heavier with every step. My legs trembled, my vision blurred, but I kept moving through the thick, unfamiliar forest. I had no idea where I was going, only that I needed distance from the border.
As the sun climbed higher, something strange happened. I felt a little stronger.
"Child of Moon and Sun…"
Was I drawing strength from the sun? The last time the patrol attacked me, the moon had been bright too.
My stomach growled hard, reminding me of how starved I was.
That was when I saw a clear stream. I stumbled toward it, dropping to my knees at the water's edge, and shoved my face into the cool current, gulping until the burning in my throat eased.
I ate the last of the bread and dried meat, then drank again.
My reflection in the water looked drained and dull. Sweat and grime covered me. I washed quickly, changed into cleaner clothes, and spread the wet ones on the rocks.
Under the shade of a large tree, I tried to tell myself I was safe.
But the real danger wasn't just the forest's wildlife.
It was rogue wolves.
The first night alone was the hardest.
I stayed near the stream and curled into a hollow space beneath the massive tree's roots, shivering. Every snap of a twig and rustle of leaves made me jump.
I was alone in a way I'd never been before.
Touching the pendant brought me some comfort, and I focused on the faint power within me. If I couldn't sleep, I could at least try to understand it.
The second day was worse.
My food was gone and the hunger was constant, sharper than it should have been. I tried to catch small animals near the stream but was too slow, too loud. I found some wild berries instead. My stomach cramped, but I didn't die.
By the third day I could barely function.
I lay on the ground, breathing shallow, feet blistered and raw. The rejection pain had faded to a dull throb, but the force inside me had been growing steadily since the first night—and it was making me weaker.
It was supposed to give me strength. So why did it feel like it was killing me?
Tears stung my eyes. The pressure in my chest became unbearable, like it was about to burst.
I didn't want to die.
I forced myself up, and something shifted as the power in me exploded.
A pulse tore through my body, and I gasped at the sudden rush of power that swept all the way down to my fingertips.
The forest went quiet.
Too quiet.
I spun around to find a wolf stood right in front of me.
My heart nearly stopped.
This wolf was massive! Larger than even Damon's wolf form. And Damon was an Alpha. Its fur was snow white, and its eyes were a cold icy blue that froze me on the spot.
The force inside me raged in response, as if reacting towards the wolf. I tried to speak, but my voice wouldn't come.
I should have been terrified. I should have tried to run.
But I couldn't move.
The power surged to my head and before I could think of anything else, a sudden weakness took over my body.
[___]
7
Captured
Violet
I woke to whispers and the crackle of a fire. Every part of my body ached, and when I remembered the wolf, I tried to sit up. But a heavy fur blanket and a gentle hand on my shoulder held me down.
"Easy now," a female voice said. "Your body still needs to recover."
A woman leaned over me. Tanned skin, long brown braid over one shoulder, and sharp green eyes.
"Where am I? Who are you?"
She glanced toward the other side of the tent. "You're safe. He found you in the neutral zone and brought you back to camp for some reason."
I tensed immediately. "He?"
She didn't answer.
I sat up, and this time, the woman didn't stop me. My head slightly spun before returning to normal. I fully took in the tent this time. I had been lying on a fur-lined bedroll on the floor. A small fire burned in a stone pit at the center of the tent, with its smoke curling up and escaping the structure through a small opening at the top.
Two other women sat near the entrance, watching me. One was older, silver streaking her blonde hair. The other had freckles and untamed red hair. All three wore the same simple clothes. Loose pants and a strip of cloth across their chests.
They stared at me in silence.
"Why… am I here?" I asked, genuinely confused.
The older woman answered, voice deeper than the others. "We wouldn't know. You'll have to ask him yourself. He ordered us to tend to you and make sure you don't die."
I reached for the pendant at my chest. To my relief, it was still there. Their eyes followed the movement. I was wearing a grey shirt and soft wool pants. My body was clean, my feet wrapped in moist bandages.
"You were filthy and half-dead," the woman beside me said. "We had to clean you up."
I felt embarrassed. "Thank you… What pack do you belong to?"
I needed to leave. As an omega, I wasn't safe anywhere, especially if they could sense the force inside me.
The way they watched me felt odd, almost like they were studying me.
The power stirred weakly in my veins.
Before anyone could answer, they turned to the entrance. The two women immediately stood up and stepped away.
I looked at them all, confused.
The tent flap opened and a strange sensation washed all over me as the force pulsed stronger this time.
A man ducked inside, then straightened to his full height.
I went completely still.
He easily towered over everyone, his white hair pairing well with fair skin as it trailed down the expanse of his broad shoulders. My fingers dug into the blanket as my pulse raced, along with the fluctuating energy.
It really was reacting to him.
I could not help it as my eyes lowered. He had a lean muscular build, and his bare chest and abdomen revealed well defined muscles. The only item of clothing on him was loose pants similar to what the other women wore. I immediately turned my eyes to the floor. It was embarrassing enough I had stared at his chest for far too long.
I did not want to look into his eyes for some reason.
My gaze remained fixed to the floor. "Thank—thank you for your hospitality. I—"
I flinched as a firm hand caught my chin, forcing my head up.