001: Forsaken by the Goddess

«SEVEN YEARS EARLIER»

The timberland was dusky, gloaming with only but the moonlight as guard but with their vision as sharp, they wandered deeper into the thick, barren forest while the fierce wind of the night brushed against their flushed cheeks.

The twigs were crunching under their hurried feet, reeling their heads once in a while in panic, hearing the sound of their pursuers.

With an aghast gasp, they fastened their pace, the smell of rotten woods and skunk weed was nearly repulsing while the sound of yowls followed behind them and the night cricket led their way.

A sudden cry yelped out from the heavy woman's lips as she supported her heavy stomach with her left hand while the other went to her lower back. She shook her head as her mate rushed back to her side. "No, you have to continue without me!" She hissed at the unbearable pain in her abdomen, she could feel the infant in her womb pressing. Her legs felt sore, her back ached, her breathings were labored while her pregnant stomach hoisted her down.

Dread rose in the husband's chest, reeling his head back and the faint yet closing in of paws hitting the ground reached his sensitive ears. He stared at his mate, making herself comfortable on the ground, her legs widely parted as she couldn't move anymore. He tried supporting her back on her feet but only got a whine of protest. "We need to keep moving, they are closing in on us!" His panicked filled voice rose in alarm.

The lime green, gloomy eyes of the woman met her husband's, her eyes suddenly being filled with unshed tears. She averted her gaze and glanced back, the sound of yowling and rushing paws got closer and closer. Her head instantly snapped back to her distressed mate, the tears glimmering in her green eyes. "Go!" She shoved him, making him stumble but kept his balance. "Please, go!" She pleaded, the tears now streaming down her face.

The man with his light faded grey orbs stared down at his mate with horror. "You do not mean that Yarkona, may the goddess forbid that I leave you behind!"

Yarkona stared up at her mate unbelievingly. "Goddess? If we had a goddess, we won't be in this situation. Don't you dare mention your goddess in front of me!" She suddenly yelled, her chest elevating up and down in hostility, pure rage. Her green orbs shed more tears, her long black hair scattering everywhere on her shoulders. "She favors only those she deemed righteous and we are not among the short list"

The man nodded, not wanting to anger her any further as he could feel the agonizing sensation that rushed through him from the mate mark. He went forward to help her up on her feet again, fear adding an extra layer in his stomach as he could hear them getting close but Yarkona shook her head, she feared she would lose her baby if she moved any further.

But soon, horror finally struck them as dark black creatures emerged from the woods, walking on their four as they surrounded the terrified couple.

Yarkona gasped aloud, staring at the wolves that circled her and her mate. She flinched at their eyes glowed in the dark, the way their fangs stuck out from their mouths, the way their sharp paws and claws dug on the dry ground of the forest, and the way their tongues licked over their mouths, staring at them like the predators that they were. Yarkona tightened her grip around her mate, burying her face on his chest, realizing they were caught because of her.

Seconds later, a much larger wolf emerged from their wolves, staring at the couple with an evil glint in his piercing red eyes as he ran his poisonous tongue over his fangs and just feet away from the couple, he stopped and cracking of bones followed.

A loud groan left the wolf's mouth as his paws, claws, and furs vanished into his skin, and there that once stood a mighty wolf was a 6ft man in nothing but black pants and a naked upper body.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he stared down at his preys. "Did you think you would run far?" His thick voice was taunting, mocking while his ebony orbs held nothing but evil and misdeed.

"Let my mate go, she's not part of what I was accused of, Beta Quade." the man held his mate in his arms, he could feel her trembling.

The dark eyes of Beta Quade eyed them over, his jaw clenching. "The Alpha declared to bring you back alive or dead, your mate included. Will you get your asses up or will I have to drag your dead bodies back, your choice," his empty voice declared while his harsh ebony eyes stared down at them with aversion.

"I will not allow you to bring us back to be killed, over my dead bo-" before his words could be completed, his back was slammed on a tree while Beta Quade's fingers were tightly around his neck.

"No!" Yarkona screamed, watching the way the Beta's sharp fingers were digging into the neck of her mate. "Please, don't hurt him. We'll return with you, Beta Quade!" The heavy woman pleaded, helplessness in her voice as she noticed the way her mate was losing blood.

With a growl, the beta flipped the helpless wolf on the floor, spatting over his body. "Bring them back, the Alpha will take out his judgment on their despicable souls"

To be continued...!