Chapter 4 - I’ll Take My Chances

                By the time the first rays of sunlight filtered through the trees, I had reached the borders of Silver Bow, every muscle in my body aching from the relentless run.

                The woman was incredibly helpful; without probing too much, she drove me to the Silver Bow turnoff. As we parted ways, she gave me her phone number and encouraged me to reach out for any reason.

The familiar scents of Silver Bow’s territory welcomed me, offering a fleeting sense of safety. Andrea’s family had granted me unrestricted access to their lands long ago, and although the border patrol undoubtedly sensed my presence, I knew they wouldn’t report it to Alpha Zenic. They trusted I would do so myself, a formality I’d skip this time. 

Staying in wolf form, I crept through the shadows, weaving between trees to remain unseen.

The packhouse loomed ahead, its grand silhouette outlined against the lightning sky. I stopped beneath Andrea’s window and looked up. Era stirred within me, exhilarated by the challenge of climbing, her favorite pastime. 

‘Ready?’ she asked, her tone light despite the turmoil swirling within me. 

Without hesitation, she leapt upward, claws finding purchase on the wooden façade. Within seconds, I was hanging from Andrea’s windowpane. Era let out a soft, almost musical shriek, just enough to alert my friend. 

Andrea, curled on her bed with a novel in hand, froze mid-page. Her sharp blue eyes darted to the window, widening as they landed on me. She bolted upright and ran to unlatch the glass, her expression shifting from confusion to amusement as Era jumped into the room and granting me back control. 

“Zela!” she hissed, though with grin on her lips. “Were you not supposed to be in the Kingdom, sipping expensive Royal wine and charming Lycans into submission?” 

I stood before her stark naked, a sight that normally wouldn’t have fazed her. But Andrea’s teasing faltered as her gaze swept over my face, catching the panic etched into my features. 

“Zela,” she said, low and serious now. “What happened? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

“I need your help,” I choked out, my knees buckling beneath me. I sank to the floor with a dull thud, tears welling in my eyes. The pressure of the past hours came crashing down all at once. 

Andrea dropped to her knees beside me, her hands hovering uncertainly as though afraid to touch me. 

“I… I met the Lycan Crown Prince,” I stuttered, the words tumbling from my lips in a rush. “And he … he recognized me as his mate. Andrea, we mated last night.” 

Her reaction was instant.

She shot to her feet, her mouth agape.

“You did WHAT?!” she all but bellowed, shaking the walls. “Are you CRAZY?!” 

“I don’t know what to do!” I cried, the tears spilling over now. “Please, Andrea, don’t judge me. I fled his bed, but he’ll come for me. I know it. I can’t ... I can’t be with him. Erico is my love. I don’t need a fated mate.” 

Andrea began pacing, her fingers clutching at her hair as though trying to physically pull sense from the chaos of my situation.

“This is… bad, Zela. Like, really bad. We are dealing with Royals here. You either accept Raul as your mate and let’s face it, he’s a better match than Erico and …” She hesitated, glancing at me. 

“Or what?” I snapped, lifting my head to glare at her. “Break up with Erico? That’s not an option, Andrea! He’s my world. If you’re not going to help me, just say so. I’ll figure it out on my own.” I began to rise, ready to shift and leap out of the window once more. 

“No! Wait!” Andrea grabbed my arm. “That’s not what I meant. I just… I want to fix this for you. But you have to understand how impossible this entire situation is. The Prince is your fated mate, Zela. That bond, it’s not something you can outrun. He’ll find you, no matter where you hide.” 

Her words sent a chill through me, but I refused to let it show.

“Thanks for the pep talk,” I said bitterly. “But it doesn’t change a thing. I’m not giving up Erico. I won’t.” 

Andrea sighed, her shoulders sagging in defeat.

“Okay, okay. Let’s think. You can’t stay here either. The Prince will check Silver Bow the moment he realizes you’re missing. You need to disappear, Zela, somewhere he’ll never think to look.” 

“Like where?” I whispered, the desperation clear in my voice. 

Andrea’s eyes lit up suddenly.

“Lilias. She’ll know what to do. She told me you didn’t use the right potion before going to the Kingdom. Lycans need a stronger elixir, something that could mask your scent completely. With that, you can vanish. Go to Human Town, live like an ordinary girl until you figure out your next move.” 

Her plan made sense.

But the thought of leaving Erico behind, even temporarily, tore at my heart. How long would I have to hide? Months? Years? And what if the Prince never stopped looking? What if this bond, this maddening connection, kept pulling him back to me? 

Taking a deep breath, I reached out through the mind link to Lilias.

‘Lilias, disaster struck!’ I cried frantically. ‘The Lycan Prince, he recognized me as his mate. How is this possible?!* 

Her response was immediate, sharp.

‘I warned you, Zela. But no, now look at the mess you’ve created.’

‘It’s not too late,’ I countered. ‘I escaped. At the moment, I’m in Silver Bow. Andrea suggested I lay low in Human Town. I need that potion, Lilias. The stronger one.’

For a moment, the link went quiet.

Then, her voice returned, softer but resolute.

‘I’ll come to you. But Zela, understand this, masking your scent now isn’t foolproof. He’s already caught it. Lycans are relentless. And the Prince is no ordinary Lycan. He’s directly tied to the Moon Goddess, Zela. You’re playing a dangerous game.’ 

‘I’ll take my chances,’ I replied, forcing a confidence I didn’t truly feel. ‘Just hurry, Lilias. Please.’