Chapter 3- Escape

Zephyra

I heard voices around me. At first, they sounded far away, like they were coming from a dream. Slowly, my eyes opened and everything felt blurry. My head hurt a little, and my chest still burned with pain from the rejection.

I looked around the room and noticed how neat and quiet it was. The walls looked clean, and there was a large window right beside me. The soft breeze from outside blew the thin white curtains gently. The room smelled like medicine and disinfectant. But most importantly, I was all alone. No one else was here with me.

I sat up on the bed, feeling dizzy. My hands touched my chest where it still hurt. Then, like a flash, I remembered what happened.

Eryc’s cold words, his betrayal, and how he rejected me. My heart squeezed painfully at the memory.

My hands moved over my body, checking my stomach, my sides and my back. I was so terrified that they had taken something from me while I was unconscious.

But I didn’t see any cuts or feel anything missing. I thanked the goddess silently for that.

Even though the pain in my chest was undeniable, I ignored it. There was something more important I needed to do.

I had to find a way to escape. I had to tell the people what really happened. They needed to know about Eryc’s betrayal and his lies. But would they believe me? No one listens to anything cursed people say.

As I got up from the bed, I heard voices. I froze and listened carefully.

“Alpha, if we do what you ask, she could die and I can’t promise that her sister will live either,” a voice said.

I knew that voice. It belonged to Darah, the pack doctor. Darah is close to my family but right now, I don't think I can trust anyone anymore.

“I don’t have days to wait, Darah,” Eryc’s voice replied. His voice was cold and heartless. “We’ll pay the doctors more. Just get her kidney out safely for Naya’s sake.”

My heart stopped. My own mate… no, my ex mate… wanted to take out my kidney to save my sister. The pain in my chest grew stronger, but this time it wasn’t from the rejection alone. It was from pure betrayal.

“We need to do this before the arrival of the Red Lycan King. He has to bless my union with Naya.”

Tears burned my eyes, but I pushed them back, I didn’t have time to cry. I had to get away.

My safety should be my priority now. Besides, who is the Red Lycan King? I haven't heard of him before. But I couldn't dig further since I needed to survive first.

I turned to the window. It was my only way of getting out. I crept closer and peeked outside, viewing how dark it was.

Without thinking twice, I climbed onto the window ledge. My heart raced so fast I thought it might explode. Then, I jumped.

When my feet hit the ground, it hurt. Small stones dug into my skin because I was barefoot. But I didn’t care.

Standing up quickly, I ran without looking back. I didn’t know where to go, but I had to get far away from Eryc.

The fastest way to escape was through the rogue forest. It was dangerous, but I had no choice. If I stayed, Eryc would take my kidney and maybe even my life.

If I ran into rogues, maybe I could at least talk to them. But if Eryc caught me, I knew it would be the end.

The forest was too dark. The trees looked like shadows ready to grab me. Twigs and sharp rocks cut my feet, but I kept running. My breath came in sharp gasps as the pain from the rejection hummed in my chest again.

For a while, it felt like no one was following me. My heart hoped that maybe they hadn’t noticed I was gone. Maybe I could really escape.

But then I heard sounds. Sounds like the low growling of wolves. My heart jumped in fear. I ran faster, but I knew I couldn’t outrun them. I didn’t have a wolf inside me. Without my wolf, I was weaker and slower.

My breath got shorter, and my legs felt too heavy to carry. My chest hurt more and more, and tears blurred my vision, but I wiped them away with the back of my hand.

My mind raced with thoughts. If I get caught, Eryc will kill me. He has already killed Elder Gareth. He has betrayed me and the whole Pack, I can’t let him catch me.

Reaching a waterfall, my legs stopped moving. The water roared as it fell, loud and wild. I stood at the edge, looking down at the dark water below. I didn’t know how to swim, but I had to make a choice.

I thought about Elder Gareth. Even though Eryc was his son, Elder Gareth wanted to honor my father’s wish and make me the Alpha. But I trusted Eryc instead. I gave up my right to be Alpha for love, and now that love had destroyed me.

Behind me, I heard the sound of paws on leaves. I turned and saw blue eyes glowing in the darkness. The wolves were getting closer.

“If I die today,” I thought, “I hope I’m reborn with strength and power, so I can come back and take revenge on everyone who betrayed me.”

The wolves stopped running. Slowly, they shifted into human form, revealing their nakedness. I recognized them as Eryc’s loyal guards. They were here to take me back.

In an instant, a very strong hand grabbed my neck. I almost fell, but the hand held me tightly by the throat.

“You think you can escape me?” Eryc spat, baring his fangs to me from anger. His deep blue eyes were cold, and his grip on my neck was very strong. Strong enough to snap my bone and end me on the spot.

“If I didn’t need your kidneys for Naya, my Luna, I would kill you right now and no one would ever know.”

Even now, he’s thinking about Naya and not about us. He was choking me, squeezing the life out of me and all he cared about was taking my kidney to save my sister.

I did the only thing I could think of. I kicked him between his legs and his grip on my neck got weaker as he staggered back. But I fell down.

Eryc shouted, “No!” as I plunged downward, screaming at the top of my lungs. The sound was instantly muffled by liquid as I sank deep into the water.

The water was freezing like ice. I struggled to survive, but water rushed into my nose—mouth—and ears. I couldn’t hold my breath because I was already struggling to breathe.

I tried to scream, but only bubbles came out. The water was too strong and pulled me deeper down below. I spun around and couldn’t see where the surface was.

Maybe death would come quickly. That was what I thought, but it didn’t. Instead, I kept sinking, and the pain grew worse. My chest screamed for air but there was none.

My mind grew fuzzy and my body felt heavy. Even death didn’t take me gently. It tortured me first.

“I don’t want to die like this,” I thought weakly. But maybe it’s better than going back to them.

My heartbeat slowed and the darkness in the water swallowed the light. I tried to kick but my legs felt numb.

Even at a time like this, my mind remembered Eryc’s face, Naya’s hateful eyes, and my mother’s betrayal. It broke my heart all over again.

Bit by bit, my life slipped away and my eyes went shut.