EMBERS OF REVENGE

Hope's POV

I ran through the bushes, not caring that I was barefooted. I was running for my life so every other thing didn't matter. This would have been so much easier if I had my wolf to help me. My body was aching, but I knew if I stopped even to breathe, that he might catch me again.

It has been six years since I was last outside, since I was able to smell the fresh night air. I had been kidnapped and chained in a dungeon since I was 14 years old by this very person chasing after me. Now, I was 19 years old, two days away from my birthday.

Because of how I had been kidnapped and chained in the dungeon, I never had the goddess' help in transformation. I needed the power of the full moon for my first transformation.

I could hear his wolf pouncing toward me, I needed the goddess' help now more than ever. If anyone had told me six years ago that this man would be chasing me through the dark bushes, I would have laughed at them.

But here I was. I was running from the man who had assassinated my father. The man who my father had trusted so much, my father's Beta — Lucian. He had assassinated my family and kidnapped me.

I didn't know why he did what he did. But he told me he was keeping me in the dungeon till I turn 20 years old, he wanted to claim me as a mate since he had lost his mate years ago.

The sharp thorns of the bushes cut through my flesh as I tried to evade the trees. I couldn't go back to my pack, Emberfang, because I knew Lucian would find me there. I was running to the one place I knew other than my pack, my best friend’s pack named Stormclaw.

I knew Orion, my best friend, would be shocked that I was still alive. I'm sure everyone thought I had died alongside my dad. I just wanted to be in the safety of his arms, and away from these bushes.

"Run, Hope, run!" I heard Lucian growl, he was enjoying the chase. My heart was pounding in my chest as I crossed into Stormclaw boundary.

My feet were weak and it hurt so much to move another muscle. I looked back and saw Lucian at the edge of the boundary, he couldn't cross it, it would be a sign of disrespect and war. I tripped over a loose root and tumbled into a rock and everything went dark.

***

"Who is she?" I heard a strange voice say. I didn't even know where I was. I felt my body being dragged on the ground.

"I don't know, but we should take her to the Alpha," another person responded. I was too weak to speak.

"But she looks familiar," a third person said. How many were there? I thought to myself.

My body hurt from the fall and my head throbbed even more, I was hungry and smelled horribly. I was sure I looked even worse. They stopped moving.

"Where did you find her?" Someone asked, his voice was deeper and exuded authority. Was this the Alpha?

"Sir, we found her at the boundary. She was passed out on the rocks. She looks like she was running from someone," the first guy spoke.

"What should we do with her, sir?" The second voice asked.

"We don't know who she is, and she isn't awake to tell us either. We need to let the Alpha decide," the man replied. I thought that was the Alpha. I didn't want them to know that I was awake and I could hear them. They started moving again.

"You said she looks familiar?" They were talking in quieter tones now, they probably didn't want their boss to hear them.

"Yes, you won't believe it. It's crazy," the third voice said.

"Who is she?"

"I'm not sure, but she looks so much like Hope," the voice said. I was shocked that he recognized me, I wouldn't recognize myself if I stared in the mirror.

"Hope? As in the Hope Embers that died in the assassination with her father?" He and the others laughed.

"I'm serious, she looks like her. She used to come here a lot when she was younger and I saw her playing with Alpha's son."

"She's dead, Daxton."

I was right, the world thought I was dead.

I heard the creak of a large door, followed by the echoes of steps as they dragged me in what sounded like a hall. They dropped my body again.

"Alpha, we found her by the boundary," someone said. I had lost track of who was speaking and how their voices sounded.

"You saw her by the boundary and the first place you thought to bring her was here? What if this is some Trojan horse plot?"

The voice was young and bold, yet it commanded so much authority.

"Who is she?" He asked again.

"We don't know, sir, but…" the man was silent again. There was a ruffle.

"But what, Maverick?"

"Daxton says she looks like Hope Embers." There was a long beat of silence before I heard the man speak again. I needed to see who this man was. I struggled to open my eyes and noticed I was in a big hall.

The man walked from his position toward me and hovered over me. It was Orion. It had been six year since I saw him but I could always recognize his distinct blue eyes and the scar that divided his eyebrows.

I suddenly felt safe, Orion was my best friend no matter how long we hadn't seen each other. I opened my eyes fully and he stared into mine. There was no smile on his face but I could tell he recognized me.

"Orion?" I spoke, relieved that I was free from Lucian. I knew I was safe, I could finally rest knowing I had found Orion.

"Hope Embers, I see you're still alive," Orion said.

"Men, chain and throw this traitor in the dungeon. Make sure she doesn't receive any medical attention."

My blood turned cold instantly.