CHAPTER 4

Clara's POV

The pack had the best trackers; they could smell me from miles away. I had to keep running, no matter how desperate the situation felt.My baby—I had to do everything I could to protect it, even if it meant dying in the attempt. Anything was better than letting this innocent life be born into a cruel world where its psychotic father would kill it without a second thought. I ran through the woods, not daring to look back, branches scratching against my skin as I sprinted as fast as my legs could carry me.The howls of the wolves grew louder, closer, signaling that they were catching up. Adrenaline surged through me, pushing me to run faster despite the fact that I was already getting tired. The growling of wolves behind me pushed me to keep going forward, I just wanted to escape by all means.I pushed through the thick forest, my legs aching from the rough terrain, until I had to stop abruptly, my heart beating very fast. Before me was a cliff, and below it, a big ocean stretched out. I didn't recognize this place—had I taken a wrong turn? A cliff.I turned around to find another direction, only to jump in fear as five huge wolves appeared from the thick jungle behind me. They snarled at me as if waiting for the next second to lunge and tear me into pieces. I wondered if that would be the next punishment Alpha Lucas would give to me if I got caught. I slowly backed away, feeling trapped between the wolves and the cliff. Then, Alpha Lucas appeared, his usual cold expression on his face. Seeing him there, knowing he had come out himself to catch me with the other wolves, filled me with fear. I was doomed; he would make me suffer unimaginable pain if I go back with him."Why do you keep doing this, Clara?" Lucas asked calmly, though I knew countless punishments were running through his mind. "I told you I hate punishing you, but when you do things like this..." He trailed off, simply staring at me.I glanced at the cliff behind me, then back at him. He stood there, the wolves beside him growling, ready to attack or drag me back home. It was a full moon, and they were at their strongest. Even if I tried to escape to the left, they would catch me within seconds, probably tearing me apart."Please, Alpha," I begged, tears streaming down my face. "Please let me go. I don't want to be with you anymore. I want to leave." I didn't know how else to plead or what more to say. I just wanted to run away, as far as possible, and never look back."Your only escape from me is death, Clara," he said, his eyes locked on mine, cold and emotionless. "And you know I won't let you die, no matter what." His voice was calm, and that made it even more terrifying. This guy was a psychopath. He was sick and he needed help!Alpha Lucas rarely showed any emotion, which only made him more frightening. You could never tell if he was angry, upset, or pleased; it was always the same blank expression, hiding whatever evil thoughts lurked in his mind. Everyone feared him, not just me. There was a reason his pack was the most powerful—because they had a leader ruthless enough to kill anyone he considered a threat.I glanced back at the cliff, my eyes filled with tears, my body trembling. I looked at him again, my voice shaking as I asked, "You are never going to let me go, are you?"Well, I was expecting him to say something that would make me think twice if what I was doing. Somethim that would make me rescind my decision and maybe go back home with him, just to see how things turned out. Couldn't he see the reasons why I was running away from him? Could he not decipher my frustration? He stared at me coldly, silent for a moment before finally speaking."Even if you go to the deepest part of hell, Clara, I will find you," he said, and my heart immediately dropped. I took a step back, realizing there was no escape and knowing what I had to do. I nodded, taking a deep breath, tears falling uncontrollably down my face."Lucas..." I said, calling him by his name for the first time, a little bit of emotion crossing his face before he went back to his normal cold emotions. “I am going to the deepest parts of hell now," I said, stepping back again. He knew what I was about to do, but his expression remained the same. "A place so deep that you won't be able to find me.""Don't do that, Clara," he said."Lucas," I said, taking another step back. "I, Clara the Nameless,"— the nameless was a title I was given back home because my father refused to give me his last name and that was due to me being a female and also an omega, to him I was nothing but a complete embarrassment—"reject you as my mate." With those words, I fell backward without even hesitating, allowing myself to fall into the water below as I closed my eyes, feeling the wind rush past me as I fell down the cliff.I had meant it when I said I would either escape or die trying. As I fell, the thought of the underworld felt like a welcome release, promising freedom from Alpha Lucas. Though I was falling to my death, a smile spread across my face. This wasn't the end I had hoped for, but it felt fitting. I hit the water, the impact sending pain through my body, and I began to sink. Just like that, I was free from the monster named Lucas. Just like that, I was on my way to the afterlife.Goodbye, Alpha Lucas…