The Escape Plan

Elara wakes up from her thin mattress, gasping for air. Her skin was cold with sweat, her heart thudding so hard it echoed in her ears. Her hands flew to her stomach, cradling the soft curve protectively. She could still hear the growling in her head, the deep snarl of Clay, eyes wild and angry, as he tore her baby from her arms. In the nightmare, she had screamed and begged, but he didn’t listen. He handed the baby to someone in a black cloak… a tall, masked Alpha whose face she couldn't see. Only his voice had stayed with her.

‘This child doesn’t belong to you.’

The words echoed through her mind like a curse.

Elara blinked rapidly, trying to push the dream away, but her body still trembled. She leaned back against the cold wall of her hut and pulled the threadbare blanket tighter around her shoulders. Her breath was shaky, but steadying. The baby moved softly beneath her hand, a tiny nudge that reminded her it was real, alive, and still hers for now.

Outside, the wind howled louder than usual, dragging dry leaves across the dirt like whispers of danger. Elara could smell the change in the air—frost, sharp and bitter. Winter was arriving faster than she expected, and with it, the full moon.

Only ‘five nights away’.

A lump formed in her throat.

That meant the scent-masking tea would lose its strength. The herbs the healer had given her were working… barely. Her body ached more with each passing day. The child inside her was growing, stretching, pressing against her ribs. Her legs had started swelling at night. She moved slower. Her hunger was sharper, harder to hide.

Clay had already begun sniffing around her hut more often. His eyes lingered on her longer now. Suspicious. Cold. Watching.

She could feel the weight of his gaze even when he wasn’t there.

“I don’t have much time,” she whispered to herself, placing her palm gently over her belly. “We have to go before they find out. Before he does.”

Her voice cracked at the end, and fresh tears gathered in her eyes.

She wanted to be strong for the child, for herself. But she was tired. I'm so tired of hiding, lying, and living in fear. Every morning, she woke up expecting Clay to come storming through her door. Every night, she fell asleep wondering if she’d wake up in chains.

A soft knock broke the silence.

Elara froze.

Three short taps. A pause. Then two more.

It was the signal.

She quickly wiped her eyes, stood up, and moved to open the door. Her heart is beating fast.

She opened the door just wide enough to let them in. Selena stepped in first, her cloak damp from the morning mist. Her hair was tied back tightly, and her eyes were sharper than ever alert, determined, but tired. The healer followed quietly behind her, carrying a small cloth pouch and a bundle wrapped in dark fabric.

Neither of them spoke until Elara shut the door.

Selena turned to her. “Are you ready?”

Elara nodded slowly, but her fingers trembled as she pulled the blanket tighter around herself. “I had another dream,” she whispered. “He took the baby from me.”

Selena’s face softened, but her voice stayed firm. “Then we don’t need to wait anymore.”

The healer stepped forward and handed Elara the pouch. “This has enough dried herbs to last you a few more days. It will dull the pain and help hide your scent, but it won’t work forever.” Her tone was serious. “You’ll need to be far from here before the moon rises again.”

Elara opened the pouch slightly and breathed in the bitter scent of crushed roots and dried leaves. Her stomach aches a little but she forces herself to nod. “Where do I go?”

Selena pulled out a hand-drawn map from the bundle. It was old and faded, the corners torn, the ink smudged in places. She pointed to a thin line that curved through the forest. “There’s a hidden trail behind the east ridge. It’s overgrown, but still walkable. You’ll follow it until you reach the mountains.”

Elara’s eyes widened. “The mountains? That’s rogue land.”

Selena nodded. “That’s why it’s safe. No one from the Council patrols that deep. The den near the peak is used by exiles. Wolves who ran from their packs. You can hide there.”

“Or die there,” the healer muttered under her breath.

Selena shot her a look but didn’t deny it.

Elara swallowed hard, her throat dry. “Is there no other way?”

“No,” Selena said quietly. “The main roads are being watched. Every tunnel and pass is guarded. If you try to go through pack borders, you’ll be caught.”

Elara looked down at her belly. The baby moved again as if sensing her fear. She wrapped her arms around herself.

“What if they catch me?” she whispered. “What if I can’t run fast enough?”

Selena walked over and took her hand. “Then we’ve failed you,” she said simply. “But we won’t.”

The healer added, “Don’t stop for anyone. Don’t talk to anyone. If you hear footsteps, hide. If you smell blood, turn the other way. And if you see Clay run.”

Elara felt her knees weaken, but she stayed standing.

Her chest rose and fell with shallow breaths, her heart heavy with the weight of it all. She wanted to cry, to scream, to run already. But she stood still, holding onto Selena’s hand like a lifeline.

She nodded once. “I’ll go tonight.”

Elara had just packed the last bundle of herbs under the floorboard when she heard the knock.

It wasn’t a soft knock. It was firm. Sharp. The kind that made her stomach twist.

She froze.

A moment later, the door creaked open.

Clay stood in the doorway.

His tall figure blocked the light, and for a second, Elara couldn’t breathe. His cold eyes scanned the small room before settling on her.

“I was just checking on everyone,” he said with a fake smile. “Haven’t seen you much today.”

Elara tried to stay calm. Her hands rested on her belly as she forced a small nod. “I’ve been resting.”

Clay stepped inside without asking. The door shut behind him.

His boots scraped against the wooden floor as he came closer. Too close.

“I’ve noticed you’re… pale,” he said, tilting his head. His eyes narrowed. “Sick?”

“No,” she whispered. “Just tired.”

He didn’t move. Instead, he leaned in slightly and sniffed.

Elara’s heart slammed in her chest.

She clenched her jaw and held her breath. She’d taken the herbs earlier and her scent should be masked. But what if it wasn’t strong enough?

Clay’s lips pressed together. “Something smells different,” he murmured.

Elara opened her mouth, searching for an excuse but before she could speak, the door burst open again.

“Sorry!” Selena’s voice rang out too brightly. She walked in holding a small basket of bread. “I brought food.”

Clay turned sharply to look at her.

Selena smiled, stepping between them with calm ease. “You know how the healer wants her to eat more? She needs strength, right?”

Clay didn’t answer. He glanced at the basket, then at Elara again.

“You’re pale too,” he said to Selena, his voice low and cold.

Selena’s smile didn’t fade. “That’s what happens when you wake up before dawn to help at the clinic.”

There was a tense silence.

Then Selena added, as if it were just small talk, “Heard there’s been some noise near the northern border. Maybe rogues again?”

Clay’s eyes flickered with interest. He straightened up slightly.

“Where’d you hear that?”

“From one of the scouts. Could be nothing,” she shrugged, “but it’s worth checking, isn’t it?”

For a long second, Clay didn’t move. His gaze drifted back to Elara.

Her skin was pale with sweat. Her hands shook slightly where they gripped the edge of the table. She didn’t dare speak.

Clay’s eyes stayed on her too long, too sharp.

But finally, he turned and walked to the door. “If you feel sick,” he said, looking over his shoulder, “report it. We can’t afford weakness in the pack.”

Then he was gone.

The moment the door shut, Elara fell to her knees.

Her whole body trembled. Tears welled in her eyes as she covered her mouth, trying not to sob.

Selena rushed to her side, kneeling beside her.

“He’s gone,” she whispered. “It’s okay. You should calm down first.”

But Elara didn’t feel okay.

She felt like she was walking a thin line and with just one wrong step, she would fall.

And this time, no one would be there to catch her.