Prologue

Willow Baker POV

I gasped for air, leaning against a tree to support myself. My free hand desperately pressed against the bloody wound on my stomach, trying to stop the bleeding. Asa wailed against my chest, unable to understand what was happening but grasping enough to know something was wrong.

Why was this happening to me? Where did it all go wrong?

The howls spurred me on as I tried to coax Asa to stop crying. Her cries would only make it easier for them to find us if they had not caught our scent already. She just needed to hold on a little longer, and we would be across the border.

Branches and leaves crunched underneath my feet as I kept looking behind me for pursuers. Suddenly, I lost my footing and collapsed to the ground, barely avoiding crushing Asa underneath me.

Her wailing turned into whimpers, and all I could do was whisper sweet nothings. "Shh, it's okay. Everything is going to be okay."

Watery black eyes stared up at me as she reached out to touch my face with her tiny hands. This child was worth saving even if it cost me my own.

Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to my feet and hobbled towards the direction of the border. The light at the end of the forest was only several feet away. Seeing how close we were to freedom, I could feel a smile breaking out on my face.

That relief was short-lived when I stepped out into the clearing. The border was just a couple feet away, and we would have been scot free if not for one thing. Standing in front of it was my worst nightmare.

"You finally decided to show up, whore," Shawn sneered. "You kept us waiting."

How was this possible? I had been certain he and his group were behind us. How did he manage to cut in front of us?

We were so close. Once we crossed the border, they couldn't touch us, not unless they wanted to start a war.

There was no way I could get past them in my condition. No, even at my best, I was no match for a gang of werewolves. I was never allowed to learn how to fight. At most, I would be able to claw at their faces.

Even so, I couldn't give up here. Laying on my back and showing my belly wouldn't save us. If they didn't outright kill me, I would be beaten black and blue to the point of crippling me. Shawn once swore that he would make sure I would never be able to run ever again.

"Don't you have anything to say to us, bitch. You made us waste our time to come get you," he said as he strutted towards us.

I growled, clutching Asa close to me to shield her from him. There was no way I was going to let him touch a single black hair on her head.

He stopped in his tracks. His handsome visage morphed into an ugly snarl, and I tensed in case he was planning on jumping us. Knowing him, it was just a matter of time before he decided to skip the talking and get down to being physical.

"Slut has forgotten her place," snickered one of his minions. "Shall we teach her a lesson?" he asked as he licked his lips and leered at me.

I shuddered in disgust. Despite what they thought of me, I had only laid with one man, and that was only because my parents had drugged me into doing it for money. I didn't even know who it was as my mind had been in a haze, but Asa's hair and eye color gave me some ideas.

That's why I dared to venture into enemy only way Asa could live was if she entered Datumia, one of the lands that belonged to demons. Specifically, I had hoped to reach Eriateva.

The head of the family that ruled that place was the only one I knew that lived near us to possess black hair and black eyes like Asa. The sign of demon blood that coursed through their veins alongside their werewolf blood.

A loud whistling sound was my only warning before I felt something strike my left shoulder, knocking the breath out of me. I barely managed to stay on my feet, but my legs shook from the effort.

Asa bawled and shrieked at my tight grip, and I murmured apologies. I didn't dare loosen my grip in fear that I would actually drop her.

Even though I wished to see who my attacker was and what I had been hit with, I didn't dare take my eyes off Shawn.

His face had relaxed as he said, "Babe, I told you I didn't want you killing her yet."

Rose strolled past me to cuddle up next to him. "Sorry, my bad, my aim isn't very good."

"That's alright."

I nearly barfed at the disgusting display. My legs could no longer support me, and I fell to my knees. Glaring up at the ones responsible for my misery, I asked, "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious, you dumb bitch?" She flipped her long blonde hair to the side. "I couldn't stand the sight of you. With your dirty hair and ugly face, you are worthless compared to me, but you acted like you were better than me."

She was delusional. I never thought of that. Not once in the entire time I had been forced to be what amounted to be a slave even though I was supposed to be a simple maid.

Was it so wrong to want to live? To want to live with my daughter in peace?

I was so preoccupied with my thoughts that I was caught off guard by the kick to the stomach and fell on my side, protecting Asa from the fall.

She was suddenly ripped from my grasp, and I watched with dread as Shawn swung her by her feet. He turned his attention to Rose and asked, "What do you want to do with it?"

"We can always raise it to be our replacement slave," she said with a laugh.

Tears streamed down my face as I desperately reached out to Asa who also reached out to me. "Give her back. Give my baby back."

A kick to the head knocked me down, and my world spun. I could barely make out what they were saying.

"What should we do with her?" Rose asked.

"She's dead anyway. Leave her here to be eaten by the wildlife," said Shawn as they walked away.

"I'm so sorry. I'm sorry your mother was a worthless woman in the end," I muttered to myself.

If only things were different. If only I had been braver and fled sooner. If only I had been strong enough to protect her.

If I had another chance, I would make sure you were happy.