Chapter Five

Selene’s POV

 

“He will look for you,” Liam said, breaking the silence in the car.

 

I sighed, already hoping he’d keep quiet and let the silence from the past one hour continue. Leaving Moonbound was way easier than I thought. Leo had really let his guard down around me.

 

Bet he never imagined that I’d ever leave his pack.

 

“Let him. I’m not his Luna anymore.”

 

If I had the chance to see him physically before leaving, I’d have probably rejected his ass too. He could go to hell for all I cared.

 

The bond tugged at my heart and I squeezed my eyes tight. It sent waves of signals to my brain and all of a sudden, all I could see behind my closed eyes were images and flashbacks of my sweet moments with Leo.

 

The days when he’d hold me in his arms and lull me to sleep after I had one of those crazy nightmares, I used to feel the safest in his arms on those days. Like he was all I needed to face any problem in this world.

 

Oh, how wrong I was.

 

The bond was only making me feel like I needed to go back to Leo, or was it just trying to tell me that Leo was searching for me?

 

I’d rather eat poison willingly than go back to Moonbound than go back to the man who only made me feel like I was his world out of pity and at the expense of my wellbeing.

 

Liam’s voice pulled me back to reality, “We should arrive at Silvercrest by nightfall, we can start arranging the eye surgery by then—”  He suddenly stopped talking and the car swerved a bit as it came to a halt.

 

“What’s going on?” I asked, looking around us even though I couldn’t see.

 

“Stay in the car, Selene. I need to check something outside.” He answered and before I could ask him anything else, he was already opening the car’s door and getting out of it.

 

“Liam!” I yelled, “Where are you going to?!”

 

His boots sound only kept getting farther, and I sank into the car seat. His heartbeat and footstep were the only thing I heard at first, then another pair of footsteps, and—

 

The slashing of claws.

 

My hand on my stomach came off, panic surging through me.

 

“Liam,” I called out even though I knew he wouldn’t hear me.

 

I gripped the seatbelt tightly when an ear-piercing howl tore through the air.

 

“Liam!” I desperately tried to unlock the door but it just wouldn’t budge. Liam had it on a child’s lock already.

 

Shit.

 

He better be fucking okay.

 

My wolf prickled my skin, solely at alert for whatever was about to happen.

 

Branches snapped in the distance and my stomach rumbled in discomfort. I could feel it in the pit of my stomach that whatever was happening wasn’t good at all.

 

“Liam!” I yelled again, and this time, I got a response.

 

His scent started to get closer and instead of calming down, my wolf only pranced around in my head as though she sensed danger.

 

He got to the car and threw the door open, heavy pants falling off his lips. He roughly revved the car and pushed it forward, going at a pace faster than earlier.

 

“What’s going on? Say something, Liam.” I said after getting over the tiny shock that coursed through me.

 

“Now isn’t the best time to talk, Selene. We need to get out of here as soon as fucking possible.” He cussed and I made out his hand tightening on the steering wheel.

 

“At least—” The sounds I heard next made me stop talking.

 

The distinct smell of strange wolves wafted into my nostrils. No, rogues. Their disgusting smell had me scrunching up my nose. And they chased after the car, growling loudly at the same time.

 

“Wh—who are th—ey?” The words couldn’t form properly as the car just kept throwing me around.

 

The pounding of the wolf's paws got louder and Liam only cussed louder.

 

Everything was happening so fast and I could barely keep up. My wolf pranced around faster in my head, sending waves of confusion to me.

 

“Get out of my f*cking way!” Liam yelled and I held onto the seat belt tighter, my heart racing faster than it had ever done.

 

The bond twisted painfully in my chest, interrupting with waves of discomfort. It tugged at my heart, sending more memories and thoughts of Leo to me.

 

“Shit, shit! They’re  getting closer.” He cussed harder and the car swerved harder.

 

“Is it Leo? Who are they from?” The car fell into a pothole but Liam was fast enough to pull out of it, “Can you fucking say something?” I snapped.

 

“It’s… I don’t know who they are, Selene. I have no idea who the wolves chasing after us are.” His voice shook, and for the first time in a while, I sensed fear in his voice. He took a sharp swerve.

 

At the moment, I wasn’t so sure if he knew where we were going anymore.

 

“What do—“ The words died in my throat as the car stopped abruptly.

 

No, it didn’t just stop. A large scraping that came from the claws of a wolf hit its hood. I winced, the sound traveling straight to my earbuds.

 

“Shit. Fuck. No.”

 

Liam shook beside me, “No matter what happens, you have to stay in the car.” He said to me. I opened my mouth to talk but he cut me off, the growling from the wolves getting louder, “This isn’t a request but a command.”

 

I flinched as a splattering sound from the car’s window being broken interrupted us.

 

The hairs on my nape rose in panic. Liam opened the car’s door very fast and closed it almost immediately.

 

I unbuckled the seatbelt on me as I could barely breathe anymore.

 

Goddess, this really can’t be the end.

 

Liam said some words along the side of; “Gentlemen, why don’t we just talk amicably?” But I could barely catch it as I zoned out a bit.

 

I held my stomach precariously, jolting back to reality when I heard a yelp of pain from Liam. I tugged at the car handle and the door gave way for me. I bolted out immediately and the stench of the wolves got thicker.

 

Dust wafted into my nostrils and the atmosphere only grew more heated. I heard bones crack and that could only mean that one of them had shifted.

 

I assumed a fighting position, ready to give it back to anyone who would dare to come close to me. I wasn’t the best fighter, but I used to train really hard before the accident.

 

“Give us the girl and we might spare your life.” A gruff voice said, definitely talking to Liam.

 

“No. She’s not going back with you. She will never go back with.”

 

I needed no one to tell me that these men were sent by Leo. He was one relentless loser.

 

“Well then, let’s do it our way.”

 

I felt Liam coming to stand before me, but low growls came from the wolves—almost as if they didn’t want him to move at all.

 

“I’m going to shift now, Selene. Just stay behind me.” He said, and his bones popped almost immediately.

 

I’d have shifted too, but even my wolf was blind. Fuck Leo. I doubt Liam would defeat all of them.

 

Snarls and sharp movements followed and Liam started to move before me. His wolf was fast, but not nearly as fast as the rogues because they tackled him to the ground in no time.

 

“Let him go!” I yelled in a bid to ward them away from us.

 

I only got growls in response. I began moving forward following their scent but Liam snarled, as though he was telling me to go back.

 

“Arghh!” A loud shriek came from Liam after the snarl and I couldn’t move forward this time around.

 

Remembering that I had my cane with me, I started to wave it in the air, aiming to hit anyone who stood in my way.

 

The cane only seemed to attract them to me. I felt them baring their teeth at me, and I froze.

 

“No… Move, Selene!” Liam yelled, “Get the fuck away from her!” He yelled.

 

Just as the teeth made contact with my skin, a loud sound reverberated through the forest and deeper growls approached where we stood. The rogues moved back, attempting to scamper away from us.

 

But it was too late. The bigger wolves descended upon them and within seconds, the tearing of skin and snapping of necks were the only things I heard.

 

I tried to pick out the scent of the people who had come to our rescue, and the moment their smell registered in my head, I froze.

 

That… the same smell I had hated from childhood because of the clan it belonged to. It was ingrained into my memory that the clan owned cinnamon leaves and anywhere I smelt it, I should run or just kill myself.

 

No… no. This can’t be happening. My legs wobbled and the world around me shook.

 

“Sele—” Before Liam could complete his words, my body had made contact with the ground.

 

Darkness coated me immediately, my ears ringing loudly.