SHE'S GLOWING

CELESTE POV

I guessed I should have listened to Austin. Taking a walk around the vast marketplace, even though I might not know my way around here, I could find something that interests me. Also, I could easily plan my escape away from Austin and from everyone else. That was if he didn't catch me first and return me to the prison he had called a room.

Also, I should have eaten. I had been rude to the maid who brought the food earlier and practically tossed the contents on her face.

It was a slice of bread, a piece of banana, and water. That would give me the energy I needed to face this ordeal.

I panted, holding my knees as they wobbled. I looked around me at the other slaves that were running away. For their lives. I knew I shouldn't stall.

Because no one was stalling except for me, no one was in the right state of mind, and I was the least person with a mind right now.

After dinner, two stern-looking men pulled me out of the room. It wasn't Austin or James and Jude, and it wasn't anyone I was familiar with.

I had been pulled outside along with some other slaves, and a brief announcement, which I didn't fully understand, was given before the race started.

I had only seen people running and decided to run. I believed I had heard of such a thing happening while looking into the rogue traders.

It was called the hunt. After each purchase of slaves, they were freed at 11 p.m. and allowed to find their freedom until 12 a.m., at which point anyone who hadn't escaped yet would be returned, and they'd meet the worst possible fate.

If you could call what was happening right now, it would be finding our freedom because none of us, I believe, knew the exact direction we were running in.

They had made us flee into the forest, and that was all.

The people chasing after us weren't the traders themselves; they were called the Hunters of Doom.

They were so-called because the fate we would meet at their hands would be far worse if any of them caught up with us.

I didn't want anyone to catch up with me. But I didn't think I could go on any further. I was fucking exhausted to make another move.

But I needed to run. I knew I needed to.

I gazed up as I stumbled toward the large tree in the middle of the room. It could have been a beautiful day if all that was happening wasn't. I gasped as a hand gripped mine, pulling me away before I could reach the tree.

"What the—" I tried to speak, but a hand slapped over my mouth.

"Shhh," the voice hushed.

I leaned back to look at my captor as I was instantly released.

She was a petite brunette with dirt coating half of her face. She had been crying. I could see the signs on her cheeks. But she still looked as fierce as ever.

"Who are you?" I knew it was a silly question for me to ask because judging from her outfit, she looked like she was a slave who had been released too.

Her hair was unkempt, her clothes torn and I could see dry blood on her leg that must have run from in between her thighs.

"I am Sarah. But I don't think my name is necessary at the moment," she introduced herself.

It wasn't necessary to her, I guess. It was to me and I needed to know she wasn't working for the enemy. For all I knew, she could be here disguising as an omega who was in trouble.

I didn't just want to trust anyone unquestioningly as I had trusted him.

Him. I pushed back the thoughts and images of him out of my head.

The last thing I should be thinking about right now was Alpha Kieran.

He must be somewhere in his pack house, with Selene wrapped up in his arms, acting like the perfect Luna. That bitch.

"Trust me..." Sarah trailed off. "Miss?"

"Celeste. Just Celeste," I answered.

"Right, Celeste," Sarah repeated. I am not one of them. I know you're skeptical right now and afraid, which I am too. But I wouldn't be doing this if I were one of them. I could have killed you at first glance when I saw you. But seeing we are in the same dilemma, I believe we should help each other."

"How? Austin would find me any. I don't know my way around here. I don't think you do as well. It's like we are all running towards an invisible trap set before us, but they are the only ones seeing the trap."

It made no sense. I had seen the smirk and wicked glint in Austin's eyes which screamed, 'Run as much as you desire. You'd come back to me anyway.'

I saw it and brushed it off. I didn't want to give any meaning to anything he had done, but I believe I should have done that.

"It doesn't matter Celeste," Sarah said.

"How do you know my name?" I narrowed my eyes at her. I didn't reveal that information to her.

"How I know your name isn't important. But do you want to live?" Sarah questioned. I could hear the desperation in her voice.

Do I? I wondered. If I was given a chance to choose, I'd instead want to die. I wouldn't have to feel more pain and my suffering currently would vanish too.

"I want to live, Celeste. I want to live for my baby," Sarah pointed to her stomach. For the first time, I stared down at her in surprise, looking at the protruding baby bump. It was very much visible, and she could be in her sixth month.

I didn't know why I hadn't noticed instantly.

"I don't want to die, and I know the zeal to live is inside you as well. Otherwise, the moon goddess wouldn't have led me to you." Sarah gripped my hand and started to pull me forward, but I yanked it away from her.

I snorted. "The moon goddess?" Looking at Sarah, "You still believe the goddess cares about you?"

"She's the one that placed me in this predicament in the first place. She's the crazy bitch who gave me a mate, made him reject me publicly, and announced to be with someone else. She's the one who made him sell me off as if I was some worthless piece of trash," I swiped angrily at the tears gliding down my cheeks. "And she's the one who is making both of us suffer. She wouldn't have allowed us to be in this position if she cared!"

My body trembled with rage. I wanted to find the cause of my problem, yell, and curse until I couldn't anymore, but she was up there, looking, mocking, and enjoying all the things that were happening down here!

I despised her. The goddess, everything associated with her, I fucking hated—

"Watch out!"

I turned in time but was unable to block Sarah as she shoved me in the stomach. The force at which she had used in pushing me sent me flying backward, and I slammed my back into a tree.

I groaned as I heard a bone or two breaking at the impact.

Pain flared in the area, spreading through my body quickly but I doubted it would be more than the one that Sarah was facing.

She had shoved me because she saw an arrow pointing at us and one was currently deep in her stomach.

Sarah fell to her knees, her hands clutching her stomach tightly where the arrow had pierced, "I am sorry, Jeremy. I tried to protect you but I failed—"

She fell to the ground with a thud and stopped moving.

"No," I choked out, my eyes brewing with tears. I tried to move towards where she was, but I couldn't. I didn't think only two bones were broken, I believed my entire back was.

"Sarah," I whispered, my voice barely audible. I fell to the ground, my gaze moving heavenward to the bright full moon. I should be the one in her position. But she had taken the arrow for me.

She believed in you goddess Selene. Shouldn't you have saved her at least?

My eyes fluttered close as dizziness washed over me. There was no need to try to run. I had reached my limit. From a distance, I heard the hunters' voices as they closed in on me.

Heat spread through me and my hands tingled as an unknown energy surged through me. But that wasn't even enough to make me stand to my feet and keep running. I was still on the damned ground, as helpless as ever.

A prod on my head, followed by a surprised, "She's glowing?"

"Get away from her!"

Those were the last words I heard before I succumbed to the darkness surrounding me.