Chapter 3

Amelia's POV.

I barely looked at what I grabbed but shoved things into my bag, knowing I needed to leave.

Silence filled the hallway as I walked, my steps louder than I had thought. I stuck to walls and walked in the shadows until I was out of the packhouse.

The cold air hit my skin the moment I stepped into the forest, but I knew there was no going back.

Nothing about this would be easy, but I already made up my mind.

I kept moving, walking so fast because I needed to find a place to settle before the sunset.

I haven't gone far when I heard heavy footsteps echoing in my ears. I stopped on my tracks, straining my ears to listen. The heavy footsteps became louder and panic suddenly rose in my chest.

Those footsteps weren't mine.

I snapped my face to the back and I saw them….. Pack guards dressed in uniforms, lined behind each other and their feet took off the ground, running towards me.

My chest hammered in my chest and my eyes snapped to their hands. They held knives, the blade shining in the dimly bright light.

They were guards from the moonlight pack. Jace had noticed, and he had sent them after me.

“Run!” A voice echoed in my head and I didn't think it twice before I turned on my heels, holding my bag tightly like it was my lifeline.

I ran, swinging through leaves like a breeze. Branches prickled against my skin and I didn't care, but I couldn't get far, because they were faster.

I froze and before I knew it, they were all around me, blocking my paths.

I swallowed hard.

The commander stepped closer, forcing me to move backwards. “We have been ordered to bring you back, Miss”

His voice was calm, and controlled.

“Leave me alone!” I snapped fiercely. “I won't be returning with you”

My eyes roamed around in search of an escape route while my breath quickened.

“Grab her” The commander signalled. Two of the guards came closer, trying to hold me but I swung my bag towards them, acting fierce.

“Don't come closer!”

The guards stood still, debating whether to grab me with force or not.

Among the guards standing at my back, two of them whispered.

“The orders changed.”

“Lady Lydia wants us to kill her, we can't miss this chance”

My face widened before it snapped to where the voices came from. They stared at me with their gaze filled with murderous intent, confirming their words.

“No”

I shook my head. Lydia couldn't have told them to kill me. She's my friend, we've always been friends. She can't ask for me to be killed after betraying me!

But deep down in my heart, I knew she could. I heard her clearly when she was proposing the idea to Jace.

“Grab her!” The commander roared again and multiple guards came at me at once, including the ones who had been ordered to take my life.

I looked around once again for a way to get out of this and sighted a downhill that could be my salvation.

When the guards rushed to me, I dodged and slid down the smallest gap I could find.

Without delay, I rolled down the hill.

Twigs of wood ran into me, pricking my skin, the feeling of pain replacing every other thing my head could process. Soon, I landed on the floor, face flat in the sand.

My body refused to move for a moment and every part of my body was filled with pain.

I forced myself to look at the guards up the hill and could see them looking down at me. Some of them started running down the path that led down the hill but I wasn't letting them get me.

There was no time……. I had to continue running.

My legs were weak but I pushed forward, running back into the forest and letting branches tear my skin once again. The cold air that touched the ripped parts of my skin made the pain more realistic.

After running for a while, my legs could no longer take it. I collapsed against a fallen branch and dragged in a deep breath.

My face moved to my stomach and I placed a hand on it, trying to feel the movement of my child if I could.

“I'll protect you, I promise I will” I whispered with tears blurring my vision.

My eyes squeezed shut even when I tried to fight it. I didn't know how I was able to fall asleep in that situation but I knew darkness replaced every thought in my mind and I felt at ease for a while.

…

I stirred awake and opened my eyes, groaning as I looked everywhere around me. Everywhere was slightly dark, but I could still see the green color of the leaves. The sun was setting but I was too weak and tired to stand up.

I closed my eyes once again and sighed. They didn't find me, I'm safe from Jace and Lydia.

“Water” I murmured.

My throat was burning with thirst, and swallowing my saliva only made it worse.

“You want water?” A voice said, sounding too close.

I snapped my eyes open immediately.

Did the pack guards find me? My heart leapt up in panic as some strength that I didn't know I still had suddenly returned.

I leaned away from the branch I was resting on and looked up at the person in front of me.

I froze.

There were three, dressed in clothes made of tiger furs and a smile was on their faces.

Were they here to help me?

One of them was standing closer while the two others stood closely behind him. He stretched an uncapped bottle of water and nudged it at me.

“Yes, please….” I responded, sounding so desperate.

His face was so serious and I raised my hand to take the water from him. My finger touched the bottle but just as I was about to grab it, he tilted the bottle, slowly letting every drop fall to the floor.

I watched as the bottle emptied, the water getting wasted into the dirt.

A loud laughter erupted from them like they were maniacs.

My eyes widened in shock, not because of the water I was denied, but because I was realizing the danger I was finding myself in.

They were rogues!

I was surrounded by rogues.

Panic rose in my chest and I struggled to stay calm. I didn't let my mind decide on what to do, I let my body take action first. I ignored the feeling of pain in my body and pushed myself up, wanting to get away from them.

“Run, Amelia” A voice echoed in my head. “As fast as you can”

That was what I tried to do, but my legs dragged behind uselessly, making it impossible for me to get far.

“She's hurt” Someone muttered and they all laughed.

“Grab her,” another said, voice cold and rough.

My hands started shaking terribly and I knew I was doomed.

I didn't stand a chance against them. Not when I'm like this, hurt and battered. Not when there's no one coming to save me.