My journey to you

Danika POV

My vision blurred with fresh tears as they found their way down my cheeks. For a moment, it felt like my world had crumbled. It’s finally over. Everything we shared had meant nothing to him.

I refuse to be exiled.

“Don’t worry, I’ll run this errand, and I’ll show you that even if you see me as weak, I’d rather not be exiled. I will be here to watch you suffer,” I said, wiping away the remnants of my tears with my hands. No, I won’t be the only one to suffer. I’ll make sure he suffers as much as I have suffered, and when he comes begging for my love again—for the love we once shared—I will not accept him back. I will turn my back on him, just like he had done to me.

He scoffed. “I loved you, but now I love your sister. I will not regret this.”

My bleeding heart shattered again. I dejectedly walked out of the office as fresh tears glossed my eyes again.

The sun—hot and biting—gnawed at my body as I walked back home to pack a few of my clothes. I bade my dad goodbye and prepared to leave.

But he suddenly enveloped me in a warm and consoling hug, and my tears came crashing down in torrents.

“You’re strong. This is just a phase, and you’re going to see through this,” he encouraged. “And even if he doesn’t miss anything about you, he must definitely regret losing the sight of you,” he added, tapping my back in a consoling manner.

I nodded, too tired and weak to speak, and started walking away, praying to the Moon Goddess to keep me safe.

The enforcers assigned to assist me and I traveled through the dense forests, taking detours and paths. Edgar perceived that I would be tired, so he proposed we have a little rest in the clearing.

I looked at the fire burning away in the woods—just like my heart was aching. I was so deep in thought when—

“Ever—” one of the enforcers cautiously called me through a mind link, bringing me back to earth.

“What?” I asked, looking vigilant.

“Ro—” Before he could finish, an unfamiliar scent assailed my nostrils, making Silver, my inner wolf, wince in disgust. The scent was disgustingly horrible and could only belong to strong rogues.

Edgar swung into action immediately, dousing the fire—already transformed into his beautiful wolf and ready to attack.

I shifted into my wolf form, and so did Eric, the second enforcer who was instructed to accompany me.

We waited—each second like eternity—until we heard the ruffling of leaves and the sounds of paws hitting the ground, sending ripples of fear over my body.

We were all going to die. We were surrounded with nowhere to run to. The rogues were overwhelming in numbers, and we were just three. How long were we going to last against a hundred rogues?

In a protective stance, I was trapped between Eric and Edgar as the fight began, with Eric skillfully crying out at the first one that made an attempt to hurt me. They fought skillfully, but I knew it was futile, as we were already at the losing end. This was how my life was going to end—without even getting to know my mate.

The Goddess must be partial and cruel.

Suddenly, there was a shift in the atmosphere, as the air became charged with apprehensive tension. I could feel it, and my wolf, Silver, could feel it too, by the way she whimpered.

The rogues stopped fighting, their faces a mixture of fear and surprise. If rogues could look this frightened, then whatever this was wouldn’t be ordinary.

Who could this be? I didn’t ask long, as they emerged clad in black in the stillness of the night like grim reapers that had come to reap souls—sending them to their master for judgment. From their scent, I knew they were warriors, each one wielding a power so terrifying it could belong to high-ranking wolves.

I held my breath with my mouth wide open as they effortlessly fought the rogues, contrasting the way Eric and Edgar fought with labored breaths. Not even one strand of their hair was out of place; their movement was so impeccable—like they were born to fight. In the blink of an eye, the rogues were all lying dead on the cold forest ground.

They didn’t even need to transform into their wolf forms before we could react.

“Are you rogues too, or have you come to scout out our lands?” one who looked like their leader asked, pointing his blade at me, and I flinched.

Edgar stepped forward in a protective stance. “Don’t hurt—”

But before he could finish the sentence, the whooshing sound of the blade already landed on his neck, and my soul figuratively left my body. Did he just kill him?

“Don’t talk when you’re not being asked,” the warrior ordered, his voice menacing. He turned to me again, and the look in his eyes told me not to let him repeat himself again.

A sense of relief washed over me when I saw Edgar’s head still intact on his body, my heart racing a marathon in my ribcage. But I managed to answer, “No—no, we’re not.” I stuttered. “We were on a journey to the Blood Moon Pack.”

He craned his head to the side, his eyes never leaving mine for once. Oh Goddess, I don’t want to die.

He looked at me with a serious and unreadable gaze, and I knew he was in a mind link with someone, but that didn’t stop a shiver from running down my spine.

“Hand me a rope,” he ordered. “We’re instructed to bind them and bring them to the Alpha King. He will do with them what he deems fit,” he said, and started bounding my hands with the rope.