Chapter 4 The Escape Under Mara’s Protection

I stood up slowly.

My legs were steady now. Strong.

"I took back what you stole," I mumbled.

"Seize her!" Leighton roared.

"And kill that old witch!"

The guards rushed forward.

"Go!" Mara shoved me toward the window.

"Take Erica and run!"

"I won't leave you—"

"GO!" She threw something on the ground—a smoke bomb that exploded in thick grey clouds.

I didn't have time to argue.

I grabbed Erica's unconscious body, threw her over my shoulder, and ran for the window.

The glass shattered as I jumped through it.

We fell two stories and hit the ground hard. But I rolled, protecting Erica with my body, and came up running.

Behind me, I heard Leighton's roar. Mara's scream.

I couldn't look back. Couldn't stop.

I ran into the forest. For the dark trees that marked the edge of pack territory.

The night air was cold against my face. My bare feet pounded the earth. Erica was heavy, but I didn't slow down.

And then, as I crossed into the shadow of the first trees, something hit me.

A scent.

Strong. Wild. Unfamiliar.

Pine and thunderstorms. Mountain air and something deeper. Something ancient.

My wolf—who'd been focused on running—suddenly surged forward with shocking intensity.

MATE! She howled in my mind.

What? No, that was impossible.

I already had a mate. Leighton. Our bond was sealed three years ago.

But my wolf didn't care. She was straining toward that scent with desperate hunger.

Then, it was gone. Lost in the wind and the chaos of pursuit behind me.

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus. I didn't have time for my wolf's confusion.

I had to save Erica.

But deep in my chest, something had changed. Some invisible thread had pulled taut.

And I knew—somehow I knew—that my life had just become a lot more complicated.

I pushed the feeling away and kept running.

Into the darkness.

Into the unknown.

Into whatever came next.

The forest was dark and cold.

My bare feet pounded against the dirt path.

Branches whipped at my face and arms.

Erica's weight on my shoulder made every step harder, but I didn't slow down.

Behind me, I heard them coming.

Howls. Dozens of them. The sound of the pack hunting.

Hunting me.

My heart hammered in my chest.

My newly returned power gave me speed and strength, but I wasn't at full capacity yet. I'd only absorbed five of the stones.

Seven more were still sitting in that bedroom, and now Leighton had them.

"Mommy?" Erica's weak voice made me stumble.

"Shh, baby. I've got you."

"Where are we going?"

"Somewhere safe."

That was a lie. I had no idea where we were going.

The forest ahead was forbidden territory—home to rogues, exiles, and dark creatures. No pack wolf went there willingly.

But what choice did I have?

That strange scent from before hit me again. Stronger now.

Pine and thunderstorms.

My wolf perked up instantly, her exhaustion forgotten.

Mate! Go, mate! She urged.

I told her firmly. Just focus!

But she wouldn't listen.

She kept pulling me toward the scent, making it harder to think straight.

A massive grey wolf burst from the trees to my right.

I barely dodged his lunge, spinning away. He crashed into a tree trunk, and I kept running.

More wolves appeared. Surrounding us. Cutting off escape routes.

I was running out of options fast.

"Stop running, Sophia!" Leighton's voice echoed through the trees.

He hadn't shifted yet—he was toying with me. "You can't escape. Surrender now, and I'll make this quick."

Quick. He meant death.

I pushed harder, my lungs burning.

The trees were getting thicker now. Older. We were almost to the border.

That scent grew even stronger. It was coming from dead ahead.

My wolf surged with hope. Mate is close! He'll help!

We don't know that, I argued. 

Something slammed into me from the side.

I went flying, Erica tumbling from my grip.

We hit the ground hard and rolled. I came up in a crouch, putting myself between my daughter and the wolf that had tackled us.

It was Stone—Leighton's head guard.

A massive brown wolf with cold amber eyes.

He shifted back to human form.

A tall, muscular man with a scarred face.

"End of the line, Luna," he said coldly.

More wolves appeared, forming a circle around us. One by one, they shifted back to human. Ten guards in total. All loyal to Leighton.

I pulled Erica close. She was barely conscious, her body still weak from the stone poisoning.

"Stay behind me," I whispered.

Leighton walked through the circle of guards.

He was still in human form, wearing black pants and nothing else.

Blood stained his hands—Mara's blood.

I felt something break inside me.

"Did you kill her?" My voice came out flat.

"The old witch?" Leighton shrugged.

"She attacked my guards. They defended themselves."

Mara, sweet, loyal Mara, who'd been with me for years. Who'd just sacrificed herself so we could escape.

"You'll pay for that," I said coldly.

Leighton laughed. "Will I? Look around, Sophia. You're surrounded. Powerless. And you're dragging a half-dead child. How do you plan to make me pay?"

I didn't answer. Instead, I closed my eyes and reached for the power I'd just reclaimed.

It was there.

"I gave you everything," I said, opening my eyes. 

"For years of loyalty. A daughter. My blood, my sweat, my life. And you threw it away for a younger woman and some political alliance."

"Because you got weak," Leighton said simply.

"I need a strong Luna. Not a used-up failure."

"You made me weak." Silver light started glowing under my skin.

"You poisoned my daughter and me. You drained my power with those stones."

His eyes narrowed. "So you figured it out. Clever."

"How long?" I demanded.

"How long were you planning this?"

"About a year." He said it casually like it was nothing.

"Julia's family approached me with an alliance offer. Marriage to secure the Blood Moon territory. I agreed."

"While you were still married to me."

"I was going to divorce you properly. But then you got suspicious. Started asking questions. So I decided to speed things up." He gestured at Stone.

"My lead shaman created the rune stones. We hid them in your jewelry. Erica's too, since I needed to eliminate her claim to being heir."

"You tried to kill your daughter?"

"I tried to replace her with a better heir." He stepped closer.

"Look, Sophia, this isn't personal. It's just politics. You're a good woman. But you're not the Luna this pack needs anymore."

"Not personal?" I let out a bitter laugh.

"You poisoned us. Betrayed us. Planned to torture Erica with 're-education.' You murdered my best friend. And you say it's not personal?"

"It's not. It's a strategy."

The silver glow around my hands brightened.

My wolf was pushing at my skin, wanting out. Wanting blood.