CHAPTER SIX

I stand over Romulus' dead body.

I can't believe I did it. I can't believe he is dead. That I killed him.

I killed the Alpha. The most powerful wolf in the pack.

I am a killer. A killer. A killer.

The bloody dagger is still in my shaking hand. There are splodges of blood all over me.

I have to get out of here.

Then I remember the guards outside the door.

Surely they heard the commotion? Are they used to such terrible noises coming from Romulus' room?

I shudder at the thought.

I have to get past them somehow.

I have to free the girl in the jail.

I have to get free.

I open the door.

The guards are standing outside the chamber. I still have the knife but I am not strong enough to fight them. I cannot over power them and I do not want to kill them. I do not want anymore blood on my hands.

Just then, the guards spot me. I see their confusion. I see their uncertainty.

"Hey!" the first one shouts.

"She's getting away!" the second cries, and he takes hold of his weapon.

I am so afraid. I want to be free. I want to be free of this nightmare.

I run.

They give chase after me.

My heart pounds. My legs feel weak. I run like my life depends on it.

I pass the jail. There is no time to free the girl inside. I have to get out of the Alpha's lair.

I hear the guards behind me. They are gaining ground.

I hear the clattering of their weapons as they run. I hear their heavy breathing. I hear their grunts as they try to catch me.

My mind spins. I feel like I am in a dream.

I run as fast as I can.

Up ahead, I see the door. The way out. The way to my freedom.

But my body is spent. My legs are trembling.

I am not sure if I will make it. I am not sure that I will escape.

I close my eyes. I grit my teeth. I try to muster all my strength.

I am almost there but they are close.

Too close.

They pounce on me from behind.

I fly forward and land on the hard tiles. Rough hands turn me by my shoulders.

"She's covered in blood!" the guard shouts.

"What did you do?" the second asks.

I spit at him, right in the eye.

"Did you kill Romulus?" the guard demands.

I say nothing. I grit my teeth. I stare him down.

He raises his weapon.

I draw the dagger from my pocket. I draw it fast.

The guard's eyes widen. "What are you doing?"

I strike out with the blade. It catches him in the neck.

He falls back. His eyes are wide.

He drops his weapon and falls to his knees. He collapses to the ground.

I pull the dagger out and he collapses to the ground.

"No!" he cries, blood bubbling out of his lips.

I turn to the second guard grabs me. He stares, his eyes full of surprise.

"You're a murderer!" he cries. He grabs his weapon.

I turn to run. I just have to get out of here. I have to get out of the Alpha's lair.

The guard's footsteps sound behind me. footsteps behind me. He is gaining on me.

I am terrified but I have to keep going. I have to keep going. I have to keep going.

I am almost at the door. I can almost see the sunlight. I can almost smell the fresh air. I can almost taste my freedom.

But I am still not out.

I can't let them catch me. I can't let them catch the murderer. The Alpha's murderer.

They are so close. It feels like they are breathing down my neck.

I turn around.

There is nowhere left to run. I am so tired. My body is so spent.

I hold up the dagger.

"Stay back!" I tell the guard. "I will kill you." I aim the dagger at him. "Stay back!"

"It's over," the guard says. He takes out his weapon. He aims it at me. "I can't let you get away."

I see no way out of this.

No way out of this hell.

The guard comes closer. I hold the dagger up. I hold the dagger out.

But cannot do it. I cannot kill again. I am beaten. Broken down.

The guard walks right up to me. He stops right in front of me.

He doesn't attack.

Instead he stares down at me.

I stare back. I am trembling from head to toe.

"I can't do it," I tell him. "I just can't." I drop the dagger. I put my hands up. I give up. I am broken. "I can't kill you."

He lowers his weapon. He looks a little shocked.

The guard comes closer. I brace myself, ready for another blow.

But instead, he grabs me by the arms."You killed the Alpha," he says.

The air rushes from my lungs. I look up at him and exhale. "Yes. I killed him. I killed Romulus. The Alpha is dead."

"You're a murderer," the guard says.

The word echoes in my mind.

Murderer.

I look at the dagger lying on the ground. "I have to go to jail."

The guard tugs my arms behind my back. Then he pushes down the corridor toward the jail cell.

When we reach the cell, he hauls open the wooden door and throws me inside.

I land in a heap.

I turn to look over my shoulder at the guard standing in the doorway. "What will happen to me?"

"There will be a trial," he says.

"A trial?" I gulp. "What will my punishment be?"

He lowers his eyes to the ground. "You killed the Alpha. There is only one punishment fit for such a crime."

He does not have to say more for me to know what punishment he means.

Death.

The door slams shut behind me. I am plunged into darkness. Left alone with the knowledge that I am a killer. That I am not free. That an even worse fate awaits me.