Chapter Two

Helene 

  The bright sunlight hurt my eyes, and my head ached as I thought about getting out of bed. I almost called for Emma, my maid, but then I remembered what I had done the day before.

"I ran away!" I yelled out loud as it hit me.

No, I didn't regret my decision. Even if I did, I couldn't go back now.

I couldn't return home because my father's rules said anyone who ran away would be seen as an enemy of the pack and would be killed if caught. That applied to me too.

Finally, I got the strength to get out of bed, and I felt relieved. I didn't have to do all the chores and pretend to care about the pack's rules anymore. Most importantly, I didn't have to fake a smile to please my father.

I quickly showered and went downstairs to eat. Instead of meeting the man from yesterday, I met an elderly woman who greeted me with a big and genuine smile.

"Good morning, dear. You must be our new customer. It's a pleasure to meet you," she said excitedly, which confused me.

"Good morning, ma'am," I replied slowly, and she chuckled.

"Oh, forgive me if I'm being too friendly. It's just that we rarely see new faces here, especially not a pretty one like yours," she complimented, and I smiled politely.

"Thank you for the kind words," I shyly replied, and she giggled.

"You're welcome, darling. I'm Maria, and the man you met yesterday is my husband, Jared. What's your name, dear?" she asked.

"I'm Helene, and it's nice to meet you, ma'am," I told her, and she grinned.

"You have a lovely name, dear. Do you need something?" Maria asked, and I nodded, pointing to my hungry belly.

"Why don't you wait in the dining area down the hall while I prepare some food for you?" she suggested kindly, pointing me in the right direction.

Later, while cleaning up dishes, Jared suddenly brought up the topic of escaping from authorities and other pack members who might report me.

"Don't worry, dear. Just stay in crowded places so your scent mixes with humans. Avoid coming across the Beta's men or any werewolves in general," Maria advised, looking at me directly.

"You were lucky not to go to the pack's area with no humans. You would have been caught right away," she added, and I felt my heart sink, but I tried not to show it.

"I'll leave as soon as I can," I assured them, and they both nodded in agreement. Maria then revealed that she had a daughter who was killed by a rogue a few years ago.

"She saw them trying to harm someone in the pack and called for help, but they killed her and the pack member before anyone could arrive," Maria explained with sadness in her eyes.

"Why are you helping me then? You should report me to the authorities," I said, feeling a bit harsh, but Maria giggled.

"Oh, my dear, there's no need for that. You don't seem dangerous or violent. Jared and I can tell you haven't been a rogue for long," she assured me.

Did that mean they thought I was weak?

"I really don't know how to thank you guys," I said quietly, feeling grateful for their kindness.

"You don't have to, dear. You remind me of my daughter, and I don't think you're a bad person," Maria replied sweetly. I hugged her briefly, thanking them both again, and Jared left the room.

After sitting in my room for two more hours, I couldn't take it anymore. I felt trapped and suffocated. The idea of staying here for even one more hour made it hard to breathe.

I grabbed my bag, took some money, and decided to leave the motel to find a quiet place to breathe fresh air.

"Hey Maria, I'm going out," I told her, and she looked skeptical.

"Are you sure about that?" she asked.

"I can't stand being cooped up. The worst thing that can happen is getting caught. If it happens, I'll escape. If I can't, I'll face the consequences. If I don't get back in two hours, forget about me and burn my bag so they won't find you," I said, and she objected.

"Don't say that. If you get caught, you might be killed. He can be ruthless," she warned, but I reassured her, saying I'd be careful.

"Be careful, dear, and don't trust anyone," she warned again, and I said goodbye quickly to avoid being convinced otherwise.

Feeling the wind on my face brought me absolute joy. The air here felt different, welcoming, and relaxing.

I played happily by the water, realizing it had been a long time since I visited a pretty lake. Sitting by the lakeside and being free to think without any restrictions thrilled me. I didn't want the fear of getting caught to stop me from enjoying this moment.

Even if I get caught, I'll find a way to escape because I never give up easily.

"Hmm, I see you're enjoying yourself," a voice said suddenly, and my heart skipped a beat.

Trouble came early, I thought, as I turned around to see a tall, dark, skinny guy who was clearly a werewolf. He looked harmless, but I was still cautious.

"I'm just enjoying the wind, not causing trouble," I replied calmly, trying to figure out how to escape without hurting him.

"Don't worry, I'm harmless too. I sense your uneasiness, and it makes me uncomfortable," he said casually, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about him. My intuition was usually right.

"What's your name?" he asked, and I snappily replied, "Tell me yours first, and maybe I'll tell you mine."

"I'm Dre," he said loudly, and I felt creeped out.

"Alright, Dre, I think we've talked enough. I'll just leave and not bother you again," I said, putting my shoes on.

"Sorry, but you can't leave yet," he replied, getting closer to me. I prepared to defend myself if necessary, as it would be the first time against someone I didn't know.

"Why not? You said you were harmless," I nervously stuttered, and he smirked.

"You didn't believe that, did you? You're in the wrong place, and I can't let you go so easily," he said with a dangerous look, and I chuckled.

"Do you really think you can take me on all by yourself? I don't want to hurt you. Let me leave, and you'll never see me again," I tried to convince him that I meant no harm.

"Don't worry about hurting me. You should worry about yourself. If you make a move, we'll kill you instantly," he warned, looking serious.

"We? But you're alone," I pointed out, and he smirked.

"Am I really alone?" he replied rhetorically, and suddenly, ten big guys appeared out of nowhere, surrounding me. I felt my heart sink.

"Well, well, look who we have here. A pretty-looking murderer," a deep voice said, and when I looked, I lost all hope.

He had an authoritative presence, and I remembered Maria's warning about him.

"I'm Damon, the Beta of the pack you trespassed on," he calmly introduced himself, and I panicked.

"Oh my goodness, I'm in big trouble."