Chapter 6

Karla:

I shut my eyes sitting on the reclining chair, gripping the armrests as the esthetician spread warm wax over my forearm. I had never done this before, never needed to, but today, I had to become someone else.

The wax clung to my skin, thick and golden, before a strip of cloth pressed against it. “Take a deep breath,” the esthetician advised. I barely inhaled before, I heard the sound of something Rip! Of my skin, the cloth tore away, along with a fine layer of golden-brown hair. I winced. I couldn't even tell what was more painful, whether it was hair removal from my skin or the fact that the man, whom I called father, just handed me wolfsbane, that I should take my life if ever the Alpha caught me on the act. What a father! I got myself or should I say the goddess gift me. I guess my dad could get an award for the best father of the year. "Are you alright?" The esthetician's voice came out concerned.

“That wasn’t so bad,” I lied.

The esthetician smiled knowingly. “We have a long way to go, but I don't think you need to take them off, they are beautiful and I could give a tooth and feet, if ever, I was created like you.”

I let out a weak smile, I guess, Jack didn't tell her, the main reason, that I wanted to take this off my skin, as much as I don't like this, I never thought that this day would come when I would take them off.

"But I don't like it," I murmured, part of it was true and the other part of taking it out was a lie.

"I know, that is what your dad told me, we have a long way to go." She repeated.

Legs, arms, back...every fucking inch of me was stripped bare until my skin was smooth, almost foreign. Even the fine hairs on my fingers were gone. The final step was my face. Warm wax brushed over my brows, above my lip, and down my jawline. The sudden rips left my skin tingling, but in the end, I was flawless. Hairless. Bare like my sister.

I barely had time to recover before another lady draped a cape around my shoulders and turned my chair toward the mirror. My long auburn waves cascaded down my back, which I haven't trimmed since I was born, my last defining feature. The one thing, I loved in all my miserable life, was to be trimmed to my sister's length of hair and the color alter.

“You sure about this?” the stylist asked, I guess Father told him the same thing.

I nodded. “Make it the same as the girl from the picture.” my sister's picture was pinned to the wall but her face wasn't captured in it, just her back. Fathers must be taking preventive measures. I don't think these people are wolves, because I can't smell their wolf but he wasn't letting his guard down.

The scent of chemicals filled the air as dye soaked into my strands, erasing every trace of my natural color. The minutes ticked by before the stylist led me to the sink, rinsing away the evidence. When I sat up, the mirror reflected someone else, someone with sleek, Platinum blonde hair.

I ran my fingers through it, my heart pounding. No one would recognize me now especially when I have that nonsensical mask on my face. I was a shadow of myself, a mirror of my sister.

And that was exactly what my dad wanted me to look like, he would be impressed, that the alpha would know nothing about this whole escapade.

I thought this whole charade would end so fast but it took almost the entire day before every process of turning me into my sister was finally over, I still had two hours before the ceremony started, Father and Mother were standing in front of me, their eyes scan every available spot on my skin and I could see that smug grin. "Take her to her room." I heard Dad's voice, and my nanny took a step to walk to me. Father raised his hand to stop her. "not you, from this moment, you are not allowed anywhere near her," he said to my nanny, I saw my nanny's face crumpled but I gave her a reassuring smile before I turned to my father. "Lock her inside, till the stylist arrives, and don't let Lucy or anyone inside."

My father's stern and absolute words made the guard move without questioning. I didn't fight back, I simply glared at Father and Mother before I turned around and walked away heading to my room before those warriors could touch me.

As soon as the door of my room was shut behind me, I knew I had to act fast, I rushed into my closet, pulled my hoodie over my head, and slipped into my baggy jeans, my eyes searched for my bag but my bag was gone, a deep frown decorated my forehead, I almost thought my nanny had betrayed me before I saw the note that my bag was already at the tree behind my room where I normally drop my wears whenever I want to go for a run. I smiled, my nanny will never stop surprising me. I pressed a soft kiss on my teddy. "I have to go now," I said, before my eyes fell on the window, I planned to escape through the forest, running on my foot, till I was gone where no one would smell my wolf before I could shift into my wolf and probably shift into my human form before I meet Shadow.

I looked out my bathroom window, letting out a sigh of relief when I saw the forest line with not a single warrior there. The height is crazy but I know with my wolf, I could jump down fifty stories without getting hurt. I forced my bathroom window open and filled my lungs with air. I jumped out of the window as quickly as I could manage with my wolf giving me her full aura.

We are in agreement on everything today, no one is left behind.

My feet landed on the ground with a silent thud, I didn't hesitate before I let out my full adrenaline and that of my wolf fuel me, as I took off into a Sprint towards the forest, grabbing my duffle bag, throwing it on my shoulder. I leaped over falling wood or whatever that could strike my feet, throwing my hoodie to cover my face, while I barreled into the forest, ducking under falling branches, as I let the night wind visit my face.

Immediately we got out of the border, I let out my wolf and ran off, my wolf sped off, running through the forest line, I don't even know which Territory we were in, but I know we were still at the Territory of the wolves. She ran off with my duffle bag in her mouth, I could slip into something else when I arrived there.

Freedom, I could feel it in my head.

Nyx announced to me, that we were close to the place Shadow would meet us up and she couldn't go further in her wolf form, I needed to shift and walk on foot, till I got to the train station.

I have approximately two hours to get to the train station and meet Shadow.

From there, I would get a train and follow him to wherever he lived. I have always planned these but I was thinking of my 18th birthday, but ten days is a whole luxury and I don't have it. With my parents throwing me into the hands of Alpha Killian, I know one more delay will mean being an Omega for life or a dead wolf.

Immediately I shifted into my human form and groomed myself, I didn't rest or think of having a little chop, even though my nanny had made sure to add a bottle of water and a few snacks. I smiled, I wish my nanny was my mother and not Rosa, the Luna.

I was close to the train station when I heard my phone pinged, a sign of relief rushed through me, I reached for my bag, grabbing the zipper but I heard rustling behind me, not too far from me. I wanted to push myself a little farther but then my eyes fell on Alpha Killian's Beta standing at the train station entrance, looking frantically, I guess my father would have informed Alpha Killian that his mate was on the run and he had sent him here to capture me.

I turned, running in the opposite direction, I resumed my sprint with Nyx giving me all the support, I knew it wouldn't take long before we were trapped. Tears blurred my vision as I frantically ran.

I wasn't sure, where I was going but I kept running, while my phone kept pinging in my bag, I didn't have time to check, I am sure it was Shadow, texting non-stop, "Be patient with me, I will meet you up when the coast was clear." I kept murmuring while running.

I hadn't got far when a giant black wolf came in front of me, blocking my path. Its knowing sharp eyes stared at me, my father's beta, beta Josiah.

I skidded to stop, searching for a possible escape route I could take. Just as I tried to move in the opposite direction, yet another wolf came forward and another and another, in a blink, I was surrounded. I inhaled the scent, coming from them, their scent was familiar, they weren't rogue.

They all stand on their hind legs, knowing that they had trapped me. I turned, wishing I had run into the train station, instead of taking this path, I guess Alpha Killian's Beta wouldn't recognize me.

But it was too late, I heard a rustling in front of me and the wolves gave way, as a familiar scent hit me, and my eyes tilted to him. My lips dropped as my father came in front of me.

"Karla..." I heard his voice, sharp and filled with anger. This isn't new to me. He is always hostile towards me. "Karla... Were you thinking of running away? You think I wouldn't get you."

"Running was my best option, you didn't want me there and I didn't want to get married." My voice came out more of a growl, as I gripped tight on my duffle bag.

His eyes squinting, while his brows furrow. "Get moving before you make me drag you." I shake my head I am not going with him. "not so fast before you make your decision that you are not going with me, probably you should see this." Father turned his phone to me and my eyes bulged while my hand gagged my lips, as tears dropped down my cheeks.