I frowned, turning my head on instinct. And then I saw lights emerging between the trunks, fast, flickering, and men breaking through the darkness, forcing their way forward.“STOP!” The shout came out ragged, and before I could even process it, another gunshot exploded.My body reacted before my mind, flinching, my fingers locking around the reins as something sliced through the air beside me and buried itself in the trunk ahead, ripping splinters of wood free.The horse startled, swerving sharply to the side. My body lurched with it, my foot nearly slipping from the stirrup. I clung on tightly, pulling myself back into the saddle, my fingers sinking into its mane.Another shot.Closer this time, and I felt the air shift beside my face, fast, violent. “Shit…”I pressed my legs against the horse’s sides, urging it forward. It answered with more speed, its muscles tightening beneath me as it surged between the trees with long strides. The path was narrow, littered with exposed roots an

The cold was the first thing I felt when I came to, seeping through my soaked skin and settling deep into my muscles like a weight that made even breathing difficult.I opened my eyes slowly, still not understanding where I was, staring at the dull sky stretched between the towering branches. The sound of rushing water reached me, muffled and constant.When I tried to move, my body resisted, every part of it protesting in a different way, as though it had been carelessly stitched back together.I rolled onto my side with effort, bracing myself on my elbow against the damp ground. Cold mud clung to my skin and clothes, dragging every movement down. It was only when I managed to push myself up a little farther that I saw him. The horse lay a few yards away, stretched out on its side, motionless in the unmistakable stillness that left no room for doubt.He was dead.His hind leg remained twisted, locked at an angle that did not belong to a living body

There was no immediate answer, only the muffled sounds coming from inside—footsteps, something being dragged across the floor, a distant voice. Then the lock shifted, and the door opened just enough to reveal part of a wary face, one eye studying me from head to toe.“A delivery?”I gave a slight shake of my head. “No.”The door opened wide enough for her to get a proper look at me. She was a tall woman with broad shoulders, filling almost the entire doorway, her arms crossed as though she were used to turning away people who did not belong there.“Looking for work, girl?” she asked, making no effort to soften her tone.“Yes. I was told to ask for Nora.”She watched me for another moment, her gaze drifting over my hood and the cloak that was still partially soaked, as though weighing my answer against what she saw. Then she uncrossed her arms and stepped aside, making room.“

I remained silent for a moment, feeling the rough fabric against my sensitive skin.“Then I can’t stay here for long.”She answered with a nod.A thin cry echoed through the house, uneven, persistent enough to cut through the silence between one breath and the next. I frowned and turned toward the sound, trying to figure out where it was coming from.Nora was already walking away before I could even ask, as though she knew I would hear it.“There’s a lot you don’t know about me. Come.”I followed her down the narrow hallway, the floorboards creaking beneath our steps until it opened into a larger room. The living room was simple but carefully kept—wooden furniture, only a few belongings, a rug covering the floor. Light streamed in through a wide window at the back, illuminating the rocking chair placed beside it.My eyes went straight to it.Sitting in the rocking chair was a woma

All Chapters of THE SLAVE WHO REJECTED THE ALPHA : Chapter 71 - Chapter 74

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