The Stranger In The Woods Audiobook Novels & Stories

They heard me, because whoever it was suddenly stopped, their eyes scanning every corner of the woods with swift accuracy and urgency. I clamped my hands over my mouth, trying so hard to silence my breath and stop my heart from pounding loudly enough to expose me. My lips trembled as I heard hurried footsteps approaching. My entire body shook with something far worse than panic. I didn’t know how long I remained frozen in silent pleas until I could no longer hear the steps. My breath hitched as everything inside me screamed that the stranger had found me. That they were standing at the foot of the tree, watching me. My entire strength collapsed as the air that was once cold and still became

When she stopped a few paces from the hearth, the Alpha’s mouth curved in something that wasn’t quite a smile. “So,” he said, his voice low and smooth. “The stranger in my woods finally stands in my den.” ---

The air was filled with pine and moist with the evening air. My lungs burned with each step, every breath snuffing the energy out of me, but I refuseds to slow down. The stranger was a few steps ahead, cloak snapping behind him. His steps were precise and sure, as if the woods were designed for him. “Where the hell are you taking me?” I yelled at him, stumbling on a root and catching myself. “Somewhere where the dogs won’t sniff us out,” he threw back his answer without a glance behind him. He went slightly left, following a slope.

The trees became a blur, the shadows twisting and turning as my heart pounded in my chest. Just when I thought I couldn’t go on, something, or someone, intervened. A shadow moved swiftly through the trees, faster than my eyes could follow. Before I could react, strong arms grabbed me, pulling me into the cover of the forest. My wolf instinctively thrashed, but the stranger’s grip was steady, their voice low and firm. “Stop struggling. You’re safe now,” the voice whispered, calm but urgent. I barely registered the words as the world around me spun. The stranger carried me deeper into the woods, their movements swift and precise, keeping to the shadows. My ears strained for the sound of Thanos

Didn't know if I should be excited to see my daughter, or to be sad at the condition I met her. I crawled a slow step forward, crouching in front of her. “You’re safe now.” I blubbered, pulling her into a tight embrace. She flinched, tried to push me away, but I held on. Her tiny body trembled. Then she sobbed—a soft, soundless sob. I finally let her go gently. She was obviously scared of strangers, and wasn't comfortable with my actions. “She’s scared,” I whispered. Brownlow stepped forward. “We’re here to help you, love. Do you know where the people who kept you are?”

I despised the way a total stranger could see right through me in minutes after meeting me. A loud, synchronized howl resounded across the woods before I could react. My body became completely still. It was pack warriors, and they were searching. The stranger heard it as well, his eyes turning slits right away. "Your pack." I nodded weakly. "They're looking for me." But something seemed wrong. The howl's aggressive tone hadn't seemed frightened or hurried. It was the call of hunters monitoring prey. The stranger came to the same conclusion. Stepping a little in front of me, protecting me, his face hardened into stone. "Stay behind me."

I feel myself and the entire crowd surrounding the gate still, even the air stops blowing. "What do you mean?" Orvax's voice is murderous enough to send the right signal. “I was found…” the stranger starts to say, the colour progressively draining from his face. "Found by who?” I ask this time, a chill running down my spine. The stranger's eyes travel over my shoulder, beyond the walls of Rogue land, towards the forest. By now, his face is completely drained of colour. "I think…I think I have been followed,” he whispers. As if on cue, from the edges of the trees, a single figure steps out into the sunlight.

The moon hid behind clouds like it was afraid to watch us leave. He whispered, Stay close to me. And keep your footsteps light. I nodded, my throat tight. We slipped through the trees. The shadows clung to us like wet fabric. Every branch crack felt too loud. Every rustle made me want to run back to Harold, bury my face in his chest and beg him to tell me that everything was in my head and that fake Pearl was nothing but coincidence. But I kept walking. The stranger paused suddenly and put an arm out, stopping me. I froze. His eyes scanned the left side of the woods.

In moments, both were on the ground, groaning. The third hesitated, his eyes wide with sudden fear. “Take them,” the stranger said in a low and lethal voice. “And run before I change my mind.” They didn’t need telling twice. The three rogues stumbled into the trees and vanished into the mist. For a long moment, the forest was silent. Only the soft rustle of leaves and Korra’s uneven breathing filled the air. She pressed a hand against the rough bark behind her, trying to steady herself. “Who are you?” she whispered.