Chapter 3

I was so close to escaping the pack's oppressive grasp when suddenly, as if the moon itself had conspired against me, the door to my room swung open, and there stood Alpha Shaun. My heart pounded in my chest, and I froze in fear. Every other time I had tried to leave or begged him to let me go, it had ended with his temper exploding, and I was left battered and bruised.

His eyes bore into mine, and his voice was a thunderous growl. "What do you think you're doing, Evelyn?"

I couldn't hide the fear in my voice as I shouted back, "I'm tired of this miserable life you and Lucy are forcing me to live through!" My voice cracked with anger and desperation. "Lucy almost killed me this time!"

Shaun's rage was palpable, but it was tempered by a hint of concern. "Lucy did what?" He stormed closer, his fists clenched.

I raised my voice, tears streaming down my face. "Yes! She attacked me because she thought I was trying to take you from her, just like you did when you whipped me!"

Shaun's anger softened slightly, and he reached out to try and calm me. "Evelyn, I'll talk to Lucy. I won't let her harm you again."

I couldn't help but feel a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, he would intervene and change my situation. But then, reality crashed down on me like a tidal wave as I saw through his words. "You're just saying that to keep me from leaving, aren't you?"

His gaze hardened, and I knew I had hit a nerve. "Evelyn, you know it's not that simple. We need you here as our maid and... my concubine."

My anger flared, and I yelled at him through my tears, "I want my complete freedom, Shaun!"

His temper flared in an instant, his voice dripping with possessiveness. "You'll never be free of me, Evelyn. We belong together."

I couldn't hold back my sobs. "You rejected me already, Shaun. I should be allowed to leave."

His tone turned cold as ice. "It doesn't matter Every. You will always be mine."

The weight of his words pressed down on me, and I realized that no matter how much I pleaded, argued, or even tried to escape, Shaun was determined to keep me bound to him. The realization was like a dagger through my heart, and as I cried in despair, I couldn't help but feel trapped in a never-ending nightmare from which there was no escape.

My eyes darted toward the door, and instinct took over. I had to escape this oppressive situation. I lunged for the door, but Shaun was too quick. He grabbed me, holding me back with an iron grip.

"Let go!" I screamed, struggling with all my might.

Shaun's voice was unnervingly calm as he growled at me, "Evelyn, you need to calm down and stop being a bitch about . We can talk about this."

His words were empty, I knew that. He didn't want me to leave. I kept fighting, kicking and clawing, but he held me tightly.

My head accidentally struck something, and dizziness overcame me. I stopped resisting, my strength drained.

Shaun tried to restrain me on the bed, but a blaring alarm suddenly resounded and shattered the room's tension.

"What's that?" I gasped before finally recognizing it as the intruder alert.

Shaun's face grew serious as he listened intently… the pack members where shouting his name from far.

He then glared down at me, "Stay here. I have to see what's happening." With that, he hurried out of the room.

I was finally alone, and a wave of relief washed over me. I knew I had to seize this opportunity to escape, to find freedom beyond these walls.

The blaring alarm had sent the pack members into a frenzy, most of them rushing to find the intruder. This was my chance to escape. I decided not to pack anything; I simply had to run.

I dashed out of the room, my heart pounding with panic. Dizziness threatened to overcome me, but I fought it off, driven by the desperate need for freedom. The adrenaline coursing through me kept me going, pushing me toward the dense woods that bordered the pack's territory.

I sprinted deeper into the woods, excitement building as I felt the grasp of my oppressors slip away. But then, a realization struck me like a bolt of lightning. These woods were vast and unforgiving. Without a guide, I could easily get lost and die.

I came to a halt, panting heavily, and wondered what to do next. Just as I was planning my next move, a pained groan reached my ears. It sounded like someone was seriously hurt. Every instinct screamed at me to keep running, but I couldn't ignore someone in need.

Curiosity and compassion led me to follow the sound. As I pushed through the underbrush, I came upon a sight that sent a shiver down my spine. A man, injured and bleeding, lay on the ground. He wasn't from our pack; he was a stranger.

My first instinct was to run, to leave him behind. But then, he suddenly called out, his voice weak and desperate. "Please... help... me..."

I hesitated, my mind was seriously struggling on what I should do. Do I just run and leave him, or do I just give into the urge to assist someone in pain.

“Please Miss… I don’t need much help, I just need to bandage this wounds.”

The man's plea tugged at my heartstrings, and with a frustrated groan, I finally accepted that I couldn't bring myself to abandon him.

Still, I didn’t know this man and he could be very dangerous, so I cautiously approached him then I asked, "wh- Who are you? What happened?"

The man winced in pain as he tried to sit up. "I'm... I'm no danger... just lost. Attacked by a wild animal. Please, help me just... bandage these wounds."

My guard was still up, but his condition seemed genuine. I couldn't ignore the kind and obligation to help a fellow being in distress. I took a deep breath and said, "Fine, I'll help you. But if you turn out to be dangerous and try to attack me, I’ll scratch your eyes out."

The man managed a weak smile in response.

With that, I set to work, tearing a strip of cloth from my own clothes to bandage his wounds and staunch the bleeding.

As I carefully bandaged the strangers wounds, he hissed in pain, his sharp intake of breath echoing in the stillness of the woods. My fingers brushed against his skin, and an unexpected sensation coursed through me—a sudden and undeniable attraction. It was as if an invisible force was trying to draw me closer to him, it was seriously making my heart race.

The man stared at me intensely, his eyes filled with a hunger that sent shivers down my spine. I tried to ignore the way I felt, telling myself that this was not the time or place for such thoughts.

With trembling hands, I finished bandaging his wounds, and as I leaned back, I expected him to thank me. But instead, he shocked me by reaching out and pulling me closer, capturing my lips in a passionate kiss.

My heart raced, my mind a whirlwind of confusion and desire. I pulled back, my voice trembling as I stammered, "What are you doing?"

The man’s golden brown eyes were filled with a burning intensity. "You’re so beautiful…. I just can't— I can’t resist you," he whispered, his voice husky with desire.

I shook my head No! What was wrong with this man! I didn’t know him. But even as I pushed him away, I felt an unexplainable wave of desire pass through me.

I was torn between the unexpected attraction I felt and the reality of my situation. I had just escaped one oppressive situation, and now I found myself in another, with a man I barely knew.

"We can't," I protested weakly, though my voice held little conviction.

But the man pulled me, and kissed me again, his lips demanding and insistent. At first I tried to resist him, but eventually My resistance crumbled and desire overtook me. Before I could realize what I was doing, I was kissing him back with a hunger that matched his own.

In that moment, in the heart of the vast, mysterious woods, I lost myself in the embrace of a stranger. It was reckless, it was impulsive, but for the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to feel something other than fear and despair.