2. ESCAPE PLAN

News came with each passing day that the king had still not picked a girl from any of the packs he visited and each day he got closer and closer to our pack.

Our pack would be the last after going through all the other packs in the whole werewolf realm. It had been a couple of long weeks for him I was sure but it only meant he was searching for something in particular and he had not met it yet. It only meant what the alpha and luna said was true. Elissa was meant for this because it seemed really impossible that the king could go over all three thousand packs and not find just one girl he could see as his queen, it was impossible seriously.

The pack was getting so excited it was too much for me in my wallowing. I spent all my time in the forest. I felt more connected to it in a way, more than the wolves if that was possible and I loved it especially at night. There was nothing I loved more than darkness, in a way it felt like home, in a way it comforted me so much and the darkness in me seemed to be sated when I was in nothing but darkness.

Just one last night then the king would be there to take away his beautiful bride where they would live happily ever after.

I shook my head, cursing the days for going so fast. When Elissa was gone her parents would sell me off to the old angry pack warrior that would find nothing but pleasure in making my life one filled with nothing but pain.  

Losing a mate was one thing that was so painful nearly all never survived it. They got so ill they died or killed themselves in insanity but Ray had done none, he had just become more brutal from the loss of his sanity. There was no way I was mating with him, there was no way I was getting tied with him. I shook my head, seeing no option but to run away.

I knew I did not belong in their world; knew I was not one of them but there surely had to be more to my life than suffering all through out. If I mated that awful man I would kill myself seriously, I would go insane just from it and kill myself. There was nothing left for me than to pack my bag and leave the only home I knew. I knew the world was dangerous out there with rogues and vampires lurking in the shadows but I had to take that risk. I would rather die searching for some happiness in my life, searching for a place I could belong than die in the pack from all the abuse I would endure.

The bright lights could be seen from where I was, the pack having a celebration on how the king would grace their presence the following day. It was a great honor to be in the presence of the king, very few got the opportunity especially because the royal family was facing many problems and threats themselves with their circle very tight.

According to the news going around, long time ago king Stone was cursed along with his whole bloodline that they would know nothing but pain, war, insanity and death. And it seemed the news were true because in the last year the pack sent away five hundred warriors to the royal pack along with all the other packs. The war between the werewolves, vampires and rogues was one I had been born to find yet since we were not in the front lines no one really talked nor cared about it since people were living their lives in the comfort of their packs while the war went on in the southern land where the royal pack was.

My head turned, tired of crying with me sighing, and closed my eyes. I would sleep there for the night. I could not bare to hear the laughter with everyone happy except for me.

I closed my eyes, bringing the image of the two people I had created in my head as my parents. I dreamed of the life I would have had there. They surely would have loved me, surely would have wanted nothing but the best for me. I would look like my mother but have some features from my father. Maybe just maybe I would have siblings that would love me as much as I loved them and we would hug each other when we were sad until we felt better.

I dreamt of the life where I had my own mate, one who loved me for who I was no matter what. Together we would have children and our parents would visit now and again or we would visit them. It was a beautiful life, adding to my pain for it would never happen, it would never be for me.

The tears came again, letting them slip down my cheeks with my eyes closed.

I don’t know how long I sat there crying but the darkness clouded me at some point. It swirled behind my eyes, and in my sleep I found nothing but comfort. It wrapped itself around me and made me feel as if everything would be better. Sleep always made everything better for me, nothing but darkness all around me, hugging and comforting me. It was my only comfort.

My eyes peeled open, the night gone with the morning finally come, the day everyone had been waiting for finally there. No one knew the time the king would arrive so I was sure they would all be prepared early in the morning. All mothers spent all they had on their daughters for everyone had a chance to be picked and not just Elissa. They would all be beautiful I was sure and the thought of not attending was so appealing to me yet I needed to clean up.

I stood up, stretching my body then made my way through the forest that had surely became my home. I spent most of my time hiding and training there. If anyone knew I as training myself they would throw a fit yet I was not as strong as everyone else which was why I decided to teach myself how to fight from a young age.

My feet carried me out of the forest, shocked to find so many people going up and down. The gardens looked their best, the set up made there where the king would be sitting and eating. The smell of delicious food was already in the air, the alpha not having spared any cost. It would surely be a glorious event. I walked into the house, my head down, hiding from all the those wondering where I was coming from. I got to my room, going to take a shower to get out and get dressed. I pulled my hair into a tight pony tail then I went looking around for what I would wear. My head was all over the place, contemplating of doing my escape just then. No one would pay mind to me, they would all be in the presence of the king and then I could make my escape.

A shiver ran down my body as I brushed my hands together, finally deciding on that being the best choice I had. After the king left it would be hard to escape especially through the boarder.

I went to my closet to pull out my empty bag. My toiletries were thrown in along with three jeans, five t-shirts and a jersey. I wore black leggings with a long-sleeved black round neck t-shirt. My sneakers were pulled up, tying them tightly because I would be running all the way to wherever I was going. The bag was sat on the bed, going to the window to look through it.

The best time to do it was when the king had arrived and they had all gathered in his presence, then I would be able to make a run for it. My heart would not calm down, the tears crowding my eyes that I was really leaving. I could not believe it. I had thought about it for too many times yet it seemed so scary suddenly when all along I had done nothing but crave for it. Who knew what waited beyond the boarder, who knew the hell that was waiting for me?

But could it be worse than being mated to Ray.

I thought not. My arms came around my waist watching down at the garden as they turned it into a magical place meant for fairies. It was breath taking yet the beauty lost on me. Girls ran to the garden in their beautiful dresses stealing my breath away.

All werewolf females were tall, curvy and lean in size, all of them. They were all beautiful and breath taking so as I stood there watching it was as if seeing angels dance all around those beautiful roses. My mind trailed to Elissa and I could not help but want to see how she looked, I was sure they had made sure she looked like a queen. I shook my head and turned away to my bed to sit down on it and close my eyes.

Whatever was in me was quiet that day, not whispering, not as if to swallow me whole. I could feel it looming somewhere in me yet just quiet. It scared me sometimes because I did not know what was wrong with me and there was no one I could ask.  It was just a dark force that was growing with each passing moon and it scared me so much for I did not know what it was and what it wanted.

There was suddenly a scream outside. I stood up quickly to pull away my curtain and stare at what was happening. A group of girls were there, them jumping around, with their hands waving in the air in excitement as they stared ahead. I looked to where they were staring seeing nothing but the guards were all running around like headless chickens as more girls walked out of their houses to stand by the gardens and I knew just then that the king and his people were near. My heart went crazy, not believing I was really doing this. I paced back and forth in front of the window with the tears so hot they burned my eyes but I blinked them back.

Everyone was running around, putting this and taking that. The food was rushed to the tables and it looked so good. Even the help looked nothing but stunning.

Mothers ran to their daughters, making sure they were nothing but perfect. It was a sight to see if I was not in a dilemma myself. I swallowed the lump in my throat not believing my life was turning out this way, I would be no one from there and if I died no one would know or care.

I paced again, going to stare at my bag then away.

The chatter got so loud, so many people panicking not believing the day was finally there. I walked back to the window, forcing myself to stare at it all.

More girls got out, so many of them, all of them so beautiful. Most of the pack members were there, all chatting in excitement with different colored dresses coloring the view for me.

The sun had not disappointed, it was a warm day which was good especially for those that wore body revealing dresses. The fight was on, all had went for the kill in anyway they thought was best. They were gunning for a king’s hand in marriage so what more would you expect.

All were there, the chatter slowly falling away and just then Elissa came to view with all eyes turning to her. My heart dropped to the darkest pit in my stomach as I turned pale where I was. There was no way anyone could compare.

Her dress was white, her hair matching it for they had dyed it for her. She looked like an angel with the tail of the dress tailing behind her with her personal help holding it up for her. Her hair was pinned up with pearl pins, it shinning as if to blind me. The jealously was too much, nearly dying from it as I saw all the girl’s faces drop with nothing but defeat. It was not a fair fight.

The luna walked behind her with the alpha no where to be seen.

I could not take my eyes off Elissa. She was breath taking with her having stole the show. She walked with grace, such grace one could not just learn but could only be born with. She was surely a queen I would say.

They stopped just far off everyone, her and her mother standing side by side in front. Her mother, the luna was also stunning, she wore a light blue dress that hugged her tight figure. She was just as beautiful as her daughter as if children of the moon goddess herself.

I shook my head knowing there was nothing for me there. I did not belong.

I turned around, taking my bag and slinging it to my back where it sat.

My feet carried me back to the window looking around to see if the king was anywhere near and as I looked ahead, I saw the soldiers walking towards the garden.

There were a lot of them, in a circle sure that the king was there. I sighed and let out a breath. I was not sure if everyone was out of the house or if some of the help was still rushing with some dIshes. I would wait until the king got there for which I would be sure that even the guards would have left their posts to go meet the king. My weight was moved from foot to foot, my nails in my mouth, biting them with anxiety nearly killing me. I thought I might faint, not even able to breathe with how rapid and hard my heart was beating. I wanted to cry, scream or anything but I could do none of those things.

The king and his party came closer and closer, locking my fate.

They got so near I could make out the king but next to him stood the tallest and the largest man I had ever seen in my whole cursed life. No one had to point out who the king was with all the pack members immediately falling at their knees in his presence. It was a sight to see, everyone on their knees, bowing before the king.

The soldiers around him dispersed, their eyes looking all around, scary in a way I could not explain. They did not look like men, they looked like monsters just like him, as if mountains of beasts ready to tear everyone apart. Their faces were marked with nothing but scars. my heart stopped right there and then not even daring to stare at the king himself.

I swallowed, looking at the man right next to the king, he was so scary I nearly peed myself, all of them wearing nothing but shorts and t-shirts but that would be expected since they ran all the way through the packs for sure.

My eyes could not tear from them, gigantic and in a way beautiful monsters created for nothing  but destruction. They were born in war and lived through it you could see, no one would dare stare at them yet there I was staring at them so intensely my body went cold as dark eyes stared back at me with my heart stopping right there and then.

My eyes went wide, my body freezing as the guard next to the king stared back.

He frowned then moved over to whisper something to the king and I knew right there and then that I was fucked. I quickly ducked down, deciding it was time.

I crawled through the floor to the door which I left closed to break into a run.

Running was my thing, I had done it from a very young age with Elissa beating me to a pulp.

The stairs were nothing to me, taking them in one setting, not sure if I was caught but moon goddess please not.

I took a sharp turn, going for the back door to have it thrown wide open as I jumped through. I ran for the forest, tearing through the air as if chased by nothing but wolves but I could be. The forest accepted me as its own as I jumped into it. I could not even breathe; I could not even think with the only thing in my mind to run and never look back. The forest was dark but darkness was my friend as said before and I could do everything in the dark. I could see as clearly as day, jumping up a root and pushing harder. The back forests were dark and dangerous with most told to stay away which was why I picked them; I was more likely succeed in them since I knew them so well.

I ran with all I had, ran as if my life depended on it but it did. There was no time to think, no time to even question my actions yet just pushed on, leaving everything I ever knew behind; leaving the only home I knew.

The pain was too much, my heart as if tearing apart with the distance ate away. I could not see anything with everything blurry all around me. No wolf could ever compare, as if floating through air. I ran harder, something in me growing, roaring as if brought alive. I felt as my eyes turned darker, felt as the darkness took over me, whispering at me. My whole body turned cold, the tears streaming down with the fear taking over me. It felt so unnatural, felt so dark as if to engulf me and kill me. I tried to fight it with my body sent down to the ground as I hit with my head on a root.

The darkness slipped away, my eyes going back to normal with the pain having me groan so hard, holding in the scream. I rolled where I was, clutching my head to let it go. I knew I could not lay there no matter how painful it was. I knew I was still going to fall and get even more hurt; I knew I was still going to experience more than I had in the pack and I had to be strong, I had to have thick skin and be ready for the worst.

I did a flip and turned to continue running only for the hair all over my body to soar, telling me that I was in deep trouble.

My ears opened up, listing with my run broke down to a standstill. I looked all around then closed my eyes to listen through all the forest natural sounds and I heard them.

A pair of feet drumming through the ground coming my way.

No one had to tell me what to do as I went running even faster than before. I thought I would spit my heart out and step on it with how hard it was drumming. I pushed on, barely even touching the ground as I ran with all I had but I guess I was wrong. I guess there was a wolf that could catch up for they were on my heal, tearing away the distance as my whole body shook as if it would tear. I took a sharp turn yet what help did that do. And dare I look back, it was my worst mistake, seeing the man on my heel, golden eyes shinning with him closing the distance faster than I would ever imagine. My heart exploded, seeing who it was with fear taking over all my senses nearly crying out loud. I ran faster but to what avail.

It seemed the chase excited him for I turned back and he was not there.

I thought I would die, my head looking all around with my ears trying to pick up where he was but I could not slow down to do it properly for he would pounce on me. I just closed my eyes and took a deep breath to move faster.

I could not even feel the ground, the sound of air whistling in my ear as I ran as if I would die. I had never ran that fast, moving with the air and letting my senses guide me as I ran. I knew he would kill me if he caught me and to make matters worse, I was not a wolf. He would kill me there and then. No one would be there to explain for me. I could not stop. My legs hurt so bad I knew I would fall and just there and then I felt him. My head dared turn and he was there, just next to me.

It happened all so fast, him turning once sending my body flying through the air from just one nudge from him. I flew so far off, hitting the ground so painfully my body arched with me crying out, seeing nothing but darkness as I cried out in pain, the grim reaper there to collect my soul.