ARIEL'S POV
I lay curled in bed like a fox, except my head stayed straight, pretending to be asleep.
My mind was chaos.
I had just returned from seeing the Alpha, and now I was more confused than ever. One minute, he was questioning me with those cold, emotionless eyes and a voice that made me tremble. The next, he was handing me a handkerchief to wipe my tears. He was mysterious. Unpredictable.
I hadn't meant to cry. Tears were weakness, and I've always hated being weak. But the moment he asked why I left Moonshade, everything I had bottled up came rushing back. I couldn't stop it.
I'd thought his summon was to throw me into the dungeon. But I was wrong. I should've felt relieved. I didn't. What if he had something worse coming. Maybe once I gave him the information he wanted? Which I didn't even have any idea what.
He was the dangerous rogue Alpha, one with a witch who obeyed his every command. I hadn't seen the slaves, but I knew what happened to his enemies.
I remembered what Jared said, how Viktor had just killed the Alpha of Crimson Hollow and taken every pack member, except Lysandra, as slaves.
Ice slid down my spine.
Becoming a slave was the last thing I wanted. Their fate was cruel. Even rogues had it better.
Escape felt impossible. But what if I tried? What if I actually made it? I could disappear into the human world. I'd hide my wolf forever if I had to. Anything was better than being enslaved.
A cold, bitter smile ghosted my lips.
Just a month ago, a crown was meant to sit on my head as Luna. And today, I stood one decision away from being in chains.
The irony of life. How quickly men rose and fell.
Were they searching for me now? Would anyone even miss me? My eyes stung, but I blinked fast, shoving the tears back where they came from.
I sat up, ignoring the thunder in my chest. After two deep breaths, I climbed out of bed.
This was foolish. Risky. But sometimes, the real danger is in not trying at all.
I didn't have my phone to check the time, but I guessed it was close to midnight. In Moonshade, most people would be asleep by now—even warriors.
I opened the door slowly. A hallway lit by flickering candles greeted me. I let my wolf eyes sweep through the shadows. No one. Only then did I step out. Then another step. And another.
Until a terrifying thought struck me.
What if the witch could sense movement—even in her sleep?
I froze.
My instincts screamed at me to turn back. But I was already in the living room. Only about five strides from the main door.
The what ifs grew louder.
I took a deep breath, locked away my reasoning and wore my heart in my shoes, tiptoeing toward what could be freedom… or doom.
I succeeded in slipping through the door.
A small smile formed on my lips as the gentle breeze greeted my face.
The massive compound was as silent as a graveyard. A few lights flickered here and there. I kept to the shadows, moving toward the gate I'd seen that afternoon. My heart pounded so hard it made me sick.
What if the gate was locked? Or guarded?
Moon Goddess… I hadn't thought about the night owls—wolves who stayed awake to guard their packs even when everyone slept. But not every pack had night owls. Maybe I'd get lucky.
Maybe I already had.
I could see the huge, black gate now—my pass to freedom. And there really was no wolf guarding it.
But as I drew closer, a wave of apprehension suddenly hit me, my gaze darting across the empty space.
This was too easy. And that terrified me even more.
Were they really this careless with security… or was something else at play?"
'Maybe the Goddess is helping us,' Nyra whispered softly.
That was all the push I needed.
I dashed towards freedom.
°°°°°°°°°
VIKTOR'S POV
'I think your new wolf is about to catch a plane,' Ravenna's voice rang in my head through the mind link.
I cursed, jaw tightening as I sat up. I had just returned from patrol. No rest, apparently.
'Why did you let her?' I growled, grabbing my coat.
'Thought you'd be bored and need some fun, Alpha.'
I hissed. 'How long?'
'She just closed my door behind her,' Ravenna replied. I could practically see the smirk on her face.
Was she really that dumb? Did she not realize how dangerous it was out there this late? She could barely answer a question without crying—what would she do if she ran into feral rogues?
I stormed out of my suite.
I could've sent Drake or Aeron to drag her back—but no. I wanted to see her face. I wanted to see the exact moment she realized how stupid she was.
Through the link, I ordered all guards around the house and gate to clear the area. They were shocked. I was meticulous with security. But they didn't question me.
She wanted an escape? Fine. I'd let her think she had one.
The moment I stepped outside, I felt the raw fear coming from Ravenna's direction. I knew it was her.
But something made me pause.
Even as an Alpha, I shouldn't have been able to sense her emotions so clearly. I hadn't initiated her into my pack yet. So why could I?
Was she something more than she seemed?
No. I'd know if she were my mate. That was the easiest thing to sense as a wolf. The thought of my mate made my heart slam, not in anticipation.
I moved quietly out of the compound, positioning myself in the shadows.
A few minutes later, she emerged.
I watched her slowly open the gate, careful not to make a sound. A lazy smirk curved up my lips. She looked around, took a deep breath, then started walking. Really fast.
If she weren't an omega, she would've sensed me. I was right there, close enough to catch her in a blink. But my black wolf blended with the night, and she didn't have a clue.
She was foolish. Entertaining.
I followed silently.
I wanted to see how far she'd get before realizing just how useless her idea really was.
She had no weapon. Clearly no plan. Just her tiny legs dragging her to death's door.
If something attacked her… she wouldn't stand a chance.
A wave of anger rose in me, laced with an irritation I couldn't quite name.
Her gaze kept darting back and forth, clearly afraid. She'd pause, listen hard like she finally sensed something—but catch nothing.
I moved like a shadow. Years fighting enemies had taught me that.
A few meters from the forest, I let a faint sound slip. She jumped.
Her heartbeat spiked, breath speeding up. She rubbed her neck and glanced around, panic simmering in her eyes.
Still seeing nothing, she started walking faster—almost running now. To nowhere.
I suddenly ran past her, silent and quick like a breeze, my wolf materializing right in front of her path.
She gasped and stumbled back, fear seeping from every inch of her. She probably thought I was a rogue. But no, I was their Alpha.
I began to move closer, my eyes glowing red, fangs bared.
She turned and bolted the way she'd come. The coat she wore made her escape too slow. My coat.
And then she shifted so suddenly that I was nearly caught off guard.
I almost screamed watching one of my favorite coats get shredded in pieces, but the sound caught in my throat.
I felt my anger slowly slip from my fingers when I saw her wolf.
Chestnut fur. Glowing green eyes.
There was no trace of fear in her stance now. Or maybe just a little—but she was doing everything she could to hide it.
She looked wild, beautiful but that wasn't what caught my attention. I had never seen a wolf like hers, with a such a strange light glowing from her fur.
I suddenly felt a strange pull, like a gentle breeze brushing past my soul, urging me to reach for it. To feel her.
But I shoved that confusing feeling down fast. She wasn't my mate. Neither do I want my mate.
Her soft growl snapped me back. It wasn't even strong enough to scare a kitten, let alone an Alpha. I almost laughed.
Then, before I could react, she lunged towards me with more force than I'd ever expected.