The faint sound of crickets chirping outside pulled me from the depths of sleep. I blinked groggily, my body sore from the days of punishment, but something was off. My eyes darted to the iron bars of my cage, and I froze.
The door... it was slightly open.
My heart hammered against my chest as I tried to process what I was seeing. The last person to enter this cell was the new pack guard. Had he left it unlocked on purpose? Or was it a mistake? Either way, his life would be forfeit if anyone found out. A shiver ran down my spine at the thought of him being punished, but I pushed it aside. There was no time for sympathy now. This was the biggest sliver of hope I'd had in years, and I wasn't about to let it slip through my fingers.
I said a quick, silent prayer for him-whether he meant to or not-and gently, so as not to make any noise, I pushed the gate open. Even though it was laced with wolfsbane, the pain was nothing compared to what I'd already endured. My palms sizzled with the burn of the toxin, but I bit down on my lip, forcing myself to move forward.
I paused at the threshold, my mind racing. This could end horribly. I could get caught and dragged back into my cage, punished even worse than before. Or worse, they could kill me outright. But if I got caught, I got caught trying.
Life was all about risks, and frankly, I was long past the point of caring about consequences.
I took a deep breath and crept through the open door, every nerve in my body on edge as I stepped into the hallway. The cold stone beneath my bare feet sent a shiver up my spine, but I ignored it. The night was on my side. Only the night guards would be patrolling, and I knew most of their routes.
My breath came shallow, each step carefully placed as I moved through the palace, the layout etched into my brain from years of living here. I wasn't going to just wander aimlessly; I had a plan. There was an old, abandoned storehouse near the edge of the palace grounds. It was a place Jameson, Chloe, and I used to play in as kids. Jameson wasn't here, and Chloe... well, she was too self-absorbed to even remember it existed. The storehouse had an opening that led to a hidden tunnel-a tunnel that could lead me out of this hellhole.
I glanced around the corner, peeking to see if anyone was nearby. The coast was clear, so I hurried down the corridor, my heart pounding in my ears. My body screamed in protest, every muscle aching from the days of confinement, but I couldn't stop now. Freedom was within reach. I could taste it.
As I approached the storehouse, my hopes plummeted. A group of four pack guards and five maids stood just outside, laughing and drinking, completely unaware of the desperate prisoner lurking in the shadows. If they caught my scent, I'd be done for. And with wolfsbane still lingering on my skin, they would smell me long before I could make my escape.
I bit my lip, my mind racing for a plan. Maybe I could sneak around them? No, too risky. They were too close to the entrance of the storehouse. My best bet was to wait it out, but the longer I stayed here, the higher the chance someone else would find me.
Lost in thought, I didn't hear the footsteps behind me until it was too late. A hand landed on my shoulder, and I froze.
"Don't even think about trying to pass through them," a familiar voice said, low and steady. "It won't work."
I turned around slowly, my heart thudding in my chest. It was the pack guard-the same one who had given me real food earlier. The one who hadn't treated me like a complete beast. I narrowed my eyes at him, not sure if I should be relieved or terrified.
"Wh-what are you doing here?" I whispered, my voice shaky.
He raised a brow, clearly unimpressed. "I should be asking you that."
I glared at him, suddenly defensive. "I'm just... outside. To feel the night breeze."
He snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. "Sure. And I'm a royal advisor."
I cringed. This was bad. He was definitely going to report me. Any second now, he was going to sound the alarm, and I'd be dragged back into my cell. Or worse.
But instead of calling for help, he just sighed and glanced over at the guards and maids. "If you want to escape, at least don't get caught."
I blinked, completely caught off guard. "Wait... you're not going to turn me in?"
He gave me a look that said he wasn't sure if I was stupid or just pretending to be. "No. Why would I bother?"
I didn't know how to respond to that, so I just blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Can you help me, then?"
The guard looked at me like I'd just asked him to jump off a cliff. "You're joking, right?"
I crossed my arms, mimicking his stance. "I'm dead serious. Are you going to help me or not?"
He stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a grunt, he pulled off his shirt and shoved it toward me.
I stared at him, dumbfounded. "What...?"
"To hide your scent," he said, rolling his eyes. "Since you don't know how to manipulate your scent yet."
"Manipulate my scent?" I asked, completely confused.
He just shook his head, clearly too tired to explain. "Just wear it."
Without further argument, I pulled the shirt over my head. It was huge on me, the fabric hanging off my shoulders and nearly reaching my knees, but it did the trick. The guard grabbed me by the arm and pulled me close to his side, his body heat radiating off him in waves.
"Keep your head down," he ordered. "And don't look up until I say so."
I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest as I tucked my head against his shoulder. Rhain's grip tightened on me as we walked toward the group of guards and maids. I held my breath, praying that this insane plan would actually work.
"Yo, dude!" one of the guards called out as we approached. "Got a girl tonight?"
Rhain gave a nonchalant shrug. "Yeah. Don't wait up. It's going to be a long night."
The group erupted into laughter, making crude comments that made my skin crawl, but I kept my head down, doing as he had instructed. My heart raced in my chest as we passed them, but no one stopped us. No one even seemed suspicious.
When we finally reached the fence, he shoved me toward it. "Go," he said quietly. "And don't get yourself killed out there."
I turned to look at him, a genuine smile spreading across my face. "Thank you," I whispered.
He shrugged, his expression softening just a bit. "Don't mention it."
I climbed the fence, my body trembling with exhaustion, but adrenaline pushed me forward. When I reached the top, I glanced back at him one last time. "What's your name?" I asked, breathless.
He looked up at me, his dark eyes gleaming in the moonlight. "Rhain."
I nodded, giving him a small smile before jumping down on the other side. My feet hit the ground with a thud, and I paused for just a moment to take it all in. I was free. Really, truly free.
For the first time in two years, a sense of hope surged through me, filling me with energy I didn't know I had. I did a little happy dance in my heart, my mind racing with possibilities. I had done it. I had escaped.
Without looking back, I bolted into the woods, the cool night air rushing against my face as I ran. The trees blurred past me, my legs pumping faster and faster, carrying me away from the nightmare I had lived in for so long. I didn't know where I was going, and I didn't care. All that mattered was that I was free.
For the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to hope. And maybe, just maybe, this was the beginning of something new. Something better.
I ran faster, feeling the weight of my chains fall away with every step.