Aurora's POV
It was another cold night in the dungeon but this time, there was hope. I was going to explore the new world I found myself in, witness the changes first hand and find out what really happened to me when I died.
"Argh!" Rod's voice groaned as he pulled the door open. He walked in, staring at me behind the bars with a curious glare.
"I don't know why but I couldn't sleep until I brought this,"
He passed a blanket to me, avoiding my eyes as he did.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Oh no. No , you don't," he replied, smirking subtly.
"How did you really know about the storage? Are you some sort of spy? Did you once work in Crimson or have a family member there maybe?"
I took a moment to think of a possible response, "I had family there once, a long time ago. I know the things I do because I was there, I was present for most of it,"
"How did you stumble to this side of the war?"
"You said a question and I have answered," I retorted and he smiled in response.
"My turn. Why did you back me up even when you don't know who I am?"
"No clue," he exhaled, stroking his chin softly.
"It felt compulsive, like I could feel how frightened you were. It's weird… I haven't felt such a pull like that before,"
I was mute because I had a theory concerning that. He must have been mirroring Kane's emotion since he was his beta after all.
"Thank you for having my back and for the blanket,"
"Have a goodnight, you will need the strength tomorrow,"
He left me with a lamp that lit up the cell with light and warmth. I covered up with the blanket and soon fell asleep.
********
" Wake up," a forceful voice echoed in my head. The voice was accompanied with flashes, flashes of a burning bird. It was similar to the one I saw right before I woke up in the woods. I was curious to know what it was and I looked closer.
"Wake up!" It growled again, jolting me awake.
I panted heavily, gripping on to the blanket as I gasped for breath. It took me a moment to realize that I wasn't alone.
"Nightmares or memories?" Kane inquired as he stood beside me in the cell. He was dressed in leather, his braided hair cascading down his back.
"Does it matter?" I groaned as I wiped the dirt off my face.
"Is it time to leave?"
"Not quiet," He replied as he handed me a new pair of clothes.
"You are not following me with such scent. We are passing through dangerous woods inhabited by predators,"
"Wow, here I was thinking you cared about my hygiene," I remarked with a fake smile.
"And why go through the dark woods? We can take the straight lane there."
"There are no more straight lanes," he replied.
"I almost forgot—I'm talking to a dead woman from a decade ago."
"Funny," I scoffed as I rose to change.
"Well? Are you going to turn around, or were you hoping to enjoy the show?"
"Make haste,"
He had already turned around before I even took off the old, torn dress I was wearing. I was slipping into the clothes he gave me when I realized something.
"Oh shit!" I exclaimed.
"What?" He replied, instinctively turning toward me.
I yanked a blanket to cover up my bare nipples as he immediately averted his eyes.
"You can respond without looking at me,"
"I didn't know you were not done,"
"Yeah, because it takes ten seconds to change into an outfit," I retorted with a fierce tone.
"I just realized something. The dress I was executed with wasn't what I woke in,"
"What?"
"I was wearing a ragged, torn dress but that wasn't what I woke up with in the woods," I explained.
"I'm done,"
"What you are saying …" He turned sharply, only to collide with me standing right behind him.
The freezing sensation that hit me when our eyes locked softened into a powerful pull, a breathless awareness of him that rooted me in place before I could think.
"Uhm… the dress is different," I mumbled, feeling the tingling sensation of him holding my arm. I tried to move away with the thought that he wasn't even up to five feet the last time I saw him but I couldn't.
Erm!" a voice cut through the moment.
We pulled apart instantly, realizing Rod had been standing at the door, watching the whole thing.
"Am I… interrupting something? Do you guys need some privacy?"
"Shutup, Rod." Kane shot back with a frown.
"What are you even doing here? Don't you have a meeting with the border patrol this morning?"
"That's your job. I'm not the alpha," he replied with a shrug.
"You gave me the task, I gave it to someone else,"
"Why? What important duty do you have to ditch the meeting?"
"I'm coming with you," he answered cheerfully.
"No. It's too risky to take you along, the people can't lose both of us," Kane gave a firm response.
"You stay and look after the pack while I go find food,"
The smile on his face dropped as he walked toward Kane. "You're entering the Dark Forest with an inexperienced person. No offense, but no matter how strong you are, you can't make it out on your own. So I'm coming. It's not up to you.'"
Both kept an intense eye contact in silence, creating a suspenseful energy in the room. I watched curiously to see how it would unfold.
"Fine," Kane exhaled deeply.
"We move out in five,"
He left the cell, leaving me and excited Rod alone.
"Road trip!" Rod cheered like a little girl.
I walked behind Rod out of the mansion and every corner was buzzing with workers. I could feel their piercing looks as I walked past them, whispers following me at every turn.
"Relax," Rod grabbed my hand when he noticed how on edge I was.
"People gossip, it's the highlight of the day. Just walked with me,"
I felt confident walking by his side, but the look Kane gave when he saw us holding hands spooked me. I withdrew my hands instinctively as I walked up to the horse he was standing by.
"Beautiful," I remarked. I gently caressed its strong backs, feeling its heart pulsating in my hand.
"Can you transform?" Rod asked as he mounted his own horse.
"No, I'm a dormant. I can't transform, I tried,"
"You are riding with me," Kane declared. He helped me up the horse and soon after, mounted behind me. I felt like I was being swallowed by his aura. His massive frame pressed against me as he grabbed the horse's reins.
"Let's go,"
*********
We charged out of the pack lands and into the open field. I took note of the changes and I was overwhelmed because there had been a lot of them but one thing that didn't change was the dark woods.
The Crimson pack never had a problem with it as it was on the opposite side but it was a no go for the people in the territory.
We arrived at the edge of the woods, and the wind carried the pungent stench of blood and rotting flesh toward us. I wrenched back, shielding my nostrils from the foul air. The horses neighed, panic rippling through them as well.
"Traders of the deep, they try to evade Crimson by passing through the woods to avoid being caught but something else caught up with them," Rid muttered beside us. He gently grabbed onto the dagger sheathed by his side.
"They don't know the secret we do, they don't know the path," Kane's voice rumbled softly. The vibration in his chest when he spoke was almost soothing.
"First sign of danger, transform and head back to Crimson,"
"I'm gassed out, can't transform till the full moon. I ran out of stamina during our last rescue mission," Did replied.
"Let's hope for the best then. Hiyah!" We advanced into the woods. We followed a stream path, so the rushing water could mask our passage. I noticed the smell of the corpses coming from everywhere, it was the only smell I could detect.
"Shit," Rod grunted. Kane's face quickly tightened with worry and I knew something was wrong.
"Dark cougars, it's their track,"
I became terrified when I noticed how big the paw print was.
"Dark cougars are real. Oh my God, shit!" I reacted as I freaked out at the thought of encountering one.
"Let's go!" Kane roared and we hurried to the exit path of the woods. We weren't moving carefully anymore because we realized that they were already on our trails.
"Faster!" Rod voiced and that was when I heard its purr. Its sound sent chills through me as I held on to the charging horse.
"We can make it," I heard Kane whisper. In a blink, everything became a blur as we were thrown from our horses. I struggled to open my eyes—and was met with a huge pair of slitted golden eyes. I melted under its hot breath as it moved in to seize me.