Chapter One: Run, My Princess

Stacie’s POV

The loud sounds of pounding and rushed steps woke me up with a startle and my heart leaped in my chest as I peeped through my window.

Our entire pack was in disarray with people running around and signs of fire everywhere.

Without wasting a second, I pulled out the nearest piece of cloth that I could find, which turned out to be a jacket that I wore over my night dress.

As the Alpha’s daughter, our house was the furthest from the pack’s center. But right now, I could hear the chaos even from the hallway. This meant that whatever was attacking our pack was having the upper hand and had penetrated beyond our security.

“No! I have to find mother and father!” I mumbled as my eyes searched my room for anything. Just anything that I could use as a weapon to protect myself.

A clean sweep around my room and I gave up the thought of finding any weapon in here.

“Princess!” Jamie’s familiar voice rang out at the same time that my door barged open.

“We have to go!” He barked out, grabbing my hands as he pulled me out of the room at the speed of light.

As the princess, I knew as much as Jamie, my cousin that there were hidden tunnels in the palace in the case of an attack like this. And so when Jamie turned towards the inner palace, I wasn’t surprised.

However, I couldn’t go rushing into hiding while my father and mother were probably out there somewhere, fighting for their life.

“Jamie, I’m sorry but finding Mom and Dad is more important right now. We can all come back here once I have found them,”

“What the hell are you talking about?? The Queen ordered me to bring you here, Stacie. She and your father would meet you down there soon.”

His argument was solid and the conviction in those blue orbs had me giving up and following his lead.

“Ahhhhh!” A high-pitched scream pierced through the night and I turned back, a mistake that I regretted to the skies as I saw a sword pierce into one of the palace guards from behind.

However, what was even more shocking was the holder of the sword.

“Uncle…” Before I could complete my words, Jamie’s hands covered my mouth in a rush and for once, I desperately wished I had gotten my wolf already.

That I could use the mind link with him and ask him what was going on exactly.

Why was my uncle killing a palace guard?

“Stacie, it’s an internal overtake, which is exactly why we have to be careful and take you to the tunnel as soon as possible,” Jamie whispered as he pressed his body against mine.

On more than one occasion, I had wished that he could be this close to me. That he would ignore all of those hierarchies and rules and just hold me in his arms.

But now that it was finally happening, I couldn’t even let myself enjoy it.

And so I nod and allowed him to lead me through the hallways with our backs firmly pressed against the walls.

Save us, Moon goddess.

I sighed in relief as I saw the door leading to the underground tunnel right by the corner.

Only a few people knew about this. Here should be safe.

Even though I didn’t know for how long.

“Stacie, you are going to do exactly as I say in the next few seconds as our lives depend on this okay?” Jamie started and I nod.

My heart raced even more as he palmed my face in his hands.

“Once we step out of here, I want you to run as far as you can to that tree house that we built about two years ago.”

“Jamie?”

Suspicion filled my eyes and I could see that he saw them as his face fell a little.

I rushed to explain, “Jamie, I trust you. But with all of these happening…”

Before I could say more, he placed his index finger on my lips, shutting me up.

“It’s fine, you can’t trust anyone right now other than me.”

“And so when we come out this corner, you run as fast as your legs can take you to the tree house and I would be right behind you.”

I nod, despite the feeling of dread that swarmed me.

Why was I running? And why was I going to the tree house instead of the underground tunnel?

“Also, you are not allowed to look back, okay?”

I nod one more time and Jamie smiled a little, pleased with my cooperation.

“My darling Stacie. I love you.” Jamie confessed, his words knocking the air out of my lungs because just as he says them, Jamie pulled me from the wall we were leaning on and right to the corridor that the tunnel door was on.

The swishing sounds of arrows and guns rang out immediately while Jamie also let go of me and pulled out two guns.

“Now, run Stacie!” He shouted as he started to shoot at the men that had now surrounded the entrance to the tunnel.

I start to run, not wanting to be a distraction to him. Besides, Jamie was the best fighter in our pack and Father only kept it a secret because he felt Jamie was his trump card.

He could shoot with both guns at a moving object accurately at the same time.

I run as fast as my legs can take me, my barefoot slapping against the cold floor of the palace. And just before I could turn and leave the palace behind.

I turn back, a part of me secretly worried for Jamie that was surrounded by close to fifteen men.

I fell to my knees as I saw exactly why Jamie didn’t want me to look back.

“Jamie!” I cried out, not caring that I would draw their attention to me.

This was the man that I had spent the last four years of my life obsessing over and being secretly in love with.

For the last three years, my only birthday wish had been a prayer to the moon goddess to make Jamie my mate when I finally got my transformation.

And just a minute ago, I found that he felt the same way about me.

That his heart belonged to me the same way mine belonged to him.

But now, under the hands of these traitors, Jamie's once tall and firm back was bent over as bullets pierced into him from all over.

He staggered, drawing my eyes to the arrow that was stuck to his thigh and more tears rolled out of my eyes.

Our eyes met and my body trembled from the emotions I saw in his eyes.

“Jamie.” I cried out more, realizing that I couldn’t even get help. And that I might end up just like him any second from now.

My voice echoed in the empty hallway and his attackers turned to look at me. Their intentions were very clear in their eyes.

“Run, Stacie.”

“Run as fast as you can.”

One order from Jamie’s almost falling body and I took to my heels.