Chapter 3

Goldie’s POV         

I always take the same route when entering the forest. I’m so familiar with the path I could walk it blindfolded. I walk through the brighter, healthier parts of the forest before I get to the darker areas. 

The dark forest seemed quieter this evening. Usually, small animals run around; mice or squirrels, occasionally a wild boar. But this evening there was nothing. Something feels off. There are no sounds or movements. It’s eerie, and that is saying something, considering where I am.     

I pulled the daggers out of my backpack in case something was lurking, scaring off the creatures. It’s not a frequent occurrence, but it happens from time to time. A lost visitor to the pack. Or a rogue wolf waiting patiently for something to cross its path. Either way, I don’t want to be caught off guard.      

I stood and looked around. Other than the missing sounds, there was nothing out of the ordinary. My instincts keep telling me something is wrong, though. I cautiously headed inwards. Reaching my tree and climbing up the wooden ladder rungs. To most, it probably doesn’t even look like a ladder, as the rungs are not straight. But when Dad placed them, he said they were in the sturdiest parts of the tree’s trunk.     

As I sit and eat, I think about my day. Why does Kellie hate me so much? There has to be more to it than me being a child of my dad’s chosen mate. It’s the same question I have asked myself every time I come here. After all these years, I still haven’t figured out the answer.        

Then I thought about my upcoming birthday. Specifically receiving my wolf. I get all giddy thinking about it. What will she look like? What will she sound like? What will her name be? It’ll be the best birthday present ever. I’m so excited about meeting her.      

I finished eating the snacks Shannen had packed me. It wasn’t much, but it was my favorite. I guess she chose quality over quantity. If I had my wolf, she could find some food for us. Thinking about her arriving again brings a smile to my face.    

As the evening passed along, I could feel the temperature dropping; the sun couldn’t be far off-setting. I pulled my book out of my backpack and my torch. This way, I don’t have to move when it gets dark. It is a great place to read as it’s so quiet.       

I was only a few chapters in when I heard a scream. A girl’s scream, a child’s scream. I leaped to my feet, grabbing my holstered blades. I heard the child’s scream again while I was climbing down the tree. A child wouldn’t be this deep in the dark forest. Not at any part of the day, especially not at this time of day.   

There are only two reasons for a child to be here. Either she’s here because she was being chased or she was brought here against her will! No matter what, it’s going to be bad for her.     

I immediately sprinted towards where I believed her screams were coming from. But in a forest of this size, it could be anywhere.     

“I’m coming. Where are you?” I shouted as I ran. I can’t see her, I can’t hear her. Panicking that, I was too late. “Come on, kid, where are you?” I yelled. It’s as if she heard me and she screamed again. I ran towards her feeble voice. Finally, I saw her.   

It’s Izzy, the baker’s daughter. I would recognize that orange coat anywhere. A large brown wolf was approaching her. A rogue? It had to be. It could be one of the rogues who murdered my mom. 

Izzy is on the other side of a small valley. A stream flows through it. There is no way for me to get across other than to walk along a fallen tree. Which, by looking at the condition of it, has been there a long time.  

It also looks unstable. Like it would break if I put any weight on it. Izzy screams again, crying and begging for the rogue to leave her alone. But he simply growls. She is no match for him. She’s an innocent child.  

That could have been me all those years ago. My mom wasn’t a warrior, but she still fought bravely and gave me the chance to escape. No one is here for poor Izzy. No one but me. I’m her only hope.  

I am a Beta’s daughter. Could I live with myself if I didn’t even try to protect her? Adrenaline courses through my veins. My body moves without me even realizing it. I focus on Izzy as the tree creaks and cracks under my weight. I don’t care. I just run. Izzy needs me.     

Izzy screamed her head off as the rogue got closer. The beast is going to scare her to death before he kills her. Thankfully, the rogue was walking so slowly towards Izzy.        

I don’t shout or scream. That will let him know I am coming. With my daggers in my hands. I ran up a ledge that was just above him. Then, with an almighty leap, I jumped off it. Landing on his back, plunging my daggers into each side of his neck.      

The wolf thrashes around, but I hold on to the hilts of my blades. I hold on for dear life, both Izzy’s and mine.   

Blood from the rogue’s neck seeps onto the hilts. Making them impossible to hold on to. So, pull out the daggers, letting them fall to the ground. I am hoping the deep cuts I made caused enough damage for him to bleed out. Before, he could attack us.  

He starts jolting backward and then forward, trying to get me off his back. Which was why I held on to his matted fur for as long as I could. In one sudden jolt, he tosses me off his back. I landed on the ground with a thud.     

I could hear Izzy screaming and sobbing. But I couldn’t take my eyes off the wolf charging towards me. I pulled my last dagger from its sheath. The rogue isn’t far from my face when he opens his mouth, ready to take a chunk out of me. As quick as I can, which is quick. I grabbed hold of the rogue’s nose, pulling his head to the side. Before, I drove my blade through into the rogue’s eye socket.        

As I killed him, his body crumpled on top of me. At least he is dead, and I am alive. I tell myself.     

Izzy creeps over, sobbing. She must think some of the blood is mine. “It’s okay Izzy, I’m okay. You’re going to be okay.” When the wolf fell, he landed on top of me, trapping me. I tried wriggling out from under him, but it was no use. I was trapped.     

“Izzy, you need to get home. Where you are safe. There may be more rogue wolves around.” She doesn’t need to see his dead body any longer than she has to. “Your mom and dad will be looking for you,” I told her. Surely, they have noticed she is missing.  

“I want to stay with you,” she says.        

“Izzy, they can’t know I was here. I will get in trouble.” Truthfully, I don’t want to be forced to go home. I doubt Kellie would be pleased to know I killed a rogue and entered her home covered in his blood. She already thinks I am as pathetic as she is. “You need to go. Tell them you hid and that the wolf ran by you, okay?”         

“I can’t leave you, Goldie.”         

“Izzy, I will be in a lot of trouble if you tell anyone you saw me. Please, Izzy, do as I ask.” She looks at me with those big blue eyes of hers. “Goldie, you saved me,” she said as she ran off.   

Now I need to get this beast off me. How the hell am I going to do that? That’s when I looked over and saw a black wolf approaching me. Oh crap, I’m as dead as a sitting duck.