Chapter 2. A chance at freedom

Willa’s POV

“Enough of your stalling, witch!" The guard grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me back.

Out in the open, there was a mighty crowd parting to let the guards through. People were screaming for my head. Two men had died at my hand, they would not allow a third death.

“She's cursed! Put her to death!” A woman shrieked.

They were throwing all sorts of things at me. Rancid fruits, rotten eggs, even rocks. I guarded my head against the onslaught, but the guards did nothing to stop the unruly crowd.

After Kael's death, whispers had spread like wildfire that any man who had anything to do with me would face the same fate. I was cursed, they say. But why? What have I done? Why would the goddess curse me with such fate?

The rumors chased off any potential suitors, much to my uncle's displeasure. The man was scared of my existence, and the older I grew, the more likely it was that I could take back my birthright. He had arranged for a man from another pack to marry me. I was vehemently against getting sold off like a broodmare into a marriage with a stranger. My place was here in Moonveil pack, the land my parents ruled in their lifetime.

But any hope of reclaiming my heritage crumbled when Faruc's friend tried to force himself on me.

“Maybe the curse is just a scheme to keep the weak from such a prize," he'd sneered, alcohol heavy on his breath as he tore at my dress.

I may have wished him dead at that moment, hating every inch of his drunken, grasping form. But when he began to bleed, just as Kael had... No amount of pleading could convince the pack of my innocence. That he had tried to rape me.

Blisters and sores had opened up on my feet by the time we reached the edge of the thick, dangerous woods that led to the borderlines of the pack.

My uncle, the Alpha, was there. He didn't even have to hide his true intentions anymore. That he was glad he was finally getting rid of the pestilence that was my existence.

Around him were a dozen pack hunters, waiting for something. Waiting for orders.

“All you have to do is run,” My uncle, the Alpha whispered.

I glanced at him, but a hand nudged me forward.

“Run, little Willa, if you want to make it to the border alive.” He raised his hand, “After all there are… many, many dangers in the forest. And you are just a helpless girl who can’t even shift anymore.”

I stumbled back, aghast. Slow realization pooled through me. My stomach sank in time with it.

Eamon was going to hunt me down.

He never wanted me to go into exile, that was all a lie. What he wanted was to kill me in the worst way possible, while dangling a chance at freedom before my nose. He was never going to surrender the Alpha title to me, not before and especially not now he had the perfect opportunity to get rid of the thorn in his part to victory—

He laughed, “Run, Willa, run!!”

Realizing for the first time that my hands and feet were shackle-free, I turned to the forest and fled.

I barely made it a few strides in when an arrow scratched my thigh.

“No! No, no…” I cried.

The vibrations of more bows traveled through the air to the hairs at the back of my neck. Other arrows followed, but I weaved through the trees, narrowly missing them.

I managed to keep my hobbling steps nimble while running as fast as possible.

After a teeth-gnashing trek through the forest, I burst through the woods, past the borders of the Moonveil pack.

I cried, limping towards the open wilderness. But the thought of freedom was immediately banished by the arrow that suddenly struck my good leg.

A sore scream tore through my throat as I stumbled, shockwaves of pain overcoming me.

“Naive little girl.” A scratchy female voice came from behind. “You really thought your uncle meant for you to live?”

I managed to turn my back, watching in terror as the hunter stalked closer, pulling out a second arrow. A breath shuddered out of me.

“Don't worry, I'm not one of those male pigs. I will let you die with your dignity intact. An arrow to the head, you'll feel nothing.”

The vibrations from the arrow crossed the air, and I flinched, waiting for a death that never came.

Instead, the arrow landed on the earth beside me. I slowly looked up at the female hunter, wondering why she had missed me by such a large margin, but I met her face contorted with shock.

She was staring at something right behind me. Her entire body was rigid with fear. My own body went still, as I tried to sneak a look over my shoulder.

I didn't have to.

A heavy growl froze me in place. Heavy, warm, and animalistic breaths washed over my entire head. Dear Goddess… I stared at the growing shadow on the ground, eyes widening with shock. Or whatever feeling I could muster up since one second ago, I had resigned myself to death.

It sniffed me once, twice, and promptly lost interest. From my peripheral vision, I watched as it placed a heavily clawed paw forward, slowly stalking toward the hunter.

This wasn't just any wolf. It was a direwolf, bigger than the average wolf.

I couldn't tell if it was wild, or not, but that didn't matter. It was dangerous all the same. The sunset gave its red coat a smooth sheen that enhanced the contours of its heavy muscles. Fangs protruded from the sides of its snout.

I started crawling back extremely slowly. I was trying to get myself away from both the beast and the hunter, as it seemed someone out there had given me yet another chance.

The huntress glared at me, trying to scare me into stopping, but I kept moving.

She could do nothing. The direwolf would pounce if she tried. Not because it was protecting me, I assume, but because it didn't feel threatened by me.

I was injured, smelly, and bleeding from old, dirty wounds. But her? She was standing strong, with weapons. She was the threat. And that was all that mattered.

When I got far enough, I grabbed a rocky outcropping and pulled myself up. Without as much as a glance back, I began to limp away as fast as possible. I winced every step of the way, fought away the dizzying sensation in my head, and ignored the sounds coming from far behind me.

The hunter's sudden yells, and the Direwolf’s murderous roars.

I crossed the wilderness faster than I thought possible. Now I was in some mountainous terrain that sloped downward into a valley. The sky was streaked purple, and my surroundings were suspended in the strange moment between day and night.

“I need to find a cave…” I huffed, leaning heavily on the stick I had found, “A stream…some water…I need to clean my wounds. Food… shelter…”

I was talking to myself to stay conscious. It worked, and soon, I found a tiny stream.

Collapsing into it, I drank myself into a stupor. After a moment, I regained a little more strength to feel the pain ravaging my body.

By the time I was done dressing my wounds, my dress was barely covering my upper thighs —I had ripped off the tattered bottom half—

There was a sudden sound of commotion behind me, and on glancing back, I saw a group of unknown heavily built guards advancing from the direction of the valley. I jolted in panic, because my first instinct was to hide.

It was too late, they already spotted me.

“There she is! After her!” Their leader yelled.

They lunged forward, fangs flashing. I stumbled backward, breaking into a run despite the paralyzing pain in both of my legs. I was so confused.

“Don't let that murderer escape! We will have her damn head on a stake!!”

I ran into a crowd of thorn trees, trying to use them as cover. A large hand grabbed me by the neck from the side, yanking me back with brutal force.

“I've got her!”

“No! Let go of me!” I rammed my stick back over my head, piercing what felt like an eye socket.

The guard let out a blood-chilling howl, doubling over in pain. Still, I nearly didn't get out of his grip. His unsheathed claws left gouges in my skin when I finally freed myself.

I staggered through the thorns, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I had seen the band around the guard's hand. It was similar to that of my pack, but the insignia boasted a different pack.

What would a different pack want with me?

I was not waiting to find out. That injury would not be enough to slow that guard down. Even if it did, more were coming.

I stumbled, falling into a thicket of thorns. My dirty palm slammed against my lips to muffle the choked sound of pain that escaped me. All I could hear was my own erratic heartbeat and breathing.

The sky had completely gone dark. I stumbled aimlessly forward, only to come face to face with a guard looming menacingly in my path. His eyes were glowing a terrifying yellow.

There was no mercy to be found in those eyes.

My breath caught in my throat, frozen by shock. He moved before I could react.

I tried to scramble away, but my back hit the ground hard, knocking every last breath out of my lungs. The guard was on me, pining me under his weight. I struggled to inhale for the next few seconds, throwing my fists blindly.

“I found her!!” He called out in a satisfied, guttural tone.

The other guards tore out of the shadows, surrounding the spot.

“Get off me!” I screeched.

The guard obliged, grabbing me up by the hair to throw me to my stomach. I coughed, trying to scramble back up. A heavy boot slammed me back down.

“Stay down, you filth.”

Another guard who seemed like the leader, stepped forward. His expression was severely grim, eyes narrowed.

“In addition to your crimes, you just blinded one of our best men. If it were up to me, you would be gutted with a blunt knife and offered up to the crows for a feast on your innards!!”

“No!” I gasped, “Let me go—”

“—Silence!” He slapped me with such force that sent me into the dusty earth. “But it's not up to me. You've caused a lot of trouble for us. Now face the consequences!”

“I don't know what you're talking about! I'm just trying to—” I could not finish my words.

Another slap sent my head spinning.

“If the Beta dies, you'll meet a fate worse than death! Bundle her up!”