Chapter 4:

~Jane~

"Good," Zander growled from downstairs. "She's still in her room. Must be waiting for me to come for her—my kind of game. Just wait until she sees what I do to her for making me come after her. There's a punishment waiting, and I'm going to enjoy every second of it."

I could hear his footsteps on the stairs.

I tried to hold on- tried to stay strong like Sara always said I could- but the strength I'd been clinging to was fading fast. The voice inside me, the one that had spoken to me just minutes ago, had gone silent. Fear gripped me again, paralyzing me as the sound of his boots drew closer.

Please, voice... come back. Tell me what to do.

"I'm coming for you, Jane," Zander called, his tone cold and vicious. "Soon, you'll be my mate. However, before that, I have a lot planned for you. One way or another- you're coming with me."

"Jane! You need to leave!" Dad shouted from below.

"You can't hide forever," Zander hissed. "Come out, little girl. You're only making it worse."

I saw his shadow through the crack beneath the door. My heart thundered in my chest. I could barely breathe. This was it. He was going to take me- just like he took Sara. Just like all the others.

Moon Goddess, please... don't let this happen. Please get me out of here. I don't want to be another girl whose life is taken by Zander King.

None of them ever got to meet their true mates. None ever got to live the lives they dreamed of. Zander stole everything. The love, the hope, the freedom. Even Sara's baby- her daughter. Gone because of him.

And yet, I still believed.

I believed my mate was out there. I could feel him- especially on that night two years ago during the full moon. Something had awakened inside me then, like I could sense him searching for me, too. Maybe I was just dreaming. Maybe it was to keep hope alive. But it felt real. I wanted it to be real. I needed it to be.

"You're not alone, Jane." The voice was back, calm and strong. "You're going to be okay. I'm here. We'll make it together."

I took a shaky breath. "What should I do?"

"Open your window. when I say jump"

Without hesitation, I ran to the window, lifted the glass, and popped out the screen. Just as I turned, the door burst open.

"There you are," Zander said with a smirk, stepping into the room. "I told you, Jane. You can't hide from me. You won't get away."

I backed towards the window, my hands clenched into fists.

He scanned me slowly- his eyes crawling over my body- and then looked into mine with a predator's grin. "You have the most beautiful body I've ever seen, Jane Foster. And I plan to enjoy it. One more year until you're of age. That makes the wait more fun. You'll learn to pleasure me in all things. Try to fight me, and I'll punish you in ways you can't imagine."

At the sound of his words, fear came over me at the thought of the things he would do to me if I were to be his next mate.

"Please, Zander," I said through clenched teeth, holding back the fear I was feeling.

"Don't do this. I'll never be your mate."

He chucked darkly. "That's adorable. You sound just like your sister. Sara begged me to, you know. Even after she agreed to be mine. But she never learned. Every time she disobeyed, I had to break her a little more. She was a fighter- but that just made it sweeter for me. And you? You've got that same fire, but with a little something else inside you."

He stepped closer.

"I'll burn that fire out for you, Jane. I'll break you. And on the full moon, I'll sink my teeth into that pretty neck of yours and mark you as mine."

"Now, Jane. Jump!" The voice commanded.

I spun, threw my legs out the window, and jumped.

The fall knocked the wind out of me, but I hit the ground and started to run. Adrenaline surged through me. I didn't look back.

"You can't run from me, Jane Foster!" Zander bellowed from the window.

I sprinted across the yard and towards the forest's edge. I stopped for only a second, panic rising-I didn't know where to go. I'd never been past the trees before.

"Head east," The voice urged. "This way."

Without thinking, my feet moved, carrying me deeper into the woods.

Branched whipped against my arms, my lungs burned. I didn't know how long I'd been running. Minutes? Hours? My vision blurred with tears and exhaustion.

"I'll find you!" Zander's voice echoed behind me.

I forced myself to keep going. I couldn't stop. I couldn't let him catch me.

I ran harder, faster. For Sara. For my parents. For myself, I didn't know what waited at the border- but anything was better thanbeing  forced to become Zander's next mate.