Chapter 9

Elena's POV

I ran until my legs couldn't carry me anymore. The forest seemed endless, and I felt like I was trapped in a nightmare. Finally, I collapsed onto a rocky surface, getting little injuries and gasping for breath.

Oliver's words echoed in my mind: "You're mine, Elena.” I was confused and surprised. I shuddered at the memory. How could he say that after rejecting me? What changed? It wasn't up to a few hours ago when he told me that I couldn't be his mate and here he his claiming me.

As the darkness closed in around me, I realized I had to keep moving. The rival pack could still be out there. With newfound determination, I pushed myself up and continued, my senses on high alert.

Suddenly, a faint light appeared in the distance. Hope flickered to life within me. As I drew closer, I saw a small cabin nestled among the trees. Smoke drifted lazily from the chimney.

My body ached from all sides, I staggered to the cabin. My strength was depleted, my mouth dried up, and my body ached. I stumbled and fell on my face, my body weak to get up.

Just then a shadow appeared before me but my vision was blurry and I couldn't see who it was.

“Hello, please help me!” I said in a whisper, using all my strength to reach out for him but before I could get to his hands I passed out from exhaustion.

********

My eyes fluttered open slowly, adjusting to their surroundings.

“Where am I?” I asked myself, my mind flashed back to when I walked towards a cabin and saw a shadow before I passed out.

“I'm in the cabin?” I asked myself, “But who was the person who helped me? I’m I in any kind of danger? I should get out of here, it might not be safe”

I tried to get up but my eyes spinner so hard, that I ended up throwing up at the side of the bed with a splitting headache. My body aches increased and I was running temperature.

“I guess I have a fever!” I said to myself

“Yes, you do!” I heard a feminine voice, I turned to see an old woman with grey hair, “which is why you must rest and be strong. You have a rough road ahead of you.”

I stared at her surprised about what she said: “Who are you and who carried me into the house?”

She walked into the room, she had a cup which brought out steam. She dropped the cup next to me on a table, “I’m Ana…….and I’m the one who brought you in.”

I stared at her like she had grown horns in her head. How can an old woman like her be able to lift me? She picked up the cup and handed it over to me.

“Drink!”

I stared at the contents of the cup, it was a dark liquid that was hot. I was suspicious of it, as I took a quick sniff of it, but it had no particular smell.

“It’s for your fever….. so drink” I stared at her with lots of questions, “If I wanted you dead, I think I should have killed you when you were unconscious.”

“Fair,” I said to her, I brought the cup to my lips and drank it. The taste made me squeeze my face from the bitter taste, I passed her the cup but she refused to take it.

“You need to finish it,” she said with a straight face

I looked at her and back at the potion, it tasted so bitter but I chugged it down, holding my nose to help me swallow it.

“Done!” I passed her the cup as I tried to control my gag reflex.

She took the cup “You need to lay down and rest, I will bring your dinner after I clean up after you.”

I laid down as she instructed, feeling a little better “Don’t you have someone who helps you?” I asked her

“Nope, I’m the only one here.” She flicked her wrist and a green light shimmered brightly, the same light I saw in the infirmary. The light faded after a while, and when I looked the room was in perfect shape as it was.

My mouth opened and I was stunned, by what just happened. I pinched myself just in case I was still asleep.

“Who are you?” I asked her, a little scared of her.

She smiled a little, then flicked her wrist again, “Sleep……we will talk about it when you are all better”

“But…..” just then my eyes began to shut down, my brain not able to register anything and the next thing I saw was darkness.

Oliver's POV

I stood watch over the forest, my eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of Elena. She was gone, but I knew she couldn't hide forever. It has been over two days and I was getting worried.

I heard a buzz in my mind, breaking the silence.

"Lucas," I answered.

"Sir, we found the rival pack's den," Lucas reported. "We're moving in now."

"Keep me updated," I growled, my mind still on Elena.

As I ended the mind connection, a nagging feeling crept in. Elena wasn't just running from me; she was running from herself and I was determined to find out why.

I turned back to join the team to capture the rival gang. They might be the one who has Elena, as she wouldn’t have been able to go that far on foot.

As I joined my team, Lucas briefed me on the plan.

"We've got the rival pack's den surrounded," he said, his voice low and steady.

"Let's move in," I growled, my instincts on high alert.

We stormed the den, taking down the rival pack members with swift precision but Elena was nowhere to be found. A mix of relief and frustration coursed through me.

Where was she? Had she been taken by someone else? The questions swirled in my mind as we secured the den.