Shadows in the forest

Gwen’s POV

The cold air bit into my skin as I dashed into the woods, the reality of Damien’s betrayal still clinging to me like a suffocating cloak. My heart pounded in my chest, the blood in my veins pumping harder than it had ever before. The trees blurred into dark smudges as I pushed myself further, deeper into the night, into the forest that had always been my sanctuary. But now, it felt more like a trap.

I didn’t dare look back. I couldn’t afford to. I focused on the path ahead, a narrow opening between the thick trees that seemed to beckon me forward. The forest was eerily silent, save for the sound of my own labored breathing and the pounding of my footsteps against the forest floor.

It felt as though the world was holding its breath, waiting to see if I would survive this night. My heart was a drum, beating out a frantic rhythm as I ran. I could feel the wolfsbane working its way through my system, slowing me down, weakening me. My vision began to blur, my limbs growing heavy, but I forced myself to keep moving.

Why was this happening? Why would Damien betray me like this? Even Elara, I had treated her with so much love and care regardless of the fact that she was a servant and I was of royalty. I felt the urge to scream and curse at the Moon Goddess for pairing me with a man who was now after my life, but I just couldn’t.

All I could think about was Damien’s bloody hands as he held the heart of Elder Rowan in his hand and his whisper to me to run. Damien wasn’t like that, what exactly changed. He was one to fear the stench of blood that he left the killing of the animals to me or the servants but seeing him hold Elder Rowan’s heart dripping with blood in his hands made me doubt a whole lot of things.

A sharp pain stabbed through the chest, and I stumbled, nearly losing my footing. As I righted myself, I glanced back for the first time, and there he was, Damien. The man who had once promised me the world was now hunting me like prey. His figure was a dark silhouette against the night sky, his eyes glowing an ominous red. The smile that twisted his lips sent a cold shiver down my spine—a smile that spoke of cruelty and bloodlust.

He raised a hand, pointing directly at me. There was no need for words; his intent was clear. A shadowy figure emerged from the darkness beside him—a rogue. His name was Jax, a vicious enforcer Damien had always kept close, a man known for his ruthlessness. He was the executioner Damien had chosen for me.

Jax’s smile was all teeth, a predator relishing the hunt. He began to move, not running, but stalking, as if he knew I had nowhere to go, as if he was savoring the terror that gripped me. Panic surged through me, and I spun around, launching myself deeper into the forest, my body protesting with every step.

The forest that had once been so familiar now felt like a labyrinth, each tree a looming giant, each shadow a threat. The branches snagged at my clothes, tearing at my skin as I pushed through, my breath coming in ragged gasps.

“Please,” I whispered, more to myself than to the monster chasing me. “I’m already dying….please…”

But Jax’s footsteps were unrelenting, his laughter echoing through the trees. “Orders are orders, princess,” he taunted, his voice cold and mocking. “Damien…. oh I mean Alpha Damien wouldn’t appreciate me letting you go.”

Alpha Damien. The title cut deep, a painful reminder of how far I had fallen. I had given him everything—my trust, my love, my pack—and he had repaid me with betrayal and death. I could feel the wolfsbane tightening its grip on me, my body growing weaker with every step. Blood began to drip from my nose, the poison in my veins turning my strength into weakness.

My heart raced as I calculated my chances of survival. If I could just reach the border town or the hospital in the neighboring pack’s territory, I might have a chance. But the first step was to escape Jax. I had to escape him.

“I swear it,” I gasped, the words barely escaping my lips. “I won’t come back. Just…just let me go.”

Jax’s laughter was like nails on a chalkboard, sharp and grating. “Do you think begging will save you?” His voice was a dark chuckle. “You’re already dead. You just don’t know it yet.”

Desperation clawed at me, but I forced myself to keep going. My vision was narrowing, black spots dancing before my eyes. I could feel Jax closing in, his footsteps growing louder, his breath hot on the back of my neck.

Then, without warning, he lunged. The impact was sudden and brutal, knocking me off my feet and slamming me to the ground. Pain exploded in my head as it hit the hard earth, stars bursting behind my eyelids. I tried to fight back, but my limbs were heavy, uncooperative. The wolfsbane had done its job well.

Jax’s hand closed around my throat, pinning me to the ground. His grin was a mask of pure malice, his eyes glittering with sadistic glee. “Any last words, princess?” he sneered, leaning in close, his breath hot against my face.

But before I could utter a single word, something shifted in the air. A force, dark and powerful, swept through the forest, making the very ground tremble. Jax hesitated, confusion flickering across his face for just a moment.

And then he was gone.

A blur of motion, too fast for my eyes to follow, and Jax was ripped away from me with a force that made the air crackle. I gasped for breath, my vision swimming as I tried to comprehend what had just happened. My body was too weak to move, too weak to even turn my head.

But I didn’t need to.

Standing next to me was a man who I couldn’t make out what he looked like just yet. Jax was nothing but a broken, bloody heap at the man’s feet, his body torn apart as if he had been made of paper. I should have been terrified, but all I felt was a strange sense of relief. The man had saved me, but I couldn’t help but wonder why.

“Who..who are you?” I tried to speak, but the words came out as a rasp, my throat too dry, my body too weak.

The man didn’t answer. He simply knelt beside me, his expression unreadable as he watched me struggle to stay conscious. My vision was fading, the darkness pulling at me with insistent fingers, but I fought to stay awake. I had to know who he was, why he had saved me, and what he looked like at least.

As he knelt closer I could now see his looks clearly, his figure bathed in the silver light of the moon. He was tall, even though he was bending now I could tell he was tall, his presence exuding power and danger. His eyes, those impossibly beautiful glassy eyes, stared down at me with a mix of cold detachment and something else, something that sent a shiver down my spine.

The effort of staying awake was too much. My body betrayed me, the last remnants of strength slipping away as the world around me dimmed. The last thing I saw before everything went blank was the man’s handsome face, his eyes reflecting the pale light of the moon, cold and beautiful.

And then, there was nothing.