Landmine trap

Fear. Fright. Flight. Fear was like one's heartbeat. It could keep one on their toes. It made one's heart beat faster and what was worse? 

The fear of being murdered by Alpha Zeeb, the new illegitimate Alpha of Sussex Pack. 

Ashina ran through the woods like a gazelle because her life was at stake and she knew what would happen if Zeeb caught up with her.

 Her whole life was a summary of those three words. Great fear coursed through her as she dashed through the woods without stopping for a breath. Zeeb and his minions were almost at her heel.

If she dared stop, she wouldn't be alive to take in the next fresh air. Cold sweat covered the back of her neck, and her body itched although it had red sores all over.

She was scared of the ruthless warrior and what he would do to her. Different terrible images conjured up in her brain. Ashina wondered if her throat would be slit or if she'd be tied down in the dungeon that once held her parent's prisoners.

She shook the thoughts away. Whatever Zeeb had in store for her was more than that. Her death would not be an easy one. The more she thought of it, the more she fled through the thick fog of darkness with speed.

She stopped for a fleet second to catch her breath when she realized that she was at the end of a path and she didn't know if she was to turn left or right.

 More fresh tears streamed down her pale face as she darted her eyes from the left to the right path, thinking of which would be the best.

'Help my Mama, help me, Papa.' She muttered under her breath.

She had never been in such a situation before but she knew she had to keep moving because they were closing in on her.

Tall thick trees heralded her side by side on the lone path and the woods were bathed in pitch darkness. Eerie voices from the deep resounded in the distance but she wasn't scared of them.

She was more scared of the man behind her.

The smell of pinewood and moss filled the thick air. Ashina blinked twice and clutched her gown in her tight fist. She turned around and the near sound of the horse hooves set her on the right path.

She ran as fast as her sore swollen feet could carry her even though she knew Zeeb's horses would catch up with her soon. Except a miracle happened.

Her body felt weightless, almost floating on her feet but there was no time to think about that now. The trees around her grew taller and more imposing. She had no idea where she was going but as long as she kept moving. Maybe she could escape them.

Was this how she'd spend her night outside? Again. The thought of it scared her. She had been on the run from Zeeb for three nights and had barely gotten any food to eat except two apples.

She was hungry and her throat was parched. Her whole body felt heavy and she who was the legitimate Luna of Sussex Pack would look like.

Her white gown had holes in different places, it felt like a tattered rag but it was much better than running naked in the cold. Her knees had deep gashes which she had sustained from stumbling on different occasions in the woods.

She reeked of a putrid odor because she has spent three days without the warm bath she was used to. 

"Stop Ashina! This is a dead end, if you surrender now, I could forgive you." Zeeb growled into the cold night air.

She knew better than to believe the prick. It was a bait she would never believe even in her dreams. She turned back to see how near they had gotten 

when suddenly her toes connected with a small branch lying on the crooked path.

“Ouch!” She fell face down onto the ground and winced when a sharp pain ran through her body.

Her first instinct was to look back. She scanned the path for him. Her vision was blurred with hot torrents when she saw lit torches just a few meters away.

Her lungs felt like they burned from every inhale as she heard a sinister laughter escape Zeeb's throat. This was the end. She tried scrambling backward looking for any means of escape as they neared her.

'Merciful Moon Goddess, please save me or I might die.' She choked on her tears.

Her wolf was tired already. Nights of running away from Zeeb had sapped her of her strength and during the day they followed her without a stop.

She was famished and wished she could drop dead. 

"Fire the arrows!" Zeeb commanded the men beside him.

Ashina rose to her feet immediately and dragged herself forward. She had not come this far to be killed by a mere arrow. 

She gasped in shock as the arrow flew past her ear. 

That was a close shot which only meant that they were at her heel already. 

She continued running but her legs were caving under her already. She needed to rest but she couldn't.

The crescent moon appeared just at the moment illuminating the rugged paths of the woods. Ashina's eyes widened when she saw a small river ahead.

Ahead she could see lit torches which signified the presence of people in the woods but she had to cross the river. Even if she shouted, they wouldn't hear her. She increased her speed.

She didn't bother looking back anymore nor did she think twice before doing the only thing that made sense at the moment. 

Ashina stepped into the water. She squinched when she took her first step into the frosty water. It was cold and made her sores ache.

Ashina gritted her teeth and waded through the river all in a hurry to reach the other side before Zeeb. She successfully crossed the river and climbed onto the dry land to see Zeeb still pursuing her.

Would the jerk never give up? She had no time to ruminate over that. She turned around and ran faster so she could get to the lit area. If she could successfully reach there, she was sure Zeeb would leave her.

He was a coward who relished picking on smaller prey like her. He wasn't a good fighter unless he had a mighty army behind him. And one thing she knew for sure, Zeeb wouldn't dare cross a new Pack since he just ascended the throne.

She took one look back and was about to move when she realised that she had stepped on something hard in the process. 

'Don't move.' Her instincts told her.

But how wouldn't she move when Zeeb was pursuing after her with so much speed? She tried moving her left leg over it so she could feel what it was very well.

"Retreat everyone!" Zeeb growled in a hard voice as he gave the order when he realised this was a lost cause.

He had lost her.

Ashina had crossed the border into the territory of the renowned White Moon Pack. He knew better than to trouble them. It would mean a Pack war and he wasn't ready to start what he would not live long enough to complete.

Ashina let out a soft gasp when she realized what she had just stepped on. It was a border landmine.

If she dared move one step, she would blow up into pieces.

She was in trouble. What would she do?