Chapter 5: SAVE ME!

Athena's POV

My throat had dried up from sprinting for my life, I had used up all the energy I had left, and my legs had gotten wobbly, and I couldn't move any farther.

I sagged on the floor, sat up, leaning my back on the tree behind me, and swallowed my spit in order to moisten my dry throat. I sniff the air and see no evidence of water. 

I've never felt so depleted and weak, and the fact that I'm pregnant makes it much worse; I choked on my own tears, feeling lost. I'm not sure where I'm going. 

The thought of Daniel looking for me shook me awake, and I began sprinting again, barely looking back but once more. 

My legs wobbled when I collided with a tree before going down.  I coughed again, this time fiercely, my shoulders trembles as I wiped the edge of my lips.

I looked down at my wrists and saw my own blood staring back at me.

Tears filled my eyes, and I began crying without realizing it, chasing the birds off the tree where I had collapsed, burying my face in my hands.

I thought I could pull it off. I believed I could fight for my unborn child, but what's the point? If either my child or I die,

I ran away to find a new home for my unborn child, knowing fully well that my father wasn't going to accept me and I didn't have a single dime to even feed myself, not to talk of finding a house, or new clothes.

What was I thinking?

Nevertheless, I couldn't go back. Remembering everything that ensued between Andrea and Daniel, I shut my hand tight and bit my lip hard to force myself into making a decision I would regret.

But it was worth it. For me and for my unborn child. I couldn't stay alive and live knowing that someone like Andrea was going to be a mother to my child. And I could never live with the thought that Daniel was actually going to marry someone else.

Sometimes I considered telling him I was his mate, but what use will that be when he hates even the sight of me?

I groaned sharply again and held my stomach before I quickly placed a hand over my blood, feeling blood tickle from my palm.

My ears suddenly twitched as I could hear enormous footfalls and the trotting of wolves fast approaching me, I knew immediately Daniel had set out some men to look for me, and I was not going back to the pack.

I scurried up immediately and ran in the opposite direction, entering deeper into the woods, I knew they will easily smell me and come hunting for me. My eyes were filled with tears and all I could do is run deeper into the forest, I know at this rate I might be caught, and I dread what will happen to me if Daniel catches me, he will definitely punish me for leaving the pack with his unborn child, I thought about several ways this could end if I am eventually caught and non-ended well for me. 

I suddenly held a rattling sound from afar, and I knew immediately someone was fighting for their life, I followed the sound I heard and saw a man on the floor rattling and gurgling out blood from his mouth, his skin was torn apart with claws, and he looks as if he had had a nasty fight 

I gasped at the scene before me and I moved quickly to meet the person, I saw his eyes looking distant, and I held his hand immediately, too scared to let go, I wondered what might happen to him if I didn't walk up to meet him. 

I cut underneath my dress and wrapped it around his wound, looking around several times, hoping Daniel's men won't catch up with me, my hands were trembling all the time as I tried to revive him, I stood up immediately and looked into the woods, I saw some healing herbs and cut them, I rubbed them on my hands and tried squeezing out the liquids from it, I put the squeeze herb on the wound to stop the bleeding, after few minutes his breaths started calming down, and he was rattling again

I slumped on the floor quivering as I thought about how he almost lost his life, I cried silently thinking about my predicament and the man before me. I sat up quickly when I heard him cough and crawled over to meet him, he slowly opened his eyes, and I was met with his gray ones, I helped him up, and I can see he had already stabilized, though he wasn't fully healed. 

“How are you feeling?”I asked, sounding worried, I saw him stagger a little before balancing his steps, his blazing gaze set on me, one could hardly know he was the same person who was fighting for his life.

“Thank you,” he said instead and stood up, I heard the trotting approaching faster, and I stood up immediately, hiding behind his back, he turned immediately and groaned at the swift movement, he furrowed his brow looking at me

“What are you doing?” he asked and tears welled up in my eyes, I needed to escape, I needed to run as fast as I could 

“Save me! They are coming for me” I said and I saw his ear twitch. 

“Who is coming for you?” he asked

“I don't have time to answer questions, please” I begged, scared for my life and that if my child 

“What is your name?” he asked 

“Athena” I replied

“Andrew,” he said, and he suddenly carried me, earning a gasp from me, and started running inside the wood. “I know this wood better than anyone, you will lose them soon” he reassured me and I closed my eyes completely trusting him. 

The matching feet and the trotting sounds of wolf slowly faded and the only sound I could hear was the whooshing sounds of the breeze, which sounded like a lullaby on my ears.