Chapter 96: The Escape Anna POV

"Lucas!" I called.

“I’m here,” he answered, his shirt torn and stained with blood. Relief came over me, but it was short-lived as I took in the exhaustion etched into his face.

“What now?” I whispered, my throat tight.

“We find Thalion,” he said firmly, though his eyes betrayed his doubt.

We proceeded together through the devastation, stepping over fallen bodies and shattered weapons. The pack that had offered us sanctuary, strength, and answers was now in ruins.

“There!” Lucas pointed ahead.

I followed his gaze and saw Thalion slumped against a jagged boulder, his breathing heavy. His once-imposing form was now a shell of itself, his robes saturated with blood that pooled beneath him.

“Thalion!” I cried, running to his side.

His eyes flickered open at the sound of my voice. “Anna,” he rasped, his voice scarcely audible.

“Don’t try to talk,” I urged, pushing my hands against the huge wound in his side. Blood flowed through my fingers, warm and persistent.

He shook his head faintly. “It’s too late for me. Listen… you must go.”

"No!" With tears in my eyes, I objected. "We can help you. We'll find the healers..."

Despite his weakness, Thalion's tone became sharper as he spoke, "There's no time." His eyes were penetrating as he seized my wrist with unexpected force. "Oliver won’t stop. You're not prepared to deal with him, and he'll send more."

Lucas was kneeling next to me, his jaw clenched. "We can't abandon you here."

"You have to," Thalion demanded. His gaze shifted from me to Lucas and back again. "The pack was never intended to oppose Oliver. We were here to get you ready, Anna, to unlock your inner potential. However, you now have to complete this journey by yourself."

I gulped hard, anger and guilt constricting my chest. I said, without raising my voice above a whisper, "I'm not ready."

With his fingers shaking as he reached up to touch the mark on my arm, Thalion remarked, "You are stronger now. It is a beacon, this mark. A representation of your assigned destiny. Have faith in both yourself and it."

Lucas grounded me by placing a hand on my shoulder. He whispered, "Anna, we have to leave."

I gazed at Thalion and shook my head, my heart aching. "I can't abandon him."

"You must," Thalion firmly stated. "This is no longer your battle. Oliver... you're up against him. Before it's too late, act immediately."

In the distance came a piercing, ominous wail. When I saw how close Oliver's troops were, my blood froze.

"Anna," Lucas pleaded in a quiet but determined tone. "We must move."

I wavered, unsure whether to run or stay. Thalion's fingers grew tighter around mine, and his intense gaze made it impossible to argue.

"Go," he muttered. "Achieve your goals."

I nodded, tears clouding my vision. I choked out, "Thank you."

Before his fingers dropped away and his body slumped against the rock, Thalion managed a small smile.

Lucas urged me to stand up and said, "Come on."

With each stride, the burden of remorse and sorrow pressed down on me as we raced. The surrounding woodland was dark and strange, with shadows bending into shapes that appeared to be aimed at us.

"Where exactly are we going?" My voice trembled as I asked.

"Anywhere but here," Lucas said, firmly holding onto my hand.

The howling grew closer and louder. I looked over my shoulder, half expecting to see Oliver himself come out of the shadows, and my heart pounded.

"More quickly!" Lucas demanded in a stern voice.

We pushed ourselves to the limit, jumping over fallen logs and squeezing through the thick underbrush. Fear kept me going even when my lungs hurt and my legs burned.

At last, we arrived at a tiny clearing, where the panorama was illuminated by a faint glow from the moon. Lucas halted me, heaving in his chest as he looked around.

With a somber tone, he stated, "This won’t hold them for long."

In an attempt to catch my breath, I nodded. "Now what do we do?"

With an enigmatic expression, Lucas turned to face me. "If we have to, we fight. But we hide first."

My heart leaped into my throat when a branch nearby snapped before I could react. Lucas moved ahead of me, scanning the shadows in a protective position.

His voice was firm and quiet as he continued, "Stay behind me."

I prepared myself for an assault as the sound of footsteps grew louder. However, a young scout from the old pack staggered into the clearing, his face wounded and pale, in place of Oliver's warriors.

He gasped and fell to his knees, saying, "Anna."

With trembling hands, I hurried to his side and assisted him in sitting up. "What happened?"

With a raspy voice, he declared, "Oliver’s forces… they’re everywhere. Until they find you, they won’t stop."

Lucas squatted next to me, his jaw tight. "How far behind are they?"

The scout said, his eyes darting about anxiously, "Too close. You must keep moving. They’ll soon find this location."

I nodded, my determination strengthening. "After that, we’ll leave."

Lucas looked at me with a puzzled expression. "Are you sure? Anna, we’re running out of options."

Drawing power from the recollection of Thalion’s words, I straightened my shoulders. “I don’t care how far we have to go. I’m not letting Oliver win.”

After examining me for a while, Lucas nodded. "All right. Let's go."

The conflict weighed heavily on my chest as we vanished into the trees again. One thing was certain, even though I had no idea where we were headed or how we would survive.

This was not the end of it. By no means.