We ran.
As soon as Ethan saw the determination in my eyes, he shifted to his wolf form and disappeared into the woods. I wasted no time and followed.
Ethan's wolf was a huge black beast, almost as big as Ronan's. The black color suited Ethan well. But it wasn't the time to admire him. We had to concentrate on our escape. So we ran as fast as we could, avoiding clearings, crossing streams and creeks to mask our scents. With each passing second, I was ready to hear Ronan's men running behind us.
After an hour, we reached the road and Ethan stopped. There was a man, standing near a car. My first thought was that we were caught. But as the strange man came closer to us, carrying some clothes in his arms, I understood that he was one of Ethan's men.
Ethan shifted back, quickly dressed up, thrown some clothes in my direction, and discretely turned around, giving me privacy to change. Then, when I was done, he opened the car door and hurried me in. Not wasting a second, we tore off south.
We drove for what felt like hours and with each passing mile I was more and more anxious that Ronan's men will catch up with us. The Grand Meeting must have ended by now. And Ronan must have found a cold bed and his Beta lying unconscious outside.
He will be sending an army to find me.
But as the hours went by, the night has finally turned to the morning and I could finally make myself relax and take a deep breath. I got out. Once again, I was free.
But for how long?
I knew that Ronan won't stop looking for me. He won't give up. He will drag me back to his horrific pack and I will once again be his prisoner. He will use me, my body again, this time forever locking me up in his room. There will be no escape anymore.
Unless I will kill him.
But he was stronger than me. Faster, more cunning. He was a better fighter than I could ever be and I knew it. I tried to kill him before and failed miserably. I will never be able to get rid of him.
And what about Ethan? He knows the consequences of stealing the alpha's mate. Ronan will come to spill his blood for what he's done. And no sane person would want to fight with Ronan...
I was awakened from my thoughts as the car has suddenly stopped. Ethan turned to me, his eyes bright.
''We're here.''
*****
I was expecting deep woods and dark houses. I was expecting eeriness and cold. But I definitely wasn't expecting this.
A small town was in front of me. Its main street, made from light cobblestones, snaked between small cozy shops and cafes, townhouses lining one side of the street and shops - the other one. The town itself was built tightly, making everything look homey and inviting. I could see children playing in parks and playgrounds, shrieking with laughter, people going about their day, sitting on the benches, and just talking with each other.
There was no noticeable structure or some kind of a regime that I was used to seeing in Ronan's pack, no one rushed. It was calm. Peaceful. And I couldn't see at least one human.
I turned to Ethan, not actually believing what I see. ''You guys built a town for werewolves here?'' I asked, incredulous. He only gave me his famous feline smile, looking straight forward. ''Something like that''. With that, he took my hand and started walking, taking me with him. ''Come, I want you to see someone.''
We headed towards one of the townhouses. It wasn't a big or luxurious mansion I was expecting Ethan to live in. It was a townhouse like anyone else's. As we went, no one shied away from us, no one bared their necks in respect. People only smiled at him, nodding their heads, greeting him in a friendly manner.
I was still in awe when Ethan opened the front door. But the surprise that was waiting for me here was much, much bigger than this town.
''Hey, ladybug.''
*****
I was laying in the guest bedroom now, trying to wrap my mind about the things that happened in the last 24 hours. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
I escaped. I was with Ethan. Keenan was here and he's okay. We are all okay.
Earlier today, after a tearful reunion with my brother, we sat in a living room and talked our hearts out. Keenan was heartbroken. I knew he blamed himself for what the monster has done to me. He blamed himself for not being able to protect his younger sister.
It was bullshit. What could a human do against the alpha werewolf? Keenan was powerless. And that was okay.
Later, Ethan told me about his search for my brother. Apparently, someone from Ethan's pack knew someone from Ronan's, and well, the guy knew where Ronan had found me. So Ethan brought my brother here.
I didn't know why he's done that. Actually, at first, I was mad about it. Bringing my brother here compromised his safety. But on the other hand, Ronan knew where exactly he could find my brother in that city, but now... I hope the monster doesn't suspect a thing.
But deep down, I knew that Ronan will find me. He will figure things out. He always does. Soon, he will appear in this beautiful town, demanding Ethan to give me back to him, promising a bloodbath for what he's done.
The feeling that something bad is going to happen soon was driving me crazy. I couldn't calm my nerves to fall to sleep. I knew that tonight I won't be able to rest. So I got up from the bed and started walking around the room, trying to calm myself down at least a little, but the fear that Ronan is now walking these streets, trying to find me, was too great for me to ease.
So I paced and paced in this bedroom, trying and failing to shake off the anxiety that was building up in me.
A sound of a quiet knock at the door reached my ears.
I froze. He's here.
But the door handle wasn't rattling this time. No one broke in, like the last time. It wasn't him.
I slowly opened the door to find Ethan standing outside my bedroom. He looked tired and disheveled. I was not the only one awake at this hour.
''Couldn't sleep?'' he asked, his voice a little groggy. Did I wake him up with my pacing?
I nodded my head, stepping away and letting him in. The room was dark, only illuminated by moonlight, seeping through big windows. Ethan made his way to the armchair, sitting in it. Just like me, he looked troubled.
Somehow, seeing Ethan like this, made me want to share my fears with him. I came closer, sitting on the floor beside him. ''He will find me. I know he will. It's only a matter of time.''
Ethan was quiet for a while. Then, he placed his arms on his knees, sighing. ''He will. But we will figure something out.''
Somehow, hearing it from his lips made things worse. It made everything look more... real. But at least he didn't give me false hope.
''Why are you even helping me, Ethan? We don't know each other very well and... Why are you doing this?'' I needed to know. I needed to know the reasoning behind his actions. Why would he risk his life like this?
Ethan turned his head to the window, moonlight reflecting on his orange-reds. ''I couldn't let him break you.''
He stared through the window, I stared at the wall. ''He already did.''
''He didn't'' Ethan replied, quickly, sure of his words. After that, we sat in silence for a while, each of us lost in our thoughts.
Ethan was the one to break the quietness. ''Tell me about our brother. How come he's not a werewolf? I was a little shocked to find your brother to be... human.''
I was thankful for this distraction. My lips formed a small smile. ''Well... To make the story short, my mother is also human and she had Keenan with her ex-husband. It didn't work out between the two of them. Then she met my father who was a werewolf. That's how I came to be.'' It was strange to share at least a little bit of my family's story with Ethan. Ronan never wanted to know more about me. I didn't realize how much I missed having genuine conversations with people.
''What about you? Do you have brothers or sisters?''
''I... I did'' Ethan said with his voice flat.
Oh. ''I'm sorry, I...'' I stammered, not knowing how to fix the situation.
''Ronan's father killed them.''
I turned so fast to him I almost fell. ''What?''
Ethan still stared out through the window, not meeting my eyes. ''It was a long time ago. Originally, my family is from the south. Once, my parents came here to make some alliances and strengthen the bonds with the northern packs. But as you probably figured out yourself, Ronan's pack is not very... hostile. They didn't want intruders from the south, so they slaughtered my family, covering it up as an attack. I was still a child back then, so I was left at home. After that, my life was built on revenge.''
My gaze went blank. So that's why I was actually here. Ethan didn't save me. He just made me a figure in his grand scheme of vengeance. Something twitched deep inside me. I was stupid to think that he was saving me out of the pure heart. He was just like Ronan. All men are the same. I had to see it coming.
''So... taking me away... It's the part of the plan.'' It wasn't a question. I just stated the fact.
Finally, Ethan's eyes met mine. His stare was full of intent. ''At first, it was. Now... You are not only a part of the plan, Eira. Not anymore. You are not just a cog in the machine. You are so much more than that.''
He stared at me still, and I could see little sparks dancing in his eyes. He wasn't a cold stone like Ronan was. Ethan wasn't afraid to share his emotions with the world. He let his fears, his dreams and hopes reflect in his eyes, giving me a chance to see his soul. Deep down, I knew he wasn't lying.
I could feel my muscles relax after this statement. I haven't realized how much these words would mean to me. But they did. He was not just using me as bait.
''What are we going to do now, Ethan? He'll come here. He will have other packs at his back. You stole what was rightfully his. He will kill you and everyone else here.''
''I will challenge him in a fight. One on one. He won't say no.'' What? He will definitely get himself killed!
''How do you know?'' I asked, eagerly, my voice rising with each word. ''What if he'll decline? Then, his and all the other packs will attack yours. You have a lot of men here, but you won't hold them all back. You know this!''
Ethan stood up, now him being the one who paced the room. ''Ronan is arrogant. He won't decline the offer in front of other packs' alphas. It would make him look weak. He will accept.''
''But what if you'll lose?'' I asked, my voice trembling.
''I won't, Eira''.
A/N
Hello, my loves! As you can probably tell, the story is finally getting close to the end. I know exactly how I want it to end and I hope you'll love it!
Thank you for reading, seriously. I wouldn't be here writing this chapter if it weren't you and your support. Thank you thank you thank you!
With much, much love,
J.
xoxoxoxoxoxo