Chapter 7: Chapter 7

Menu The cold wind lashed against my face and whipped my long white dress around my legs. I hugged myself, wishing for long sleeves. But it wasn’t just the weather making me shiver. Something deeper and colder had taken root inside me, as if my heart had frozen solid.

Still, an unbearable weight crushed my chest. With each step, Kane’s words echoed in my head. He hadn’t even tried to stop me from leaving. But why would he? Hadn’t I learned my lesson by now?

A car horn blasted, snapping me back to reality – I’d wandered into the middle of the street. With nowhere to go, I felt hollow. A trail leading into the forest caught my eye, becoming my temporary destination. The sky was getting darker as I entered the woods, so I kept moving without stopping to rest. Though I had no idea where I’d end up, I pushed forward until my legs started giving out.

Suddenly, a thorn stabbed into my foot. “Ow!” I crumpled to the ground. As I pulled out the thorn, everything I’d been holding back burst free. Tears spilled down my face as I buried my head in my hands, feeling completely lost and alone.

A twig snapped behind me, followed by several menacing growls.

“Check her out,” a man’s voice sneered. “Looks like a little tramp. What’s she doing out here?”

I spun around to find a group of rogues closing in.

Rogues!

“Damn, she’s a hot piece.”

“Get her!”

Terror shot through me. I scrambled to my feet and ran, hearing them chase after me. I screamed, pushing myself harder to put distance between me and those animals. As I ran, I prayed for my babies.

Their intentions were crystal clear. They meant to rape me.

Where could I go? How could I protect my children?

No time to think. I had to keep running. Branches and thorns tore at my skin as I fled, leaving bloody streaks on my white dress.

Then I spotted it – another pack’s territory marker ahead. In that moment, it wasn’t just a boundary line, it was salvation. I sprinted with everything I had, their footsteps getting closer.

A quick look back showed three of the five men had shifted into wolves. The two still in human form held the others back.

One called out, “Don’t cross that line! Come back here! That pack’s dangerous – they’ll kill you!”

Like I’d believe that? Besides, what choice did I have? The world was full of monsters, and nowhere was safe for a woman alone. But I’d take my chances with the unknown pack over those animals any day.

I pushed forward, racing across the boundary. Another glance showed my pursuers had stopped. I finally caught my breath, but kept moving despite my growling stomach, burning muscles, and fading strength. My head started pounding too. I clutched my dress over my belly, reminding myself this was all for my babies.

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< Chapter 7 G457 #AAO Footsteps crunched nearby. The border patrol must have spotted me. As I tried to run again, the world started spinning. I collapsed, catching a glimpse of brown boots stopping in front of me before everything went black.

*****

I woke up in an unfamiliar hospital room. Panic hit me, and I shot upright, only to find a handsome man sitting beside my bed.

“Who are you? Where am I? Are my babies okay?”

“Your children are fine,” he assured me. “Don’t worry. How are you feeling?”

“No. First tell me who you are and where I am.”

He placed his hand over mine with a gentle smile. “You’re in the Iron Crown Pack’s medical center, and I’m Magnus Hawthorne, the future alpha... and I’m your brother.” His words hit me like a truck!

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