57

ELEANOR

'Who-Who is it?"

I feel my wolf groan whilst I struggle under the man's suffocating grasp. Ares starts pacing inside of

me. My heartbeat quickens, I try to wriggle out of the large, calloused hand over my mouth by my

attempts only seemed to make the person more annoyed at me. His other hand grips my arm until

his nails dug into my skin, I winced

I jerked my head in a bid to bang it straight onto his face, but I stop when suddenly, two guards

rushed over in front of the bushes we're hiding from.

“Can you smell it?” One guard nudged the other on his arm.

“No fucking way, dude. Alpha will be pissed if some rogues are caught sneaking into the pack

house,” The way he spoke sounded like he’s about to piss himself from extreme fear.

I gulp, holding my breath.

“Shit, I'll link the border guards.

Fucking rogues might have found a way to get in without being noticed,” He hissed.

His eyes suddenly glowed pure white in the stygian dark. He didn't move a single inch just as the

person behind me went completely still, waiting for them to disappear out of sight.

After a time, the glow in his eyes gradually faded.

“Weird, they said they're sure not a single damn rogue went past the fucking border” He says in a

tone of confusion and disbelief.

I feel the man behind me grab something on the ground, tossing it to the far side behind the two

guards. It was a rock.

I watch as their heads turn abruptly to the rustling sound far behind them.

“Rogue!” They rushed to the direction and in an instant, they were gone.

I took the opportunity and bit the hand covering my mouth as hard as I can.

“ow!”

His reaction caught me off guard and I quickly shoved the man to the ground. He fell right on his

ass with a thud.

Wait, isn't he strong? My brows furrowed as I wondered why he didn't use his reflexes like a normal

werewolf would have.

The moon was shining brightly in the starless sky, that when the man fell, he fell under the light of

the full moon.

His hood dropped at the exact same time the light shone upon his face.

Grabbing my bag, I looked over the man who just saved me from those guards.

"A-Adrian?” I whisper, staring at him in utter shock while hugging my bag close to my chest,

crouching right by him.

He glances down at me with eyes flashing mischief and a suspicious look then revealed in his dark

blue eyes.

He looked almost the same as my Alexander. Both were blessed with godlike features however, the

only difference was Adrian's dull brown hair, darker eyes, and lines etching his face. Reminding me

of his wolfless status in the pack. He was basically human. Despite that, I've seen how everyone

stared up at him with a look of adoration and respect.

They didn't treat him any differently than Alexander as the eldest son of their previous Alpha. Unlike

my old pack.

Adrian sat up and pulled the hood back over his head.

"Sister-in-law, where do you think you're going at this time of night?” He shoots me a suspicious

look, inching his face too close for my liking.

I gulped, racking my brain for an acceptable excuse.

“Ah, that. I. wanted to get some air?”

“Awesome excuse, Eleanor.’ I roll my eyes inwardly at my wolf's nauseating sarcasm.

Adrian raised a black brow at me and I refused to meet his gaze.

“Hiding from the guards?” He questions, crossing his arms against his wide chest.

"Yeah? What's wrong with that?” I laugh awkwardly, scratching my head as I try to avoid his

suspicious stare.

“Don't tell me you plan to leave the pack?” Adrian's voice become more serious, making me freeze

right here in my spot.

Laughing nervously, I slowly retreat back under the trees.

"Will you tell?”

I see him clench his jaw before standing up straight and looking down at me crouched on the

ground.

“I'm warning you, sis. You really shouldn“t be running away,” He snaps, suddenly raising his voice at

me.

My brows furrowed at his words. Why does he want me to stay so bad?

Swinging my bag over my shoulder, I turn my back to Adrian then sweep my eyes across the huge

and tall gates.

Great, now how am I supposed to make it out of here?

“I'm not planning on running away,” I lie.

One little lie surely wouldn't hurt, right?

“Then what are you planning to do with that bag of yours?” He asks with a stern voice.

Coiling my fists by my sides, I heave out a heavy sigh when I hear Ares growl inside me.

“Enough talking! Eleanor, we're running out of time.’ My wolf warns, her voice wary and afraid.

Afraid when they catch us, we might never get this kind of opportunity again.

Great, now how am I supposed to make it out of here?

“I'm not planning on running away,” I lie.

One little lie surely wouldn't hurt, right?

“Then what are you planning to do with that bag of yours?” He asks with a stern voice.

Coiling my fists by my sides, I heave out a heavy sigh when I hear Ares growl inside me.

“Enough talking! Eleanor, we're running out of time. My wolf warns, her voice wary and afraid.

Afraid when they catch us, we might never get this kind of opportunity again.

“I... 1 need to go, Adrian. Don't try and stop me,” I say without sparing him a look.

I feel his hand almost scratch my arm as I bolted towards the gates.

Reaching the main gate, I speedily slam my fists on the red button with the open sign written just

above it.

"You there! STOP!" My breath hitched, I could hear the guards shout far behind me.

The gates were opening too torturously slow. I bite my lip, looking back and forth at the gate then

the guards who threw themselves into the air and shifted. They snarled, kicking their legs as they

ran straight towards me.

Adrian has also turned on his heel and began closing in on me.

My heart raced incredibly fast, forcing me to turn to the dark woods that looked all but welcoming

to my eyes.

Looking back, I could tell they are almost within a hand's reach as they were fast approaching.

I have no choice.

Shifting for the first time after five whole grueling years, I jump. Throwing my bag far ahead of me

before willing Ares to take full control.

Ares’ eyes lit up and she sprung into immediate action, grabbing the reins off my hands and letting

out a loud and fierce growl.

I then hear every bone in my body snap as they take the shape of a wolf. The process was extremely

excruciating and suddenly, it felt as though I was back in my room that night, on my 13th birthday.

My body stretched and my skin felt rather soft and silky than I remembered it.

Or was it because I was too focused on the disappointment in my parents’ faces when they saw it?

The color of my crimson fur, my bright golden eyes that shone amidst the dark. All of which that

indicated my curse and fate as the only blood wolf destined to doom her pack and kill her mate.

Memories came flooding back into my mind, and I failed to cast out the feeling of betrayal as I

recall my father's hurtful words.

He would rather forsake his daughter in order to gain power of his very own. He loved dominance

more than me, and I should have known.

In a few seconds, I feel my face contort before finally completing the shifting process.

My wolf has been caged for a very long time, but now, I've finally set her free.

Slowly, my vision darkened. But I knew it was my wolf's eyes trying to adjust in the dark.

I landed on all fours on the solid ground, auickly locating my bag that ended up beside that old oak

tree.

The border guards who shifted into their wolves have abruptly stopped on their tracks when I

stopped under the moonlight.

I whip around and glance at them for a brief period of time, and they seemed awe-strucked when

they saw my bloody fur. Looking down, I gasp inwardly in shock. I almost didn't believe this fur even

belonged to me. Back then, it had only looked like dark red.

But right now, I was the color of bright scarlet, with a light red undertone that glistened under the

moonlight whenever I moved.

One of the wolves suddenly shook its head, pulling himself back to reality before nudging the other

wolves with his body as he rushed past each one of them. Soon they all collected themselves and

one by one, they dashed straight towards me.

Panting, I kicked my legs and pushed my body to run. I grabbed the bag lying on the ground with

my teeth and ran. I ran as fast as I could deeper into the dark woods until I knew I had gotten past

the pack territory.

After two hours of running without looking back, my wolf wants to give in from exhaustion.

“Ares, are you okay?" I ask, worried that my wolf wouldn't be able to go on.

Tired..." she whispers.

I wouldn't blame her. She's been trapped in my body for five whole years without being given a

chance to run free and all of a sudden, she needs to run hundreds of miles the first time she sets

foot out into the world again?

We continue to ran deeper into the forest, not daring to look back. Once I did, I wouldn't trust

myself not to turn around and run straight into his arms again.

I kept urging Ares to run, not caring for the broken branches that severely cut my shoulder like a

thousand knives as I forced my wolf to go through them. She whimpered and some time after, she's

started limping as she ran.

What am I doing? I scold myself, shaking my head inwardly while I watch my wolf go through a

sharp pain.

I stopped when I saw a small cave. I sniffed the air first to see if it's already occupied or not. The last

thing I need is having to deal with an angry wild bear launching at me before I could even attack.

Nearing the cave, I peeked and didn't see anything but a clean, empty space for us to settle in

tonight.

Ares staggered as she pushed us further into the cave. She drops the bag and lays on it

comfortably. I can't bother to rummage through it anymore, as I close my eyes and fall easily into a

deep sleep...