Run!
The wind howls as I run as fast as I can through the forest, branches and thorns scratching and biting into my skin. My adrenaline is running so high; the pain barely registers through my fear. I can feel my legs getting tired, and all I can do is pray they can carry me just a little further. Tonight is the last straw; I have to get away from my family. If I can manage to cross the pack borders, they can't follow me without consequences. I knew I was taking a huge risk, seeking help in our neighboring pack, but I had to try something. If nothing else, it would buy me some time to make a better plan and rest a bit.
"Kara, stop running right now! I swear when I get my hands on you, it'll take a week before you can walk again, you bitch!" I break out in a cold sweat hearing my father's threats behind me. 'Please, legs, don't fail me.' I plead with myself, trying to keep myself from stumbling. I can hear a commotion that sounds like a stampede, and I can tell there's more than just my father behind me, and not everyone is in human form. I don’t know how they caught up to me so fast. I thought I’d have a good head start. Someone had to have spotted me. 'I'm never going to survive if they catch me!' I can feel the tears burning in my eyes, but I'll be damned if I go down without a fight. I fearfully watch ahead of me, looking for signs that I'm nearing the edge of our zone. If I can cross over the border, they can't touch me. You're so close, sweet girl, don't stop. A lyrical voice echoes in my head, causing me to stumble and face-plant. I scramble to get up and start running again, but that fall costs me as I'm tackled from the side as I get to my feet.
"You thought you could get away?" My brother growls as he pins me down from behind, his knee digging into my spine. "You have no idea of the Hell coming your way, Kara? You've done it this time." I begin to shake, knowing Marcus is right. I begin to struggle, knowing I have to break free or tonight will be my last night in this world. He grabbed a fistful of my hair and pulled hard, yanking my head back, and I immediately stopped fighting. Don't give up, angel, just be strong a little longer. The voice in my head says softly. 'Who are you?' I think, wondering if I'll get an answer or if I'm losing my mind. When no answer came, I decided I must be losing my mind.
"Well now, look who didn't get away?" I hear from behind me, I assume it's my father but with how tight Marcus is holding my hair, I can’t turn my head to look.
"You will regret running out, you little bitch!" My head hits the ground in front of me when Marcus lets go of my hair unexpectedly, and I yelp in pain as stars explode in front of my eyes. I hear a few chuckles and know that Marcus let me go because there was no chance for me to run anymore. I break into a sweat as fear pours through my body. Deep breath, sweet pea, they’re almost here. Don’t give up the fight just yet. That voice again…I don’t know who it is, but a surge of fight begins to stir inside me. That voice is right; I can’t just lay here and take the beating. I pushed myself onto my hands and knees, watching the blood drip onto the rock beneath me. I was sent rolling as a foot connected with my already broken ribs. I cried out and curled into myself, daring a glance up at my attacker. In front of me stood a 6’6 giant of a monster, the man I'd called a father for all of my life.
"Did you think you could leave us? You're never getting away, Kara." He says in a sickly-sweet voice, leaning down to get closer to me. "You're going to pay for this; I was already in bed and had to chase you down." He grabs me by my hair and pulls me up with him as he stands, his face nearly close enough to touch noses. "I think a week strung up in the dungeon should be a good start." He snarls, whipping me into a tree nearby. I scream as fire erupts in my spine. I slump to the ground and hear him stomp over to me. The knife, use the knife!
"I'm not done with you yet, you little bitch." He pulls his fist back to hit me when I hear an ear shattering war cry. Dimitri stands alert and looks around us as his pack members form a tight circle around us, protecting their Alpha. I force my hands to reach for the knife tucked away in my pocket, pulling it loose from the wrappings I had used. I hid the knife under my hand and arm, knowing if he got close enough, I was swinging for his throat.
"Who's there?" He bellows and growls when no one answers. He nods to several wolves nearby and they drop away to scope out our surroundings. He looks down at me with a sneer.
"This didn't save you, it's going to be worse now for the interruption." He steps on my hand roughly. I bite my lip as I feel the skin tear under his boots. The knife under my hand ripping into the skin as he twisted his foot several times. Suddenly the air shifts, and there is a strange current buzzing around us, making the Alpha's wolf whimper. The Alpha seems to shrink in size as his wolf cowers inside of him. It would have been laughable given different circumstances. Dimitri's eyes are wildly searching the trees for whatever threat was out there, when suddenly a large man appeared. The forest went silent as the man's eyes took in the scene before him, his eyes narrowing on Dimitri. My vision started to get blurry, and I knew I was going to pass out. I fought against it, wanting to see how this played out. I felt it the minute the stranger's eyes found me, an electric shock coursing through me. My eyes widen for a second, snapping to the man, my eyes traveling up from his large black boots, up past his long muscular legs covered in black skintight pants. A gold belt fashioned at his waist held a sword off one hip. I swear I drool a little at the sight of his massive chest, giving way to arms the size of tree trunks. Chesnut curls blending seamlessly around a mountain sized beard, adorned with jewels and braids woven intricate through both. The last thing I saw was a pair of gold eyes boring into mine. He came, a giddy voice in my head breathed softly before there was nothing but silence and darkness around me.