Cara’s Povs
Outside, the cottage was clear, and my chance of escape was there, staring at me.
Without thinking twice, I grabbed the tray from the table and slammed it against the wooden door with all my might. The door rattled on its hinges, but it didn’t budge. I grabbed the chair next, using it as a battering ram, my desperation, and the need to escape giving me strength. The wood cracked, and with one final push, the door flew open.
The fresh air hit me like a rush of adrenaline. I bolted out of the cottage, my legs moving faster than I thought possible. I didn’t look back. I didn’t have time to. The warriors were still shouting, but they hadn’t noticed me yet, too caught up in the chaos that had erupted around them.
I ran into the dense forest, my heart pounding in my ears as I ran. The trees closed in around me, I could also hear the distant battle cry and shouts of the warriors, but I fled deeper into the woods with no looking back. I didn’t know where I was going, only that I needed to get as far away from my mate as quickly as possible.
Branches scratched at my skin, but I didn’t stop. My lungs burned, and my legs ached, but I kept pushing forward. I could still hear the distant sounds of the warriors, but they hadn’t caught up to me yet. I had a head start, but it wouldn’t last forever.
I didn’t stop until I was sure I was far enough from the pack’s territory. My body gave out, collapsing against a tree as I struggled to catch my breath. The weight of what I had just done crashed down on me. I had escaped. The feeling of freedom washed upon me, crying tears of joy from finally escaping my bondage, I started looking around.
Where would I go now?
As I sat there, gasping for air, the rusting of leaves made me look up with speed, to be dumbstruck at what was happening around me. I was surrounded.
Hooded figures closed in around me, blocking every possible escape route. My body trembled as fear coursed through me. Who were they? What did they want?
“What do you want?” I shouted, my voice trembling. “Who are you?”
They didn’t answer. The red glow in their eyes told me everything I needed to know.
Werewolves.
Before I could even react, something heavy slammed into the back of my head. The world spun around me, and my vision turned black
******
“Is she the one?” a voice asked in the distance.
“Yes, I’m sure of it. She’s the one,” another replied confidently.
My head spun as I slowly regained consciousness. Everything was blurry, and my body felt heavy, like I was trapped in a fog. I blinked, trying to focus, but the room around me was dimly lit, the voices distorted in my ears.
“She’s awake. Surprising,” someone muttered, the voice sharp with suspicion.
“I told you she would wake up,” another voice cut in, smug. “Her blood is too pure for a…”
“Enough,” a commanding voice interrupted, cutting the speaker off sharply. Silence followed the command of the leader. My pulse quickened.
“Boss, what’s the problem?” one of the voices asked hesitantly.
The leader ignored the question. “We leave at dawn. We’ll deliver the girl and collect our reward,” he declared coldly.
A low chuckle rumbled through the room. “Finally! We’ll be free from that bastard’s grip once we hand her over.”
My heart sank. They were talking about me. “I was the reward”. I thought
I kept my eyes half-closed, pretending to be unconscious as their voices continued. One of them. maybe the one who had hit me was too eager, spilling more information than he should.
“Yeah, with her pure bloodline, they’ll have more power than they’ve ever dreamed of. Imagine that a Cupbearer’s blood…”
“Shut up!” the leader snapped. “You’ve said too much already. We don’t need her knowing more than she should.”
But I had already heard it. A Cupbearer’s blood? What did that mean? And who were they taking me to? My mind raced with the possibilities, but before I could make sense of it all, I knew one thing for certain: I had to escape.
I shifted slightly, testing my limbs. My muscles felt weak, but if I could just get them to work, I might have a chance. Slowly, carefully, I inched my hand toward the edge of the rough cot I was lying on. The room was quiet now, and I hoped they weren’t paying attention.
Then, in one swift motion, I bolted upright and made a break for it. My legs wobbled beneath me, but I pushed through the dizziness, heading for the door.
“Stop her!” one of the men shouted.
I didn’t make it more than a few steps before with a flash. The leader appeared in my front. A pair of rough hands grabbed me from behind, yanking me backward. I screamed, thrashing wildly, trying to break free, but they were too strong.
“You’re not going anywhere,” one of the men growled, tightening his grip on me.
“No! Let me go!” I screamed, kicking and struggling, but it was no use.
The leader strode over to me, a small vial in his hand. “You should’ve stayed quiet,” he said coldly.
I watched in horror as he uncorked the vial and forced the liquid into my mouth. I gagged, trying to spit it out, but he clamped his hand over my mouth, forcing me to swallow.
My vision blurred almost instantly. The world around me spun again, and I could feel myself slipping away, back into the darkness.
“What…did you give to me”, I asked weakly. Whatever I was formed to take was already working.
“Nothing love, just added additional two doses of this” he raised up the vial he had forced me to drink, smiling darkly. i struggled harder, but my brain was already shutting down.
“sleep love, we have a long journey ahead”
The last thing I heard was his muffled voices, and if because of my desperation, I mind linked with Brian, asking for help before my eyelids closed in exhaustion.