Elena’s POV.
I have never felt this way before. The sharp shred of loneliness and deep pain.
I walked through the shadows of darkness on the wet grasses, heading to nowhere because my mind was blank.
It was already late, aside from the pack members, I knew nobody and had no external relationship.
I clenched my hands on my arms, pressing the cloak on my body as the cold was unbearable.
“Where are we going to?” Narla’s voice came up and I cleared my throat, closing my eyes briefly. What does she expect from me? I was as confused as she is.
“I don’t know,” I mumbled.
Everything happened within the blink of an eye. As much as it was unbelievable and hurting, I just had to accept the bitter truth and my ill fate.
“Who’s there!” Suddenly, a hoarse frightening voice startled me and I stopped walking, turning back immediately.
“Is someone there?” I managed to mutter.
“I should be asking you lovely bitch what you are doing all by yourself in this forest.” The fat disgusting-looking man groaned, approaching me.
“I… It’s none of your business.” I blurted out, sounding courageous.
“Oh, seriously?” When a thin flash of light rays reflected and I saw his annoying face and the long fork in his hand, I absentmindedly fretted. He wasn’t just a roaming wolf but a rejected rogue who fed on fellow wolves.
I have just fallen into his trap
“I’m… I think I’m on the wrong route.” I attempted to leave but he grabbed my wrist, his hand so strong and painful.
“Let go of me!” I cried bitterly, struggling with him but he overpowered me and dragged me like a sack into the deep forest.
Was this how my life was going to end? I thought I had escaped the wrath and pain of my pack but now I would be killed by these thirsty wolves and feasted on. I won’t have any history and no one would remember me.
“Please, let me go. I promise not to tell anyone about you or cause any harm. Please.” I cried but my tears had no effect on them as they went ahead to tie my hands to a long oak tree.
It was no longer just one wolf but three this time, they were grinning and gnashing their teeth as they roasted something on the fire.
“She’s going to make a good feast.” One nodded happily.
I decided to save myself before I fell into the hands of death. Being kind wasn’t the language of living on earth, I just had to grow up and fight for myself.
This was the last time I would let anyone take advantage of me.
Successfully, I cut the ropes off after a few minutes of rubbing it hard on the tree.
“What?! Chase her!” That was the loud angry voice I heard as I ran through the lane into the deep forest.
I had no destination at heart and that didn’t mean I would stop for them.
They were breathing heavily, so close to me and I was so focused on the road, running and panting.
For the first time in my life, not minding all the hurt I had gone through, a strange word escaped from my mouth.
“I want to live.” I cried sadly in pain.
That was the last thing I remembered until my head crashed into something and everything became bleak.
Did they catch me? Did I surrender? I didn’t know, maybe I died.
***
I groaned in pain, as I felt rays of sunlight hitting my heavy eyelids.
The discomfort prodded me to push my eyes open but as soon as I did, a sharp groan escaped my lips and I quickly squeezed them shut almost immediately as a heavy pound of pain hit me hard on the forehead.
I slowly reached out to feel whatever I was lying on and it was a warm, floppy bed, It felt nothing like my small cranky bed.
Then it suddenly struck me, this was far from being my home.
The events of the previous night suddenly came rushing back to my head in a heavy rush.
I could remember being chased heavily by the rogue wolves, then crashing into a hard surface and passed out.
If I could recall everything that happened then it only meant one thing…
I wasn’t dead, I survived the evil claws of the rogue wolves.
That was such a relief.
But then, just when I was about relaxing back to take a deep breath, a loud bang screeched through my head.
Where was I?
If I had escaped the wolves then where could I possibly be?
Totally ignoring the loud bang in my head, I proceeded to force my eyes open, I couldn’t help the painful yelp that escaped my mouth as the sharp rays of sunlight surged into my eyes.
My head felt like the location of a band conference as I strained my eyes to catch a glimpse of my surroundings.
Few seconds into my misery, my vision became a lot clearer, I could make out a few things around me now.
I spun my head around frantically.
I was in a different place, it was a big bedroom, relatively large and surprisingly decorated beautifully.
“Where are we?” Narla’s voice sounded through my head.
“I wouldn’t know that Narla, I’m not even certain we are alive,” I breathed out in fright.
Surprisingly, I had a bandage wrapped at the side of my forehead where I had hit on the floor when I fell. Who could possibly be responsible for all this?
Almost immediately, my ears sharply caught the rustling key sound at the door.
Someone’s coming in.
I quickly recoiled back to the bed, pretending to still be unconscious.
I could hear heavy footsteps parading the room, and from my instincts, I could tell there were more than one person in the room now.
“The cut looks better now,” I heard a thick voice say.
That didn’t sound like a voice I knew from anywhere; but whoever it is, sounded genuinely concerned about my situation.
Who could they possibly be?
As much as I wanted to snap my eyes open and at least catch a glimpse of their faces, I couldn’t risk it, not when my faith was still undecided.
I held in my breath so tightly, my eyes squeezed shut as I continued to lay lifelessly on the bed.
Cold silence suddenly set in, I couldn’t feel their movements anymore neither did they speak any more word, but I could tell that they were still in the room.
“You can drop the act and open your eyes.” I was startled by the accurate assumption.
How was he able to point that out?
Slowly and shamefully, I pushed my eyes open to meet a pleasant sight.