Sold to the Alpha king

Run!

Elira’s pov

“Elira.”

I froze, my breath caught in my throat. It was my mother’s voice.

I turned slowly, my heart pounding as she emerged from the shadows, her face pale, her eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and understanding.

Her eyes widened in shock as they took in my appearance. The short, ragged hair. The rough clothes. For a moment, she didn’t seem to recognize me at all.

“You’re running away?” Her words were soft, almost a whisper, but they hit me like a slap to the face.

“I… I don’t have a choice,” I said, my voice cracking under the weight of everything. “I can’t stay, Mother. I can’t live a life like that.”

Her gaze softened, and she stepped toward me. “I know, Elira. I know. But I never thought I would have to watch my daughter leave… not like this.”

“I didn’t want this for myself either,” I whispered, my throat tight. “But if I stay, I will be nothing more than a pawn in their game. I won’t be allowed to choose my own fate.”

My mother’s eyes filled with tears, and my heart clenched. She reached for me, her hands trembling as she cupped my face. “I never wanted you to be a pawn. But you are strong, Elira. Stronger than I ever was. And I know that you’ll survive out there. I just wish…”

“I wish I could stay with you,” I said, the tears streaming down my face. “I wish I didn’t have to leave.”

She shook her head, her eyes firm. “You have to, Elira. You have to live your life, make your own choices. Don’t let anyone take that from you.”

I felt something cold touch my skin, and I realized she had placed something in my hand. It was a delicate necklace, a silver crescent moon pendant, glittering faintly in the moonlight. I looked up at her, confusion and desperation in my gaze.

“Take this,” she said softly. “This is the necklace my mother gave me. And now, it’s yours. It will protect you, no matter where you go. It will remind you of home, of me. You’ll never be alone.”

My fingers curled around the pendant as I closed my eyes, fighting the tears that threatened to pour out once more. I had never seen my mother so vulnerable before. She had always been the one to protect me, to hold everything together. Now, she was sending me away.

“I’ll never forget you, Mother,” I whispered, clutching the pendant tightly in my hand.

“You must go,” she urged, her voice trembling. “There’s no time to waste. The world out there is harsh, Elira. But you are capable. You can survive it.”

I nodded, wiping my tears away, and kissed her cheek softly. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Elira. Now go.”

With one final, lingering look, I turned and slipped into the darkness of the night, leaving the only home I had ever known behind me.

I moved swiftly, my mind still reeling from the emotional goodbye. My legs ached, but I didn’t dare stop. I couldn’t. The sound of my footfalls was drowned by the rhythmic pounding of my heart in my ears, and the deeper I ventured into the night, the more alone I felt.

The palace, my family, my life, everything was slipping away. And for the first time, I felt the cold sting of regret. Had I made the right choice? Was running truly my only option?

I shook my head, forcing myself to focus. There was no time for second-guessing. I had to keep moving.

Hours passed. My feet grew sore, and my energy began to drain. The moon hung low, casting long shadows over the dense forest path I was now traveling. The terrain grew rougher, and I stumbled more than once, tripping over roots and rocks. But I kept going.

My body ached, and my breath came in ragged gasps. The weight of the necklace my mother had given me seemed to grow heavier with every step. I found myself questioning whether this was the right path whether I was doing the right thing by running away from everything I had ever known.

But then, just as the exhaustion threatened to overwhelm me, I heard voices.

I paused, my heart leaping into my throat. I crouched low, trying to blend into the shadows. The voices were faint but growing louder. I strained to hear.

“Did you hear something?”

“Maybe it’s just the wind. Keep moving.”

The voices came from a small clearing ahead, and I took a cautious step forward, trying to make out the figures in the distance.

As I drew closer, I saw them, four men, standing around a small campfire. Their faces were weathered, their clothes ragged. They looked like travelers, maybe merchants, or just men passing through.

Relief flooded through me. They were men, and they were alone. I could approach them, maybe ask for help. They would understand. They would know what to do.

“Excuse me,” I called out, stepping into the clearing. “I… I need help.”

The men stopped talking and turned to face me. I immediately regretted speaking. Their eyes were cold, calculating. There was something off about them, something that made my skin crawl.

The tallest one, a hulking figure with a scruffy beard, stepped forward. “What’s this? A boy lost in the woods?” He sneered, eyeing me up and down.

I blinked in confusion. “I… I’m not lost. I just need help.”

The man chuckled, but it wasn’t a comforting laugh. It was cruel. “Help? I think what you need is a lesson, boy. Wandering around in these woods, thinking you can make it alone. You should be grateful we found you first.”

I took a step back, my instincts screaming at me that something was wrong.

I turned to run, my heart pounding in my chest, but before I could make it more than a few steps, I felt a rough hand grab my arm.

“Not so fast,” the man growled. “You think we’d let a little runaway like you go?”

I struggled, but his grip tightened. Another man moved in front of me, blocking my escape. “We don’t take kindly to runaway slaves,” he said, his voice dark.

“What?” I gasped, realizing too late the danger I was in.

The tall man grinned, showing off a set of yellowed teeth. “You’re not fooling anyone, kid. You’re a slave, just like the rest of ‘em. And now you’re ours.”

They grabbed me roughly, pulling me toward the fire. I struggled, kicking and screaming, but they were too strong. They tossed me to the ground, and I could hear them laughing.

“No need to resist,” one of the men said. “It’ll be easier for you this way. You’re worth more to us alive.”

My mind raced. I was being taken by slave traders. My blood ran cold as I realized that my escape had led me straight into their trap. These men were not just any criminals. They were ruthless. They had no mercy.

I had no way out.

And just like that, the freedom I had fought so hard for slipped through my fingers, replaced with the cold, suffocating fear of what was to come next.