The Alphas Cursed Mate

Lost

Valerie

The thick snow crunched under my feet as I wandered around in the vast forest. The storm had come on so suddenly with no warning. I kept my head down and powered through against the wind. I couldn’t see more than an arms length ahead and nightfall was coming soon. I left at eight this morning for a hike through the wooded mountains, planning to turn around at noon to backtrack the way I had come. The forecast claimed to be a sunny, clear January day, but three hours in, the sky grew dark, snow started to fall heavily and the wind almost knocked me over. That was over six hours ago.

I should have stopped and found shelter temporarily. Instead, I attempted to turn around and find my way back through the storm. My previous trail quickly vanished, the snow erasing any evidence of which way I had come. Doubt nagged at me that I went the wrong way. Honestly, I had no idea where I was and fear slowly crept into my mind. The area was rural with no houses, roads, or people. I had only been hiking here two other times, each trip allowing me the seclusion I longed for without running into others. That’s what I loved the most about this trek.

No people.

No looking over my shoulder.

No wandering eyes to report back to him.

Now, I feared that this seclusion would be my downfall.

My foot snagged on a branch from a fallen tree, sending me to the ground below. I landed in the cold snow with a thud, cursing under my breath. I lifted onto my knees, then rocked back until I was resting on my heels. Taking in my surroundings only made my chest tightened as worry grew. There was nobody in sight and surviving a night out here would be impossible.

“s**t. What am I gonna do?”

The wind was my only response, blasting a chill through my bones. The way I saw it, I had two options: sit here and freeze to death or continue to aimlessly walk and still potentially freeze to death. At least walking would keep the blood pumping, but I risked getting deeper into the forest.

Further away from civilization.

The minutes felt like an eternity as I contemplated my next step. With tired muscles, I forced myself up on wobbly legs. My backpack felt like a hundred pounds, but I was thankful that I had packed as much as I did. “Just in case” I had told myself this morning. I needed to find some sort of shelter soon before I lost what little light I had.

Each step took all my energy. Fifteen minutes passed. Then thirty more. Soon another hour was gone. I watched the dim sunlight fade away with a heavy heart. Stopping, I crouched and peeled off my pack. I found the little flashlight within the side pocket and clicked it on before replacing the pack over my shoulders. The yellow beam of light was my only friend as another hour passed. Then another. It was pitch black and the storm was merciless. I couldn’t feel my feet anymore and my legs eventually gave out.

I landed on my knees slowly, then put my head in my hands. There were no sounds around me, only that of the whirling wind. There was no light other than that of my trustee flashlight. I began to crawl until I found myself leaning against a large tree. My cell phone had been stored safely within my coat, and as I pulled it out, the dim screen came to life. Still no service and the time read 9:21 P.M.

With a sigh, I turned the phone off and returned it to its hiding place. Tucking my knees to my chest, I turned the flashlight off. No use in wasting its batteries either.

*********

“Where do you think you are going?” He screamed. “Do you honestly think I would just let you leave!”

I felt his hands wrap around my wrists as he shook me before tossing me to the ground. I whimpered as I met the hard floor. I attempted to get up again, only to feel his foot meet my side, knocking me back down.

“Please,” I muttered, “Just let me go!”

My eyes flew open at the memory, finding nothing but darkness. How long had I been asleep? I clicked on my flashlight and examined the area. The storm had calmed, leaving a thin layer of snow on and all around me. There was still a light flurry coming down, but I could see further out than before.

Climbing to my feet, I tried to bring my muscles back to life. God, I hurt. Every inch of me ached from the bitter cold and the hours of trekking through the storm. Slowly, I began marching forward.

It couldn’t have been more than twenty minutes before my flashlight caught something in the distance. It appeared to be a rectangular compound of some sort.

My heart began to race as joy flooded over me. I continued to walk towards the structure until I finally reached it. There was a set of stairs, four or five steps high, leading to a little stoop. I flashed my light up the stairs and saw a wooden door.

Cautiously, I scanned the exterior of the building. It was a tiny cabin with a single window and door. There were no lights coming from the inside. My hand found the railing and I carefully climbed the steps, the wood cracking under me with each movement.

Once at the top, I reached for the doorknob. I heard a quiet click before pushing open the door. Inside was complete darkness. I peered the light over my new surroundings before stepping over the threshold. I wandered into the small room, finding a sofa facing an unlit fireplace, a table with two chairs against the window and a little kitchenette opposite the entrance.

I turned and closed the door behind me before setting my backpack on the floor with a heavy thud. With my flashlight in hand, I made my way to the fireplace. There was a poker and a pile of wood next to it, with a box of matches on the mantel above. A relieved smile crept across my face.

After a while of working in the dark and struggling to light a match with my frozen fingers, I was able to build a small fire. Luckily, whoever was here last had left a considerable amount of tinder next to the logs, making my lousy attempts much more successful than they would have been without. I couldn’t remember the last time I felt this much delight.

There was an old tattered rug that lay between the sofa and fireplace where I sat cross legged with my arms outstretched, feeling the warmth of the blaze. I began taking off my gloves, then my scarf, knit beanie and coat. My skin pricked and tingled as the heat made its way over me. I began unlacing my boots and slipped them off. I had two pairs of socks on, both of which I peeled from my poor, tired feet.

Sitting in the floor, my bones unthawed a little with each second that passed. Once I could wiggle my toes, I made my way across the small space to where my backpack sat before bringing it back to the warmth of the fireplace. Unzipping it, I pulled out the contents and lay them in front of me. There was a can of salted nuts, peanut butter crackers and beef jerky. Along with my snacks, I pulled out two bottles of water, a pocket knife, a small first aid kit, pepper spray and my wallet.

My hands froze on the wallet before I unclasped the little button that held it shut. My I.D. and debit cards were visible, along with a few dollars tucked in an open slot. My fingers felt the metal zipper as I opened the small compartment within. Dropping the wallet to the ground, I unfolded the paper I had tucked inside. On it were addresses that had been scratched through, along with a few passwords. On the bottom of the page was a message I had written to myself many sleepless nights ago.

Your past does not define you. You are stronger than you think. Keep going.

I closed my eyes, letting the words seep in, repeating them as if to engrain them into my brain as I had so many times before. Yet, it was never enough. The words seemed to get lost along the way. Quickly refolding the paper, I returned it to its home and then placed the wallet back in the backpack. I broke the seal of the water bottle and took a few gulps before opening the crackers. As if on cue, my stomach let out a loud grumble. As much as I wanted to eat more, I forced myself to stop at the third. I needed to preserve as much as I could until I figured out where I was.

Getting up, I moved my items to the table and placed my pack in one of the empty chairs. Gathering my clothes from where they piled on the floor, I laid my scarf and hat over one chair and my coat over the other. Hopefully they would be dry by morning. With a last glance out the small window and the darkness beyond, I turned my phone on to see it was 11:56 P.M. and still no service. Uttering a sigh, I clicked it off and placed it on the table.

Retrieving the thick blanket that draped over the sofa, I wrapped myself tightly and laid across the cushions to face the fireplace. Staring at the flames, warmth enveloped me until I felt my eyes growing heavy.