Be my mate

ESCAPE

CHAPTER FOUR

Beth POV

I couldn’t do this. I couldn’t mate with Alpha Derek; the longer I thought about it, the more absurd it seemed, and the more my heart clenched in my throat.

It was getting dark, so soon the ceremony would begin, and I would have no choice, so I had to make one now.

I gulped. There was only one option to escape this mating and keep my pack safe, and that was Alpha Kage. He was larger in wealth and resources than Alpha Derek and had more allies. I didn’t know if he had a mate, but if I could convince him to just take me as his mate, then maybe I could survive this.

I looked outside the window, hoping to check to make sure I could hear the cricket chirping and the owl hooting a couple of miles away. There was no one for miles.

I grabbed a jacket that I was wearing and tugged the said jacket over me securely. It was soft, but at least it would help cushion my fall. As I reached to jump, someone passed by the spot. I could hear the jiggling of the door knob as my father knocked at the door.

“Beth, it’s time,” he called. Like an answer to my prayer, a noise in the bush drew the person’s attention, and they started walking to it when a rabbit jumped out of the clearing and straight into them, and Jasper squealed and ran off to the side.

I cracked open the window, leaning towards it. I pushed my weight and jumped out of the building just as the door to the bathroom opened. As I rolled onto the grass on the floor, I rolled across the grass dry and wet with morning dew, my jacket soaking through almost immediately. I could hear screaming from outside the window from what sounded like Lisa and a pained growl from my father. I lay still trying to catch my breath. Then, with an effort, I pulled myself off the ground. My arm throbbed, and I moved forward, rushing into the wood. They would come after me. I could already hear my father cursing foully. I smiled thinly. He would be less mad later if I got Alpha Kage’s protection.

I ran deeper into the forest; the trees blocked the sky more, and the sounds of birds were loud, but they distracted me briefly.

I tried not to stumble on the sticks, roots and rocks that lay blocking the roads, but sometimes I still stumbled on a stray one. I clutched my arms tightly; it hurt a little more than I was expecting, but I couldn’t let that frighten me. This was my future, and no one would help me guide it, so I moved on.

I could hear the sound of the forest, the little birds that stayed up late at night, the bats in their caves batting their wings, and then there were the occasional howls. Those that frightened me most, were the real howls of werewolves or just wolves hunting for the night? It was not hard to tell, but with how paranoid I felt, everything seemed like what I feared the most. I tried not to let it bother me. My dad had no idea what was bothering me. He had no idea I was gone, and before he realized it, I’d be far from his territory. As I walked further, the night became darker, but a cloud shifted slightly and a sliver of moonlight burst through.

I froze; that was not good. This meant I had to walk faster, and my arm already hurt like hell.

Then I heard it, the snapping of twigs on the forest floor and then the scent of a werewolf. I stiffened. This was not good timing. Then darting into one of the trees, I leaned against it. A cherry tree. I hoped it would cover my scent and hide me from the superior nose of whatever werewolf was out there. After a while, I moved out onto the path and began to trace my steps, but for every step I made he gained on me. Soon I was running, my arm jostling against me sending stings of pain shooting across my whole body. I wouldn’t make it, my heart beat faster in my chest, sweat breaking out over my forehead, I was flushed and exhausted, but I could see light ahead if I could just get there, then I would make it.

It jumped on me hard. I collapsed onto the ground, hissing. When the branches on the floor scratched at my arm, wounding me, I rolled sideways to avoid hitting the arm. Then I stood almost immediately, running to the light. I just had to make it. The snaring wolf bit at me, and I cut out of its path. I cut into the light almost immediately as it tried to snap at me. Signing in a little relief, I turned to look at my surroundings. I was now in Alpha Kage’s territory, which was bad because I had not taken permission to be here, but I could hear Jasper and his men just behind me as they caught up.

“Beth, stop, come back,” he called out, and I paused and turned to look at him, my heart pounding a mile a minute as it did.

“I’m sorry, I can’t do it. I will find a way, but it has to be something that is not mating Alpha Derek.” I pleaded, his eyes hooded with sympathy.

“I know what you feel, but just come back; it’s not safe there. I can cancel the arrangements,” he said, and I laughed.

“We both know you can’t.” I turned away from him and rushed forward towards the new clearing. My father’s voice was hissing in frustration behind me, which I ignored as I rushed forward, tears clouding my eyes. I didn’t see where I was going, and I crashed into a male body. I looked into dark, brooding eyes, panicking. I looked at the Alpha, who frowned, looking down at me.

“And just what are you doing on my land?” he asked.

I looked into his eyes, hoping against hope as I pleaded.

“Please help me.”