The Truth Under Her Skin

Chapter 2

Katherine Lark's POV:

Everyone continued their celebration. No one even bothered to see how I would feel after they learned that I'll become their chosen sacrifice. But I guess it was already expected.

For them, I was just a nuisance.

I turned around and returned to my old house before shutting the door. Then I moved. I packed my clothes that looked practical and easy to layer, my boots and a knife I had hidden for years. I also packed some dried food wrapped tightly in a cloth.

I also stepped outside to gather some medicinal herbs that I could bring with me. I was not expecting any kindness from the Darkblood Pack once I arrived there so I had to fend for myself. But when I bent near the edge of the path to reach for a cluster of herbs, I suddenly heard voices.

"...the seal should hold until Katherine reaches the Darkblood Pack."

"Sshh! I told you to shut your mouth!"

My breath caught. It was the elders and they were talking about me. Again. Slowly, I ducked behind the wooden wall of the house and pressed myself into the shadows.

"But the seal?"

"It's fine." another one replied. "The incident that happened to her parents should never repeat in this pack!"

My fingers curled around the herbs in my hand. It was the first time I had ever heard them speak about my parents like this. Whenever I asked them before, they said my parents were just another couple in the pack. But now, they were talking about them like a mistake that needed to be buried.

"That girl was never meant to awaken here." a third voice grimly said. "If the seal we put weakens before she leaves..."

"It won't." the first elder sharply cut in. "Not unless fate interferes."

A heavy silence followed it.

"And if it does?" someone asked.

"Then we will all push the blame on her. Enough of this! The discussion should ends here."

I felt something coiling tightly in my chest after that. I was about to leave but a twig snapped when I took a step back. Then the voices stopped.

"Who's there?!" one of the elders barked.

To avoid suspicion, I quickly stepped out from behind the wall and forced my shoulders to relax and lifted the bundle of herbs in my hands.

"I'm sorry, elders." I said. "I was just gathering medicinal herbs to bring with me."

Their sharp gazes pinned me in place.

"How long have you been standing there?" another one demanded.

"Only just now." I replied and tilted my head. "I didn't mean to interrupt. Were you discussing something important?"

"That is none of your concern." one elder coldly said. "Mind your own duties!"

And without another word, they turned and walked away. I remained where I was while clutching the herbs in my hand. My frown deepened while the weight of their words settled in my chest.

I returned to my house and finished packing my things in silence. My mind kept returning to the conversation I had overheard just now. But if I ask, I knew no one in this pack would answer me.

If I wanted the truth, I would have to find it on my own. Maybe once I reached Darkblood territory, I could try to find ways to see the truth myself.

When the early dawn came, the moon was still lingering in the sky. I stepped past the pack borders without looking back. No one came to see me off. They simply accepted the fact that I would leave the pack to keep them safe and peaceful.

The forest grew quiet when I walked deeper inside of it. After almost three hours, I finally reached the edge of Darkblood territory. But the moment I stepped over the borderline, a sudden pain struck my chest.

It violently exploded in my chest and stealing the breath from my lungs. I fell to my knees and started gasping for air. My fingers were digging into the dirt and I felt a sting in my eyes.

Soon, a fire burned through my veins. There was an invisible thread that was pulling me. And soon, a powerful howl rang out in the distance. It was responding to something I had not intended to send. Despite being wolf-less, I still had an instinctive understanding of what it was.

It was a mate bond.

"No..." I whispered when my body began to shake.

I pressed my hand harder against my chest and pushed the feeling down. I couldn't understand why this was happening to me. Maybe my doubts that I am not wolf-less were true all along.

But still, I refused the pull with everything I had. I would not belong to another cage. I would not play the Moon Goddess's cruel game anymore.

"Stop it." I said through gritted teeth. "I refuse to answer it!"

The howl came again. It was closer this time but it still couldn't reach me. The bond protested and it was sending pain through my chest. But I endured it. For the first time, the moon did not feel like a blessing. It felt like a challenge meant to break me.

I forced myself to stand up even though my legs shook. My chest rose and fell but my eyes stayed on the path ahead. My body resisted but I kept my mind stayed firm.

I looked up at the moon that was still watching me from above. I felt like it was judging me and daring me to continue rejecting the fate it had given to me. So I looked at it without any fear.

"I swore I would not be taken without a fight."

I took a deep breath and pulled my cloak tighter as I took a shaky step toward the Darkblood territory. I wouldn't run. But whatever fate the moon had planned for me, I would face it head-on and refuse to be bound by it.