Chapter 4: The Escape
975 Words
Aria's heart thudded in her chest like a war drum.
Darius stood just feet away, his eyes fastened onto hers with a look she had once mistook for passion. Now, all she saw was hatred. His presence froze her in place, every instinct screaming for her to run, but her body refused to follow.
"You look surprised to see me," Darius murmured, walking through the mist with slow, methodical movements. "You really thought you could hide?"
Behind him, the clash of howling wolves and cracking teeth filled the air. Lucien battled like a beast possessed, holding off three enforcers at once. His silver wolf moved with precision, all muscle and ferocity, but even he couldn’t keep them at away long.
Aria groped for the little dagger lying beneath her shawl. She had grabbed it from Lucien's pack the night before, not expecting to use it, but now… she had no option.
Darius kept going toward her, his eyes falling to her stomach. His expression twisted into something darker.
"So it’s true. You carry his child."
"It’s not your concern," Aria said through clenched teeth.
"You’re wrong. Everything about you has always been my concern. Your disobedience. Your betrayal. That abomination growing inside you."
Aria's fingers tightened around the dagger's hilt.
"It’s not an atrocity. It’s my child. And I will protect it from monsters like you."
Darius laughed — low and harsh. "Protect it? You can’t even protect yourself."
With one rapid motion, he lunged toward her.
Aria dodged, stabbing with the dagger. The sword grazed his arm, drawing blood. He snarled and seized her wrist, twisting it till she shouted out. The dagger fell to the ground.
"You always were weak," he screamed.
Before he could land a blow, a silver blur plowed into him. Lucien.
Darius went flying, falling through the underbrush. Lucien twisted mid-air, landing hard and rising to his feet. His chest heaved, blood flowing down one side of his face, but his eyes burned with wrath.
"Touch her again, and I’ll rip you apart."
Darius wiped the blood from his lip and laughed. "Still claiming to be a hero, Lucien? Look where that’s gotten you. Hunted. Broken. Alone."
Lucien didn’t answer with words. He moved.
Faster than Aria could follow, Lucien charged, tackling Darius to the ground. Fists flew. Bones cracked. The two alphas fought like old gods, all power and savage anger. The earth appeared to shake beneath them.
"Aria!" Lucien shouted between strokes. "Run!"
She didn’t hesitate.
Grabbing the dagger from the ground, she turned and raced into the trees. The woods blurred past her as branches whipped at her face. Her lungs burned, and every stride shot stinging sensations through her side, but she didn’t stop.
Behind her, the sounds of combat receded into the howling wind.
The road curved through the forest, and just as her legs began to give out, she stumbled into a small opening.
A figure stepped out from the darkness.
It was the scarred enforcer , the lady who had commanded the others.
Aria froze.
"You didn’t think it would be that easy, did you?" the enforcer remarked, a vicious smirk curling her lips.
Aria raised the dagger, her hands quivering. "I won’t let you take me."
The enforcer c****d her head. "You’re brave for a rejected Luna."
"I’m a mother," Aria remarked. "Bravery comes with the job."
The enforcer lunged.
Aria dodged the first strike, striking at her attacker’s side. The blade pierced through fabric and skin, but the enforcer scarcely flinched. She backhanded Aria hard, sending her falling into the dirt.
Aria’s vision blurred. Pain burst in her head.
The enforcer approached carefully, savoring the moment.
"You’re lucky," she said. "You’ll die before your child does."
Aria coughed, blood on her lips. Her hand groped wildly among the leaves until her fingers found a rock. Not much, but it was something.
She waited till the enforcer leaned closer.
Then, with a shout, Aria struck.
The rock connected with the woman’s temple. The enforcer staggered, astonished.
A wail pierced the air.
Lucien.
The silver wolf leaped into the clearing and crashed into the enforcer, sending her falling into a tree. He shifted when he landed and took Aria into his arms.
"You’re safe," he whispered. "I’ve got you."
"No, Lucien," she gasped. "We have to keep moving. Darius"
"He won’t follow. Not for now."
Lucien lifted her to her feet, then scooped her into his arms as her legs faltered.
"We’re close to the sanctuary. Just a couple more miles."
Aria wanted to argue, to claim she could walk, but her body was done battling.
As Lucien carried her through the woods, the world slanted around her. Exhaustion seized grip. Her eyes closed.
The aroma of pine and frost flooded her breath.
And then… a peculiar murmur.
It was faint, almost like a song carried by the wind. Lucien’s pace slowed.
Ahead of them, the trees parted to show a small mountain pass guarded by two stone pillars.
"This is it," Lucien said. "We’re here."
As they passed between the stones, the buzzing grew louder, enclosing them like a protecting cloud.
Magic.
Ancient and wild.
The sanctuary.
Aria opened her eyes just long enough to see the bright patterns engraved into the stone.
Safe. For now.
But far behind them, in the bloodstained woods, Darius stood amid the fallen, his gaze locked on the road they’d followed. His face was bruised, lips split, but his expression was calm.
Too calm.
“She’s more dangerous than I thought,” he murmured.
An enforcer limped toward him. “Do we pursue?”
Darius shook his head.
“Not yet. Let her think she’s won. Let her believe she’s safe. Then we strike when she’s most vulnerable.”
He turned toward the north, eyes chilly.
"And when that child is born, I’ll be waiting."
- Writer
