HELLBOUND

3. The Stranger In The Woods

Chapter 3: The Stranger In The Woods

Sylvia's pov

After dropping my brother off at the hospital that night, “Stay with mom for now okay sweetie?” I cupped his cheek and watched the bright smile that lit up his face while he nodded.

That smile broke me, more than anything, tears gathered at the corners of my eyes but I wouldn't let them fall, I wouldn't let him see me like this, “I'll just be gone for a few minutes okay, so you stand guard.”

“Roger that,” he saluted and I couldn't help but chuckle at his antiques.

Why couldn't he just have a normal life like the other kids, nights he should be watching movies or playing with his friend yet he was stuck here with me.

I made sure my mother was tucked in before exiting the ward and before I knew it I was outside the hospital, wrapping the thin jacket further around me, I kept walking with no direction.

The rain started to pour down, but I didn't care. I let myself be drenched, the ache in my heart was anything but dull. No matter how much I suppressed it, I knew I couldn't, I wanted to let it go, but I didn't know how to.

The pressure was too much, the constant worry, the trauma inflicted by the pack, it was all too much for me.

And so I ran.

I ran as fast as my legs could take me, my eyes could barely hold back the tears as they broke loose mixing with the rain droplets on my skin.

Bursting into the forest line, I kept going, wanting to leave it all behind, despite my legs screaming at me to stop, despite my heart wailing and my lungs gasping for air, I wasn't going to stop, I couldn't.

The pain hurt, it hurt so much that I wanted to claw at my chest, to take out my heart and throw it off a cliff.

Why did everything have to be like this? Why did my father have to die? Why did my mother have to be sick?

All these questions rummaged through my head.

Why did he have to reject me?

I wondered if the moon goddess was even up there, watching everything happen yet couldn't do anything about it, despite how much I prayed.

Finally I came to a stop in the middle of nowhere, I let out a guttural scream, letting it all out, as I broke down into tears, falling to a heap in the wet muddy floors. And thought, maybe I wasn't worth it.

I have never been worth it, no matter how hard I tried, I would always be blamed for my father's mistake, I would always be seen as the girl with a sick mother.

I would always be seen as the weak omega who couldn't even shift. Now they want to send me away to a place filled with humans.

I remained lying on the floors, helpless, until the rain finally stopped. I knew I had to head back, but for a little while, just a few seconds…

Alfie's waiting for you.

Picking myself up from the floors after a few minutes, maybe hours, I dragged my feet across the mud and made my way through the forest.

After walking for a few minutes, out of nowhere I was tackled towards the ground by strong arms.

My heart skipped a beat as shivers ran down my spine, scared that I was about to be murdered, I began fighting against the person, “Get the hell off me!”

“Hey, hey hey, keep it down,” he grunted.

I pushed at the person and my hands got entangled with their pendant, fighting with the strength I had which wasn't much. I was about to scream before he placed a hand over my mouth, it seems he had had enough of my fuss.

He gazed down at me sternly as we both laid on the ground, “shhh,” he was so close, his breath rammed my lips, his strong hands made the heat rise to my neck.

Flashes of light could be seen above us and voices followed after, “I could have sworn he went this way,” one of them mentioned.

More lights flashed, almost closing in on our position.

My breathing was erratic, what was going on? Who were these men, and why were they looking for him?

They moved closer and closer before coming to a halt, “He's probably long gone by now, we should head back,” if they had taken one step more, I was pretty sure they would have found us.

They finally agreed to retreat after some deliberations.

We remained still until the sound of their footsteps completely disappeared before I bit his hands that were over my mouth.

The strange man yelped, using this distraction, I kicked him in the groin, forcing him to double over before pushing him away and scrambling to my feet.

“Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?”

The man still rolled, hands between his legs, “You've got some strength for a lady,” he grunted out.

He's not from this pack.

I noticed as I took in his features as best as I could with little lighting, the pendant around his neck which was quite prominent, it was the ying part of the pair, ying and yang.

I needed to alert the pack that there were intruders, “Who are you and who were those people?” I yelled a bit, shaken off by what just happened.

Although he still struggled from the pain, “How about you don't walk around cluelessly, if it wasn't for me, you would have been caught and I would have been caught as well,” his eyes scanned me from head to toe.

“Waw,” amusement in his eyes alongside something else, “You look a mess.”

I did the same as well subconsciously.

For some reason, I felt conscious in the way I looked, my hair was damp and fell over my shoulders and I was probably covered in mud.

“I hope I didn't hurt you too much, I fear my own strength sometimes,” he drew closer forcing me to take one backward.

“Who were those people?” I questioned curiously, not wanting to tip off the stranger.

However, the stranger sniffed the air, “I have to go, I suggest you do the same, before the cops some back ”

He took a few steps before halting, “Whatever is troubling you, believe me, it'll pass,” and with that, he disappeared into the shadows…