Bound To The Alpha

Elara’s POV I ran barefoot through the woods. The cold earth bite at the soles of my feet with every frantic step I took. My heart was pounding in my chest, but I didn’t know why. I just kept on running. The voice echoed louder in my ears, soft and terrifying. ”Elara…” I didn’t recognize it… but it knew me. Each whisper wrapped around my mind, pulling me deeper into the woods. The full moon was out, casting an eerie glow over the woods and the winds howled through the trees, but nothing could silence the voice coming from all around me. “Elara…” I didn’t know where I was…or what I was running from…but I couldn’t stop. Even though my lungs were heaving and fear was creeping in my chest, I kept on following. Then… I saw something A figure, half hidden in the shadows, waiting. I froze. The surrounding air became stiff and the whisper stopped. And then… “ELARA!” I jolted awake, gasping for air. My heart was racing, and my body was drenched in sweat. I clutched my chest, my trembling fingers instinctively making their way to the necklace around my neck; a crescent moon charm that once belonged to my mother. It was the only thing at the moment that could give me comfort. Another nightmare. The third one this week. I closed my eyes briefly, trying to calm my breathing as I let the remnant of the dreams slip through my fingers, clearing my mind. “Hey…are you okay?” Grace asked, her brows furrowed as she stared at me. Concern was written all over her face. That’s when I noticed. Everyone was staring. My classmates. My teacher. All eyes were on me now. Shit. I was still in class. “Miss Moore?” Mr Smith’s voice interrupted my thought. “Can you hear me?” I nodded, my voice barely a whisper. “Y-yeah” He stepped closer, eyes full of worry. “You look pale. Do you need to see the nurse?” “No-no” I said quickly, forcing a weak smile. “I’m fine. Just…tired.” He hesitated, his eyes carefully scanning my face. “Alright,” he finally said, letting out a brief sigh. “If you feel faint, don’t hesitate to step out.” “Thank you,” I muttered, glancing back at my textbook, hoping the ground would just swallow me up at this moment. How did I even fall asleep? Grace gently squeezed my hand, giving me a small smile. I smiled back, trying to reassure her that I was fine…even if I wasn’t. At lunch, we sat at the table beside the large window in the cafeteria. Ben joined us shortly after, taking his seat beside Grace with his light brown hair all tousled and his clear round glasses fixed on his face. “Hey ladies,” he greeted with a grin, plopping down with his tray. “Hi Ben,” I said, with a small smile. Not long after, they started bickering over their usual nonsense—whether pineapple belonged on pizza or not. Their voices soon became background noise as I stared at the window, lost in my own thoughts. The chilling thought of the dream, still creeping at the back of my neck. I couldn’t shake it off. It felt real. Too real. School ended, and I said my goodbyes, making my way to work; my second favorite place after my bedroom. Willow Creek bookstore. My boss, Selene, greeted me as I walked in, her usual bright smile plastered on her face. She looked like she was in her twenties even though she was well into her forties. Always effortlessly radiant. “Hey Elara, you alright?” She asked, eyeing me. “Yeah…I’m fine,” I lied, forcing a smile. “Just tired from school.” “Mm-hmm. Go drop your stuff, there’s tea in the back.” I smiled gratefully and went back to return the romance novel I had been reading. Love me a good happy ending. —— The day was over, and I got ready to go home. I slipped in my earpiece and tugged my cardigan tighter. “See you tomorrow Grace,” I said, before walking out the door, letting the soft hum of music carry my thoughts away. The evening breeze was cool and the smell of fresh vanilla from the bakery right across the street filled the air. There weren’t many people around, as usual. It was quiet and peaceful. Not until I heard it. “Elara…” I froze. Yanking out one of my earpieces. My head whipped around. Nothing. The street was empty. No one was there. But that voice…it was exactly like the one in my dream. Soft. Haunting. And most of all terrifying. My breath hitched and I reached for my necklace. “Was I dreaming again?” I wondered, but something felt wrong. That’s when I noticed… A silhouette of a figure, near the trees at the end of the road. It stood still…until it moved. Passing through the trees, slow and careful. I closed my eyes shut. “This isn’t real…it’s just a dream,” I whispered. “Wake up Elara…wake up.” My heart was racing as I stood still on the road, unable to move. I cracked my eyes open, hoping everything was back to normal. To my relief, nothing was there. The shadows looked normal. I exhaled shakily, realizing I had been holding my breath in. Maybe it was just my imagination, leftover fear from the nightmare. Just as I moved, a chilling wind rushed through me and, without a second thought, I ran. Something’s here with me. Following me. I wasn’t dreaming this time. This is real. I ran as fast as I could, my body moving like they’ve never done before. The sinister feeling was coming from all around and, without thinking, I ran into the woods. I didn’t dare to look back. I just kept on running until my foot hit a root and I went down hard. My palms and knees scraped the ground and a sharp pain shot through my ankle as I fell. I groaned, trying to sit back up. I looked around quickly but nothing was there. Everywhere was silent. Too silent. Was I hallucinating? I heard a twig break, confirming I wasn’t “Who’s there?” I called out, my voice trembling. No answer. Just soft, deliberate footsteps approaching from the darkness. The sound was getting louder and whatever it was, it was getting closer. I tried to get up but realized I had badly sprained my ankle. I forced myself up, tears stung my eyes with the increasing pain. I leaned on a nearby tree for balance, catching my breath. That’s when I heard a sound…a low rustle in the underbrush behind me. I whipped my head back, and then I saw it. Clearly this time. But this was…different. Glowing red eyes. Staring right back at me. A sharp pain pierced through my chest. I couldn’t breathe, it was like nothing I had felt before. My body was shutting down, the world became blurry, my legs gave out and the last thing I saw were those eyes…still there. Still watching.