A runner
736 Words
“WATCH THE BORDERS! WE’VE GOT A RUNNER!” A male voice booms through my mind link.
That bastard, Kevin!
Now, every patrol in the area will be heading this way. Chasing me down. I’m so distracted by the mind link that I almost miss the low, menacing growl behind me.
Glancing over my shoulder, I spot a massive, dark-furred wolf closing in fast.
I scoff. Looks like we’re playing a game of who’s the fastest, Kevin. Let’s see who wins.
And then—I’m gone.
The ground vanishes beneath me as I take off, the world stretching into a blur of colors. Trees whip past, their trunks mere streaks in my vision. The wind roars in my ears. I don’t just run; I flash through the forest, faster than any werewolf alive, or at least, that’s what I believe.
But something scares me. What happens after I cross the border? I have nothing with me, no supplies, no plan. Nowhere to go. And if I don’t figure it out fast… I’ll be nothing more than a rogue.
My lungs burn as I push harder, the cold air biting at my skin. I veer left, aiming for another path. The treeline ahead—my escape—is so close I can almost taste freedom.
Almost there.
“MAYA, STOP! THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU CROSS THAT BORDER!” Kevin’s voice thunders through my mind link.
I ignore him.
There’s no way I’m going to the Royal Packhouse.
Then I see it—something up ahead, getting closer fast. A… hole?
Too late to stop. My speed is a curse now, a force I can’t control.
At the last second, I throw my right leg forward, aiming to leap—
But my left foot clips the edge.
My breath catches—
The impact sends me spinning. Air whooshes past as I hurtle forward, helpless.
“Ahhhh!!”
Then—
SLAM!
Pain explodes through me as my body crashes against a tree.
A sharp gasp rips from my throat before I collapse to the ground, groaning.
Pain rips through my body, seizing every muscle. I’m stuck, unable to move. I lie on my side, face pressed into the ground, my right hand twisted under me, and my leg numb, like it’s not even mine.
‘Argh… I think I broke something… my arm, damn it… and my leg, it hurts…’
I curse mentally, every second feeling like I’m slipping further away. The world blurs, my vision dimming.
I can't move.
I don’t know how long I’m there—disoriented, helpless—until low growls reach my ears, followed by the sickening sound of bones cracking and rearranging.
Then comes Kevin’s voice. “Tsk, tsk. You naughty little wolf. Pathetic.”
I swallow hard and force myself to look up. My gaze lands on him. He’s pulling on basketball shorts from a nearby patrol bag.
I quickly avert my eyes, a frown tugging at my lips. Nudity is common with shifters, but Kevin’s body? Not something I need to see more of.
“Your speed is impressive, Maya, I’ll give you that,” he muses. “But you have limits. You pushed yourself too hard, and now you’re paying for it. Your body isn’t used to this, which is why you’re not healing as fast. You’re too weak.”
“What do you care?” I manage to grunt, bitter regret gnawing at me. I failed. And I still can’t move.
Before I can react, strong arms lift me off the ground, and I find myself slung over Kevin’s shoulder. My eyes widen in panic.
“Hey, let me go! Put me down, you bastard! I’m not going there! Don’t take me there!”
Kevin sighs as he starts walking. “You think I want you there? I want you here with me, Maya. You could have been a good mate for me.”
His grip tightens as he carries me toward the bus. “Hah, because of you, we’ve got a long road ahead. Don’t make this harder than it already is.”
A shaky breath escapes me as my eyes sting with unshed tears. I can't even struggle against his hold, and it’s the last place I wanna be.
“Hah,” I let out a tired breath.
Is this my fate? Why does life keep getting worse for me? Why can’t I ever be free?
- Writer
