The Masked Luna

Escape

Episode 2

Luckily for me, my plan was well articulated. The Alpha’s sons left for the clash with the Southern pack with almost all the castle guards. The castle was empty except for a few guards stationed at main entrances. Alpha Bolton forbade me from stepping outside of my room, so if these guards were to see me, they’d definitely suspect something’s up. And I also had to leave before others arrived. I carefully pulled the door shut behind me, making sure not even a click was heard. My breath seized as the murmurs of some guards reached my ear. The corridor stretched ahead of me, dimly lit by the pale glow of the wall lamps. Everywhere was quiet at this hour except for the murmurs of the guards. Somewhere beyond the stone walls, the few guards were still making their rounds, oblivious of the fact that their Alpha had been murdered by a human. I pressed myself against the wall and moved. One step, then another. My bare feet barely made a sound against the cold floor. I reached the end of the corridor and carefully peered around the corner. Three guards stood at their post. My heart lurched. They were dressed in dark uniforms, their weapons strapped at their sides as they spoke quietly among themselves. Beyond them was the passage leading toward the back of the castle, and that was the only way out of this cage. “Do you think the Southern pack would compromise?” the light-skinned guard asked. “Of course, they are relatively small compared to us,” the darker one replied. “But they have the help of humans...” “Foolish humans?” the dark guard asked, and the two of them fell into uncontrollable laughter. That’s what they see us as, foolish. But that was the least of my concerns right now. I decided to utilize the opportunity and take one step forward, then another, until a floorboard creaked beneath my foot. I froze, and the other guard, who didn’t participate in the conversation, turned. I darted behind the nearest pillar and pressed my back against the stone, covering my mouth with one hand as the footsteps approached. Each one increased the thud of my heartbeat, and I was certain he could hear it. Suddenly, the footsteps stopped, and I squeezed my eyes shut and waited for a few seconds. “Everything alright?” the guard behind him called out. A pause. “Yeah, I thought I heard something.” The footsteps moved away, and I waited another few seconds before daring to breathe. I couldn’t risk the main entrance anymore, so I slipped out from behind the pillar, and my eyes scanned the corridor until they landed on a narrow window set into the wall. It was the perfect route. I hurried toward it, lifted the latch and pushed it open just enough for me to squeeze through. Cold night air struck my face as I looked down. The windows opened above the narrow stretch of the ground behind the castle. The gap was not too far. I climbed onto the ledge, gripped the stone and lowered myself as far as I could before letting go. I landed awkwardly and stumbled; a gasp escaped my mouth as pain shot through my ankle. There was no time to examine the pain, so I forced myself upright. Crouching behind the rear wall of the castle, I glanced toward the guards’ post, and the universe was in my favour. They hadn’t noticed. I moved along the shadows, keeping close to the stone wall. The back of the castle was darker; overgrown vines crawled along the walls, and the huge fence surrounding the grounds rose ahead of me. I reached the fence, grabbed the iron bars and began climbing. My fingers slipped once; I almost made a sound, but I kept going, determined to be free. Finally, I swung one leg over the top and dropped to the other side. Then, I ran. I ran as fast as my legs could carry me until the castle lights disappeared behind the trees. Knowing well that taking the express road would do more harm, I diverted to the woods. I didn’t know where I was going, but one thing for sure was that I needed to flee from this side of the city and go back to my family. I pushed deeper into the woods, ignoring the sting of thorns and my bloody feet. Suddenly, my leg hit a large trunk that blocked the narrow entrance, and I tripped. The pain was so severe that I hid behind a large tree and rested. From resting, I drifted into a deep sleep. The flashes of light and hushed tones woke me up. They had come for me. I jerked up instantly and continued running without stopping. But the more I ran, the more they came closer, and the wood seemed to stretch more. I needed a plan. Running was no longer an option. They would catch up with me. I could hear them somewhere behind me: the faint crunch of boots against dead leaves, the occasional murmur of voices cutting through the trees. I looked around desperately. Then I spotted a fallen tree a few feet away, its thick roots pulled from the ground and tangled with bushes. I dropped behind it and pressed myself into the damp earth, pulling my knees close to my chest. The footsteps grew louder. Closer. I covered my mouth with both hands. Please. Please, just pass me. Three shadows moved between the trees. I squeezed my eyes shut. One of them stopped. “Spread out.” My stomach dropped. The men separated, moving through the woods. I heard branches snapping. Then boots approached from my left. I dared to peek through the leaves, and a man stepped into view. I forgot how to breathe. He was tall, much taller than the other guards, and carried himself with an ease that made him stand out even in the darkness. The moonlight caught the sharp lines of his face, revealing dark hair and striking features. He looked around. Then his eyes landed directly on me. My blood ran cold. He knew. For a moment, neither of us moved. His gaze dropped briefly to my trembling hands before returning to my face. I expected him to shout. But he didn’t. Instead, he turned toward the others. “Anything, Kael?” I heard one of them ask. “Nothing here,” he replied. The footsteps of the other guards stopped. “I’ve checked this side. She’s not here.” I stared at him, confused. Why would he save me? He glanced back at me. “Stay there,” he whispered. I barely breathed. “Don’t move.” He straightened and raised his voice again. “She must have gone farther into the woods. Check the eastern trail.” The other guards began moving away. I remained frozen behind the tree. The tall man, Kael, waited until their voices faded. Then he looked at me again. “I’ll come back for you. Stay right here.” And he walked away. I held my breath. One second. Two. Five. I listened until the last sound of footsteps disappeared between the trees. Still, I didn’t move. Maybe it was a trick. Maybe they were waiting for me to come out. But eventually, the silence became complete. I slowly crawled out from behind the fallen tree. He told me to stay right there, but the Northern pack were not to be trusted. I glanced in the direction the guards had gone. Then I turned toward the deeper woods. I took one step. I was about to run when a voice came from behind me. “Going somewhere?” I spun around. My heart stopped. Kael stood between the trees.