ONE MONTH TO FIND MY MATE

Chapter 2

Mia's POV

Was I dead already?

I would be glad if I was at that point, but then I heard a voice as it slowly got louder.

"Hey, Mia, wake up." I felt a hand touch me, and I sprang up but regretted it immediately because of the headache that followed.

"Olivia…?" I asked, placing my palm on my head, hoping the headache would stop.

"How are you feeling, Mia?"

"I'm fine…”

"You don't have to pretend with me. I saw everything."

It was at this point that I let the tears that clouded my eyes free, and they streamed down my cheeks.

I almost choked on my words as I tried to speak, "She—she cursed—"

"You don't have to relive those memories, Mia. I have a plan."

"If your plan doesn't concern you getting me the best soil for my body to be buried in, then—"

"Don't say that, Mia. You're not dying."

"I love your optimism, Olivia. That's something I've always admired about you. I have come to peace with my predicament. Allow me to say my goodbyes." Sobs racked through my body.

"No, Mia. Don't give up yet. You're stronger than this." Olivia pulled me into a hug while I drenched her clothes with my tears.

I felt like a piece of me had been torn away, leaving me empty.

Wasn't it painful enough that I found my mate sleeping with another wolf? But rejecting me? That was a kind of pain I wasn't ready to feel.

I couldn't help but wonder what crime I had committed to deserve this. Hadn't I been there for him, being faithful and all that?

Like it wasn't enough, she cursed me to death? Because where was I going to get myself a mate before the next full moon?

I knew Olivia was being all supportive and stuff, but it was delusional to think I'd find a mate by then.

First, I was reduced to an omega... If she witnessed everything, then she must have known that...

No wolf would ever want to mate with an omega. Ravenna only wanted me to slowly die watching her love Gray.

Second-chance mate? I knew it was real; I had read that in books and articles, but the last time it happened was a long time ago.

Ravenna wouldn't have cursed me with that if she knew finding a second-chance mate was possible.

I still hated myself for seeing Ravenna initially as a friend, not knowing she was the worst person I would ever cross paths with.

"It's okay, Mia. Now get up, let's leave this place." Olivia pushed me off slightly, and I was thrown aback by her words.

"Leave? To where?" I had to ask.

"To get yourself a mate, or do you want to die?" Olivia uttered the words I dreaded.

I didn't want to die. Not now. I didn't want to be remembered as that omega who died without finding love.

"I don't want to die, Olivia, but who in the pack would be my second-chance mate? I am a reject, Olivia."

"Who mentioned we were about to look for your second-chance mate in this pack?" Olivia raised a brow, and for a minute, I thought she was kidding as I started laughing.

"You're very funny, Olivia, we..." My voice trailed off as I noticed she was serious.

"Listen to me, Mia. I am going to help you out of the pack so that you can find your mate. I would have loved to follow you, but I can't, as I need to cover for you here."

"No, Olivia, I can't let you do that. What if we are caught? Which we will be. Ravenna would have guards watching my every move, making sure I was close by to witness her love with Gray."

"Right now, she thinks you're still unconscious. She asked me to check on you, and I told her you hadn't woken up. If we do not leave now, we can't leave again."

Escaping was a big risk, but I knew I had to take it. I'd rather die outside the pack than stay and watch another lady take my mate from me...

"Now get up, Mia, let's go. I already have a plan."

I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes as I followed Olivia out of the room. Olivia had to guide me through different tunnels to ensure no one saw me.

We kept on walking and hiding for minutes, as the hidden tunnels seemed longer than the normal exit.

"Aren't we there yet?" I asked. This was the first word coming out of my mouth since we started our escape plan.

"Just a little further, and we're out," Olivia replied.

All of a sudden, we began to hear the soldiers yelling.

"What's happening, Olivia?" I queried as my heart began to race.

"I think they know you're missing," Olivia responded and began to walk back.

"Where are you heading to?" I questioned as beads of sweat broke out on my forehead.

"I just want to hear them clearly," Olivia spoke, but wasn't looking at me.

"Olivia! Olivia! What do I do?" I panicked, knowing that I'd suffer a worse fate if they caught me.

"Now listen to me, Mia." Olivia held my hands and stared straight into my eyes. "You're going to continue this journey alone as I am going to distract the soldiers from your direction. I'd advise you to move east; north is a dead end. That's the Crescent Pack."

"No, Olivia, I can't let you do that." I stumbled back, tears building at the corners of my eyes. "I am going back with you. I can't let you suffer this alone. It's all my fault."

"Mia! Mia!" Olivia called my name several times before I answered. "I am not dying today, okay?"

"But you don't know that."

"There's only one way to find out."

"That's not an option, Olivia. Follow me. Let's run away together."

"I can't do that. I'll have to make it look like we were attacked, or Ravenna will come for you."

I couldn't utter another word as Olivia had everything under control. All I could do was look at her as tears streamed down my cheeks endlessly.

Pulling me into a hug, Olivia whispered in my ears, "Don't worry, Mia. I'll be fine. Now run, head east, okay? Stay alive for me, and ensure you bag a powerful wolf." Olivia chuckled, hiding the pain in her voice.

"Sure," I nodded and hesitantly let go of Olivia as she headed back to the pack.

With that being settled, I took to my heels and started heading east as Olivia instructed, only to discover that Gray's guards were already on that route, and the only route for me to follow was north.

As I said earlier, I'd rather die in a different pack than watch Gray love someone else.

So I took a deep breath and changed my direction to north.

I hadn't gotten far north when the air became incredibly silent, and all I could hear were distant howls and snapping twigs.

"Who's there?" I shuddered when I felt someone walk behind me. I turned swiftly and saw no one.

Should I go back? Maybe I was wrong about all of this.

I turned and was about to head back to Gray's pack when four wolves jumped out of the woods and blocked my path.

"What do we have here?" One of the wolves spoke.

Damn, I could recognize them. They were rogue wolves.

"Please let me go, I did not intend to disturb you," I pleaded as my knees buckled beneath me.

"Oh honey, you know that isn't an option." Another wolf smiled and lunged towards me.

They all closed in dangerously with their claws ready to do me harm.

“Stop…!” A firm voice suddenly called out.