Chapter 5: Leaving The Past Behind
1201 Words
We walk in silence for a while, moving deeper into the forest. The farther we go, the lighter my chest feels. Maybe this is the right path. Maybe, just maybe, I can start again.
But deep down, I know the past isn’t done with me yet. And neither is Benjamin.
The morning air is crisp, carrying the scent of pine and damp earth. I walk through the woods, my arms wrapped around myself, trying to block out the lingering ache in my chest. Sleep had been impossible last night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw them—Benjamin standing tall, Kayla beside him, her hand on his arm like she had never been my friend.
I shake my head, pushing the thought away. I need to focus on what comes next. I can’t stay in this pack, not when every corner holds a memory, every face a reminder of what I lost.
Lost? No. What was stolen from me.
A rustling sound pulls me from my thoughts. I stop walking and turn, my heart racing. The woods are still, but I feel something—or someone—watching me.
“Who’s there?” My voice is steady, but my fingers curl into fists.
Silence.
Then, a figure steps out from behind a tree.
“Camila,” a deep voice says.
I freeze. Lucas. The Beta.
His dark eyes watch me carefully, his posture relaxed but alert. Lucas has always been the quiet one, the observer. He’s never given me a reason to be afraid, but right now, I don’t trust anyone.
“What do you want?” I ask, keeping my distance.
He exhales and runs a hand through his dark brown hair. “I saw you leaving early. Thought you might need company.”
“I don’t.”
He doesn’t move. “Where are you going?”
I cross my arms. “Away.”
Lucas nods like he expected that answer. “I figured.”
I wait for him to say something else, but he doesn’t. Just stands there, looking at me with that unreadable expression.
“I don’t belong here anymore,” I say after a moment.
His jaw tightens. “That’s not true.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “Really? Because it sure feels that way.”
Lucas steps closer, but not too close. “Benjamin is a fool.”
The words take me by surprise. I study his face, searching for a hint of pity, but I find none. Only quiet certainty.
“Doesn’t matter,” I mutter. “What’s done is done.”
Lucas tilts his head. “And you think leaving is the best option?”
“Do you have a better one?”
He doesn’t answer right away. Then, “I think you shouldn’t have to run.”
I shake my head. “I’m not running. I’m making a choice.”
He watches me for a long moment. “Then let me come with you.”
Shock courses through me. “What?”
Lucas shrugs like it’s the simplest thing in the world. “If you’re leaving, you shouldn’t do it alone.”
I stare at him. “Why would you do that?”
His expression darkens. “Because this pack isn’t what it used to be. And because I don’t think you should face whatever’s out there by yourself.”
I swallow hard. The idea of having someone by my side is tempting, but I don’t know if I can trust him.
“I don’t need protection,” I say.
“I didn’t say you did.”
I sigh and glance back at the trees. Leaving alone was already a risk. Leaving with someone else? That complicates things. But maybe… maybe it’s what I need.
I look at Lucas. “Fine. But if you slow me down, I’ll leave you behind.”
A small smirk touches his lips. “Fair enough.”
We walk in silence for a while, moving deeper into the forest. The farther we go, the lighter my chest feels. Maybe this is the right path. Maybe, just maybe, I can start again.
But deep down, I know the past isn’t done with me yet. And neither is Benjamin.
The hours pass, and the forest grows thicker. Lucas walks beside me, silent but alert. I keep stealing glances at him, still unsure about his intentions. He isn’t just any pack member—he was Benjamin’s second-in-command. Which means he had a place, a purpose. Why would he throw it all away to follow me?
“You don’t have to come, you know,” I say, breaking the silence.
Lucas glances at me. “I know.”
“Then why?”
He exhales. “Like I said, this pack isn’t the same. Benjamin… he changed.”
I scoff. “Yeah, no kidding.”
Lucas doesn’t smile. “He wasn’t always like this.”
I stop walking and turn to him. “You’re defending him?”
“No,” Lucas says calmly. “I’m just saying power does strange things to people. Benjamin used to be a fair Alpha. But when he chose Kayla over you, it wasn’t just about mates. It was about control.”
I cross my arms. “What do you mean?”
Lucas shifts on his feet. “Benjamin thinks with his pride, not his heart. He didn’t reject you because he didn’t love you. He did it because he thought Kayla made him stronger. More powerful.”
A bitter taste fills my mouth. “That’s supposed to make me feel better?”
“No. But it should make you understand that this was never your fault.”
I look away, his words sinking in. I spent so much time blaming myself, wondering if I wasn’t enough. But if Lucas is right, then it was never about me at all.
We keep walking, the forest stretching endlessly ahead. The air grows colder, the sky darkening with the promise of rain.
“We should find shelter,” Lucas says.
I nod, scanning the area. Up ahead, I spot a small cave nestled between the trees. “There.”
We reach the entrance, and I step inside first, shivering as the cool air wraps around me. Lucas follows, his presence solid and steady.
I sit on the ground, hugging my knees. “This is the first time I’ve been away from the pack.”
Lucas leans against the wall. “How does it feel?”
I stare at the cave floor. “Scary. Freeing. Lonely.”
He’s quiet for a moment. Then, “You won’t be alone.”
I glance up at him. His face is unreadable, but there’s something in his voice—something firm, certain.
I should push him away. I should tell him I don’t need him. But the truth is, I don’t want to be alone.
“Lucas,” I say slowly. “What happens now?”
He meets my gaze. “We figure it out together.”
I take a deep breath and nod. Maybe this isn’t the end. Maybe it’s the beginning of something new.
But I know one thing for sure—Benjamin hasn’t seen the last of me.
- Writer
