Chapter 3 The Forest of Pain
807 Words
(Selena’s POV)
The forest was quiet that night. Too quiet.
Even the wind seemed afraid to whisper.
My bare feet pressed against the cold earth as I ran. My breath came out in shaky gasps. Each step felt heavier than the last, like the world was pulling me down.
The pain of rejection burned inside my chest. It wasn’t just sadness anymore , it was fire. A fire that refused to stop.
I stumbled over a root and fell hard onto the ground. The dirt was damp beneath my palms. I tried to stand, but my legs gave out.
“Mira…” I whispered weakly.
Her voice was soft, tired. “I’m here.”
I pressed a hand to my chest. “It hurts so much.”
“I know,” she said. “The bond is breaking. That’s why.”
I wanted to scream. I wanted to cry until the stars fell. But my throat felt tight, my tears were already dry.
I looked up at the moon shining through the branches. It was beautiful and cruel at the same time. The Moon Goddess had given me hope , only to take it all away in one night.
“Why me?” I whispered. “Why not someone stronger? Someone better?”
Mira didn’t answer. Maybe she didn’t know either.
The memories came rushing back , Zade’s voice, his cold eyes, his rejection.
He hadn’t even hesitated.
He looked at me like I was something dirty. Like loving me was a shame.
I thought finding my mate would be the happiest moment of my life. But it turned out to be the reason my world fell apart.
I hugged my knees and tried to breathe. Each heartbeat felt like a knife.
Then I heard something.
A low growl.
It came from behind me.
I turned slowly, my heart racing. Between the trees, I saw glowing red eyes , not one pair, but three.
Rogues.
My blood ran cold.
Their smell was sharp and rotten. Their fur was tangled, their teeth dripping with saliva. They looked hungry.
I stood up slowly, my hands shaking. Mira growled weakly inside me. “We have to fight.”
“I don’t think I can,” I whispered.
“You can.”
But my legs were trembling. I could barely stand, let alone fight. The rejection pain had made me weak.
The first rogue stepped closer, growling low.
I took a deep breath. “Please,” I said, even though I knew the rogues didn’t listen. “Just go.”
It growled louder.
Then it jumped.
I shifted quickly, pain shooting through my body as bones cracked again. My wolf form felt slower, weaker than before. The rejection had taken away half my strength.
Still, I lunged at the rogue, biting at its neck. It yelped, but another one slammed into my side, sending me rolling into the dirt.
I whimpered. My fur was covered in blood , my own blood.
Mira’s voice was faint. “Get up, Selena.”
“I can’t…”
“You have to.”
I tried. I really tried. But every breath hurt. Every move made my vision blur.
The rogues circled me again. Their eyes glowed brighter. I could feel their hunger.
“At least we tried,” Mira whispered sadly.
And at that moment… I stopped fighting.
I closed my eyes. The pain, the fear, the loneliness , it was all too much.
Maybe this was better. Maybe death was kinder than rejection.
I waited for the end.
The first rogue jumped, claws out, ready to strike ,
And then a roar shook the ground.
It wasn’t from me. It wasn’t from them.
It was deeper. Stronger. Dangerous.
A massive black wolf burst through the trees. His fur shimmered under the moonlight. His eyes glowed silver , cold and sharp.
He moved like lightning. Before the rogues could react, he slammed into one, tearing it apart in a single strike. The other two tried to run, but he was faster. One by one, he ripped them down.
The fight lasted only seconds.
When it was over, the ground was silent again.
The black wolf turned toward me.
I wanted to move, but I couldn’t. My body was numb, my blood soaking into the dirt.
He stepped closer, his silver eyes glowing in the dark. There was something powerful about him , something that made even my weak wolf want to bow.
But his gaze wasn’t cruel. It was… curious. Almost gentle.
He leaned down and sniffed the air near me. I whimpered softly, too tired to move.
Then everything started to fade.
My vision blurred, my breathing slowed.
The last
thing I saw before everything went black was the silver in his eyes.
And for the first time since the rejection, I felt safe.
- Writer
