Chapter 2
1045 Words
Lyra's POV
I was about to say no. To tell him straight up that I wasn’t going anywhere with him. But then I heard the footsteps. They were louder this time.
Out of fear, I put my hand in his.
He gave a small smirk and led me deeper into the forest. I didn’t trust him, but I also didn’t want to be caught by those people. But the more we moved deeper, the more uneasy I felt.
After a while, he suddenly stopped.
I froze too, confused. “What’s wrong?” I asked, as I looked ahead, wondering if he’d seen something I hadn’t.
But he didn’t look ahead. He turned to me. And there was something strange in his eyes.
He took a step closer.
I moved backwards.
He smiled, but it wasn’t the kind that made you feel warm. It was cold, sharp. His hand reached up like he wanted to touch my face.
I moved away again, it's reflex,my body reacting before my brain could catch up.
“Why are you moving away?” he asked, his voice low now, more forceful.
He tried again, reaching for my arm this time.
“Stop,” I said quietly, my voice trembling.
But he didn’t. His eyes flared red, and his whole expression changed. He stopped smiling, and looked at me codly.
“What’s wrong with you?” he hissed. “Didn’t you agree to follow me? Huh?”
That was when it hit me. That strange look he had on his face earlier, when he asked me to choose. I should’ve known. There was something off about it.
“You didn’t bring me here to help,” I said, my voice steadier now.
He chuckled, like he didn’t even bother to deny it. “You’re a prey , and if caught you would be killed, so you should be glad I'm trying to help "
That was it.
I snapped.
Even with my wolf sealed, I wasn’t powerless. I still had it in me, the warrior instincts passed down from my parents. I had trained my whole life, and I wasn’t about to let someone like him take anything else from me.
He moved forward to grab me, but I dodged and used my elbow to hit his ribs.
He gasped, as he moved back in shock.
“I may be broken,” I said, breathing hard, “but I’m not yours to touch.”
He growled and launched at me again, this time angrier, but I was also prepared. I dodged again, grabbed a broken branch from the ground, and held it like a blade.
“Back. Off.”
He paused, his eyes red,but he didn’t move closer.
“You’ll regret this,” he spat. “No one protects traitors.”
“i don't need anyone to protect me ”
We stood there in silence, the air tense, thick with rage and fear.
Then he turned and left without saying anything else.
I didn’t move for a while. My hands were shaking, my chest rising and falling fast. But I was still standing.
I had survived one more thing.
But as I looked around me, and saw how deep into the forest I was, I knew deep down this wasn’t the last time someone would try to take advantage of me, and this wasn't the last challenge.
And next time, I might not be so lucky.
I stayed there, curled against the rough bark of a tree, lost in my own world. My thoughts were loud, but the forest remained silent.
Until I felt it.
A gentle tap on my shoulder.
My heart nearly exploded. I jolted upright, I couldn't dare to breathe. Without looking, I turned and ran, But I must have overestimated myself, or underestimated them.
I hadn't ran for long, before I bumped into someone.
Someone gripped me, dragging me back like I weighed nothing.
"No! Let me go!" I screamed, as I tried to struggle.
They didn’t even flinch. The man holding me was stronger than me, and he knew it , he just looked down at me like I was nothing but a nuisance. His eyes were cold, empty of emotion, as he made me kneel. Another moved closer, c****d the gun, and pointed the gun at me.
I froze, closed my eyes, and tried to pray to the gods, as I lost the little hope of survival that I had left.
But then, a deep, commanding voice cut through the tension.
"Leave her," it said.
I thought it was hallucination, my eyes snapped open, and I saw everything had stopped.
The man with the gun, and lower it and moved away from me, I breathe a sigh of relief even though, I didn't understand what was going on.
Even the one holding me hesitated, his grip loosening just slightly.
And he slowly emerged from the crowd.
The leader.
He didn’t need to announce himself; his presence said it all. The way the others stepped aside for him.
His eyes were dark, and unreadable, as he stared at me, and I felt something in my chest tightened.
I panicked, I held my breath, waiting for what he was about to say.
Why do I even think he been her means they wouldn't kill me.
After sometime he finally spoke.
“Bring her,” he said, his voice low but final.
They were all shocked, even I was shocked.
I was a little excited,I felt like my parents were with me, I was lucky this time again.
But then was I really lucky. My brain finally began to work again.
I don't know where they was taking me to, maybe he even just didn't want to even kill me here.
Like he knew the question on my mind" she would be useful, I saw how hard she fought just now" he said.
Then I was sure that they weren't going to kill me.
Two of them moved closer to me.
I was yanked forward, dragged like a prisoner. And he just stood there, watching me with unreadable eyes. Like I was a puzzle. Or a prize.
All I could think was why me?
Why didn’t he let them kill me?
And worse… where were they taking me?
- Writer
