Fated To The Enemy

Cornered

He was tall, towering over her with broad shoulders and a muscular build.

His dark eyes glinted with cruel amusement as he noticed her. He stopped a few feet away, his lips curling into a smirk.

“Well, well,” he drawled, his voice low and mocking. “What do we have here? Trying to run away, little wolf?”

Lila tensed as she sized him up, calculating her chances. He was clearly strong. One of Derek’s elite fighters, no doubt. His uniform was tight against his bulging muscles, and his hands, calloused and scarred, flexed as if already imagining wrapping around her throat.

His hair was cut short, and his skin was bronzed from years of training and battle.

The leer on his face sent a shiver down her spine. “You’re not going anywhere, darling.”

“I don’t want any trouble,” Lila said, her voice steady despite the terror building in her chest. “Just let me go.”

The warrior chuckled, stepping closer. “That’s cute, but I’ve got orders. You’re not going anywhere unless I drag you back, kicking and screaming.”

Lila’s heart raced, her mind whirling. She could try to reason with him, maybe buy some time.

“Derek’s already furious. If you hurt me, it’ll only make things worse for you. You know that, right?” she said confidently.

The warrior’s smirk widened. “Oh, I don’t think Derek will care too much if you’re a little roughed up. Besides, I don’t take orders from weak little girls.”

He lunged at her, his hand reaching out to grab her arm. Instinct kicked in. Lila twisted out of his grasp and, with a burst of adrenaline, she threw a roundhouse kick, her foot connecting with the side of his head.

The impact shocked him. His eyes widened in surprise as he staggered back.

“You little...” he snarled, wiping a trickle of blood from his lip.

But before he could recover, Lila sprang into action, aiming another kick toward his midsection. This time, he anticipated her move and caught her leg in mid-air, twisting it painfully.

Lila yelped in pain as she tried to keep her balance. The warrior wasted no time. He grabbed her throat, his fingers digging into her skin.

“Stupid girl,” he hissed, squeezing tighter. “You really thought you could fight me?”

Lila gasped for air, her vision blurring as her lungs burned. She clawed at his hand, desperate for a breath, but his grip was iron-tight.

Spots danced in front of her eyes, the world spinning out of focus. No, she couldn’t die here. Not like this.

In a final, desperate move, Lila’s mind shot to the shard of glass she had she gripped it tightly, ignoring the way it cut into her palm, and slashed at his face with all the strength she could muster.

She felt the glass slice through his skin, warm blood spurting onto her hand as the warrior let out a choked cry.

His grip loosened immediately as he stumbled back, clutching his face in shock and pain.

Lila fell to the ground, coughing and gasping for breath. Her throat ached, but she couldn’t stop. The warrior was already stumbling, blood gushing from his wound, his eyes wide with fury.

She didn’t wait. She scrambled to her feet and sprinted down the hall, her legs weak and trembling but fueled by sheer survival instinct.

She had to find an escape. Now.

Her eyes darted around the hallway, and just as she was about to give up hope, she spotted a Fire Escape door with a faint green sign.

Without hesitating, Lila threw herself at the door, her hands fumbling with the handle. It stuck for a moment, as if mocking her, but finally gave way. She pushed it open and was met with a blast of cold night air.

She looked down. The fire escape stairs spiralled downward, a dizzying height between her and the ground. Her legs were shaking, her entire body screaming in protest from the strain, but she couldn’t stop now. Not when freedom was so close.

Lila grabbed the railing and began her descent. Each step felt like an eternity, the clanging metal betraying her every move. She glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting the warrior to burst through the door, but for now, she was alone.

Her eyes had to adjust to the sudden light—after being in the darkness for so long, the brightness was almost overwhelming. The moon cast a pale glow over the city below, and for a fleeting moment, she allowed herself to hope.

Just a little further. Almost there.

She reached the bottom of the fire escape, her feet hitting solid ground with a soft thud. Lila looked around frantically, but there were no guards in sight, no sign of pursuit. Her heart pounded in her chest, the sound almost deafening in the quiet alleyway.

A wave of relief washed over her, and she leaned against the brick wall, her legs buckling beneath her. She was free.

Her breath came in ragged gasps, her throat raw from the warrior’s grip. She rubbed at her neck, wincing as her fingers brushed the bruised skin.

She didn’t have time to dwell on the pain. She needed to move, to get as far away from this place as possible before Derek or anyone else found her.

But as she caught her breath, a familiar ache settled in her chest. Derek’s face flashed in her mind. His cold eyes, the way he’d looked at her as if she were nothing more than a pawn in his game.

She hated him for what he’d done, for the betrayal, for the cruelty, but somewhere deep inside, a part of her wished things could have been different.

Her eyes stung with unshed tears, but she pushed the thought away. There was no time for regrets, no room for weakness. She had to keep moving.

Gathering her strength, Lila straightened up and glanced around the alleyway. There had to be a way out, a path that would lead her far away from this nightmare. She just had to find it.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the shadows, her heart pounding with a new sense of determination. The hunt was far from over, but for the first time in days, she was free.