Run! The Lost Princess of the Black Wolves

Chapter 45 - Echoes in the night

Chloe's mind spun with a mixture of disbelief and horror. This couldn't be happening. Freya and Arnulf couldn't have vanished from the party. Freya had promised to stay as far away from Arnulf as possible. Damn it!

Thoughts of their possible whereabouts raced through her mind as she dashed through the door that Sigrun had mentioned. She found herself in a dimly lit, seemingly endless corridor, and she started running, the fear of something happening to Freya urging her to hurry up. Pausing occasionally, she strained her ears, hoping to catch any strange sounds, but the corridor remained eerily silent, forcing her to press on.

Suddenly, found herself on top of a staircase, and she descended it quickly, holding up her dress to prevent herself from tripping. The stairs led to what appeared to be the staff quarters, and as she opened a door, she stepped into a shabby leisure room, filled with worn-out furniture and pool tables. She was surprised by the stark contrast of this room compared to the rest of the castle, which was so elegantly styled and meticulously decorated.

Despite not seeing her, Chloe called out for Freya, but the room only echoed with emptiness. Sniffing the air, she couldn’t detect any trace of Freya's scent either. She hadn’t been there. So where was she? Frustrated, Chloe slammed the door shut, continuing her frantic search.

The corridor brought her to a dead-end, leading into a small hallway with only one door. Through the small window on the door, Chloe realized it was the staff entrance to the castle. She let out a groan, feeling frustrated and confused. There was no way Freya would have gone out there. She despised the cold weather, and why would she venture into the darkness of the night? It didn't add up.

"Damn it! Now what?" Chloe muttered to herself, her voice tinged with a mix of frustration and worry. Should she go back? Maybe Sigrun had been mistaken. There was no logical reason for Arnulf to bring Freya down here. Just as she turned to run back and up the stairs, a sense of doubt flickered in her mind. The door. She should check it. For sure, it was a loose end. But still… She couldn't shake the feeling that she needed to leave no stone unturned.

As she opened the door, she let her gaze wander around the surroundings. It was a breathtaking night that greeted her, with twinkling stars and a radiant moon casting its glow on the sparkling snow. Chloe inhaled deeply, the crisp air filling her lungs, but her heightened senses remained on high alert. The serene beauty of the night contrasted sharply with the urgency and danger that pulsed through her veins.

"Calm down," she muttered to herself. "Everything will be okay. Perhaps Freya is waiting for me in the ballroom. What if she wanders off alone, looking for me? That would be a disaster." Determined, she prepared to close the door and retrace her steps. However, a chilling sound reached her ears, causing her to pause. Pricking up her senses, she opened the door wider, listening intently. What was that?

There it was again! A muffled scream. This time, there was no doubt. Freya! Chloe's heart raced, and without a second thought, she dashed into the snow, running towards the source of the sound. Stumbling in her long dress and high heels, she kicked off her shoes and continued barefoot, holding up her dress for it not to hinder her movements. Once again, a muffled scream pierced through the castle walls, its chilling echo reverberating down her spine. Fueled by determination, she quickened her pace as she propelled herself through the snow, each step more urgent than the last.

Running with all her might, Chloe maneuvered through twists and turns until she abruptly emerged in the heart of the castle grounds. The moonlight bathed the magnificent ice sculptures, casting an ethereal glow upon them. The flickering torches added to the enchanting ambiance, creating a scene of serene beauty, making it difficult to imagine anything disturbing could within this space.

However, a chill traveled up and down her spine as she realized… It was just like her dream. A sense of déjà vu washed over her as she scanned her surroundings. What if…? "Freya!" she called out desperately. "Freya, where are you?"

No reply came, but a rustling sound and muffled noises to her left grabbed her attention. "Freya?" she called out once more, spotting a figure near the foot of the giant ice mammoth. Carefully, she tiptoed closer.

There, on the ground, lay Freya, the once vibrant sparkling green dress torn to shreds, revealing her exposed chest. Her hands were tightly bound, and she looked at Chloe with desperate eyes, trying to convey a message as a muffled cry of anguish escaped her gagged mouth.

"Freya!" Chloe gasped, dropping to her knees and swiftly removing the gag. "Who did this to you?"

"Arnulf..." Freya trembled, her voice filled with despair. "I'm so sorry, Chloe. The livathn got to me, and Arnulf told me he would show me something extraordinary... He said Theo had created an ice sculpture just for me and wanted to show it to me down here..." Freya sobbed, her words pouring out. "I was so stupid, Chloe! When we arrived, he changed, trying to force himself on me, destroying your dress in the process... I'm so sorry, I ruined your dress!"

"Freya!" Chloe groaned, desperately attempting to untie her friend's hands. "Forget the dress. All I care about is getting you out of here. Arnulf is a sick monster."

"I'm so sorry," Freya repeated, her face filled with shock and remorse. Suddenly, her gaze widened, her eyes fixed on something over Chloe's shoulder. "Chloe, watch out!"

In an instant, Chloe was thrown to the side, pinned to the ground by the weight of Arnulf's body. Hatred burned in his steel-blue eyes as he locked his gaze with hers.

"Hello, princess,” he spat. “I hoped you'd come, but I wasn't sure my brother would let you out of his sight,” he continued with a sneer. “Lucky for me, you're stupid enough to come alone."

His hair was disheveled, tousled strands of unruly locks framing his face, and the top buttons of his shirt were torn. As he followed Chloe's gaze, his lips curling into a wicked grin. "Little Freya wasn't as eager to fuc.k me as I had hoped, so I had to move things a little fast-forward. And now, I’m going to tie you up and make you watch as I take her, over and over again, as punishment for what you did to me," he snarled.

"You sick bastard!" Freya's voice cracked as she rose to her feet, launching herself at Arnulf, trying to push him away from Chloe. However, he just brushed her aside with contempt, her small frame crashing to the ground with a painful thud, causing her to cry out in pain.

"Over my dead body," Chloe snarled, seizing the opportunity to free herself from Arnulf's grip. Forcefully, she pushed away his arm and slid her legs up around his neck, locking him in a fierce chokehold, making him lose his breath.

Arnulf's eyes were burning with fury as he struggled to break free. "You little bitc.h," he hissed, his voice hoarse. “I’m going to kill you!”

In the blink of an eye, he shifted into a massive silvery wolf, his fangs gleaming menacingly in the moonlight. With a violent shake of his head, he tossed Chloe aside, sending her tumbling to the ground, preparing to strike her again. However, just as swiftly, Chloe shifted into her own wolf form, her sleek, black figure bursting the zipper of her dress as she did. Quickly, she slid out of her dress as she evaded his next blow, and she circled behind him, placing herself behind his back.

Growling ferociously, he spun around, his eyes filled with anger as he prepared to pounce once more. This time, he managed to sink his claws into Chloe's skin, eliciting a howl of pain. Damn it, that hurt! Weighed down by a combination of fear and anger, adrenaline pumping through her veins, she wriggled free from his grasp, spinning around desperately. He was too fast, too strong!

With all her remaining strength, she lunged at his back, her jaws aiming for his vulnerable neck. Letting her fangs sink into his flesh, she felt the taste of his warm blood rushing into her mouth as she clung on, refusing to release her grip. She closed her eyes, letting them dig in even deeper. She couldn’t let go, he would kill her! And then he would kill Freya. No, she couldn’t let go. She just couldn't. She wouldn’t. She didn’t….

"Chloe, what have you done?" Freya's words broke through the sudden silence, her voice barely above a whisper. Startled, Chloe opened her eyes, looking down at Arnulf’s motionless body, blood seeping from his lifeless form.

Gasping for breath, Chloe withdrew her fangs and stumbled backward, her eyes wide with horror.

"Oh, s**t! Is he… dead?" Freya whispered, her eyes fixated on the bloodstained figure on the ground.