Run! The Lost Princess of the Black Wolves

Chapter 1 - Wake Up

Wake up

Slowly, she batted her unwilling eyelids, struggling to regain consciousness. However, they were so heavy it felt as if they were weighed down by lead...

When she finally managed to open them, her vision was blurred, and she had to squint her eyes to see. It was difficult to make out any details in the dim light that surrounded her, but as she finally managed to focus her vision, the first thing she noticed was a glass of water accompanied by two little white pills resting on the bedside table next to her.

Confused, she let her gaze wander in front of her. Where on earth was she? The surroundings were unfamiliar, and she couldn't recall ever seeing this place before. A faint memory of a luxurious bed with silk sheets and heavy linen curtains fluttered in her mind like a dream, but it slipped away just as quickly. Desperately, she clung to the image, feeling as though it was where she belonged! But it faded away, leaving her in this cold, dimly lit room with rough sheets that scratched at her skin.

As she slowly turned in bed to face the ceiling, a wave of pain crashed over her in the form of a massive headache. What had happened? Her mind raced as she tried to piece together what she was experiencing, but nothing seemed to make sense. She had never had a headache before, or had she? Wait a minute… The realization hit her like a ton of bricks, and her eyes widened in shock - she didn’t know! She couldn't remember a thing.

Panic set in as she tried to recall even the slightest details about herself, but everything was a blur. Images flashed in her mind, so fleeting and distant that she couldn't grasp onto them. The chills traveled up and down her spine as she realized that she didn't know anything. Not even who she was. She was totally empty within. Blank. Nothing.

Her heart pounded so hard in her chest that she thought it might burst as she sat up abruptly in bed, her senses on high alert. Her eyes darted around the room, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings, and she winced when she suddenly noticed. She wasn’t alone! A shriek threatened to escape her lips when she caught sight of a large, muscular man lying sound asleep beside her in bed. Who was he? And how did she end up here?

With her heart in her throat, she scooted further away from him in bed, her eyes fixed on his ruggedly handsome features. Did she know him? His long brown hair flowed out on the pillow, with a slightly golden shade that caught the dim light in the room, framing his masculine face with a sharp nose, full lips and dimpled chin. His arms were bulging with muscle, and his chest was massive, giving him an aura of raw power and strength.

As she studied him, a little frown between his eyebrows, she couldn’t help to feel intimidated yet attracted to him at the same time. There was no doubt. This man was dangerous... Nevertheless, there was something about him that drew her in, something magnetic that she couldn't quite put her finger on.

As she closed her eyes, trying to calm herself and slow down her racing thoughts, her senses focused on his earthy scent that filled her nostrils. It was... enticing. She noticed warm and spicy amber, and a hint of green moss. It was pleasantly familiar somehow, the only thing in this room that seemed familiar to her at all. Her mind was still spinning, screaming at her to get away from this dangerous-looking man, but when she focused on his scent it soothed her frayed nerves. Maybe he wasn’t that harmful after all...?

Just as she began to relax and let her guard down, she suddenly snapped back to reality when his piercing blue eyes fluttered open. Instinctively, her hands clenched into fists, ready to defend herself! The intensity of his stare made her feel vulnerable and exposed, as if he could see right through her.

“Good morning, princess,” his gaze softened as he saw she was awake and he gave her a sympathetic smile. “Is it one of those days, huh?” he added with a little sigh as she narrowed her eyes at him. “I’m sorry… You usually feel better when you wake up in my arms.”

“Who are you?” she frowned. “And why am I in your bed?”

“I’m Nolan,” a slight chuckle left his lips. “I am your mate.” He smiled, but his eyes were weary. “And it’s not my bed, it’s ours.”

“Ours?” she looked at him with disbelief. It could not be true! This was not her home, she was sure of it. “How come I don’t remember anything?” she eyed him suspiciously.

“Because of the accident…” Nolan closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, as if he was trying to restrain himself. “Please, just take the water and the pills. It will make you feel better,” he opened his eyes and nodded towards her bedside table.

“No,” she curled her lip. She did not trust this man who called himself her mate. She would definitely not take his pills.

“They are painkillers, Chloe!” he groaned. “Why are you so suspicious?”

“Chloe…” That was her name! At least, she recognized her own name… But everything else was still blank.

“Look at them,” he sighed. “They are ordinary Brufen tablets. For your headache…”

“How do you know I have a headache?” she squinted her eyes.

“You always do in the morning. You’ll be better during the day, I promise,” his gaze softened. “Please, my love, just take the pills. Here, I want to show you something,” he sat up in bed, reaching for his phone, and began scrolling through it, looking for something.

As Chloe took a deep breath, she couldn't help but notice the calming effect of his scent. What if he was telling her the truth? What if he was her mate, and this was her home, after all..?

Mate. The word triggered a sudden realization in her mind. Her wolf was missing! That explained the emptiness she felt inside.

Searching her mind, she tried to channel her inner wolf, but it was futile. She wasn’t there. For the first time in her life, she was all alone. She knew instinctively that her wolf was a moody bit.ch, but now that she realized she was gone, it felt like she was left with a gaping hole in her chest.

Nolan had said something about an accident. What accident? Her head was pounding, and her thoughts were sluggish. The pain was unbearable… She glanced at the pills. They did look like ordinary painkillers… With a “B” imprinted on them. Carefully, she picked them up and examined them closely. After some hesitation, she swallowed them down with a sip of water, recognizing the familiar bitter taste of the pills.

This wasn’t the first time she did this.

“Good girl,” Nolan gave her a warm smile. “Come here,” he motioned for her to move closer, and though she was reluctant, she hesitantly obliged. She flinched when he wrapped his arm around her, but she allowed it to stay as his soothing scent enveloped her and made her feel cradled. Even safe, somehow.

He held up his phone screen for her to see and pressed the play button. As the video began to play, she couldn't believe her eyes - it was a recording of herself! Her striking green eyes stared back at her from the screen as she sat in a comfortable armchair with her long, glossy black hair falling to one side. She appeared to be nervous, her eyes darting around as if looking for someone behind the camera before returning to the lens with a faint smile on her lips.

“Hi,” the Chloe on the screen greeted with an awkward chuckle. “I’m Chloe… And I’m filming this for myself. I feel so stupid, do I have to do this?” she cringed, looking unsure of herself.

“It’s for your own sake, love. You can do it,” Nolan's voice rang out from the phone's speakers, reassuring her,

Chloe on the screen let out a breath and closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly and snorted with frustration, before she once again faced the camera.

"OK… Let's do this," she lifted her gaze, looking straight into the lens. “My name is Chloe, and I’m filming this so I can watch it when I wake up in the morning and don’t have to walk around scared all day.”

She paused and took a deep breath before continuing. “OK, so first of all – Nolan is my mate,” she said, smiling up at the camera holder.

“And he loves you very much…” Nolan’s voice resounded.

“Yes, I guess he does…” Chloe chuckled, her cheeks flushing before she looked back into the camera. “There was an accident,” she lingered on the words. “I don’t remember it, and it’s better you ask Nolan about what happened, but basically I hit my head, and ever since, I wake up each morning with a terrible headache and complete memory loss. It’s awful! But it gets better during the day, trust me…”

Chloe stopped, turning to the camera holder once again, questioning, "Is that enough?"

“Sure… Whatever you feel is enough. It’s a message to yourself after all,” Nolan's voice encouraged her.

“I guess… I can say that the first hours in the morning are terrible! The headache, the confusion... I have trouble remembering stuff. But it gets better, and my memories come back to me, bit by bit. And everyone is so kind to me! Especially Kendra. She's a really good friend. And Nolan of course..."

“Aren’t you going to say how much you love me?” Nolan asked teasingly.

“You wish,” Chloe blushed and playfully stuck out her tongue. “You’re growing on me, I can give you that,” she winked, and the next moment, the video froze, capturing an image of her smiling broadly.

Chloe remained speechless, her eyes fixed on the screen as she struggled to find the words to say. Finally, she cleared her throat and asked, "What happened? Who am I, and why can't I remember anything?"

"Your name is Chloe Hendricks," Nolan replied while stroking her arm, sending a soothing yet tingling sensation through her body. "You come from a powerful werewolf clan known as 'The Black Wolves',” he kissed her in the forehead.

“Because our furs are black?” She frowned. A distant memory popped up in her mind of a massive black wolf with razor-blade sharp teeth and massive claws on its huge paws.

“Yes… And you might just as well have been called the Big Black Wolves because you are also the largest wolves that I’ve ever seen! There’s a reason why your pack was the greatest and the strongest for centuries… Your heritage is impressive, as it traces back to ancient European kings and queens, with Royal blood running through your veins."

Chloe's frown deepened as she tried to recall something. "But where are they now? My pack?" she asked, her voice laced with worry.

Nolan hesitated for a moment before replying, “We can talk about it later… You need some breakfast. You’re always so cranky in the morning before breakfast,” he smiled knowingly.

“Tell me now,” she distanced herself from him, narrowing her eyes.

“Alright, alright…” he sighed. “There’s a war going on. Your pack was attacked… By the Northern packs. They've always wanted your lands and your territories.“

“The Northern Pack Wars…” Chloe tasted the word that popped up in her mind. “But that was… decades ago?”

“Yes, and your family crushed them back then. But now they’ve come back, wanting revenge. They sneaked in and attacked your pack, turning everything into flames. Thank Goddess I found you and could save you! Or you would have faced the same fate as the rest of your family.”

“My family…”

Chloe gasped as her mind was abruptly flooded with images of her family: Warren, her strong father, with his tough jaw and black hair with silver strands in it. Rebecca, her beautiful mother, with her platinum blonde hair and icy blue eyes, that could make anyone tremble before her, but who was the most caring person in the world. Nana, her grandmother, with her mischievous gaze and big heart... And her two obstinate older brothers, John and Nicholas, who were always in conflict with each other, constantly fighting and competing, ever since they were little pups. And…

It felt like someone was missing, but her head was so heavy… There was one more really important person as well. A beautiful woman with long blonde hair and brilliant hazel eyes... But no matter how hard she tried, Chloe couldn't remember the woman's name or who she was. However, there was a baby as well! A charming little creature with the most adorable smile that melted Chloe's heart, and she couldn't help but smile as she remembered the little one wrapping her tiny hand around her finger.

Suddenly, her eyes widened as she remembered something else, and she clasped her hands over her mouth. “The fire…” she gasped in horror.

Images in her mind from a massive fire consuming a large timber house shook her to the core, and tears welled up in her eyes as she saw Nolan nodding in reply.

“Yes… I’m so sorry, my love.” Nolan held her close, gently caressing her cheek. “They’re all gone. The northern packs locked them into a house and put it on fire," he paused. "The fire… It took them all.”

“NO!” Chloe screamed with terror, once again distancing herself from him. “It can’t be true!” The tears in her eyes began streaming down her face as she stared at him in despair. “Please,” she cried. “Please tell me they survived.”

"I'm sorry… They didn't make it. You were the only one I managed to save. And now, we’re on the run! The northern packs are still after you, knowing that you escaped. But I will not let them find you, trust me,” he reached for her and took her shaking body back into his arms, cradling her as he gently swayed her back and forth.

“I love you so much, Chloe. I will not let them take you away from me! I will keep you safe, no matter what.”

For some unknown reason, his words didn’t make her feel safe at all.

On the contrary. She felt… trapped.