Hunted by the Alpha King

Eight

Willow didn’t stop at the angry howl that took over the forest. She couldn’t afford to stop. The howl was the sound of avery angry wolf. Her Alpha. Her mate. His rage and pain consumed the forest. Overtaking all in it’s path. She could hear the wildlife scurrying to their homes and hiding. The predators of the forest ran as fast as they could, seeking shelter. She could feel their eyes watching her, wondering if she was the cause of the anger and fright. It was her fault. Her mate was angry that she had left. She was so angry she was worried he would burn everything down to find her.

I have no idea how we’re going to get through this, Willow said to her wolf, forgetting that Rana was hiding. The silence was lonely. She had just learned of her wolf tonight, but it felt like they had known each other for years. Rana was the missing friend she had always missed out on growing up. Her wolf was more worldly than she was. She knew more about what was going on than Willow did. It was reassuring to know someone was looking out for her other than her parents.

The thought of her parents sent a shot of fear down her throat. If Ronan could track her parents, they would be tortured until her whereabouts were found. Maybe it was a good thing that Rana had told her to go South instead. Any lead Ronan was able to get from her parents would be wrong.

Their pack was deep within the mountains, with miles upon miles of forest and wildlife surrounding it. The Mountain Wolf Pack was the most secluded in the land. They were the most savage and brutal. She had to be smart to get away from Ronan. If she kept walking South through the forest, eventually, she would hit the small road that leads into the pack’s lands. It wouldn’t be smart to follow the road completely if Ronan had his hunter’s on the road rather than in the forest. He would probably be roaming the lands while his hunters searched everywhere else. The nearest town was a human town. A small mountain town tucked away from everyone else. The humans didn’t know of the pack who lived near them. She might be able to get away if she were to embrace her human side and hide there for a little. Ronan didn’t know that Rana had suppressed herself.

He wouldn’t be able to find the mate that he marked.

After a couple of hours, she could see lights from the town in the distance. Willow guessed she was about four or five miles out from the town when she heard the first sounds of wolves behind her. With a glance over her shoulder, she realized they weren’t as close as she originally thought. Their snarls were echoing across the valley. She reached into her pocket and threw the rest of the dried lavender leaves around her, hoping to throw them off her trail again. She didn’t want them to be able to follow a clear path of lavender, so she tossed the dried leaves in a wide arc.

Willow started towards the town, holding her pack tightly to her back to minimize her sound. She stepped only on the hardest parts of the forest floor, bounding quicker than her fastest pace. To keep the branches and twigs intact, she dodged and weaved like she was a cloud of smoke. Not a tall blonde who was bleeding out of her neck at a worrying pace.

Ronan had been savage in his marking of Rana. But Willow was the one who was suffering. Her body was growing weaker and weaker. She wished her father had included a first aid kit in the backpack. Or a towel of some sort to help clean the blood. Hopefully, the lavender prevented any wolves from being able to smell her.

Snarls and howls followed her to the small town. On the outskirts, she saw a small farmhouse with a sturdy shed beside it. The house’s lights illuminated the trees closest to her. She didn’t have time to think. She quickly crossed the pasture toward the back of the shed. There wasn’t a door on the back wall but a small window. Willow almost wept with joy when the window was already cracked. She slipped her fingers under the pane and slowly lifted it until it was opened enough for her to sneak in. She lifted her body and rolled over the top as quietly as possible, falling to the ground with a thud. Waiting a moment to see if anyone had heard her, she stood and closed the window.

Her body slumped against the wall. She started shivering as her body ran out of adrenaline. The coldness seeped in and took over. With shaking hands, she took off the black sweater she was wearing and pressed it against her neck. Every bit of her started to hurt. Her legs were scraped from trekking in the woods; her neck was throbbing and still dripping blood. Her hands were cold from the night air that howled around her. Her eyes were heavy, and exhaustion settled into her bones. She just needed to rest. Just for a little bit. Then she could continue to run tomorrow. Tomorrow, when she had more energy and a little warmth, she would continue to run again. She had a couple of dollars in her pack, hopefully, she could get a decent meal and a one-way ticket out of the city.

She first just needed to rest. Her eyes closed almost unwillingly, and everything drifted to black.

“What’re you doing here?” A harsh voice asked from the darkness. Willow shot awake when something kicked her foot that was stretched out in front of her. An old farmer with an old-fashioned pitchfork stood before her. She eyed the prongs of the pitchfork but couldn’t muster the energy to care.

“If you’re going to kill me, just do it quick. I’m already bleeding out.”

The old man’s bushy eyebrows scrunched in confusion. She lifted the sweater that was pressed against her neck and showed him her injury. His eyebrows shot up on his head before he cursed, throwing the pitchfork down and kneeling next to her.

“What happened to you?” His voice was decidedly younger.

She closed her eyes when his cold hands pushed her head to the side. “He almost killed me. All just to make a point.”

“And what point was that?” she could feel warmth along her neck, but she was too tired to care.

“That I belonged to him. But I got away.”

“Not before he almost killed you.”

“He was probably hoping the pack doctors would save me.” Willow didn’t even realize that she might’ve said something that was forbidden. She didn’t even register when the hands on her neck paused. Since her eyes were closed, she didn’t realize when the old man suddenly turned young. The wrinkles along his face evened out. The fat along his belly dissolved into a fit young man. He was tall and skinny, with stylish blonde hair swept back from his face. Amber eyes flicked over her injury and face, turning green with the flames that jumped from his fingers. He pressed his warm hands along her neck. Willow groaned as she finally felt some semblance of comfort.

“Shh!” A warm hand covered Willow’s mouth. The man arched his hand over them and a silver white orb surrounded them.

She was having a hard time focusing on her surroundings. The pain in her neck worsened when the man had pulled his hand away from her. She bit her cheek, trying to keep her groans of pain in. Her limbs started to shake and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She heard a faint curse as everything around her went dark.