Chapter Two

Dera's POV

He wasn't looking at me once I was standing next to him. I reached the stairs and my phone vibrated. It was a text from Amara.

“We’re in place. Don’t second-guess yourself. Stick to the plan.”

I quickly typed back while he was yet to turn to me. “I won’t change my mind. I’ll be there soon.”

I tucked the phone away in the shorts I'd worn under my dress and forced a smile onto my face. I had to act normal, or everything would fall apart. If the guests noticed any cracks in my countenance or Isaac himself did, it'd be very unpleasant for me. He could lock me up in the room and order me to stay there until the guests had all left.

I could almost hear his cruel voice in my head.

“Since you hate entertaining the guests so much, stay in there!”

I shuddered at that thought. I couldn't let that happen. My smile stayed permanently on my face.

The dining room was bright and loud. Isaac sat at the head of the table, laughing with his guests. Malik, the new Alpha of the Bloodbath Pack, was here with his mate, Salome. Isaac was playing the perfect host, using sweet words to flatter Malik.

“To Alpha Malik,” Isaac said, raising his glass. “May your reign bring strength and glory to your pack. It’s an honor to have you here.”

Everyone clapped and cheered. I clapped too, though my hands felt heavy. I stayed quiet, keeping my eyes on the table. Malik seemed kind, but I knew better than to trust appearances. Salome smiled at me, probably trying to be friendly, but I didn’t return it.

“You’re very quiet,” Salome said after a while. “Being Luna must be a lot of work. How do you manage it all?”

Her words stung. I wanted to tell her the truth—that I wasn’t a Luna, just a prisoner. But before I could answer, Isaac spoke for me.

“She’s doing great,” he said with a fake smile. “Dera has been a pillar of support for me and the pack.”

Salome nodded politely, but her eyes lingered on me. It was like she could see through the lies.

Isaac kept making jokes at my expense, laughing as though I was just a toy for his amusement. When Salome asked me to pick a dish, Isaac interrupted again, mocking my choice.

“You always choose the plain stuff,” he said, shaking his head. “Let me pick something better for you. Seems your sense of choice is a little numb.”

At that, he gave a loud laughter and Alpha Malik joined in even if it felt a bit awkward. I saw Malome’s eyes on me as my cheeks burned. She knew I wasn't enjoying any of these but maybe if she looked closer, she'd realize this was my normal life.

I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from reacting. I had endured worse. A few more hours, I reminded myself. Just a little longer.

When the food arrived, I barely ate. I took one bite and then excused myself.

“I need to use the restroom,” I said softly.

Isaac barely looked at me as he waved me away like he would an unimportant slave who'd been by his side for too long.

I walked calmly out of the room, feeling Salome’s eyes on me, but my heart was pounding. As soon as I reached the restroom, I locked the door and took a deep breath. This was it. My moment to escape.

The small window was my way out. Beneath it was a bag I had hidden earlier. It held everything I needed for my escape. It had everything I'd ever considered as my valuables.

“Tia, are you ready?” I asked my wolf.

“I was born ready,” she said with determination. “Let’s go.”

I shifted into my wolf form, feeling my bones crack and reshape. My white fur gleamed under the moonlight as I grabbed the bag in my mouth and leapt out of the window. The cool night air hit my face, and I ran.

My paws pounded against the earth as I darted through the trees. The forest was dark, but Tia's abilities helped us see clearly as we went with speed. I had memorized every turn, every hidden spot.

“Faster, Dera,” Tia urged.

“We need to put more distance between us and Isaac before he notices your absence and comes racing after you.”

I pushed myself harder, my breath coming in short bursts. Fear tore at the edges of my mind. What if he found out I was gone too soon? What if he caught me?

“He won’t catch us if we go faster,” Tia said firmly. “We’re almost there.”

The trees thinned out as I approached the meeting spot. My ears twitched at the sound of rustling leaves. I froze, my body tense, until a familiar voice broke the silence.

“It’s me,” Amara whispered, stepping out from the shadows.

Relief washed over me as I shifted back into my human form.

“Thank the moon goddess,” I said, my voice shaking.

Amara handed me a cloak to cover myself.

“You did it,” she said, her face full of pride.

“You’re free now.”

We stared at each other for only a second and then we locked each other in a tight embrace. It was brief. There was no time to spend on hugs.

“Not totally free yet,” I replied as I broke the hug  glancing over my shoulder.

“We need to keep moving. He’ll come after me as soon as he notices I’m gone.”

Amara nodded, her expression serious. “Then let’s not waste any time.”

We moved quickly through the forest, the silence broken only by the crunch of leaves beneath our feet. The moonlight guided us, casting long shadows on the ground.

More than ever, Amara was determined to take me to safety. She'd risked her own safety to come into the woods and wait for me at the bush path

She knew there would have been attention drawn if she'd come with any men and so she'd decided to come alone. It was one thing I could never take for granted. She'd proven to me that she was a friend indeed.

As we reached the border of the Bloodvalley pack’s territory, a mix of emotions swirled inside me. Relief, fear. Fear for what I didn't know yet. Fear for what might be done to me if I was ever caught.

This was the only life I had known for an entire five years, but it wasn’t a life worth keeping so I was giving it up for my freedom.

“We’re finally free,” Tia said softly.

“Yes,” I whispered. “We are.”

But just as we crossed the border, a howl echoed in the distance. My blood turned cold.

“He knows,” I said, my voice barely audible.

Amara grabbed my arm.

“We keep moving,” she said firmly. “No stopping now.”

I nodded, my legs trembling as we broke into a run.

“Focus, Dera,” Tia said.

She was right. I had to keep going. I couldn’t let fear control me.

The forest grew darker as we pushed forward. The air was thick with tension, but I clung to the hope that we would make it. For the first time in years, I felt a spark of freedom.

“We’re almost there,” Amara said, her voice breathless but determined.

I nodded, forcing myself to keep up. My body ached, but the thought of freedom kept me moving.

Finally, we reached a clearing where Amara’s people were waiting. They greeted us with quiet nods, their eyes scanning the forest for any signs of pursuit.

“You’re safe now,” Amara said, squeezing my hand.

I wanted to believe her, but the howls in the distance told me otherwise. Isaac wouldn’t give up so easily.