Chapter Three

Dera's POV

Amara and I looked at each other again for a while and then she pulled me into a hug.

“You made it,” she said softly, squeezing me.

She was filled with compassion. And relief.

She noticed my unease.

“You’re safe with me, Dera. Trust me.”

She guided me into the passenger seat, and one of the two ladies got my bag from me as Amara got in next to me in  the car. The two ladies didn't say anything. They just did what they needed to and in a second, the engine roared to life, and we sped away from Isaac’s pack. I kept looking back, expecting to see his guards chasing us.

The roads were quiet, but my mind was loud with fear. We shouldn’t have left. He’ll find us, I thought.

“Tia, are we really safe?” I asked my wolf.

“You are safe,” she replied firmly. “Isaac can’t control us anymore.”

I wanted to believe her, but my doubts lingered.

We had barely driven a mile when my phone buzzed in my pocket. Frantically, I reached for the phone in my shorts and took a deep breath. When my eyes went to the screen, my stomach twisted as I saw Isaac’s name.

Inwardly, Tia tried to calm me down and reassure me that this was not nearly as scary as I thought it was, but I could feel my entire body trembling. My hands shook violently as the phone kept ringing.

“Don’t answer,” Amara said firmly, her eyes on the road. She didn't want to look at the screen. She knew it was Isaac calling. I glanced outside the window, counting the trees as we drove and hoping that my body would stop trembling.

But the phone kept ringing, and each vibration felt like a blow to my chest. My fingers felt almost numb now as I picked it up.

“I have to,” I whispered, and before Amara could stop me, I pressed the answer button.

Isaac’s voice came through, cold and furious.

“Where are you right now, Dera?” He asked

He was trying to conceal the fury in his voice.

“I…I'm not at the pack anymore. I left,” I said in a tremulous voice.

I saw from the side of my eye that Amara was giving me a look that said ehe was both angry and disappointed, only barely restraining herself from grabbing the phone from me and tossing it away.

“And where exactly are you now? You better say it.” It was a threat and I took it as such. I held my breath as Amara looked at me now, hard enough to get the message across. I was not to disclose my location, of course.

“You don't have to know. Just know that I got away.” My response this time was fast and certain and it met with a scoff.

“Do you think you can run from me, Dera?”

I couldn’t speak. My throat felt dry.

“I have eyes everywhere,” he continued. “I know you’re trying to escape. Turn back now, and I might go easy on you. But if you don’t, my guards will kill you—and whoever is helping you.”

Tears filled my eyes. My voice shook as I said, “Please, don’t. I've done nothing wrong to you—”

“You belong to me, you were given to me and you better damn well understand that you belong to me!” he hissed, then hung up.

I stared at the phone, frozen in fear. Tears blurred my vision and I felt strength leaving my body. Amara held me close as I whispered softly,

“We have to go back or he’ll kill us.. he has no mercy in him and I don't want you guys trapped in my mess.”

Amara slammed her hand on the seat.

“No, Dera! If you go back, he’ll never let you go. You’ve already taken the first step to freedom. Don’t give up now. Cas, keep driving!”

“But you don't know what the bastard is capable of—”

“Trust me,” she said, her voice firm. “I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Reluctantly, I nodded, hugging myself this time.

Minutes later, headlights appeared behind us. My heart dropped as I saw a black SUV speeding toward us.

“It’s them,” I whispered, twisting around nervously to see better.

Amara gritted her teeth.

“Hold on. Cas is a good driver.”

The car swerved as Cas made sharp turns, trying to lose them. The SUV gained on us, but Cas was quick. She turned into a narrow alley, and the SUV sped past, missing us.

“We’re almost there,” she said, her voice steady despite the tension.

I leaned back in my seat, my hands shaking. Tia spoke softly in my mind.

“He's just a grumpy piece of shit. As long as he doesn't lay hands on you again, his threats are as good as nothing.”

I held myself together, finding comfort in Amara's embrace as we got closer to the pack by each second. We arrived at Amara’s pack just as dawn broke. The tall gates opened, and I finally felt a sliver of relief. Cas parked the car and turned to me.

“You’re safe now, ma'am.” she said with a smile and then left the other lady stepped out, curtsied lightly and left too.

I exhaled, though my chest still felt tight. As we got out, I hesitated.

And then it dawned on me that I was back at the Fangblood now, and there was Eric, my best friend's dad and alpha of the pack.

“Amara, is Eric… still the same?”

Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

“Is he still… the way he was?” I asked, trying to sound casual.

Amara smirked.

“You mean a womanizer?” She shrugged. “He hasn’t changed.”

Her words stung more than I expected. I had always carried a quiet crush on Eric, though I hated admitting it. Now, the thought of living under the same roof as him felt unbearable, but I had no choice.

Amara led me to a cozy room in the pack house. “You can unpack and rest here,” she said gently. “I’ll come check on you later.”

I thanked her and sat on the bed. The room was warm and inviting, a stark contrast to the cold emptiness of Isaac’s house. I unpacked my bag, placing my few belongings carefully.

Once I finished, I felt restless. The walls seemed to close in on me, so I decided to explore. The pack house was quiet, but it reminded me too much of Isaac’s home. My heart raced as I walked down the halls, my eyes darting around.

I turned a corner and entered a large meeting room. The decor was eerily similar to Isaac’s, and my breath caught when I saw a familiar sculpture. I walked toward it, my fingers trembling as I reached out to touch it.

The moment my hand brushed the surface, a memory crashed over me. I was back in Isaac’s house, breaking a similar sculpture. His anger, his punishments—they all came flooding back.

I pulled my hand away, but it was too late. The sculpture tipped over and shattered on the floor. Panic gripped me as I fell to my knees, my hands shaking.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, the horror of what I'd done almost making me insane.

“I won’t do it again. Please, I didn't mean that to happen.”

Tia tried to comfort me.

“Dera, you’re safe now. No one will hurt you.”

But her words couldn’t reach me. The memories were too strong.

Suddenly, gentle hands touched my shoulders. A deep, soothing voice said,

“It’s okay. No one will punish you.”

I turned to see a man kneeling beside me, his eyes full of concern.

“You don’t have to be afraid,” he said softly.

Before I could respond, he picked me up effortlessly. His arms were strong, yet his touch was gentle.

“Let’s get you back to your room,” he said.