Scarred Luna

I was hanging by a thread by this point. All I could see was blood. My dress was even more torn. I was bleeding from different parts of my body. I struggled to stand from the loss of blood.

Lucas laughed at the sight in front of him. I could hear genuine happiness from the way he sounded and soon enough, Mia’s laugh joined in. She had also come to watch my demise.

The wolves were vicious, angry and I was the perfect prey for them. They rounded me again and one of them lunged for me and I dodged it but another one jumped on me from behind and its teeth sunk into my arm.

I screamed in pain and I tried to shake it off. I raised the sharp branch I was holding and stuck it in its side. It let out a loud welp and jumped off me, tearing off some skin in the process.

I winced in pain as I backed off from them.

I couldn’t hold up much longer but it was hard to just give up. I needed to live up to my father’s mantra.

Three of them lunged for me at once and I jumped out of the way but one of them caught me, giving the other a chance to sink their sharp teeth into my skin.

I screamed again as I tried to pry them off but they wouldn’t budge. I felt myself grow weak as I sank to my knees and they all wanted a piece of me. That would have been funny if I wasn’t being mauled to death.

Hot tears streamed down my cheeks and loud screams escaped my lips. I could barely hold myself up anymore.

I was starting to feel numb when I heard my name being screamed. It sounded distant but I recognized that voice anywhere. Beta Carlos.

I wasn’t sure what was going on but I could tell he was helping me. I could hear loud howling and whimpering of the wolves as they were thrown off of me. I could also hear their feet scampering off into the forest. I finally managed to look up.

Lucas and Carlos were engaged in a heated conversation. I sat on the floor, wincing from all the pain I felt. My head felt heavy as I watched them.

“Carlos. You are my beta. Remember your place” Lucas warned and Carlos glared at him.

“How could you be so evil?! You’re the Alpha, you’re not meant to be a monster” he argued.

“Stand down Beta” Lucas warned again.

Carlos sighed and turned to look at me.

“Run” he mouthed.

“You little -” Lucas shouted as he tried to punch Carlos but Carlos stopped his hand mid-air.

I tried to get off the floor.

“Run, Kieran! Now!” He shouted this time and it felt like all the energy I needed entered my body at that moment.

“Seize her!” Lucas ordered his guards and they charged towards me.

I jumped to my feet and raced deep into the forest. This was the most deadly forest in the kingdom but it was also the only way out of it that was not the gates. I ran with every ounce of strength I had left in me as adrenaline pumped through my veins. My heart hammered wildly in my chest as I tried every way to escape the men who followed me, and at the same time, avoid wolves.

Once out of the forest, there was a large stream of water and I had to swim across it to the other side to actually get out of Albertos. I looked back as I heard the distant voices of the guards as they searched for me. There was no way I would make it to the other side in time without them seeing me.

Think, think, think, Kieran.

An idea popped into my head at that very moment and I immediately gathered my tattered dress in my arms and quickly walked into the water. Once I was in, bright red pooled around me. My blood. Shit, shit, shit. I started to panic as I hurriedly tried to mix it away. It worked but not enough. There wasn’t enough time. The moment the men were close enough to me, but too far to see me, I held my breath and dived into the water as I silently prayed to the moon goddess that they would not find me.

I watched as they searched for me but they couldn’t find me and I tried to stay put. I was running out of breath when they finally gave up and turned away. Thank goddess. I waited for a few extra seconds before I slowly swam up to the surface again. I took in a large whiff of breath as I coughed and gasped for air.

When I finally calmed down, I swam to the other side of the stream and staggered to the mainland again. My chest heaved heavily as I kept running, just weaker this time. I finally gave up when I was sure I was at a safe distance from Albertos.

I couldn’t hold myself up anymore and I fell to the floor. I looked around for any sign of life. I needed help. I was bleeding so much and I didn’t want to die.

There were a few buildings far in the distance and I groaned as I tried to get up again. My wet dress clung to my body and my hair matted on my head and face. By now, blood had started seeping out from all my wounds again.

Oh goddess, give me strength. I dragged myself on the ground for as far as I could before my strength and body betrayed me and I literally could not move anymore. I sighed in defeat as tears pooled in my eyes.Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

I really did not want to die. I had to stay alive and take revenge on Lucas for ruining my entire life and my family. I had to do it for the people of my village that he murdered in cold blood without any mercy. I had to stay alive for Carlos who has quite literally put his life on the line for me.

I needed to.

But I guess we don’t always get what we want. Maybe this was how my story was meant to be. Well, fuck. I guess I was going to die.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as my eyes slowly grew tired. I smiled at the possible peace I could have after my death as the world closed in on me.