Midnight Cravings :Craved by the Alpha who rejected me

AMARA

AMARA

“Breathe, just breathe.” I whispered to myself as I tried to force air down my lungs while blood cascaded out of the corner of my head.

I gritted my teeth as I sprinted through the forest, suddenly numb to the pain from the thorns and blisters.

There were spots in my vision and that loud ringing and hot liquid, blood, running down my ears. If I make it through this night, it's going to be a miracle.

Few hours ago, I was Amara Sylverstone, mated Alpha Kael Blackthorn's and leaving the dream of most maidens in the pack.

Yet, in the space of an hour, I had been cheated on, framed, rejected, exiled and currently being hunted down like a rabid dog.

“Amara, run. Do not look back.” My mother's words echoed in my head. It was just like 12 years ago when my parents were murdered and mum had begged me to run, she had sacrificed herself to shield me.

So no, I wasn't going to die. Not today.

Only difference, this time I was doing it all alone.

I winced in pain as I stumbled over a tree branch and hit the ground with a thud but I couldn't stay down long enough to register the pain when I heard heavy footsteps coming towards my direction.

Only the goddess would be able to fathom exactly what I was being chased for.

I had gotten little information from the maids before I was exiled that I had been charged with high treason and evidence had been brought forward by Lyra.

The same Lyra I caught naked in bed with Kael and despite being innocent, I knew if I tried to plead my case, I wouldn't live long enough to find out the end of it.

I just needed to cross pack boundaries and whatever my fate became, was going to be the choice of the goddess.

They were closing in on me. I was becoming light headed and dizzy yet I didn't dare stop running.

Just then, I felt a sharp arrow pain in my leg and I fell to my knees. Looking down at my legs, I saw I had been shot with an arrow from one of Kael's warriors.

No, no, no!

The arrow had been covered in wolf's bane so it was no use shifting to my wolf form to try and escape.

The poison burned like wildfire in my veins, searing through my leg and spreading fast.

My vision blurred, the forest tilting in my eyes and spinning as I tried to push myself up, clawing at the earth with bloody fingers. My wolf whimpered inside me, trying her best to take control and save the both of us but she was unable to.

Not now. Not like this.

Voices rang out behind me, harsh and cold, warriors drawing nearer. Their laughter was cruel and mocking, as if they already celebrated my capture.

My pulse pounded against my ribs, each beat weaker than the last.

“No…” I rasped, dragging myself forward, dirt filling my nails as I crawled.

I could feel the boundaries close. Just a few more feet, if I could cross, maybe… maybe the goddess wouldn’t forsake me.

But the sound of snapping branches behind me told me time had run out.

“Don’t bother running, traitor.” One of them growled, his boots crunching closer.

Tears burned my eyes, not from fear, but fury. I wasn’t a traitor. I had lost everything my mate, my family, my honor but I would not lose my will to survive.

Summoning every ounce of strength, I snapped the arrow shaft in half, muffling a scream as pain tore through me, and forced myself to crawl toward freedom.

“You're coming with us.” The head of the gamma declared as he closed the space between us and I gritted my teeth as I realized it was all over.

I was going to die after all. There was no way I could escape these highly trained warriors.

It was finally over. I was going to be joining my parents in death.

“Get up. Take her with us. We have to return to the pack before nightfall.” He ordered one of the warriors and he nodded, coming to pick me up when a strange and unfamiliar voice rang out.

“I fear she's not leaving.” The voice was dry, hoarse and sounded like a warm embrace of hope.

“Who are you?” One of the warriors questioned as he hopped down from a tree and just scanned the environments.

“Someone who says she's not leaving. You've crossed the boundaries, you're in my pack now.” He answered.

My body was trembling, my heart felt like water as I tried to weigh my options.

Surely this one man can't stop them but if he distracted them long enough, perhaps I could slip out.

“Listen to me, you punk, Alpha Kael has ordered that—” One of the younger warriors was saying when the head of the gamma struck his face.

“Shut up! Don't you know who that is?” The head of the gamma whispered and I watched as they exchanged confused glances while some of their eyes widened in realization.

“Maybe a gamma? He looks fit enough to be a warrior but that doesn't mean he can directly-” one of them was saying when the head of the gammas immediately interrupted.

“That's Alpha Lucian, you idiot.” He said in a low tone, loud enough for the warriors to hear but inaudible to Alpha Lucian.

Wait. Alpha Lucian Ravenclaw? So maybe I did have hope.

Or maybe not. From what I had heard, Alpha Kael and Alpha Lucian had a long time feud and there were quite a few rumours where he was said to have killed some members of Kael’s pack. He detested us because of our Alpha. Was there even the slightest chance that my fate would be different?

“Let's disperse. He'd still kill her anyway but we can't risk staying for longer else our lives would be in danger.” I squinted my eyes trying to make sense of what they were saying when they suddenly scattered in different directions, running back to the route where they came from.

As for me? It was evident. I was left for death.