Lia’s POV

Warm blood pools around my hand, and I stare in shock.

“Tyrel.” But he smiles through the pain.

He cups my cheek, and I feel my heart shatter at the tenderness in his eyes.

“I can’t lose the only two people I care about at the same time. Run, Lia, please.”

I am ashamed to admit that my thoughts flee to what the elders would do to me if Beta Lucas found me and Tyrel like this.

I climbed out of the car and left the only person to show me care and ran for the woods. I ran for hours, pulling every strength I could muster till I got to the cave.

The cave is a hole in the floor that Tyrel and I found when we were just adventurous kids. It had an underground stream that sparkled under the little sunlight that managed to breach through.

To our eight-year-old minds, it was magic and became our favorite spot to hide out and play for hours.

We refused to tell anyone where we would disappear for hours, even when Alpha Verrick had threatened us with punishment.

I step into the stream to soak my aching feet.

Reaching down to scoop from the stream, I notice the dried blood on my hands. A sob racks through me, deep and searing pain pulls at my guts, and I double over in pain.

Tyrel would be fine, I am sure of it. The knife had not hit anything vital, I am sure of it.

I scrub at my hands, desperate to wash my hands of the blood, but it does not seem enough. I spot the sharp piece of rock just at the bank of the stream. Pressed with grief, I grab and sink it into my palm till I cry out in pain. Then, I drag it across my palm.

The pain was searing but satisfying, a sort of retribution. Barely recovered from the pain of the first one, I do the same to my second palm. Let my blood wash away what the stream cannot.

After that, I sat on the bank, weariness starting to slip, and my eyes barely able to stay open. I am not sure when darkness overtakes me. When I finally come too, half my body is soaking wet in the stream and the half on the bank.

The sun has been replaced by the moon.

Staggering to my feet, I blindly grabbed a ledge to pull myself up till it scratched my still fresh wound, and I pulled away with a hiss. I finally find my way out of the stream to somewhere dry in the hidden corners of the cave, passing out there again.

I wake up again to the sound of chirping birds, the sun’s soft glow streaming in.

I look down at my hands to see that they have become only red lines; an odd mix of relief and disappointment fills me. I look around the cave.

Tyrel had told me to stay here for two days, but I have to get out today before the haunting memories get to me.

I slowly lift myself, careful because my legs feel too weak to hold my weight. Steadily, I make my way to the stream and drink from it. After that, I wash my face.

I look up at the ledges I would have to climb to the entrance of the cave. Yesterday, I had simply tumbled into the cave in my hurry.

My stomach growls loudly, and I clutch it. There is nothing to eat in here.

Hoisting myself on the first ledge, I take a few seconds to catch my breath before moving to the next.

I continue that way till I finally reach the top and pull myself out of the hole. I welcome the heat from the sun rays with a heavy sigh and, for some minutes, just lie under it.

After that, I look around me.

Daren and Beta Lucas have probably already launched an all-out manhunt for me. I pick myself up and start walking. Tyrel and I have walked through these woods long enough for me to know them like the back of my palm.

It would be best to keep to a path so I do not run into them by mistake, but I have to stay alert.

My nose flicks at the scent of something foul, rotten meat. I immediately follow the scent to just behind some bushes, and there is a dead carcass of a deer already gathering flies. I would approximate it was killed two nights ago. Crouching down, I gag before reaching down and dipping my hand into the deer’s open stomach.

My other hand follows soon after. And when I am sure it has been in there long enough, I bring it out and rub my hands down my body. I repeat the process multiple times before stepping away from the revolting sight.

Tyrel had taught me this trick when he started training as a warrior.

Hiding your scent with mud is only temporary, but the scent of rotten meat is too revolting for any werewolf to follow. Even now, I have to hold my breath at intervals so I do not throw up.

If I am correct, there should be a river some miles from here. If I can make it past the river, I will be in another pack territory.

I start walking down the path.

Beta Lucas would want to comb through the entire pack before informing the neighboring packs about me. If I can make it far enough, I should be somewhat safe; also, I could catch whatever fish swim in that river.

My stomach growls loudly again.

I walk for about thirty minutes when my ears pick up the sound of the rushing river, but it also picks up another sound, and then my nose picks up their scent. I drop to the ground immediately and crawl to the safety of a bush.

The tops of their heads come into view when I peek past the bush.

Pack warriors!

They turn away from the river and start heading my way. One of them suddenly frowns.

“Do you smell that, yuck?”

His partner makes a face and nods, “Something must have died around here; we should hurry up."

They pick up their pace and come closer to my hiding place

“Where do you think the Omega could be hiding?” the first one asks his partner; my ears perk up. They are talking about me.

His partner scoffs, “Not far, we’ll probably find her today. It’s an Omega, where could she run to?”

His partner nods.

“Yeah, you are probably right. I heard Beta Lucas telling Daren she would be put to death immediately she is caught.”