Lia’s POV

I groggily open my eyes and I begin to puke out the excess water I had consumed when the waterfall caught me unawares. After I finished, I sit up and begin to look around. I find myself on the bank of the river, surrounded by forest way denser than the forest I had been. This place was completely unfamiliar to me which could only mean one thing, I was completely lost.

This was either a good thing or a bad thing depending on how I looked at it.

The good part would be that I had made put a lot distance between myself and the pack.

The bad news however was I didn’t know where the fuck I was or what I should even do at this point. I had officially turned into a rogue with no pack of my own. I began to think about the last argument I had with Alpha Verrick and a fresh wave of tears threatened to spill but I quickly wiped them before they could drop.

In our last argument, I had told him that being a rogue was way better than living life as a Beta. Now I had what I wished for, Freedom. But at what cost?

I put the memory at the back of my mind as I slowly get to my feet. My stomach begins to growl in hunger and I remember I’ve had nothing to eat since….I don’t even remember when. I begin to walk through the forest, searching for anything edible. The terrain began to get uneven, with roots and rocks hidden beneath the underbrush. I stumble a few times, but manage to catch myself before falling.

After what feels like hours of walking, I come across some berry bushes and a few edible fruits and I waste no time in devouring them hungrily. They provided a little relief but I knew I needed something more to sustain myself but for now they would do.

I continued walking without a direction in mind when suddenly I hear something. I strain my ears to listen closely and I hear faint groaning noise. I freeze, my senses on high alert. I contemplate but the groaning got louder and I sounded like a large animal in pain.

I hesitate before I decide to follow the sound to a small clearing. I see the form of man lying on the floor. I squint my eyes to get a better view and I see him clearly this time. He was lying on the ground with a battered and bruised body. He was shirtless and his lean, muscular body was in full display albeit it was crisscrossed with bloodied scars that were already healing. He was a wreck.

I wanted to leave him there and get on my way, I had my own problems to deal with and I didn’t have the luxury to care for him. I silently begin to back away but another pained groan from the man pricked on my consciousness and I stopped walking.

My instinct were telling me to be cautious, but my compassion was slowly taking over. I mean, I was in a position to help him but it was just so easy to just leave him.

“Fuck it.” I silently cursed and I begin to approach him slowly, I scan the area for any signs of danger but luckily the coast was clear. I reach his side and examine his wounds and I gasp in shock. These wounds were really bad and he should have been dead by now.

Judging from the claw and bite marks, I deduced he must have been attacked by multiple werewolves. I place a hand on his head to feel his temperature and he suddenly open his eyes and our gazes meet. His eyes were the most beautiful shade of black I had ever seen, it was like I was staring into a black hole that wanted to suck me into his depths. I was spell bound.

I get a hold of myself and swiftly withdraw my hand from his head. He opens his mouth and tries to speak, but only manages a weak whisper “Thank. You...”

After speaking, he slumps and finally passes out.

I tap him several times and he doesn’t respond. He was knocked out cold. I began to wonder why on earth I considered to stay and help him. I’m on the run, alone and vulnerable and this very handsome stranger was just another liability.

After a mental tug of war, I let out a heavy sigh and decide to stay by his side and help him out.

I raise my head and stare at the sky and I see the sun beginning to set, casting the clearing in a warm orange glow. I realize it’s not safe to stay here. No matter how far I thought I was away from the warriors, it was only a matter of time before they ventured into these grounds and this clearing was too exposed. I could easily find a suitable hiding spot but as I look down at the unconscious, I feel my heart sinking. I couldn’t leave him here alone and he was way too big for me to carry.

I gritted my teeth and resolved to at least try. I summon what little strength I have and I manage to life him to my arms. He weight a whole lot and it was a struggle to walk with him through the woods and searching for a suitable place to spend the night.

I begin to unconsciously call on my wolf so I could be able to carry the unconscious man without feeling strained but she is unresponsive. I begin to wonder why on earth I couldn’t call forth my wolf, to make matters worse I couldn’t recall anything that happened on the night I lost her.

Everything was just a blur and I begin to feel a headache rising just by thinking about the whole thing. I continued to struggle and I finally make it to the root of an ancient tree, its roots stretching like giant fingers and it seemed like a perfect place to rest for the night.

I lay him down gently and then I turn around and head back into the woods, searching for medical herbs to treat his wounds. I had learned about various medicinal plants from Tyrel and I initially thought it was a pointless thing to learn, Tyrel forced me to learn and I thanked him silently in my heart.

I scour the forest and I’m able to identify a good number of medicinal plants. I gather them up and take them back to the ancient tree. I gather the medicinal plants and begin to grind them into a pulp using a rock. I squeeze the mixture, releasing the healing juices and apply the paste to the man’s wounds.

I finish tending to his wounds and a wave of exhaustion hit me as I sit back. Checking on him one last time, I close my eyes and begin to sleep.