Chapter 7- Elena -

The pack house was quiet at three in the morning. Perfect for running away.

I had been planning this for two days, since Sophia's threat. My body still hurt from the accident, but I could walk now. That was enough. It had to be enough.

I left the beautiful room Damien had given me, taking only what I came with. Nothing. Just the clothes on my back and the baby growing inside me.

Every step down the hallway made my heart pound. What if someone saw me? What if they stopped me? But the guards were outside, not inside. Damien trusted his pack. He never thought someone would sneak out.

The kitchen had a back door. I found some bread and apples, stuffing them in a plastic bag. Stealing food made me feel sick, but my baby needed to eat.

"Sorry," I whispered to the empty kitchen. "Thank you for everything."

The back door opened without a sound. Cold mountain air hit my face. Freedom. Or at least, the chance to disappear without causing Damien more trouble.

I walked into the forest. No real plan. No destination. Just away. Away from Sophia's threats. Away from Damien's kindness that I didn't deserve. Away from everything that reminded me I didn't belong anywhere.

The moon was half full, giving just enough light to see the path. My stomach cramped, and I stopped to rest against a tree.

"It's okay, little one," I whispered to my baby. "Mommy's going to find us somewhere safe. Somewhere nobody knows us. Somewhere we can just... exist."

A branch snapped behind me.

I turned around. Nothing there. Just shadows and trees.

Another snap. This time to my left.

"Hello?" My voice shook. "Is someone there?"

Low growling answered me. Not one wolf. Many.

Red eyes appeared in the darkness. Then more. And more. Surrounding me.

Rogues. Wolves without packs. Without rules. Without mercy.

The biggest one shifted into human form. He was dirty and scarred, with wild hair and crazy eyes.

"Look what we found," he said. His voice sounded like broken glass. "A little lost lamb."

"Please," I said. "I don't want trouble. I'm just passing through."

"Passing through our hunting grounds." He smiled, showing broken teeth. "There's a toll for that."

"I don't have money."

"Not money we want." He moved closer. I could smell him now. Blood and dirt and something rotten. "You smell like pack. Like Alpha. But also..." He stopped, his nose in the air. "Pregnant. You're pregnant."

The other rogues moved closer. Six of them. All male. All looking at me like I was meat.

"Pregnant she-wolves are worth a lot," another one said. "Some packs pay good money for breeding stock."

"Or we could keep her," the leader said. "Been a long time since we had a female."

I tried to run. Didn't make it two steps before one grabbed my hair, yanking me backward. I hit the ground hard, pain shooting through my body.

"Please!" I screamed. "I'm nobody! I'm worthless! Wolfless!"

"Wolfless?" The leader laughed. "Even better. Can't fight back."

He grabbed my throat, lifting me off the ground. I couldn't breathe. Couldn't scream. My hands clawed at his, but he was too strong.

"Don't damage the goods," one rogue said. "She's worth more alive."

"She's worth more quiet." His hand squeezed tighter.

Black spots danced in my vision. This was it. This was how I died. Not in a car crash. Not in childbirth. But here, in the dark forest, killed by rogues for being in the wrong place.

My baby. My poor baby.

"I'm sorry," I tried to say, but no sound came out. "I'm so sorry, little one."

The last thing I saw before the darkness took me was a massive black wolf leaping from the shadows, red eyes blazing like fire.

- Sophia -

Something woke me up. A feeling that something was wrong. Or maybe, something was finally right.

I slipped on my silk robe and walked to Elena's room. I wanted to see her one more time. To remind her that tomorrow she needed to leave. To make sure she understood that Damien was mine.

I knocked softly. No answer.

"Elena?" I opened the door.

The room was empty. The bed was made like no one had ever slept in it. The window was closed. Everything was perfect.

She was gone.

Joy filled my chest. The pathetic little human had finally understood. She had run away like the coward she was. No goodbye. No drama. Just gone.

I practically danced back to my room. This was perfect. Better than perfect. Damien would be upset she left without telling him, but I would comfort him. I would remind him that humans were weak and unreliable. That Elena was never meant to be here.

But I should tell him now. Make it seem like I was worried. Concerned for our guest.

I walked to Damien's office. He was always there early, always working. The perfect Alpha. My perfect Alpha.

The office was empty.

Strange. Damien never missed morning paperwork.

I found a guard in the hallway. One of the younger ones who always smiled at me.

"You, where's the Alpha?"

"Oh, Miss Sophia." He looked nervous. "The Alpha left about an hour ago."

"Left? Where?"

"The forest. He was... upset."

"Upset?" Cold fear crept up my spine. "About what?"

"The human guest. Elena. She ran away. The Alpha somehow knew the moment she left pack grounds. His wolf went crazy. I've never seen him like that."

No. No, no, no.

"He went after her?"

"Yes, Miss. Took six warriors with him." Marcus shifted nervously. "He said rogues were hunting in the eastern forest. Said she was in danger."

"How could he possibly know that?" My voice came out sharp.

"I don't know. But his wolf was... different. Dangerous. Like something wild had been let loose."

This wasn't happening. This couldn't be happening.

Damien didn't chase after random humans. He didn't care about weak women who ran away. Unless...

Unless she meant something to him.

Unless his wolf had claimed her without him knowing.

Unless I was losing him to another pathetic, wolfless nobody.

"When did he leave exactly?" I tried to keep my voice calm.

"About an hour ago, like I said. Maybe more."

An hour. She could be dead by now. Rogues didn't play with their food for long.

Or Damien could have found her. Saved her. Brought her back.

Brought her back to stay forever.

My hands shook with rage. This wasn't over. This couldn't be over.

Elena Winters was supposed to disappear. She was supposed to be nothing.

But somehow, she was becoming everything.