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CHAPTER 31

The sun was setting, and Lena was yet to leave the woods. She had walked throughout the night until she passed the border but had yet to enter the lively area of the next pack. She felt exhausted and sat under a tree, leaning on it to get some rest.

She stared at the broad branches of the tree and scoffed. "I didn't even give my son a name. His father will now do that." she was weak down to her feet, and she had nothing with her that would generate some energy for her.

"I can get a wild fruit here-" she sat up and continued her journey, slowly searching for fruits that she would ingest to hold her for some time. Once she enters the lively part of the next pack, she would purchase food with the money she has.

After a long walk, she was still unable to get a fruit within the space.

Wiping her perspiration, she sat on the floor again. "I need just a little strength to enter the next pack-just a little one," she murmured and landed with her back on the floor, placing her head on her palm. "I miss you all. Odessa, I hope you take care of my child until she is crowned the Alpha Prince before you leave the pack."

Laid on the floor, she felt sleepy, but the sound of footsteps approaching made her sit up. She looked around, still seated on the floor. "Where is that coming from? I've not seen a single soul in this wood-not even an animal hunter." she grinned and stood. "If he's a hunter, I can pay for some meat and eat them." she grabbed her bag from the floor and crossed it between her neck and shoulder.

She stood immobile, trying to get the actual place the footstep came from…. but it was undetectable.

"Shoot!!" was the next sound she heard, and before she could lift a leg, an arrow was shut on her arm.

She gasped and fell to the floor. "So, they are rogues. They are after me. Alpha can't send them after me, right? He would rather send his men, and they don't deal with arrows….." she mumbled while struggling to pull out the arrow. "It's silver!! Moon goddess!!" She pulled it out and dropped it on the floor.

When she lifted her face, four men were around her.

"You are strong enough to pull out an arrow?" one of them said to her and laughed.

She looked at them and tore out the edge of her gown, which she used to tie the wound so she wouldn't bleed much.

'We have to leave this place before the silver circulates over your blood….' her wolf said to her, and she nodded.

The men were hefty and scary like some warriors that were kicked out of the pack.

"Little thing, you can run but won't live long." another said to her.

She positioned her bag so well so she wouldn't lose a thing. "Who sent you? Alpha? Bianca? Evelyn?" she shook her head. "This won't do…"

"What can you do?" one of them snapped at her.

She sniffled and stared at her fist. "Come after me-" she began stepping back a bit. "Even if I transform, they are gammas and would still rip me apart since the silver will already weaken my wolf."

As she stepped back, they came after her gradually.

"I will just distract them and run over the cliff. No matter how strong they are, they won't jump off there with me and survive." She reached a point that was surrounded by leaves, then she squatted, grabbed her hands full of the leaves, and poured them.

While they were struggling to see, she poured the second and the third, then took to her heels.

They came after her, running as quickly as they could to catch up with her.

"Lend me your last strength, or we will be doomed…." she said to her wolf who growled and had no other choice than to take over her. "We have to be strong. I will get rid of the silver after here…." she assured her wolf as she reached the cliff.

"Hey! Don't jump off…." one of them called out.

She halted and glanced at them. "Come after me if you can…" she replied and jumped off the cliff, her eyes shut.

The sound of splashed water echoed as she sank into the river.

"We can't swim. How will we get off?"

'You didn't think straight when you wanted to jump off the cliff. I'll howl to a fisher nearby….'

***

"Hey! Are you awake?" a masculine voice said to her as she struggled to open her eyes. "Mum, she woke up already. You said it would take days because of the silver." The young man screeched and stood up.

Lena peeped and shut her eyes again. "Looks like we died."

'You died alone! I'm with my look-alike.' her wolf blurted.

She snapped her eyes open only to meet him, staring at her. "What? My look alike? That might be me in this world…" She wiped her face and laid back again.

The young man came closer to her. "Open your eyes. You aren't dead…"

She opened it again, meeting her gaze. "Those eyeballs are like my father's own. My father must have reincarnated…" she chuckled and rolled to the other side of the bed. "Dad, you came back so early."

"What's she saying?" The young man glanced at the door. "Mum, she's going insane…"

Lena jolted from the bed. "Insane? Am I going insane? Dad!"

"I am not your dad…." The guy stood from the bed. "Even though we look alike, we aren't families. It's a normal thing in this world."

Lena nodded. "Yes, it's true. We can look alike and still not be families. Besides, I'm the only child of my parents and an orphan already." her nose wrinkled. "But, are you sure I'm not dead?"

"You aren't! I saved you when I was fishing. Your wolf called for me, and I hurried over. How did you end up there?" he shrieked at her.

She licked her lips. "I jumped off the cliff, but that isn't the problem now. I am trying to understand why you have exact looks like me and even the birthmark on my cheek." she pointed at him, face contorted.