Chapter 3 FREEDOM
The merchant's hand hovered too close to Amanda's arm, his greedy eyes glittering with possession. His laughter boomed as he reached for her, but in that heartbeat Amanda's fear transformed into fire.
She could not do this. She would not let them take her life away.
Amanda jerked backward, knocking the contract off the table. Papers scattered across the polished floor. The merchant let out a startled curse, and Mrs. Sebastian gasped in outrage.
Before anyone could grab her, Amanda turned and ran.
Her bare feet pounded against the cold marble of the hall as shouts erupted behind her. Angela's shrill voice rose above them all, screaming, "Catch her! Do not let her get away!"
Amanda's breath came in sharp bursts. She darted through the corridors she knew so well from years of chores, weaving around servants and furniture, her heart thundering in her chest.
The front doors loomed ahead. She shoved them open, and the freezing night air rushed against her skin. Without hesitation, she plunged into the snow.
The forest was a vast shadow waiting at the edge of the estate. Amanda sprinted toward it, her lungs burning, her thin gown snagging against the icy wind. Behind her, the furious cries of the Sebastians and their guards grew fainter, but she knew they would not give up easily.
Branches scraped her arms as she pushed into the trees. The snow crunched beneath her feet, slowing her down, but still she pressed forward. Her teeth chattered, her body trembled, but the thought of returning to that house was worse than death itself.
"I will not go back," she whispered fiercely, her voice breaking. "I will never go back."
The deeper she went, the quieter the world became. Only the wind and the distant howl of wolves filled the night. The sound sent a shiver through her, yet she did not stop. She remembered the warnings of rogues that the Sebastians had drilled into her since childhood, but even the threat of savage wolves was not enough to make her turn back.
Better to face the unknown than to be sold like a piece of property.
Hours seemed to blur together as Amanda stumbled through the forest. Her feet bled from stones hidden under the snow, and her legs ached with exhaustion. The trees grew taller and denser, their branches reaching like skeletal arms above her.
At last, her body betrayed her. Her knees buckled, and she collapsed against the trunk of an old oak, gasping for air.
The night was eerily still. Her breath came ragged, and she wrapped her arms around herself, shivering violently.
Tears slid down her cheeks, freezing against her skin. "Mama... Papa... if you can hear me, please... I cannot do this alone."
For a long moment, there was only silence. Then, in the distance, a howl rose. Low, powerful, and commanding. It was not the savage cry of a rogue but something deeper, something that stirred the very air around her.
Amanda's heart lurched. She did not know why, but the sound sent warmth flooding through her, chasing away the despair that had nearly consumed her.
Her reprieve did not last.
From the shadows of the trees, glowing eyes appeared. Yellow, unblinking, hungry. A group of wolves emerged, their teeth bared, their growls echoing in the dark. Rogues.
Amanda froze, terror rooting her to the spot. Her back pressed against the oak, and her hands trembled as the wolves closed in. She could smell their musk, feel the hunger rolling off them in waves.
One stepped closer, saliva dripping from its jaws.
Amanda's mind screamed. She had escaped one nightmare only to fall into another.
"Please," she whispered, her voice cracking. "Not like this."
The lead wolf crouched, ready to pounce. Amanda shut her eyes, bracing for the end.
But then the forest shook with a sound that made even the rogues hesitate.
A roar, deep and furious, filled the night.
From the shadows burst a wolf unlike any Amanda had ever seen. Massive, towering, with fur as dark as midnight and eyes that blazed like silver fire. He landed between Amanda and the rogues, his snarl shaking the ground.
The rogues hesitated, their hackles rising, but the power rolling off this wolf was undeniable. He was not like them. He was a true alpha.
The dark wolf lunged, his claws slashing, his fangs sinking deep. The rogues scattered under his fury, some fleeing, others falling under his strength. Snow churned red as the battle raged.
Amanda watched, wide-eyed, her body frozen not with fear but with awe. She had never seen such power, such grace, such terrifying beauty.
At last, the rogues fled, their howls fading into the distance. The clearing fell silent except for the sound of heavy breathing.
The great wolf stood tall, his body heaving, his silver eyes glowing in the moonlight. Slowly, he turned to face Amanda.
Her breath caught.
Those eyes... they were not just wild. They were intelligent, piercing, as though they could see into the deepest parts of her soul.
Amanda pressed back against the tree, her heart racing. "W... who are you?" she whispered, though she knew he could not answer.
The wolf stepped closer, his massive paws sinking into the snow. Amanda should have been terrified, but strangely, she was not. Something in his presence felt... safe. Familiar, even.
When he lowered his head, his breath warm against her trembling hands, Amanda felt a strange pull deep inside her chest. It was as if a thread connected them, invisible yet unbreakable.
Her eyes widened. She had heard whispers of this bond, of destiny that tied two souls together. Could it be?
The wolf's nose brushed against her skin, and Amanda felt fire ignite within her veins. Her heart raced, her vision blurred, and she could swear she heard a voice in her mind.
Mine.
Amanda gasped, her knees giving way. The world spun, the snow rising up to meet her.
The last thing she saw before darkness claimed her was the silver glow of his eyes.