Chapter 25: Chapter Twenty-Five

Saffron was running. She had no idea why she was running.

Tree branches scraped and tore at her skin, ripping red seams on her exposed arms, cheeks, and bare legs, tiny stones digging into her feet.

But that didn’t stop her.

She knew that she had to get away.

She jumped over a fallen tree log, having no idea how she managed to do it, landing into a puddle of water, splashing it everywhere and wetting her skin even further.

Her torn clothes clung to her body, making her skin pebble with goosebumps, slight shivers traveling up her body. But still, she kept running, never once stopping or looking back.

The forest was pitch black. She had no idea where she was heading to, only relying on survival instincts to lead her way.

He had come after her, and she had not wasted any time to run as far and fast as her body could manage under the conditions it was under.

Blood and mud caked her body. But she had no idea whose blood it was. There was just too much of it, over her palms, her face, her arms; it was just everywhere.

The blood didn’t belong to her. That much Saffron was certain. But whose was it?

And why?

Why was she covered in blood?

Why was she running?

What, or who, was she running from?

What was going on?

The thoughts came and passed as she picked up speed, her muscles burning, her lungs aching from the exertion.

Her body was exhausted, and soon, she knew she was going to have to stop and rest. The thought only had her putting in another burst of speed, though, as the hairs at the back of her neck tingled, standing erect as a form of warning.

He was here!

Feet barely leaving imprints on the soft earth, Saffron’s speed picked up. She was flying, flying far away from the monster.

But who?

Who was chasing after her? Why was she still running?

She craned her neck around, searching the endless pit of darkness for the one who was after her. She tried to locate any shifting shadow in the dark but came up blank.

Still, she ran.

The cold bit into her skin, causing her teeth to chatter. But there was nothing to provide cover for her against the bitter harshness of the cold, except for the pitiful scraps of her dress, which were now caked with blood, mud, and water.

There were no owls to hoot her way, no forest creatures to skitter away due to her presence. There was only her, and the monster who was after her.

She had to keep going, though. She had to keep herself safe.

She ran too far into the forest, farther than any of the animals or any sane human would dare to venture, to a place where the trees drew closer together, forming a canopy, as if they were offering protection to each other.

She slowed to a halt after passing the trees, stumbling into a large clearing that opened into the edge of a cliff.

Below, she could hear the water churning violently, waves crashing against each other.

She turned around in a circle, seeing no way forward except to go over the cliff, which wasn’t an option.

She stepped forward, peering down the cliff before instinctually taking a step backward and collapsing on the forest floor.

No one would come for her here now.

She was okay, and she was safe.

That was all that mattered.

Whatever was chasing her would be long gone by now.

A sigh of relief escaped her lips as she finally let herself relax, inhaling and exhaling softly, replenishing her lungs.

The shivering had stopped. The cold no longer bothered her as it did before.

Still, she longed for clean clothes, the warmth of her bed, and the security her room provided her.

A thought niggled at the back of her mind, trying to surge forward, but there was something blocking it, refusing to let it bloom.

There was something that she had forgotten about, something that was extremely important. But she had no idea what it was.

Instead of letting her mind dwell on it, she let herself focus on how she was going to get back home.

Home.

Where was home for her?

Again, that niggling thought prodded her mind. But before she could let the thought fester, a large growl had her head snapping up in fear, her thoughts scattered in the wind, as pure terror replaced them.

Her eyes met those of a wolf, an extremely large wolf that seemed to dwarf even her, as it prowled over to her, hackles raised in intimidation.

A sharp cry escaped her lips as she watched the beast advancing towards her, saliva and blood dripping down its jaws.

Still on her back, she dragged her body backward as tears tracked down her cheeks.

So, it wasn’t a who she was running away from but a what.

It didn’t matter.

The monster had caught up to her, and she was no longer safe.

In the end, her running had not saved her from certain death. It had only prolonged the inevitable.

Her lips parted in shock, halting her in place as she watched the beast’s body snap, its muscles shortening, loud cracking sounds heard over the crashing from below as it morphed from beast to man, just within the span of seconds, right before her eyes.

“Did you think you could escape from me?” the man-beast asked, his voice a grating sound that sliced through the air and pierced through her ear drums. “Did you think you could kill one of mine and run away? Without consequence? Without paying for your crime?”

“No, please,” she rasped, shaking her head to deny his accusations. “I didn’t…”

“You dare lie to me?” he roared.

And before she could deny his words further, she watched as he once again transformed into the beast, his jaws becoming wide open as if he meant to swallow her whole.

She was now at the edge of the cliff. And with one wrong move, Saffron knew that she would find herself at the other end of it, being washed away by the churning water, her body broken into irreparable pieces.

It was either that or being eaten alive by a wolf.

And Saffron knew which fate she would rather choose between the two.

Death was certain for her, but she chose the water instead of the beast.

Her mind made up, she rose to her feet just as the beast was about to reach her and jumped down.

For a short, glorious moment, she was flying. And then she fell.

Fell to the bottom of the cliff, into the glorious arms of the water below.

Just before she could feel the impact of her body against the bottom of the cliff, she woke up with a gasp, her hands flying over her body to check that she was indeed alive and well.

Silk sheets covered her naked body. And it was only then that she noticed the man lying next to her, his chest rising and falling steadily, as he slept soundly.

He, like her, was also naked. At least from the chest up.

She had no idea if he was naked down below, like she was.

‘Oh, Saffron!’ she groaned inwardly. ‘What have you done?’