Chapter 94 Who?

Chapter 94 Who?
HER
When I slid the key into the lock, my hands were shaking violently, and my breath hitched. I hurried back to the bed to grab the tiger pelt and another object I had swiped from my last meal tray.
I didn’t know why, but the pelt of a dead animal brought me comfort.
I opened the cell door slowly, filled with dread, expecting a guard to pop up and catch me red-handed at any second.
I crept down the long hallway, stepping as lightly as possible, even though I knew werewolves could probably hear me anyway—that is, if any were around. Fortunately, the other cells were empty, and there wasn't a single guard in sight.
I pushed forward, following the notes' directions, slipping through hidden alleyways until I reached the woods. In the distance, I could see the manor where I used to live with Ares. My heart ached at the thought that Estela was probably lying in the very bed we used to share.
My lips trembled, and stubborn tears rolled down my cheeks. I wiped them away with the back of my hands, feeling a mix of sorrow and anger at myself for being sad.
It was in that exact moment that I realized I felt far more for that werewolf than just physical attraction. The thought of him with another woman hurt, but the prospect of leaving and never seeing him again completely tore my chest open.
I wished with all my might that this was just a nightmare—that I would wake up at any moment with him by my side, with his stern face, his utter lack of a sense of humor, his cluelessness on how to handle me, and that gaze that made me feel like the most special person in the world.
So starkly different from the way he looked at me the last time we saw each other...
I wanted so badly to hate that absurd, oversized wolf, but my heart wasn't built to hate him. That stubborn organ beating inside my chest already belonged to him.
And I didn’t even know if I could ever take it back.
Oh, Ares… I’m going so far away. We’ll never see each other again, but a piece of me will stay with you forever.
You stupid wolf!
I can't bring myself to hate you, so I will channel all my hatred toward that snake Estela. I curse her. May Shaytan drag her vile, wretched soul straight to the deepest pits of hell!
I took a deep breath, wiped away the last of my tears, and kept moving. That was my goodbye, and I was determined to leave it all behind forever.
Maktub.
I crossed the woods using the moon as my guide, keeping it strictly over my left shoulder. After about an hour of walking, birds began to chirp alongside the roosters, signaling that the sun was about to rise.
Passing through the dense trees, a new fear crept in. What if a nocturnal predator appeared? A snake, or a jaguar?
I quickened my pace, practically running.
I could hear the sound of rushing water and turned left, approaching a gorge. It was high, facing another even taller cliff, with a river rushing between them. It was a beautiful sight, especially with the first rays of dawn breaking over the horizon, painting the sky with brilliance.
A massive boulder on the ground marked with a splash of paint was the exact spot indicated in the notes—the meeting point. Soon, I would find out who my benefactor was, the person who had helped me escape a life sentence of being a werewolf’s breeding concubine, a fate worse than death.
If Ares had thrown me onto a bonfire and called me a witch, it would have hurt less…
The wait was nauseating. My heart hammered against my ribs, and every little noise sounded suspicious. Suddenly, I saw a shadow shift among the trees. A wolf began to walk slowly toward me.
It was an enormous wolf with dark fur and enigmatic, striking black eyes circled by a crimson ring around the iris. I watched it in silence, holding my breath, as a terrible chill ran down my spine when it stopped right in front of me.
I was confused, staring at the animal as it sat down and locked its gaze onto mine. I didn’t think I had ever seen this wolf before… or… maybe I had, just a glimpse… I was bewildered because something deep inside me recognized it.
Like a curious, giant dog, the wolf tilted its head to the side, seemingly amused by my confusion.
The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. It might have been my imagination, but in that moment, I think I finally understood what werewolves meant by "aura." I knew this wolf was no ordinary beast; it was almost as large as Ares. My intuition screamed at me to get away, and I instinctively took a step back.
He stood up, and his body began to shudder. His muscles and bones shifted violently, turning my stomach. Fur vanished, shrinking into flesh that sloughed off onto the ground while fresh, pale skin took its place.
In the wolf’s place stood a human male with light hair and a muscular build. His eyes didn’t return to normal; they remained pitch-black with that crimson ring, and a terrifying smile spread across his face.
"Beta Alaor?" I whispered, swallowing hard, my mouth feeling like it was full of sand instead of saliva.
"Beta? No, human. I am an Alpha!"