Chapter 42 CHAPTER 042
Ari POV:
I left Stone's room to go stand on a small porch outside. I hated how the breeze blew air that smelled like it was about to rain. It was the kind of scent that should've been calming, if it didn't remind me of my struggles on the street. Instead, it just made the ache in my chest sharper.
My fingers traced the fresh bite marks along my collarbone. It was still tender, throbbing with the pain meted on it by Stone's teeth. What the hell was wrong with me? Every time he touched me, my body betrayed me. Every damn time.
The porch creaked underfoot as I paced, my bare feet pattering against the worn wood. I was now dressed in a long black gown that made me look like a widow. I hated this place. I hated the way the scent here was starting to cling to me. But where else could I go? Back to Shadowfang? Back to Ryle? I’d rather die.
The rustle of fabric made me stiffen. Sierra stepped out from the doorway, her figure making her look like a walking mannequin. She moved like a seductress. Her walk was smooth in very high heels, her hips swaying just enough to make the fluffy slit of her red dress press against her thighs.
"For someone who just got to kiss the Alpha, you don't seem to look well," she said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.
I didn’t answer her. My fingers kept knotting my sleeve as I took in the way her hair was beautifully styled.
Sierra sighed, rolling her eyes before tossing a small leather bag at my feet. It landed with a muffled thump, the sound of coins clinking inside. "That should be enough to last you a week," she said. "If you’re smart, that’s all you’ll need to find another pack. Far away from here."
I stared at the bag, my pulse hammering. This was a trap. It had to be. But when I lifted my gaze, Sierra’s expression was serious and cold, but she was not lying.
"Why do I need to run?"
She chuckled softly, stepping in so close that I could feel her scent clogging my senses. "Do you know what happens when a mouse tries to separate two fighting elephants?"
Although her voice was soft, I could sense the scorn in it. "That's right. You get crushed."
"So, even if I do agree, how do I get past the guards? It's not like you're going to help me escape," I said slowly, testing the words.
"I will."
"Why?"
Sierra’s lips curled. "Because I don’t share." She stepped closer, the scent of her making my nose itch. "And you don’t belong here."
The truth stung. I didn’t belong in Ricko. And especially not beside Stone.
My fingers closed around the bag’s strap. It was heavier than I expected. "And Stone?"
Sierra’s laugh was a blade. "He’ll hunt you, of course. But he’ll tire. Eventually." She tilted her head, studying me like a bug under glass. "Ten seconds to decide, little omega. Stay and be nothing. Or leave and be free."
Free. The word buzzed in my skull like a struck bell.
I tightened my grip. "Let’s go."
Sierra didn’t smile. She just turned on her heel and led me through the labyrinth of corridors, her footsteps clicking against the stone. The palace was eerily quiet with no guards or servants.
At the gates, Sierra paused, nodding toward the cluster of guards ahead. "Wait here."
I pressed myself between two walls, my heart pounding so hard I was sure they’d hear it. Sierra sauntered forward, her voice carrying like honey.
"The Alpha demands your presence. Now."
The guards exchanged glances but didn’t question her. They vanished, and the gates yawned open.
I took one step, then another till I was at the gate. I turned back to look at Sierra. "Thank you," I whispered.
Sierra’s expression didn’t soften. "Run."
The command sent my legs moving before my mind could catch up. I sprinted past the gates, the leather bag slapping against my hip as I plunged into the woods. Twigs snapped under my foot, branches whipping at my arms as I wove through the trees. Behind me, distant shouts erupted with Stone’s men realizing too late that I was gone. The wind howled in my ears, drowning out everything but the drumming of my pulse.
The river appeared ahead, its dark waters glinting under the fading sunlight. A lone fishing boat bobbed near the shore, its rope loosely tied to a rotting stump. I didn’t hesitate. My fingers fumbled with the knot, already slick with sweat, before finally yanking it free. The current snatched the boat greedily, and I threw myself inside just as the first snarls reached the riverbank.
Faces emerged from the trees. I could see a pack of wolves, half-shifted, their eyes burning with fury. One lunged, his claws scraping the side of the boat as I shoved off with an oar. Their howls followed me downstream, fading as the river twisted into the unknown path.
Night fell like a curtain so quickly. I realized I was alone with the moon hung low, casting silver ripples across the water. Then the sky cracked open.
Rain slammed down in sheets, turning the river into a churning beast. The boat rocked violently, and I could hear the wood groaning as waves crashed over the sides. I gripped the edges, my nails splintering against the soaked planks until the world flipped.
The cold water swallowed me whole. The current wrenched me under, tossing my body like a ragdoll. My skull struck something hard that I guessed to be a rock or wreckage. I couldn’t tell, and everything went black.
Pain dragged me back to consciousness. My wrists burned like I was bound rough against a tree bark. The scent of smoke clogged my nose. I could hear voices mixed with laughter, circled like vultures.
"Look who’s awake," one sneered, his calloused fingers pinching my chin. "Pretty thing for a stray."
Their campfire painted their faces, and at once, I knew who they were. Rogues. It was easy to tell by the stench of their unwashed skin and bloodstained clothes. One leaned in, his breath reeking of rotten meat. "Bet she’s never had a real wolf before."
Terror coiled in my throat. I thrashed, the ropes biting deeper. "Don’t..."
A hand groped my thigh, hoots rising around me. The man’s grin widened as he unbuckled his belt. "Gonna make you scream."
Then a loud howl split the air, so deep it vibrated in my bones. The rogues barely turned before a massive wolf exploded from the trees.
I knew who it was before he landed. Stone.
His fangs tore through the first rogue’s throat, letting blood out in a spray of crimson. The others scrambled, shifting in panicked bursts, but he moved like death itself, snapping their limbs, and crushing windpipes. Yet they outnumbered him. A blade slashed his flank as another wolf latched onto his hind leg.
With a snarl, Stone lunged for me. His jaws severed the ropes, and then I was airborne, clutched against his chest as he leaped into the river.
Water roared around us. The current wrenched us apart, his fur slipping through my fingers as the river swallowed us both.