Chapter 5

The next few days were seemingly uneventful for Kiara. No one except Rommik came for a visit, and she pretended to be tired, keeping the conversation minimal. Fortunately, her uncle didn't push the matter either.

He just stayed with her talking about his day before he left. Thanks to the caribou he brought, she ate until she felt like her stomach would explode. Who could tell how their lives would change once they left the pack?

Fear and uncertainty gripped her heart, resulting in sleepless nights. But, while she worried they might never be able to return to the pack even if she found a solution, Kian was steady as a rock beside her. He was determined as he went on about his pack duties.

He was often gone for a long time, coming home late, smelling sweat and forest. She didn’t ask where he had been or what he was doing, too afraid that everything would become real.

Even when she fell asleep, it was fitful and filled with nightmares—the one where her father dragged her to the middle of the village and killed her in front of the pack. This time, she wasn't alone, though. Kian was with her, and that terrified her all the more.

She wondered if it was even right to drag him into her mess. But she also knew she wouldn’t survive long without him in the woods. Kiara knew how to hunt or fight—thanks to Kian— but she didn’t have enough strength to fight a full-grown wolf. They weren’t taught to fight with wolves before their first shift. If everything had gone well, she would have been assigned to a pack duty next week.

Kiara took a shuddering breath. There was no turning back now. As much as it frightened her, the desire to live and find answers helped her stay focused on their joint decision.

She helped Kian pack dried meat and vegetables for their travel at night. He said they must travel light, but they also needed enough food to sustain them since there was no telling when or how they would find food or shelter.

It was the third day after that night they decided to go in search of answers; Kian sat in front of the fireplace, and she sat beside him, draped in furs to keep warm. Tomorrow, they would leave for their journey.

“I met Lucille,” he blurted out suddenly, gazing at the burning flames.

“You did?” She turned to him hopefully, watching the reflection of the flames dancing in his irises.

But Kian looked as if he was contemplating something. "She's wise, and while she holds the best interest of the pack, she isn't bound by any rules or pact." He exhaled. "She's the only one who could talk about the past without fearing any repercussions.”

"What did she say?" Kiara asked, her heart lurching in her throat.

“She gave me a hint with her riddles, but I didn’t understand anything except that Rommik knew something we don’t.”

Kiara sighed. “He won’t give any information going against pack rules.” Not willingly. “We don’t even know where to go.”

A small smile spread on Kian’s lips. “We will go to Doveport.”

She sat up straight at the announcement, giving full attention to Kian.

He started to draw something on the floor with the coal. “As you said, Rommik won't give information, but he always slips something when he is emotional and drunk.” His lips twisted to form a smile. “I might have indulged him with a drink and made him talk. Now, I have enough information to know we should start from. So, we travel south,” he pointed at the now completed map of the pack borders. "The patrol is weak here, and the shift timing is longer. That would give us enough of a window to slip through unnoticed. Our aim must be to put as much distance from the pack as possible, and the more we delay them finding out that we are missing the better."

Kiara didn't ask questions. She didn't need to; she trusted him.

“Our best chance at survival is to infiltrate the human lands and travel through their villages. They would expect us to stay in the woods, but let’s not think we would be hundred percent safe there. I’m just hoping all the different scents would throw them off our backs for a while.”

Kiara nodded.

“We will travel toward our destination once we are safe and make sure that no one is following us.”

“What about our scents?” Finally, Kiara voiced her only concern.

Kian erased the markings he drew on the floor. “We will use the herbs I stole from Lucille’s garden." He stood, extending a hand to her. “Now come on. Get some sleep. We don't know when we would be able to sleep this peacefully again. So get all the rest you can, and don’t think about tomorrow.”

It was easier said than done. Kiara was once again sleepless, tossing and turning on the bed. Kian was sleeping on the floor beside her. Finally, after an hour or two, he grunted, getting irritated by her. “Can you at least try to sleep?” he growled low in his throat.

“Sorry,” she whispered.

Kian sighed. She watched him push the furs away and stand in the dim illumination of embers before he wordlessly climbed into the bed with her. She scooted over to make space. His comforting scent filled the space, and she sighed involuntarily before resting her head on his shoulder.

“Sleep now. I will protect you no matter what.”

Kiara could only nod as she closed her eyes tightly, breathing in his scent and soaking up the warmth he radiated as she drifted off into a dreamless sleep for the first time since her birthday.

***

The next day was as eventful as any other day, but she was anxious. Every single sound or movement startled her. It was almost midnight now, and she was waiting for Kian. Today was the day. They were ready to start their journey toward Doveport.

According to Rommik, it was the place where they found her mother. Kian thought they would find something there. While they didn’t have much information, it was something to start with.

"Let's go. We have one hour to cross the border,” Kian’s voice reached her before he entered the room. He wore dark clothes that easily blended with the night, similar to hers.

“Why one hour?" She asked, rubbing the scent-masking herb all over her body.

“Today was my duty to deliver the food to the border patrol. And while doing so, I added sleeping herbs to their food for extra precaution. They will be up in an hour, and we have to cross the borders before then. So, stop asking questions, and let's go." Kian took her hand in his and literally dragged her from the house.

***

They broke through the dark of the night, weaving through the overgrown trees and ducking under their low branches. Leaves rustled under their feet, and their breath heaved, but they kept going, mindful of the uneven terrain.

The night wind was chilly and unforgiving. Her teeth chattered, and she wondered for the first time if she was really a werewolf because wolves could withstand cold of this magnitude. In front of her, she could see the perspiration soaking Kian's tunic.

They had been running for a while now, and until morning, no one would realize they were gone.

Kiara felt the exact moment they crossed the pack borders. It was as if someone had released her from invisible shackles. She felt like she could breathe freely, but the feeling didn’t last long.

Their survival instincts kicked in, and they ran with whatever energy they had left in their body.. Traveling in human form slowed them down, but since Kiara couldn’t shift, they had no choice. Also, Kian said they wouldn’t be able to mask their scent much if he was in his wolf form.

Once they left their home after nightfall, they traveled by foot to the nearest tree line and disappeared into the woods. To any onlooker, it would look like they’re taking a stroll in the woods. Kian first took her to the place where he had hidden their travel supplies, and she realized this was what he was doing all those nights when he was gone for a long time.

There were clothes and enough food for them both. Each had a satchel to carry. It wasn’t too heavy but not too light either.

Small critters scrambled at the sight of them. They traveled as fast as they could, stopping only when Kiara felt out of breath. But then, they were off again. They jogged slow at times when they felt like they wanted to rest but ran faster the other times. The night provided them a needed cover while the moon guided their path.

It was the second night when they actually stopped for actual rest. According to Kian, they were far away from their pack and closer to the human village. He expected to reach there in a day.

Kiara sighed as she stretched her legs, tending to her swollen feet and the little cuts she got during their run. The adrenaline pumping through her veins had drained, and now only exhaustion remained. There was an emptiness in her chest, and she looked back in the direction they came from. Strangely, she missed the comfort of her home and the warm meals they had by their fire at night.

"Here." Kian handed her some dry meat, and she took it without another word.

They both sat side by side. Kiara nibbled at the meat, thoughts in disarray and body aching.

“We did it,” she said when she couldn’t silence her thoughts anymore. “We can’t go back anymore. That’s it.”

Even if they found answers to her problem, there was no going back. It was just her and Kian for the rest of their lives, for better or worse. She took a shuddering breath, trying to blink away the tears.

They must have found out about their escape by now. She prayed their tactics to mask their scents and hide their trails worked. But did they dispatch the hunters after them already? Would her father give out orders to kill her on sight?

Her body shuddered again. Of course, he would. He killed his own mate, and what chance did she stand against him? Konrad didn’t even see her as his blood.

Kian put a hand around her, squeezing her shoulder as he tried to comfort her.

“Why does our pack have to be like this? Why do they have to kill any wolf that leaves the pack?" she voiced out the questions she had never dared to ask before.

Beside her, Kian eyed her with sympathy. He removed his hand and handed her another piece of meat. "Long ago, werewolves were hunted by a group called Lune Hunters. They're humans who were aware of our race. They were trying to get rid of werewolves. To them, killing us was a sport, and our pelts sold for a lot of money in their world."

Her body shivered upon hearing that. “They sold our pelts?”

Kian nodded. "Humans are nothing but evil, Kiara. They didn't even spare small pups. We almost went extinct before our ancestors put a stop to it. Father then enacted the rules to keep our pack as far from the vile humans as possible. Anyone leaving the pack risked the pack's safety and might reveal our existence to the humans. You know how our primal instincts are during the full moon."

Kiara nodded.

“Many were still grieving the loss of their mates and families. So, no one opposed when they laid out the rules that included kill-on-sight for any humans.”

They spend the next half an hour in comfortable silence, finishing their simple meal.

"I can't stop thinking about Lucille's words," Kiara said, watching Kian spread the fur on the forest floor for them to sleep. "What if I'm a human?" She nibbled at her bottom lip, worry nagging at her gut.

Kian scoffed. “No way. What did you not understand from my story, Kiara? Humans are nothing but evil. They’re incapable of love. Look at you. There’s no way you can be a human.”

Kiara wanted to believe him; however, she couldn’t help but doubt his words this time.

"Maybe it's just a curse, and we need to find a way to break it. Or you're a late bloomer."

Kiara hoped for it to be the latter. “Can I sleep with you tonight? I don’t think I can fall asleep alone.”

Kian nodded, pulling her bedspread closer. She hurried to lie down, snuggling to him for warmth in hopes for better tomorrow for both of them.