Ripped apart by the canines at a time too early for her death.
Hot pain pouring through her veins as claws tore through her.
Her bones used as an exercise for sharp teeths as her flesh fed the mad beast.
That was what Aniya had expected, to be killed in the most gruesome way. Alone in this hallway, her blood everywhere and her screams tore apart from her throat before they could even be heard.
But instead, a hand had pressed against her mouth, and the things she felt behind her was no beast with furs, but a person.
It took her a couple of blinks to realize that she had been rescued. Someone had pulled her into a room, one of those rooms along the hallway that she had believed was empty. It felt like it was a man, she could barely see a thing in this darkness. She didn't know who this man was and she didn't care.
All she wanted to do was survive this moment.
He kept his hand on her mouth and she tried her best to be quiet with her breathing.
The beast was still in the hallway and she knew no doors were an obstacle to Ikrus’ wolf.
The growls got closer as it sniffed outside the door her rescuer had them pushed up against. For a while, they remained frozen.
Wolves had a great sense of smell, he would be able to tell that they were there. Besides, if the mark on her neck was anything as powerful as Oana had described, he would be able to feel her presence which made things worse. Hopefully, it wasn't. Honestly, it didn't feel like it was powerful at all because if it was, his wolf wouldn't be trying to kill her to begin with.
By Ignas and all the Realms, she just wanted to go home.
During that moment, her rescuer started moving them quietly away from the door, with her back still pressed against him. He ensured that they were both looking in the direction of the door though, at least that was what it felt like in Aniya's head. It was too dark to see anything, and for some reason, the light in the hallway was not sneaking into the room through the corners of the door.
Was there any space around this door? What kind of door was this?
The growl outside stopped her thoughts about the door abruptly.
Then the wolf growled again, louder this time, like he had found them.
Aniya's heart raced so much she couldn't breathe, and just when she thought that he was about to knock the door down, he ran off in another direction.
He… left.
He left?
He left!
She and her rescuer waited for a long time, frozen before Aniya felt that it was safe for her to leave. However, her rescuer’s hand was firm around her, and he didn't let her go.
She wondered if he was the Priest, and knew that he would be coming back. She slipped her hand upwards, anticipating to run her hand over a bald head, but her fingers sank into curls of hair. Her eyes widened with one name on her mind but before she could speak, the door opened with the Luna on the other side.
“Are you—” The Luna started to say with worry, then she stopped short, her gaze scrutinizing.
Aniya’s heart was filled with relief that it wasn't the Alpha, until she realized how misleading this position she had been found could look to anyone. She pulled her fingers away from her rescuer's hair immediately and yanked herself away from his grip around her waist.
“Thank you,” she turned to him, and just as she had thought… “Syon.”
He nodded nervously, not looking at her for a moment, before rushing out of the room immediately, his face red. He didn't look at the Luna either, nor did he say a word to her.
___
___
The Luna had helped her to Oana's room, considering how safe it was there.
Her room was probably the safest one in the Pack House, everyone seemed to think it was. She said that Oana was staying over at Goldie's house because she had ran into an accident and was now injured and bedridden.
Aniya could feel it deep in her bones that Ikrus had a lot to do with this accident.
As for the attack of Ikrus' wolf, the Luna had nothing to say about it. “It would be better for him to tell you himself.”
Tell her himself? Aniya had no plans to stay in the same space with him ever again.
“Goodnight and thank you so much for everything, Luna.”
The Luna nodded, her hand pressed on the doorknob, and then she turned back to look at Aniya, who was now in Oana’s bed.
“In this Realm, the Matebond is highly valued and loyalty to one’s partner is a core quality that we preserve sacredly.” Her smile vanished with the next words she said, along with her ever-gentle expression, “I have heard of your shameful past; you should keep it where it belongs, in the past.”
Aniya’s face fell. She knew she would dig too deeply into the position she had found her. It was a likely way for the creatures of this realm to behave considering the way their relationships were formed. Also, she was looking out for her son.
Knowing this, Aniya tried not to let her words hurt her.
“I was doing nothing with that—”
The Luna moved fast, and in a flash, she pressed her finger against Aniya's lips. “I am just letting you know the qualities we have in this Realm. We stay loyal to our mates. It might be different for you where you come from.” She pulled her hand away. “I am doing this for my son.”
“So your son told you about my past?”
“I heard them from you. Disloyalty to your mate is shameful and it will not go unpunished.”
That was it!
“We must punish the King then, your mate reeks the most of disloyalty. It stinks. It must stink the most to you, you poor thing.” She said with the sweetest and most sympathetic voice.
Anger flashed in the Luna's eyes and she raised her hand to hit her. “You Filth of Realms!”
Aniya held her hand before it would hit her face. Taking Ikrus blood did have some effects. “Next time, fix your home before you complain about someone else's roofing. You have been warned.” Then she smiled sweetly to her, as she pulled the covers over her body. “Goodnight, Luna.”