FOUND BY FATE

CHAPTER 005

Claudia's POV:

Locked up in another cell for the umpteenth time, and for how long, I had no clue; maybe a few days now, it had been confirmed that Luna had passed away from poisoning, and a glass of water was tested to have the same poison.

I had been the one to deliver that water to her that night. The thought made the tears streak slowly down my face; with this confirmation came my death as well.

Not a single food item had been delivered, and no water either; my strength waned to the point where I had to source water from the leaking ceilings.

My hands were chained to the wall, and my back was pressed against it as well. My breathing is slow and barely audible. The foreign thought of speaking with Reagan crossed my mind, but I wondered what good that would do.

Speaking to the man who had rejected me with no remorse in his eyes, I would live a life filled with misery and die the same way.

I heard the iron doors creak open, and I guessed it was time. My heart began to pump faster as I watched the shadowy figure approach my cell.

“Please, I didn't do it, please,” I begged with a hoarse voice that was barely above a whisper. “No more pain. No… more.”

“Shhhh, I know you didn't, but we don't have much time.” The figure said, causing my brows to furrow in confusion as the bars were drawn open, “We need to get you out of here,” he whispered, approaching me while I glitched back.

This might just be a prank or something.

The figure paused, understanding I was too scared at the moment of everyone and everything. Their hands slowly stretched towards me as if talking to a beast. “I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. I come in peace.” His voice was soft as he neared the prison. His face settled under the beams of the moonlight that streaked from the little window above me.

My frown deepened, “You!” I whispered, studying his features further as a soft smile stretched across his lips, “I know you.” I had seen him a few times in the pack, and we had only exchanged greetings once, but I avoided speaking with him further for fear of any punishment from him or anyone.

“My name is Warren,” he introduced as I felt the weight of the chains on my hands come off, and I fell into his embrace involuntarily. “You are so cold,” he commented, and I couldn't help but draw closer to his warmth even though there's a possibility this might all be a trap.

“Can you stand? We need to get out of here before the guards are alerted.” He helped me to my feet, and I used the remainder of the energy I had left to stand. He threw my hand over his shoulder while his other hand supported me by the waist.

My confusion continued to deepen as I wondered how he had gotten the chains off me, but that was a question for when we got out of there. Before taking a step out of the cell, I gazed up at his green eyes. Why was he helping me? We don’t know each other much, so why was he willing to risk it all?

Should I really trust him?

What’s in it for him?

‘What if this was another trap? Maybe even worse, one set by Janet.’ I thought to myself, trying to see the reason here. But something inside of me told me to trust Warren. I don’t know what it was, but the urge inside me intensified.

I followed him as we reached the entrance of the cell. I noticed on both sides of the door, the guards lay sprawled out on the ground, and their breathing even, “What happened to them?”

Warren stared down at them, “They are just taking a short nap for the time being, c'mon we have to keep going,” he propped me firmly towards him and our escape was running smoothly.

As we continued to go further, almost closing in on the borderline to the woods, a loud howl tore through the night, and my heart stilled.

Shivers ran through my spine as more howls filled the night. “They’ve noticed you're gone; quickly, we need to hurry,” he prompted further as we picked up the pace, with him carrying most of my weight.

This was a mistake; we shouldn't have left the cell, and now both of us might end up dying faster. He would end up dying all because of me.

“You shouldn't have done this,” I cautioned him as he huffed breathlessly, gasping as he kept glancing over his shoulders; the sounds of paws thundered behind us.

Twigs snapped under our feet as I lost my footing, causing Warren to set me beside a tree trunk. His green eyes frantically glancing between me and the source of the sounds, “This is not going to work,” he noted, running his tongue over his lips.

“You are risking your life here—” I said exasperatedly but was cut off before I could ask why.

“You need to keep going; I'm going to see if I can slow them down,” he announced before moving towards the direction where we had just escaped from.

Without thinking, I latched onto his coat. “What are you doing? They are going to kill you; aren't you even remotely scared?” My eyes widened, but he was as calm as a still lake.

A smile stretched across his lips, “I can handle myself, but I need you to keep moving,” he caresses my hands, with no shade of fear in his eyes. This confused me even further.

Warren let go of my hands, and they became cold again, devoid of his warmth, as he ran in the direction of the raging wolves.

He was risking his life for nobody like me, and I couldn't even know the reason why. Without hesitating any longer, I pushed myself off the tree trunks. There was no way he was going to make it out of this alive.

The trees blurred slowly as I pushed myself further and further; the sounds of the howls gradually stopped echoing in the forest. At the same time, the sun began to peak and light up the woods.

I was beyond exhausted; my stomach growled from having not eaten in days, and my body ached from having run the entire night, I couldn't go any further before collapsing to my knees.

My tears had since run dry, and I no longer cried for the loss of Warren. He had sacrificed himself for me, charging at an army of warriors with nothing but bravery and courage in his eyes, as though he was happy to do it. Even for a nobody like me.

And here I lay… useless, waiting to be captured and taken back to the pack.

‘Useless.’

‘Worthless.’

‘Weak.’

I closed my eyes tight as Reagan's curses echoed in my head.

The sun's beam blinded me, and I shielded my face with my hands when the sounds of ruffling drifted into my ears. My eyes widened in shock as I stared at the spot where the sound had come from.

My heart raced as I lay frozen on the ground; my legs refused to move even though my brain screamed for me to run; they were too tired.

The sounds continued, and a lady I had never seen before burst out of the high shrubs. Her bouncy, wavy brown hair shimmered in the golden sunlight, a deep crease on her forehead, and her hands stretched out. A locket compass was opened, and a glowing orb hovered.

She lifted her head, and our eyes locked before a wide smile stretched across her lips as she smacked the compass, which pointed at me closely. “Found you, you little bitch,” she muttered before marching up to me, taking my hands into hers.

Who was she, and what did she want from me?

Was she with Warren? No, I felt such coldness from her.

I tried to force my hands out of hers but she held tight.

“Let me go.” I tried again but she suddenly charged at me.

“CLAUDIA, NOOOO!” Someone screamed out my name, but I felt a burning sensation in my hands, and everything went dark. The last thing I saw was the strange lady staring down at something behind me.