Chapter 5 Five

ISOLDE

My whole life, I’ve never felt this weak. Every breath burns my lungs, even the smallest one, and while I try to move my arm, it throbs violently.

The pack healer came to check on me a few minutes ago, and when he figured out I’m awake, he mentioned something about telling Ryder.

But he left this room empty.

That was his mistake.

Swinging my legs off the bed, I stand in one swift motion, and a sharp cry escapes me. My vision blurs, but I steady myself with a table, reaching out for the small silver blade resting on the tray to protect myself.

I scan the room as a sense of urgency overwhelms me. If I go through the front door, I’ll get caught. I’m sure there’s another exit somewhere. Glancing over my shoulder, I smile faintly when I see a brown door.

Limping toward it, I force the door open and move down the corridor, willing my body to move even when each move shoots pain through me. A narrow exit at the back of the healer’s wing greets me, and I smile faintly.

I’m almost there.

I’ll get my freedom for real this time.

When I realize there are no guards, I shove the door open and step outside, ignoring the explosion of pain that rips through my side.

The night air slaps my face, tousling my already messed up hair, and my legs finally give up.

Rather than waiting on the ground for Ryder to drag me back, I crawl, dragging my weak body past the threshold. This fucking mansion is large, I have no idea where the gate is, but I think I’ll have to hide somewhere to regain my strength.

Sucking deep breaths, I crawl forward again, and that’s when I hear boots marching.

Boots too many to count.

My heart slams hard against my ribcage.

Ryder has found out.

“Lock all the gates!” Someone barks orders, “the Alpha wants her back alive.”

I don’t even know if that’s a good thing. Fighting the burn in my eyes, I quickly duck behind a storage shed as voices echo through the dark night. I press my hand to my mouth and force myself to breathe silently.

Ryder will definitely kill me if he finds me now. I broke his trust, I chose the first choice, but I’ll be insane to not have fucking tried to escape again. What if Ryder’s the same as Bernard? What if he only agreed to save me because he only wants to torture me?

The thought of losing my freedom again burns more than the pain I feel, but my heart does something betraying. It skips a beat when Ryder’s voice flashes through my mind.

Don’t fucking die on me, Isolde.

I scoff. I’m so damn sure he didn’t mean it. I remain curled in the shadows, blood dripping steadily from my wound into the dirt beneath me.

My hand remains pressed on my mouth as I tell myself I’m safe for a moment.

Just long enough for those men to pass.

Then a low growl cuts through me.

A warrior steps into view, his head tilted, nostrils flaring. His gaze snaps straight to me. “Found her.”

Panic hits me hard and fast. Without thinking, I drag myself forward and crawl.

My fingers dig into the dirt as a broken sound tears out of my throat, my strength finally giving out. Tears blur my vision when I realize I can’t do this anymore.

I’m so tired, I can’t even crawl again.

My body is done.

Rough hands grab my ankle and yank me back. I scream as pain shoots through my leg, and the world tilts violently as he throws me over his shoulder like dead weight.

I don’t even fight as the warrior carries me into the pack house. He keeps walking for several minutes, and I just lay there on his back, thinking of several ways Ryder would kill me.

He kicks a large door open, then he slowly drops me on the ground.

I scan the room, wrapping my arm around myself as cold seeps through my skin. This is a throne room, I can tell from the traditional items, a large chair in the middle, and another table situated for elders.

“Is she the one Ryder saved from the woods?” A high pitched voice pierces my ears, followed by unbearable sounds of heels. Red shoes fill my vision, and I raise my head slightly, meeting a brunette’s gaze.

“So it’s you,” she asks in a mocking tone, staring down at me like I’m beneath her. “You’re the one trying to work her way into Ryder’s bed.”

Find her way into Ryder’s bed? Ew, I don’t want that, so I shake my head.

“You dare to lie to me?” She shouts, her choking perfume stealing all breath from my lungs.

“I hate pick me girls more than anything in my life, and you’re acting exactly like one. Worse, you tried to escape from him. I think the suitable punishment would be killing you for such a crime,” she pulls out a sword from a warrior.

And he instantly shouts, “the Alpha wants her alive!”

“And I’m his soon to be Luna,” she says arrogantly, holding the sword to my throat. “Ryder wouldn’t mind if I teach her a lesson,” she tilts her head, smiling at me.

“Right?”

I close my eyes when she raises the sword.

The door bursts open again, but I’m too tense to check whoever it is. Expecting the sharp metal against my flesh, I wince when something hard presses against me.

My eyes widen when I realize it’s Ryder, his cold eyes locked on mine as the sword slices the air and hits him.