Hey everyone! Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it!
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As soon as the wolf stepped out of the cage, he released an ear-piercing snarl that caused many to scream out in pain.
Lilia, however, remained unaffected.
Her eyes stayed on the wolf, his back arched and his fur standing straight up. She felt shivers run down her spine when he turned and made eye contact with her. It seemed like time had stood still. Everyone was still on the ground clutching their ears, including her Alpha, his guards, and her family. Lilia was saddened that her mother and aunt had to go through this, but they would be alright.
Her plan would follow through.
When Lilia first noticed the wolf was her mate, fear froze her body. She couldn't do anything but stare at him until a plan formed in her head. A plan to escape her chosen mate. If Lilia somehow was able to let the wolf escape, he would hopefully take her and run far, far away. Alpha Howie couldn't blame Lilia or her family because leaving had been against Lilia's will. That was her plan. It would save both her and her family.
There were a few setbacks, but everything would be alright now.
Or so she hoped.
The wolf took one step towards her, then two, then three, until it was sprinting full speed towards her body. That was when fear froze her body again. She really hadn't thought this through. This wolf was a killing machine and Lilia hadn't thought about literally dying. All of this fear ran through her so quickly she almost passed out, yet at the same time, she felt oddly at peace.
When Lilia focused her eyes on the wolf, her mind and body calmed down abruptly. Her body swayed and she fell to the ground just in time for the wolf to run underneath her. His large, muscular form lifted her off the ground and sprinted away as fast as he could.
Lilia was so full of relief and relaxation she could have laughed. She knew this wasn't the time for it, so she held back. The wolf's muscles looked hard on the outside, but as Lilia was finding out, he was actually very soft. The only reminder she had of him running was the wind violently ripped her hair back and forth.
"Stop them!" She could hear Alpha Howie bellowed. The thundering of paws surrounded her, but she wasn't worried. She trusted her mate to get her out of here. It was her only option. "You'll never get away," he seethed in her head. Her body tensed and she could tell her soulmate felt it, because he released a roar that she was sure shook the trees around them. The wolves from her pack fell back a little bit, but were soon trying to catch up. Lilia ran her hand down her mate's side to calm him down a little.
"Get us out of here," she whispered frantically, "Now." She didn't think her mate could run any faster—she was just trying to be supportive while lying limp on his back—but the surface of his back got harder and soon she felt like she was flying.
The sound of footsteps fell behind them until a few minutes later they completely faded away.
"Thank you," Lilia panted. She was exhausted despite not doing any of the work her mate was doing. The border came into view, and Lilia tried to twist and turn until she was straddling her mate's back. He released a purr that didn't match his stature, and she found herself laughing.
Freedom!
Worry came to her slightly when her mate didn't even slow down. He burst across the border, ripping the bond to her pack from Lilia's chest without a backwards glance. She gasped for breath, clutching the wolf's fur tightly. Her mate slowed down considerably once her pack's border was out of sight, but he was still going faster than she'd liked.
A simple tap to his back brought him to a screeching halt. If Lilia hadn't been gripping his fur so tightly, she was sure she would have flown right over his head. She slid down from his back with a gulp and tried to straighten out her dirty dress as much as she could.
She was so proud of herself when she didn't iron her white dress this morning, but now she was wishing she had. This was her real soulmate, and the wind and the dirt hadn't done her any favors. She blushed and smoothed her hair down the best she could.
Her mate circled her as she tried to fix her appearance, his eyes dragging up and down her body. It was as if she could feel his hand against her skin wherever his eyes landed, so she plopped down into a sitting position to cover herself more. It didn't work.
The wolf allowed his eyes a few more moments staring at the strange creature before going back to circling her. This time, his eyes were anywhere but her. Lilia could tell he was on full alert, ready to attack anyone or anything that dared come near them. She shivered.
"Um...hello?" Lilia's voice squeaked. She visibly winced when her voice cracked in the middle of her question. Her mate was suddenly in her face and moving around her body, sniffing for any possible injuries. She could feel her cheeks heat up as his nose brushed her thigh and moved her dress slightly.
"Can you—can you shift back?" Why was she stuttering? This was her soulmate, she shouldn't be nervous. He would protect her and cherish her. The wolf shook its head and moved in circles around her once again.
What...he couldn't shift back? Lilia felt her breathing quicken.
"Are you—is everything okay? Are you hurt?" She felt ashamed that wasn't her first question. He had probably been tortured while trapped in her back, even thought it was only for a night. He nodded and continued to pace. "So you can understand me?" She verified. The wolf nodded once more.
She shivered again. They needed to find somewhere to stay for the night, because the sun was going to go down soon and it was already almost dark. She didn't do well in the cold.
"Alright, first we need to find shelter. Do you..." she trailed off when he made eye contact with her. She shivered again, but this time it wasn't because of the weather. Her mate was so intimidating.
"Do you have a home? Or, I heard you might have a pack?" Lilia asked tentatively. The wolf nodded, paused, nodded again, then shook his head. Lilia furrowed her eyebrows. She'd only asked three questions.
"Okay so, you have a home?" She verified. He nodded.
"Do you have a pack?" He nodded again.
"What was the "no" for?" She muttered to herself. He huffed and stomped a foot before pacing around her again. He was making her dizzy.
"We can't go back?" She guessed. He looked surprised, but nodded. Why couldn't they go back? "Why not?" She asked. He didn't even bother to try to answer. She blushed. Obviously he can't answer in wolf form. Lilia sighed.
"Were you kicked out?" He shook his head. "Alright, we just need to find shelter for now." Even as she spoke, the wind picked up slightly. It prickled at her skin causing her to wince, which in turn caused her mate to growl lowly. She wrapped her arms around herself and gave him a small smile.
He seemed to get the message and searched around the surrounding area for something that could be used as shelter. She rubbed her forearms and coughed lightly. The wolf returned and didn't hesitate before nudging himself under her again. She let herself be lifted into the air and tightened the small grip she had on him.
He was warm.
Her mate was slower this time, jogging to a small cave a couple hundred yards away. Lilia wasn't wearing any shoes, so when she was set down on the cold floor her entire body shivered, practically convulsing on the floor.
The wolf left and came back quickly, a small rabbit in his mouth. He dropped it in front of her with a splat. A few drops of blood landed on the bottom of her dress, but she really didn't care right now. She just wanted to be warm.
Lilia coughed again. This time it was louder and lasted longer, and her mate watched on in concern. She really couldn't get sick if there wasn't a doctor nearby. Lilia needed to shift into her wolf, though it wouldn't help her health it would make her slightly warmer.
It would also make her feel better about eating the rabbit.
She began to slip off her dress until she realized he was still watching. Blushing, she motioned for him to turn around so she could shift. He cocked his head to one side in confusion and she sighed in response.
Her legs shook when she stood and pushed him until he was facing away from her.
"Stay," she commanded. He sat down on the ground with a huff. She pulled her dress off quickly, shivering when the cold air reached every part of her body. She quickly shifted into her small wolf then nudged her mate's back leg. He jumped, skidding a little towards the entrance of the cave, and his eyes widened when he finally saw the size of her wolf.
She looked like a pup. How old was this girl?
Lilia tentatively walk up to the rabbit. She sniffed quickly before taking a small bite. Her mate sighed and began to softly pull the carcass into small pieces for her to eat quicker. Lilia laid down and relaxed as she ate, relishing in the presence of her mate. He walked outside for a little before coming back in and curling around her.
Warmth filled her body and she could feel the stress and cold seeping out of her bones. He began to groom her head while she was eating and she couldn't imagine a time she was happier than this. She knew they had a tough road ahead of them, but he already meant so much to her.
Lilia thought she had been happy her whole life, but she'd just been surviving...just living while others were living their lives to the fullest.
Her mate groomed her as she ate, and she couldn't have imagined an evening like this when she first met him. This was perfect.
So far.
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