Chapter Five: Mine

Avery's Point of View 

I ran, each step pounding against the earth beneath me as my heart thudded wildly in my chest. The night air bit at my skin, icy and sharp, and each breath burned as I pushed myself forward. The distant howl of a wolf rose from somewhere behind me, and fear clawed at my insides. But I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.

The forest opened up before me, shadows twisting in the moonlight as branches snagged at my clothes and scratched my skin. But I welcomed the sting; it was a reminder that I was finally free. I chanced one last look over my shoulder, and in that fleeting moment, felt a flicker of hope. I would keep running, no matter how far, no matter how long—anything was better than being a prisoner in Julian’s pack.

I had managed to leave the pack's territory and was running towards the borders when I suddenly looked over my shoulder. The dark shapes of the warriors closing in sent a shiver down my spine.

“There she is!!” One of the pack warriors shouted, with my life visibly hanging on the line, I pushed myself harder, my limbs trembling with the effort, but I knew it was futile. Who was I kidding?

They were trained warriors, and I was just a wolfless shadow, a ghost with no power left, but I couldn't let them catch me, I can't go back to Krypta Clan.

I ran with all my strength, jumping over creaks and dodging branches, just when it seems as if all was lost. I saw the ancient silver abyss, a very dreaded place, rumoured to be filled with rogues and vicious spirits.

I knew I was risking my life as a part of me screamed to stop, to turn around and face whatever awaited me, but the weight of chains—both real and imagined—spurred me forward. But I don't know a more better option than this, and with one deep intake of hair, There’s no turning back I told myself as I jumped into the abyss.

“Halt!! That's rogues territory, she's probably dead by now, let's head back”, one of them said and I heard them retreat.

I struggled to keep my balance as I was barely hanging on the edge of the abyss. I looked down and all I could see was black and nothingness.

Just as I was about to climb back up, I saw a huge snake, terrified, I shrieked and found myself falling into the abyss.

I screamed as I kept on falling, it felt like an endless fall with no end. About ten minutes later, I landed roughly on the ground.

A bone-jarring impact met me moments later, pain radiating up my legs as I collapsed onto the hard, damp earth. The smell of moss and wet leaves enveloped me, grounding me in the moment.

Groaning, I pushed myself up, every muscle trembling with exhaustion. The silence of the abyss wrapped around me, thick and suffocating, broken only by the distant drip of water and the occasional skitter of unseen creatures. My eyes strained to adjust to the dim, eerie glow filtering through the canopy above.

I looked at my surroundings and couldn't map out a thing, I had no idea on where to go but I just had to trust and follow my instincts.

“Avery!” A voice, clear and insistent, cut through the quiet. My heart leapt into my throat, and I spun around, searching for the source. The air seemed to shift, carrying with it the metallic scent of fear. I turned, looking for who… or what that called my name. I decided to ignore it when I found nothing.

“Avery!!” This time around, the voice was clearer and more vivid than before. 

“Who's there?!” I asked as fear engulfed me, this must be the evidence of the spirits that were rumored to be here.

“Never forget who you are!! Remember what you are!!” cold beads of sweats starting forming on my head, with my fingers slightly trembling.

“You're not real!!! You're not real!!!!” I started running, without looking back. I kept on running, the abyss was so big that it took me 3 days before I got to a clearing, just as I was about to take a breather, I heard loud and vicious snarls coming from my back.

Even without seeing the creature, I had already known what it was, “Rogue”, I muttered underneath my breath.

With slow and steady steps, I turned and started running, with only one word in mind. ‘I need to live’

But they were closing in on me, I was just running on two legs while they were running on all fours. Just as I was about to jump over a fallen tree, a loud painful howl tore out of my mouth. 

I had just stepped into a trap.

“Dinner”, I heard one of the rogues say, taking a quick glance at them, my eyes widened in fear, right in front of my eyes were the most terrifying and hideous creature I've ever seen.

There were three of them as they started circling me, clearly sizing me up. Before I could make a move, one of them charged at me and bit down on my shoulder.

“Ahhhh!!” I screamed in pain, my hands drastically searching for anything to use as a weapon, then I saw a huge stone, I picked it up and struck it across the face so hard it had to release me.

I clutched at my injured shoulder, I was losing blood, and I was losing it fast. At this rate, I might die out here.

I can't believe that after escaping Julian, I still end up killed by a rogue. What a cruel fate I have.

Just as the rogues were about to launch a second attack at me, a huge domineering figure suddenly appeared out of the shadows, standing protectively in front of me.

I saw him tear the rogues into shreds in seconds. Just as I was about to slip into unconsciousness, I feel myself being pulled into a warm embrace and the late thing I heard before blacking out was.

“MINE!!”