Chapter 20
ADELINE
My paws pounded against the forest floor as I ran, the sound muffled by the chaos of arrows slicing through the air around me. They came from every direction, relentless and deadly, but I couldn’t stop. I didn’t dare stop. The scent of blood was already in the air, thick and choking, and I knew it was
I wouldn’t make it.
I knew that deep down, but my wolf refused to give up. Each beat of my heart was a desperate plea for survival, each step fueled by the hope of finding some miraculous escape.
Then the first arrow struck.
The pain exploded across my side, sharp and searing, and my wolf let out a howl that echoed through the trees. I stumbled but forced myself to keep going. Another arrow followed, this one embedding itself in my thigh. My legs buckled beneath me as the pain multiplied, leaving me gasping for air, 0
They kept coming.
One after another, each bite of the arrows was more brutal than the last, until my body gave out entirely. With a final, agonized groan, i shited back into my human form, collapsing against the rough bark of a tree. Blood oozed from the wounds, warm and sticky against my skin, and I couldn’t move, couldn’t even breathe without it hurting
And then I saw him.
The man stopped out from the shadows, his eyes gleaming with a darkness that made my blood run cold. He wasn’t even trying to hide the cruel smirk on his face as he slowly approached
“Looks like you never should have let the tower, princess,” he said, I
d, his voice smooth but dripping with malice
I swallowed hard, every instinct in me screaming to run, but I couldn’t. He was right.
Just like Nicholas was
Someone was indeed trying to kill me and had sent another set of men after me even more deadlier than the last. I never should have left, but I also couldn’t stay
Not after what he’d done.
Not after he forced his mark on me.
Because from that moment all things had gone downhill
I felt the mark throb beneath my fingertips, almost as if it were alive. “You marked me?” I whispered, incredulous. My voice trembled, laced with anger and disbelief.
Nicholas shrugged, his nonchalance cutting deeper than any arrow. “I already made people believe I marked you. I was just cementing the inevitable. You’re going to be my Luna. People expect you to wear my mark.”
“No,” I snapped, my voice hoarse. “I was supposed to be your fake Luna for two years. That was the deal. You had no right to do this to me!”
He smirked, an expression so cold and smug it made my skin crawl.
“It’s almost comedic how you think you’re actually going to survive two years,” he said, his tone laced with amusement, as if my anger were a joke.
“You’re an asshole,” I spat, my voice breaking. “I hate you. I hate you so much. I wish I’d never met you, never said yes!”
21:49 Wed 11 Jun
Chapter 20
Before he could respond, I turned and ran, slamming the dont behind me as 1 bolted for the room he’d gen me. My chest heaved with ragged breathes as I ran through the halls, my mind racing with everything he’d done, everything he’d said.
When I reached the room, I locked the door behind me, though I knew it was futile. If Nicholas wanted to come in, he would. Nothing could stop him
My hands shook as I grabbed my phone, scrolling through my contacts until found Nicole’s number
She picked up on the second ring “Adeline? What’s wrong?”
Tears blurred my vision as the words tumbled out in a frantic rush. “He marked me, Nicole. He forced his mark on me, and I can’t–I can’t stay here. I need your help. Please, help me get out of here,”
“Slow down, honey,” Nicole said, her voice calm but concerned. “I can’t understand a word you’re saying, Start from the beginning. What happened?”
I took a shaky breath, wiping at my tears even as more spilled over. “I asked my dad to help me leave, and when he came, Nicholas threw him into a wall. Threw him, Nicole. And then–then he marked me without my permission. He won’t let me go, and I can’t do this anymore.”
pitt
My voice broke on the last word, and a sob escaped before I could stop it. “I just want to go.” I cried. “Please, Nicole. I don’t care what it takes, just get me out of here.”
“Okay, Adeline,” Nicole said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. “First, you need to calm down. I’m coming to get you.”
“How?” I whispered, my voice shaky. “How are you going to get in here without the guards knowing?”
“You don’t worry about that,” Nicole said firmly “Just find a way to meet me in the garden in twenty minutes. I’ll handle the rest.”
My heart pounded as I nodded, even though she couldn’t see me. “Okay. 11 meet you there.”
I hung up and slumped onto the bed, my phone still clutched in my trembling hands. The room felt suffocating, the walls pressing in on me as the weight of everything settled on my chest. Could I even make it to the garden without being caught?
The seconds ticked by, each one stretching longer than the last. I couldn’t just sit there, but every nerve in my body was frayed, leaving me frozen. I stared at the door, half–expecting Nicholas to burst in, his dark eyes gleaming with fury.
Ten minutes passed. Then fifteen. I couldn’t wait any longer. Nicole would be on her way, and if I didn’t make it to the garden soon,
chance
I’d lose my only
1 forced myself to my feet, taking deep breaths to calm my racing heart. My mind raced as I planned my escape, mapping out every hallway and every possible hiding spot in the mansion. Nicholas had guards everywhere, and they’d notice if I wandered too far from the room.
Grabbing my thin cardigan, I draped it over my shoulders, hoping it would help me blend into the shadows outside.
I cracked the door open, peering into the dimly lit hallway, it was empty, but that didn’t mean I was safe. I slipped out quietly, pulling the door shut behind me with a soft click.
The house was eenly quiet. Normally, the staff would be bustling about, cleaning or catering to Nicholas’s whims, but tonight, it felt deserted. I crept down the hall, my steps light and careful, pausing at every corner to listen for approaching footsteps.
When I reached the back staircase, I paused, gripping the banister tightly. This was the riskiest part. The staircase was open, its creaky wooden steps a betrayal waiting to happen. Theld my breath as I descended, one step at a time, flinching at every slight groan of the wood.
I nearly jumped out of my skin when I heard voices coming from the kitchen. Ducking into a shadowed alcove, I pressed myself against the wall, straining to hear.
It was two guards, chatting about their patrol Shins.
“His Highness has been acting strange,” and said, his voice low.
“When isn’t he?” the other replied with a chuckle.
21:49 Wed 11 Jun
Chapter 20
They continued talking, their voices fading as they walked away. I waited until I couldn’t hear them anymore before stepping out of the alcove and continuing toward the garden door,
When I finally reached the exit, hesitated, my hand hovering over the doorknob. The cool metal sent a shiver through me as I steeled myself, I pushed the door open slowly, slipping outside into the crisp night air,
The garden was sprawling its pathways dimly illuminated by the moonlight. I glanced around, scanning for any sign of Nicole. My nerves were shot, my heart pounding in my ears.
I didn’t see her.
For a terrifying moment, I thought I’d misheard her, that I’d misunderstood the plan, I crouched behind a hedge, hugging my knees to my chest as
waited.
Minutes dragged by, each one an eternity. The silence was deafening, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves in the breeze.
And then, finally, I heard it–a soft whistle, barely audible.
“Nicole?” I whispered, my voice trembling.
“Over here,” she hissed, stepping out from behind a cluster of bushes. She looked worried but determined as she grabbed my arm. “Come on. Let’s go.”
We moved quickly but carefully, keeping to the shadows as we made our way toward the outer fence. Nicole had somehow managed to cut the power to the security cameras, but we didn’t have much time before someone noticed.
As
we reached the fence, I hesitated, glancing back at the house. A part of me expected Nicholas to appear, his cruel smile mocking my attempts to
escape.
“Adeline,” Nicole whispered urgently, pulling me out of my thoughts. “We have to go now.”
I nodded and climbed through the gap in the fence she’d created, my heart racing with equal parts fear and relief.
We didn’t stop running until we were well away from the mansion, hidden in the safety of the dense forest. Only then did I allow myself to breathe.
But even as i stood there, gasping for air and clutching Nicole’s arm, I couldn’t shake the feeling that this wasn’t over.
Because as cruel and wicked as Nicholas was,
he wasn’t the kind of man to let something go.
And I knew, deep down, that he would come for me.
But he didn. They did and now I was surrounded by dozens of men holding arrows aimed directly at me and the man in the middle gave the order, “Fire.”
