Second Thoughts After Divorce

Chapter 62

Rour’s POV

The forest loomed before us, a shadowy sanctuary that offered both cover and uncertainty….

The rhythmic pounding of our hearts synced with our desperate footsteps as we plunged into the dense foliage – branches and leaves scratching at our bare skin as we pushed through them desperately in terror.

Despite now being in our ripped up ball gowns, our shoes had been long gone since we had woken up–the dresses thankfully providing enough leg room for us to run in!

Our feet were bloody and torn already, but we were too terrified to take notice of the injuries as of just yet… putting our freedom from our captors as a top priority over all else!

The adrenaline completely fuelled our escape and was now our only lifeline, with every step we took feeling like a race against the encroaching darkness.

The sounds of gunshots and men yelling began to echo through the night, growing louder as

s our pur

Panic surged through us both, and fear twisted

pursuers closed in an our rushed escape.

cur :

every movement as we pulled one another to keep moving forward.

We darted between trees, our breaths sharp and frantic, our senses dulled without the aid of our wolf instincts to help us….

We were in this alone..

The forest, once a place of peace by day, was now unforgiving and had become a labyrinth of uncertainty by night fall.

The uneven ground beneath us threatened to trip us up, but we pressed on,

n, our desperation lending strength to our trembling limbs – the cold wind battering against our flesh amongst the chaos.

as we tried to put as much distance

The chilling realization that our captors could easily shift into wolf form and outrun us fueled our urgency as w between us and them as we possibly could

With each gun shot, seeming to grow closer each time, our bodies would tense and we would instinctively flinch at the foreign sound… hoping for the

bullets not to land.

“This way!”

We

hear a loud yell nearby, as we both gasp and begin to run in the opposite direction from the man’s deep voice.

The darkness of the trees seemed to close in, amplifying our vulnerability as I immediately pulled Lydia to a stop – clamping a firm hand over her mouth to avoid being heard.

“We have to hide!” I whisper urgently, as she nods and we head for the largest bush we could find…

We communicated with unspoken urgency, understanding that our survival depended on our ability to outwit those pursuing us – by staying quiet and out of sight until it was clear for us to flee again!

The distant shouts grew louder, indicating that they were closing in – followed by a ferocious growl – causing us both to tense.

One of them had

already shifted…

Fear clawed at the edges of my mind, but I pushed it aside, focusing on the urgency of the moment. The foliage helped to conceal us in the night, but it also restricted our vision, making it challenging to navigate through the unfamiliar terrain…

It was our best bet to stay hidden!

“They couldn’t have gone far! Find them! How could you idiots not know how to tie a freakin knot properly? If Derrick was here, he would be so pissed off about this?” I turn to Lydia, eyes wide as we hear the familiar voice of a female approaching….

I place a finger to my lips, indicating that they were close, and for us not to make a move or sound.

“We had one fucking job guys! To take the females down south to the Naturli

Branches suddenly snap nearby, before Elza herself stumbles in to view – her face barely noticeable through the small gaps in the leaves,

At least now I knew that Derrick himself wasn’t here, which probably meant that Ashton had him… at least I hoped that was the case…

But that didn’t take away from the fact that something sinister was brewing….. this whole night had seemingly been planned – but why?

Why us? What for?

“Derrick isn’t here Liza! Therefore you have me to answer tot Drop p the attitude and let’s just focus here! One of

of the men speaks out, his voice rough

and full of annoyyaner,

“Just sound the ilanın joan again! Let’s scare them out of these woods!” Liza waves her wrist with an eye roll, as myself and Lydia instinctively move to cover our cars – thankfully able to prepare for the shot this time.

The bullet flies upwards, the land sound showing no mercy as it shoots out in to the quiet night air…..

Elza suddenly whistles, as i rye Lydia in curiosity of what she was doing, before my thoughts are answered–seeing four large paws dart through the trees – landing with a grunt moments later.

“Quade? Have you still seriously not found them either? Aren’t you supposed to be the packs tracker or some shit?!” Elza groans, seeming to pace back and forth as the hairs on my arms stand alert from them being so close now…

Cracking is heard, before the wolf becomes a man, as he wipes his sweaty forehead in an attempt to prepare his next words….

“Why don’t you try finding two females in the largest forest in the country without them having a traceable scent?! If you hadn’t decided to drug them up so much, their wolves would still be conscious and their scent would be trackablet All I can smell is damp fucking soil!” The man fumes, as my shoulders relax slightly at his words,

He can’t smell

“Well let’s do the smart thing and split up? They are probably miles away by now thanks to you idiots! Elza s men as she now stood in black comfy clothes having evidently changed at one point for this very event.

Lucky for some…

snaps, pointing an accusing finger at the Property of Nô)(velDr(a)ma.Org.

The trio agreed, as they set off in different directions, as one of the men pass us by causing us to lower ourselves fully to avoid being spotted.

The dense forest concealed us like a cloak of shadows, and we waited in the stillness, our breaths hushed, listening for any sign of the three pursuers still nearby.

Time hung in suspense, and the urgency of our situation fueled the palpable tension as we grew colder by the minute… shivering in the unforgiving moonlight.

With a silent exchange of glances and a nod, we decided that it was a decent time to make our escape… believing that we had waited it out long enough

Racing through the tangled undergrowth, our torn gowns clung to us as we pushed through the darkness.

The forest became a suffocating trap of uncertainty, and our escape was guided solely by the instinct to flee the approaching danger.

There has to be a way out of this… a nearby town which we can hide out in until morning?

But the idea was soon short lived….

Amidst the chaotic pursuit, we stumbled upon a clearing my breath catching in my throat instantly as we come faced with one of the very men in question.

In that heart–stopping

moment, he turned, causing our eyes to lock. The realization struck us simultaneously, and without a word, we pivoted backwards, breaking into yet another sprint.

Crap!

Desperation quickened our pas

pus with its winding roots and jagged rock covered

Branches scraped against our dresses and exposed flesh, and the uneven terrain threatened to trip flour…

As we raced against time, I could feel the man’s presence closing in from behind us, a looming threat in the darkness as the nearby branches and leaves crunched and snapped. My heart pounded, the adrenaline heightening my senses once again.

It was then that I made a split–second decision, fueled by the need to ensure Lydia’s safety and to promise at least some hope for our future….

“Lydia, listen! We don’t have much time! Make a dash for it! Find a tree and climb up as high as you can when you get there. Wait until daylight, then go for help. I’ll lead him away to give you some time! My urgent words sliced through the chaotic night, and Lydia hesitated, tom between the instinct to stay and the necessity to escape.

“1-1 can’t leave you! No! I won’t!” She cries, as I shake my head furiously.

p in her eyes, mirroring the fear that currently gripped us both.

Tears welled up

“You need to! It’s our only chance! Please! If you go now, you’ll find Ashton and the others and send help! It’s the only way!” I shove her shoulders urgently, as her mouth opens and closes in panic.

I shouted loudly for her to go, my voice carrying a blend of determination and desperation…

With a final glance, Lydia nodded – wiping at her streaming tears before she sprinted towards a nearby tree, disappearing off into the shadows, her safety now dependent on the branches that cradled her….

As Lydia fled, the man closed the distance between us, his footsteps echoing like impending doom as I looked for somewhere new to hide.

I veered away from Lydia’s path, attempting to lure him further into the depths of the forest… The relentless pursuit continuing as my weak limbs fought against me to stop running.

The forest seemed to conspire against us, as if the very trees aimed to thwart and deter our escape.

The sudden sound of a gunshot pierced loudly in to the night, and a searing pain tore through my leg shortly after–causing me to release a deafening scream to follow it.

I stumbled forward, my breathing catching in my throat as I sank to my knees – gripping at the gushing blood spurting from my calf…

The agony radiated from the gunshot wound, and the forest fell silent shortly after, the only sound remaining being the sound of my cries and yells of agony.

I fought to stay upright, but my strength waned as 1 toppled on to my side – another scream following quickly behind.

The man approached steadily, gun still pointed at me in fear that I would perhaps evaporate before his very eyes – not wanting to risk losing me for a second time.

ily on me.

As I roared out in agony, the reality of the situation weighed heavily on

Was this it?

Was I going to bleed out and die?

Could this be my

end?

At least Lydia was hidden in the safety of the trees, holding our only last string of hope for rescue…

The pain in my leg intensified with each passing breath, the man himself also breathing heavily after our race to the finish line….

I braced myself, determined to endure whatever awaited, clinging to the hope that Lydia would find help and that, somehow, we would energe from this nightmarish ordeal together… to live a normal, happy life hack at Ashtons pack!

I just pray that they don’t find her…

She doesn’t deserve any of this hell…

Not after what she’s endured already!

“FUCKING HELL DAN!” Elsa’s voice pierces in to range now, as my body contorts at the a

added agony from hearing the sound of her voice.

“Are you seriously this stupid?! She could bleed out and die on us! We need her alive, that was the one rule we had!” Elza s I focus on the thick liquid coating my hands as I clutch at the wound in desperation–growing nauseous.

screams out in sheer anger, as

“The gun was only to scare them! Not hunt and shoot them down like some wild animals! She’s not ours to kill and you knew that!” Elza continues to yell, before branches are heard – revealing the third of the trio – as I blink through wet tears in an attempt to concentrate

“She was running too fast! I didn’t want to lose her again! The man defends loudly, arms stretched out to express how annoyed he was with the outcome himself,

“Both of you! Lift her and get her back to the van! There’s a medical kit back there, we will need to patch her up as best we can and hope that she doesn’t die on us!” Elza instructs, as the men shuffle closer causing me to thrash and cry against their outstretched hands.

“But what about the other one?!” One of the men argues, before I scream loudly as they lift me up – sending more waves of pain coursing to my injured leg.

“She was only a bonus… we don’t really need her, she’s not important! Just hurry it up!” Elza snaps, as the men begin to carry my limp body back in the direction of the van.

The pain grew intensely, flooding my senses as it all became too much – my eyelids growing heavier and heavier by the second.

This could be it…..

This could be how it all ends…

And I didn’t even get to say a final goodbye to Ashton…

Or tell him that ….