Natalia’s P. O. V

I ran and ran until I came to a river. I threw my bag to the other side and removed my clothes then walked into the water, making sure to wash my scent. When I reached the other side, I moved to put the clothes back on but Candy stopped me.

‘Nat, they’ll be looking for you, right?’

‘Yeah. Most likely.’

‘So, why don’t you leave something to make them think that something happened to you?’, She suggested.

‘Good idea. Let’s go back to the other side.’

I crossed the river again and tore my clothes up. Conveniently, a rabbit chose that moment to show itself. I caught it and killed it then poured its blood all over my torn up clothed and used my werewolf strength to throw the body back in the direction of the pack house. I used sticks to make claw marks and bear tracks in the ground then used a knife to make claw marks in the trees. I jumped around, making it look like there was a struggle.

I crossed the river again and put a new set of clothes on. I admired my handiwork then picked my bag up and continued running.

Callum’s P. O. V

I wiped my eyes and walked around the pack house aimlessly. In my funk, I bumped into Andrea.

“Hey, man. Where are you going?”

He hesitated before replying, “The Alpha sent me to find the omega.”

I looked behind him and saw Michael Dean and Jonathan Crude - two of the eighteen trackers we had. I looked back at Andrea, “I’m coming with you.”

We walked to the attic room and sniffed her mattress and memorised her scent- not that I had to, I’d always know my mate’s scent. We went outside through the kitchen door and followed the scent to the school. It stopped at the window of the records and storage room but she wasn’t there and there was nowhere to hide inside the room.

We followed the scent to the border and paused as Andrea sent a message to Harry. I listened in, ‘She crossed the border. Should we still follow her?’

‘Bring that bitch back.’ Was Harry’s reply before we were cut off.

Cade and I growled.

We shifted and followed the scent. ‘I’m only doing this because we might find our mate.’ Cade told me before he sank back into silence. Throughout the journey, the scent was unusually thin for a roughly six-hour-old trail – assuming she’d left around the time I rejected her. At night, we came to a tree where the scent wasn’t as thin. ‘She must’ve spent some time here.’

The others nodded their wolf heads. ‘Hey, look at this.’

Michael was standing over the dead body of a rabbit. It looked like a wolf had mauled it. It also smelled very faintly of Natalia. My wolf whined.

‘I think that’s all. Let’s continue following the scent.’ I’d been eager to find her. I wished I hadn’t.

We ran non-stop for a long time and I wondered how she’d been able to get so far in less than a day. At noon the next day we came to a river. The scent stopped on our side of it. I saw bloody torn up clothes and recognised them as what she was wearing when I rejected her.

‘I found something.’ I told the others.

There were bear tracks and claw marks on the ground and trees. The grass was bloody and looked like it had been trampled on during a fight. There was blood and the fading scent of Natalia all over the place.

No…

‘It looks like a bear ate her.’

Thanks for pointing out the obvious, Jonathan.

‘Really? She ran away then died?’

‘What did you expect? She was just a weakling omega after all.’ Michael stated.

‘Well, that’s that. Let’s go back and tell the Alpha that she’s dead.’ Andrea turned back.

It was all I could do not to rip them limb from limb. She was one of the strongest people I knew.

‘No! She can’t be dead! She just can’t!’ Cade howled in my head.

They started running back to the house. I shifted back and wobbled over to her torn, bloodied clothes before collapsing. I held a strip of her shirt up to my face and cried into it.

“I’m sorry. I’m so, so sorry, Natalia. I shouldn’t have rejected you. I’m so sorry. Don’t be dead! Don’t leave me! Please, don’t leave me!” I cried.

‘This is all your fault.’ Cade was furious. I was sure he’d be strangling me if he weren’t part of me.

‘I know.’ I despised myself.

**********

‘Cal!? Where are you!?’ Andrea’s anxious voice resonated quietly through the mind link. Almost inaudible.

I was curled up into a ball, still clutching that bloody strip of her shirt. My clothes were covered in her drying blood.

I stood up. The sun hung low in the sky. I must’ve cried myself to sleep. I tried to shift but Cade refused to help. ‘Get back yourself.’

I pocketed the cloth and ran.

Three and a half more days had passed when I got back to the house. Once I stepped in, Harry was on my case. “Where have you been and why are you covered in blood?”

I searched for an explanation, “Uh… I shifted to… to… properly inspect the area where she, uh, died and tripped on a… root and… um… hit my head on a rock which knocked me unconscious.”

He gave me a sceptical look before shrugging.

I rushed to my room and hid the cloth in my drawer. I undressed and got into the shower, using the noise of the running water to hide the sound of my sobs.

Kylie’s P. O. V

Harry called a pack meeting at noon two days later. “I have an announcement. The omega is dead. She was eaten by a bear.”

The fear evaporated from my heart at the sound of the news. She wasn’t going to be back to kill me.

This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

How wrong I’d been.

The room erupted with numerous opinions and snarky comments like; “What a weakling.”, “Ironic isn’t it? She promised to destroy us and got killed herself.”, but the rarest was the nicest, “What a shame, she seemed nice.”

Brittany called me, Hannah Lanie Creed and Nina Crude over and led us to get something to eat - probably cabbage. I noticed that Kirstin wasn’t present and shrugged. She probably didn’t want to be anywhere near me.

The feeling was mutual.

Natalia’s P. O. V

I ran until night fell and climbed up a tree. I nestled myself into the branches.

‘So, what’s the plan?’ Candy was curious.

‘First, I complete college and then, we’ll take it from there’

‘Okay. Goodnight, Nat’ ‘Night.’

I used my bag as a pillow then drifted off to sleep.

**********

Out of habit, I woke up before the sun. Candy yawned in my mind, ‘Where to?’

‘We need to get to New York. I want to apply for a college in Manhattan.’

‘Ooh - fancy.’

I chuckled.

I was already halfway there - if my calculations were accurate. The territory was near the forest of Orlando, Florida and I’d run through the forests that stretched from there to somewhere around Charlotte. I’d be there in approximately three days.

‘What about your name?’

‘I can just shorten Avarielle to make it Arielle. If my ‘death’ isn’t convincing enough, they’ll be less likely to make the connection.’ I shrugged and started running

**********

The rest of the journey was uneventful. I arrived in Manhattan in two and a half days. The first thing I did was to get an apartment in the city with the cash I had on me. It was small with a bathroom, living room, kitchen and one bedroom.

I cleaned up and sparsely furnished the place, feeling slightly more stable and accomplished when I was done. It had only taken about an hour.

I quickly showered with cold water and did my business then put on my nightgown. It was only 5 pm but I was tired.

I was out once my head hit the pillow.

**********

I woke before the sun again out of habit. I put some workout clothes on and jogged for two hours around the area near my house. I greeted the neighbours that were out and exchanges names.

When I was done, I went back home and took my first hot shower in my life. The water relaxed my tense muscles and calmed my nerves.

I finished my business and dressed up in my only pair of shorts and a short sleeved top then stretched out on my couch.

‘Nat?’

‘Hmm?’

‘What’s your story - obviously, you can’t tell them who you are, what you are, where you lived or why you’re here other than for college.’

I thought about it. ‘My parents are dead. I never knew my father and my mother was murdered a few days ago. I’m trying to make something out of myself like she would have wanted.’

‘Hmm…’ I could practically feel the wheels turning in Candy’s consciousness. ‘What about your age?’

I pondered it. ‘If I say my true age and the wrong people find out, I’ll be shipped off to foster care but I know that universities will need my birth certificate or at least my age.’

‘We weren’t born in a hospital right?’ Candy asked.

‘No, why?’

‘If we weren’t born in a hospital and mum didn’t ask for a birth certificate then there’s no proof that we’re any younger than eighteen. You can just say that mum died when our cabin house caught fire and almost everything was destroyed - including every certificate. You stick with the fact that you got your results from the school and let’s hope that nobody looks too deep into our past.’

‘What about my last name? Nobody knows it - I don’t know it I and I’ll need it. I don’t want to adopt a new one.’

‘You could say that…’ She started before coming up blank.

‘Mother never knew her last name and she hated the sperm donor so she refused to use his. She didn’t want to adopt another name so we have no last name.’ I suggested. She agreed.

There was a knock at my door. I walked over and opened it to see a five foot eleven guy that looked around eighteen years old with warm brown eyes, salt and pepper hair and a carefree smile. He had a strong scent that spoke of a king but resilient soul.

He was silent for a long time so I cleared my throat. ”Yes?”

“Hello. My name’s Trevor, I’m Ms Geranomy, your neighbour's, grandson. These are for you.”

I remembered meeting her during my jog that morning. I’d told her that I was new in town and we had chatted for a few minutes about showing me around. He extended a vase of lovely tiger lilies that I hadn’t even noticed. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever done for me since Kylie abandoned me. I smiled a little as I accepted the housewarming gift.

“Won’t you come in?” I stepped out of the doorway and he followed me inside. I placed the vase on the windowsill in the living room and joined him on the only couch.

“I’m sorry; I’ve nothing to offer you. I moved in yesterday and haven’t had time to get anything to eat or drink.”

He smiled, “That’s alright, I don’t need anything anyway.” He had a thick New Yorker accent. “My grandmother told me about you. She said that a nice young girl had just moved into the neighbourhood and asked me if I didn’t mind showing you around.”

“It’s alright, you don’t have to.” I didn’t want to be a burden.

“It’s fine, I want to. I’ll get to test out my mad tour guide skills and swoop a pretty girl off her feet.” I laughed as he joked and he playfully wriggled his eyebrows at me. I’d just met him but I already felt like we were old friends. Even Candy took an instant liking to him.

I genuinely smiled as I replied. “I’d love for you to swoop me off my feet. Let me change into some jeans and we’ll get going. Make yourself at home”

I walked into my room to change.

Trevor’s P. O. V

I woke up at nine to my grandmother’s lovely singing and wonderful smelling cooking. I went to the bathroom and quickly did my business then dressed up and practically floated to the kitchen, following the aroma of her cooking. I saw my beloved grandmother singing and dancing to some eighties tune while serving the dog and our food. My brother was absent – as usual.

“Morning Gram.” I said as I sat down in front of my plate of delicious food.

“Good morning, dearie. Sleep well?”

I nodded with bacon sticking out of my mouth. We ate in silence for a while before she cleared her throat.

“I met a lovely girl early this morning while I was collecting the paper. Her name’s Arielle – she’s a bit on the skinny side. Very respectful, though she had this pained look in her eyes. She’s new in town. Do you mind showing her around?”

I thought about it. It wasn’t like I had anything else to do today. “How old is she?”

Gram shrugged. “She didn’t say so I didn’t ask. She looked like she was somewhere around sixteen though but I’m not sure.”

Around sixteen? Hmm… “Okay. Where does she live?”

“Directly opposite us. Take a vase of tiger lilies to her; I’m sure she’ll love them”

We finished eating and cleared up. I grabbed the tiger lilies, said goodbye to Gram and was knocking on her door by ten.

A dark beauty opened the door for me. She was about 5’3” and had golden skin with dark brown, waist length hair. She had full lips and beautiful emerald eyes that indeed looked haunted and pained – just like Gram said. She was dressed in jean shorts and a short sleeved top. Aside from being skinny, she was the most beautiful being I’d ever seen.

I must have been gawking because she cleared her throat, raised a delicate eyebrow and asked, “Yes?”

I mentally shook myself. Get it together man. “Hello. My name’s Trevor, I’m Ms Geranomy, your neighbour’s, grandson. These are for you.” I presented the flowers to her and she smiled as she took them. I practically swooned - her smile was beautiful and it lit up her eyes.

“Won’t you come in?” she stepped back and I followed her into her house. I sat down on only the couch and watched as she placed the vase on the windowsill then came to sit down next to me.

“I’m sorry; I’ve nothing to offer you. I moved in yesterday and haven’t had time to get anything to eat or drink.” She said apologetically.

I smiled at her thoughtfulness, “That’s alright, I don’t need anything anyway. My grandmother told me about you. She said that a nice young girl had just moved into the neighbourhood and asked me if I didn’t mind showing you around.” I mentally blessed my grandmother for telling me about this beauty.

“It’s alright, you don’t have to.”

“It’s fine, I want to. I’ll get to test out my mad tour guide skills and swoop a pretty girl off her feet.” I playfully wriggled my eyebrows at her and she laughed. It was the most beautiful sound in the world and I swore I heard bells. If I had died that moment, I would have died happy.

She graced me with another dazzling smile, “I’d love for you to swoop me off my feet. Let me change into some jeans and we’ll get going. Make yourself at home”

She walked inside.