The Outcast
The heavy door swung open, and a guard stepped inside, his expression hard and unyielding. "Get moving, Noelle," he barked, shoving me forward with a rough hand. The shove sent me stumbling, and I quickly regained my balance, trying to hide my weakness. I felt the eyes of the guards and maids on me, their gazes filled with a mixture of disdain and curiosity.
I walked through the dimly lit halls of the palace, my head hanging low, trying to avoid the whispers that followed me. They were talking about me, I knew it. I could hear snippets of their conversations as I passed.
"Did you hear the Alpha made that announcement?" one maid said, her voice dripping with disdain. "Kicking out a maid because of a contagious blood disease. I wondered who it is and now I know, how disgusting."
Another maid chimed in, "I heard it's really serious. Who knows how many others she could have infected? Good riddance if you ask me."
"No wonder she doesn't talk to anyone. I hope she goes to die somewhere far away."
I clenched my fists at my sides, fighting the urge to cry. Their words stung, each one a reminder of how alone I was. I was the outcast, the one who had fallen from grace, and now they were celebrating my exile as if I were some kind of monster.
"Keep walking," the guard snapped, pushing me again as we reached the back of the palace. The sun filtered through the trees outside, a harsh contrast to the dim, cold interior I was leaving behind. I stepped outside, squinting against the brightness, and took a deep breath of the fresh air, trying to calm my racing heart.
But the moment I stepped outside, the weight of my situation crashed down on me. I noticed the way the people nearby recoiled as I walked past, stepping aside to avoid me as if I were carrying some kind of disease. Their expressions were filled with fear and disgust, and I felt the heat of shame wash over me.
As I approached the car waiting by the edge of the forest, I kept my head down, unwilling to meet their gazes. I couldn't bear to see the judgment in their eyes any longer. The guard opened the door for me, and I climbed in, the leather seat cold against my skin.
"Drive," he ordered, and the driver pulled away from the palace, the familiar sights of the pack fading into the distance. I turned to look out the window, the trees rushing by in a blur. My heart ached with every passing second, knowing I was being taken away from the only home I had ever known.
The car eventually slowed, and I felt a knot tightening in my stomach as we approached the edge of the forest. This was it. This was where my new life would begin, away from the pack, away from everything I had ever known. The driver parked the car and turned to me.
"You're not ever supposed to come back here," he said, his voice devoid of any empathy. "The Alpha made it clear. If he sees you again, there will be consequences. Just stay in the forest and die."
My throat tightened as I nodded, unable to speak. I pushed open the car door and stepped out into the forest, the cool breeze brushing against my skin. The driver didn't wait for me to respond. He simply drove away, leaving me standing alone, surrounded by the towering trees that seemed to close in on me.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. The forest was alive with sounds: the rustling of leaves, the chirping of birds, and the distant sound of a brook. But all I could feel was the emptiness that surrounded me. I was abandoned, left to fend for myself in a place that felt foreign and unforgiving. This was the thickest forest across three packs and people died here. That was Micky's plan for me.
A part of me wanted to scream, to cry out for someone to help me, but I knew that no one would come. I was a pariah now, marked by the Alpha's decree. I took a few steps into the forest, the ground soft beneath my feet.
There was no plan, no direction. Just an overwhelming sense of loss. I wandered deeper into the trees, my mind racing with thoughts of what had just happened. I was kicked out for something I couldn't control, something that made me feel even more isolated.
The whispers of the maids echoed in my mind. "Good riddance." "How disgusting." I wrapped my arms around myself, trying to ward off the chill that seeped into my bones. How had it come to this? Just a year ago, I had hope and a dream at least and now…now I was going to die.
I started coughing again, spitting away the blood.
I found a small clearing, the sunlight breaking through the branches above. It felt like a safe haven, a temporary escape from the harsh reality of my situation. I sank to the ground, my back against a tree, and let the tears flow freely down my cheeks.
As I sat in the clearing, the sounds of the forest enveloping me, I began to contemplate what lay ahead. Would I be able to survive out here? I had no skills, no knowledge of the wilderness. Would I have to fend for myself completely?
"Goddess above, do not forsake me."
The fear of the unknown gnawed at me, but I also felt a flicker of determination ignite within me. I couldn't just give up. I would find a way to survive, to carve out a new life in this unforgiving place. I needed to learn how to hunt, how to gather food, how to protect myself from the weather.
With that thought, I pushed myself up from the ground, brushing off the dirt and leaves clinging to my clothes. I looked around, taking in my surroundings with fresh eyes. I could make this place my home, at least for now.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart. The forest was vast, filled with untapped resources. I could find food and shelter if I was careful. As long as I stayed hidden, I might be able to survive this.
Determined, I took a step forward deeper into the forest, clutching the tiny bag I came for as I searched for the most important thing in that moment: something to eat.