Kira's POV
That was the highest form of embarrassment, disrespect and demeaning anyone could ever get. Asha had publicly humiliated me in front of not just our pack members but in front of every other pack member he invited.
As if that wasn't enough, he even went ahead to banish me from the palace; in his words, "Kira, I never want to see you in this palace... no... I never want to set my eyes on you anywhere around this pack."
He didn't mean he banished me. He only meant that he never wanted to see me, meaning I should make sure our paths never crossed.
Honestly, it was heartwrenching; even if he hadn't banished me from the palace, I would have banished myself because the humiliation was just too much for me to bear.
In tears, I walked out of the hall he had made the announcement. As I walked through the crowd in shame, the ache of rejection still eating deep inside me, people kept staring, some laughing.
"I always knew that this is what would happen to you in the end; you are nothing but a mistake," someone said.
I increased my pace. I would have run, but the pain in my heart was too heavy for me to lift my legs.
I got to my little hut, where I had stayed before moving to the palace to work as a maid; I picked a few things, a little supply that would last me a while on the road.
Not like I had a lot of supplies to take with me.
"I am so sorry," said an old man who lived next door.
I smiled weakly, took my little bag and left. As I walked through the part that led to the outskirt of the pack I could still see some eyeballs glaring at me from the corners.
I didn't mind; the rejection pain was becoming too overwhelming, and I hardly moved my legs. I struggled and struggled until I got to the outskirts of the pack; I took a look back at the pack; I didn't even know what to feel.
I wasn't sure if I was happy or I was sad; all my life staying in the pack, I didn't have any good memories or even a single friend that I would miss or that might miss me.
As I stood at the boundary, I looked ahead and saw a thick forest that was in front of me. I looked back at the pack again tears rolling down my eyes as I wished that everything was different.
I began to curse who brought me to life; whoever the person was, I prayed that they would never have eternal rest for putting me in this position.
No family name, no lineage, nothing to track my identity, I felt like a lost cause. Well, I was a lost cause, I didn't see any form of saving or redemption.
I took in a deep breath before finally crossing the boundary. As I walked deep into the forest, a part of me wished that I would just be eaten by a rogue wolf or a wild animal while the other part wanted to live.
Sincerely, I was surprised at the way I felt, thinking about my life and probably how it might go there's nothing to want to live for.
I kept walking deeper into the Bush until it became too dark for me to see through. I decided to rest at the base of an oak tree till the next morning.
I got to the oak tree, dropped my bag beside and sat. I used my bag as a pillow so I could lie down well.
Shortly, I began to hear rustling sounds; the sounds were gentle and calm. I felt it was the cool night breeze romancing the leaves on the trees until the sound became louder; this time, it sounded like rustling caused by footsteps.
"Is anyone there!" I asked my voice echoing through the forest.
'O my gosh this is a bad idea'
Instantly, I felt that asking that question was a wrong move. I was in the middle of a thick forest where there were wild animals, and the possibility of rogue wolves from different packs lurking around was very high.
I picked up my bag, ready to run, the moment I saw something, but everywhere seemed quiet. I thought there was nothing there. Probably my mind was playing tricks on me.
As I tried to lay down back, suddenly I heard a low growl. 'Oh my goddess' I screamed In my head.
It was no wolf; it wasn't even a lion. I couldn't recognise the animal by the sound of its growl. I stood quietly, my body shaking and sweating profusely under the cold night air.
I managed to open my bag; I had a small torch inside. I brought it out and pointed in the direction where I heard the growl from and lo and behold, I saw a giant animal. I had never seen it before, but I had heard tales of the forest holding different kinds of creatures.
In case you wonder why the creature isn't going into the packs, that's because they are tied to the forest magically; they can't leave; well, that's another story for another day.
I felt a very cold shiver down my spine; I didn't wait; I began to run. I could hear the sound of the beast behind me; its growl suggested hunger. I panicked as I ran; I was about to have dinner or breakfast for this monster.
I bumped into many sharp branches as I ran; it was late at night, and I couldn't see anything; I just kept running and running. I stopped for a minute to catch my breath; I don't think it was even up to a minute because as I was trying to breathe in and out, I heard the growl of the beast nearer.
As I took the next step, I dashed my foot on something that felt like a broken tree, and my leg twisted. I screamed In pain and the next thing, I saw myself rolling down somewhere I didn't know. The only thing I felt was my hands landing on what seemed to be a flowing stream.