Camila's POV
I ran.
The cold night air burned my lungs, my legs felt like lead, and my body begged for rest. But I could not stop. I would not.
Branches tore at my arms as I pushed forward, my feet sinking into the damp earth with every desperate step. The forest stretched endlessly before me—dark, vast, and unforgiving. But I had no choice but to keep going.
Because if they caught me, I was dead.
"Find her!"
Alpha Carter's voice rang through the trees, sharp and merciless.
I shuddered, pressing a hand to my stomach as if to shield the secret growing inside me. It was not visible—not yet—but I knew it was there. And if Alpha Carter found out, he would not just kill me. He would make sure my child never took a breath in this world.
I bit down on my lip, forcing myself to focus. The sound of boots crashing against the forest floor grew louder behind me. They were getting closer. My heart pounded wildly against my ribs, fear clawing at my throat.
I needed to hide.
Frantically, my eyes darted around the dense trees until I spotted a massive oak ahead. Its thick roots twisted above the ground, forming a hollow space just big enough to crawl into.
Without hesitation, I threw myself into the gap, curling into the shadows. My breath came fast and shallow as I pressed my back against the rough bark, my fingers digging into the damp earth.
"She could not have gone far!" one of the warriors barked.
I bit down hard on my lip, tasting blood, willing myself to stay silent.
Tears burned the back of my eyes as I pressed my trembling fingers against my stomach.
"I will not let them take you," I swore silently to the tiny life growing inside me.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the sounds of the hunt. But I could not escape the memories that flooded my mind.
Two months ago, my life had been different.
It had not been perfect—being a slave in Alpha Carter's pack had never been easy—but at least it had been predictable. At least then, I had something to hold on to.
But everything changed the moment I turned eighteen.
Weeks before my birthday, the dreams started. Every night, I saw the same image—a strong, broad back, a familiar stance, standing just out of reach. My mate. I did not know who he was, but something about him felt… known. Safe.
I should have known it was Hayden.
Hayden Carter. The Alpha's only son. The playboy. The bad boy. The one who had never once spared me a second glance when we were younger.
But when he returned after his training, something was different. He was different.
The way he looked at me. The way he touched me. The way he made me believe, just for a moment, that I was more than a slave. At that time, I found out that Hayden Carter the son of the Alpha was my mate. Heaven was kind enough to make me his mate.
"I can not wait to claim you, Camila." his velvety voice had whispered to me, close enough to my ears that I was captured by his domineering aura, a feeling I couldn't control.
I had let him have me. I had believed him. I had trusted him. I had given him everything—my heart, my body, my soul.
But then...when I thought everything would be fine. He...Hayden Carter turned his back on me, accusing me of something I did not do.
I can still remember that day, it is a month now when...
I had waited for him by the lake—the place he had once told me was his sanctuary.
My hands trembled as I rested them over my stomach, the truth pressing against my tongue. Allowing the evening breeze to caress my skin, my eyes took in the beautiful scenario, a smile spread wide on my lips. I could not wait to tell him I was carrying his child.
And then, I heard his footsteps approaching. Quickly, I turned to face him. He had a smile on his face. That cocky, careless grin that had once made my heart flutter. But the moment the words left my lips, everything changed.
"I'm pregnant, Hayden."
Immediately, his smile vanished and that was when I noticed his smile from the beginning was strained after all. His whole body went rigid, his jaw clenching so tightly I thought it might break.
"Say that again," he said, his voice eerily quiet.
I swallowed hard. "Hayden, I–I'm pregnant. We are going to have a—"
His laughter cut through my words like a blade. Cold. Sharp. Cruel.
I froze. This was not the reaction I had expected.
"You think I'm stupid, don't you?" His eyes darkened, something dangerous flickering beneath the surface.
I frowned. "What are you talking about?"
He stepped closer, and for the first time, I felt afraid.
"I trusted you, Camila," he whispered. "I thought you were different. But now I see—you are just like the others."
I shook my head, panic rising in my chest. "No, Hayden, I do not understand—"
"Oh, you understand perfectly." He sneered. "Tell me, was it that slave you were always sneaking off to talk to? Or was it someone else?"
His words felt like a slap. I staggered back.
"You think I cheated on you?" My voice broke.
Hayden didn't even flinch. "I know you did."
Tears blurred my vision. "Hayden, please—"
"Enough!" he roared, his voice echoing through the trees. "You think I do not know? Camila, I have the evidence with me. You slept with another man and want to pin the pregnancy on me. How pathetic of you Camila, I never thought you would be this kind of a person." Hayden shouted, taking his phone out from his pocket and bringing it directly to my face. There I saw the picture of me with another man curled up on a bed.