Elyse pov
The woods were dark and quiet; the only sound coming to my ear was the crunch of dry leaves under my feet as I walked. My fingers clutched the valerian leaves tightly; it was my only hope of treating Grandpa's sickness. The forest felt alive during the day, but at night, it became something else—cold, full of shadows, and whispers that made my skin crawl. I hate walking alone in the dark, and this forest is not helping matters.
On my way back to the village, I heard voices. I froze, holding my breath. No one from the pack should be out here around this time, and the patrol warriors wouldn't be around for at least another hour. I stayed low and cautiously made my way from tree to tree until I came across them—four men standing in a clearing.
"We're running out of time," growled one of them, his voice rough and intimidating. "My men are ready. We move tonight. Backing out isn't an option anymore. Your pack is next."
I peeked out from behind the tree, my stomach sinking when I saw who spoke next. It was Alpha Scott, our warrior leader. His voice was tense but steady. "I'm not backing out," he said. "But I won't leave here without her. We wait until she gets here."
Her? Who was he talking about?
The rogue leader stepped closer to Scott, the moonlight catching his sharp features.
"She's taking too long. If she's not here in less than the next few minutes, we move without her. And we are moving tonight."
Another man muttered, "If she's not here, she's out. You're either with us, or we leave you behind."
I pressed myself harder against the tree, my mind racing. The man we all trusted, Alpha Scott, was collaborating with rogues. Why would he betray us? And who was he waiting for? I couldn't stay here to figure it out; none of it made sense. I had to alert the others.
But leaving here I need to be cautious without being detected because I won't even want to imagine what they will do to me if they catch me.
I turned to leave, trying not to make a sound, but my foot landed on a stick.
Crack!!
The noise echoed, giving away my location.
"There's someone there!" a voice yelled.
I was in a panic, so I ran as fast as I could, my heart pounding, the trees flying past as I searched for a path out of the forest. Two rogues sprang in front of me and blocked my path before I could continue.
"Wow, look at her," one of them exclaimed. "She's beautiful with her slim body, and her long black hair is stunning."
"It's too bad you're short," the other one said. Since I dislike short girls, you're out of luck."
They were too quick. I just managed to avoid one that swung a punch at me. The second one sent me flying into a tree after giving me a strong kick to the stomach.
My back ached as I struck the floor, unable to breathe.
I tried to stand, but they already surrounded me. The rogues from the meeting joined them. And there, standing among them, was Scott. His eyes widened when he saw me.
"Elyse?" he said sharply. "What are you doing out here?"
I pushed myself to my feet, clutching my aching stomach. Fear burned away into anger.
"I should be asking you that, Scott. How could you do this? You're supposed to protect us! I trusted you!"
Scott's face twisted with anger. "Shut the fuck up, Elyse!" he growled, his voice loud and sharp. But there was something else in his eyes—something almost sad I could feel.
"You don't know what you're talking about," he snapped. "You think this is what I wanted? You don't understand anything. You're just a kid who thinks skill is enough to survive. You don't know the truth about the war that killed your parents. I've lost too. I don't have a choice."
I clenched my fists. "And that's your excuse? Victor lost his parents too, and he's still fighting for the pack! What's your excuse, Scott?"
"Don't talk back to me!" he roared, his alpha power making the air heavy. "You should've stayed out of this. But now, it's too late. The moment you stepped into these woods, your fate was sealed.
The rogues snarled and closed in.
I counted six of them. Two were Alphas; the rest looked like Betas or Omegas. Scott stood still, watching.
"She's fast," he warned. "Don't underestimate her."
But one rogue charged before Scott even finished.
"She's alone," he sneered. "Speed won't save her."
He swung a heavy punch, but I dodged, grabbing his arm and twisting. Using his momentum, I hooked my legs around his neck and flipped him hard onto the ground.
Another rogue rushed me, but I was quicker. I lunged, sinking my fangs into his chest and ripping out his heart. His blood drenched my hands.
"One down," I muttered to myself.
The rest charged all at once. The rogue I had ripped his heart out was going for his gun, too bad I never gave him that chance to use it. I grabbed it from his lifeless hand and aimed.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
The three rogues charging towards me dropped to the ground; it was a perfect headshot. My breathing was heavy, but I knew this wasn't over. The Alphas were still standing.
The first rogue I had thrown groaned as he sat up, pulling out a gun. He fired, and I barely managed to dive behind a tree before the bullet could hit me.
"Elyse!" Scott's angry voice echoed through the forest. "You're only stalling. You can't escape!"
I peeked out, my own frustration boiling over. "And you call yourself an Alpha, hiding behind trees? Scared of silver bullets, huh? I have always known Victor was stronger than you—that's why you never spar with him whenever he visits. You don't want to look weak, do you?"
I was baiting him, trying to throw him off. But before I could say more, the rogue Alpha leaped from a tree above me. His aim was deadly. I reacted just in time, firing at him. He dodged, landing smoothly on a branch nearby—it was all a trick to distract me.
Before I could act, Scott lunged. He knocked the gun from my hands and grabbed me by the neck, hurling me into a tree. Pain shot through my body as I slammed against the rough bark and fell to the ground.
"You're still too inexperienced," Scott sneered, towering over me. "That's your biggest weakness."
While I was down, the rogue who had shot at me stormed over, his face twisted with rage. He kicked me hard—once, twice—until stars danced in my vision. I reached blindly, my hand landing on a broken stick. Without hesitation, I stabbed it into his leg.
He howled, staggering back in pain, giving me the opening I needed. I grabbed his fallen gun and fired. The shot hit him, and he crumpled to the ground.
The rogue Alpha rushed at me again, but I was ready this time. I followed his movements, aimed carefully, and fired at his leg. The bullet hit, and he collapsed near me, growling in pain.
"You'll regret that!" He snarled, but I didn't wait. I emptied the gun into his head.
Not sooner had he hit the ground then Scott charged at me. He grabbed me by the neck and slammed me into another tree with terrifying force. The gun slipped from my grasp as I crumpled to the dirt.
"I have to admit," Scott said coldly, his eyes locking onto mine. "I'm impressed. You took down the others, even an Alpha. But I'm not like them. I trained you. I know all your tricks."
Every part of me hurt, but I wasn't done yet. As he leaned over, I grabbed a handful of dirt and threw it into his face. He roared in frustration, rubbing at his eyes. I used the distraction to run.
Scott was too fast. Within moments, he caught up and kicked me hard, sending me flying once again. I hit the ground, gasping for breath, but I wasn't giving up.
As he charged toward me, I saw a piece of wood lying nearby. I reached for it, but Scott grabbed my wrist, stopping me. Thinking fast, I twisted my body and reached for the dagger I knew he kept on his left side. My fingers wrapped around the hilt, and with one swift motion, I plunged it into his stomach.
Scott froze, his eyes wide in shock. I didn't hesitate. Adrenaline surged through me, and I drove the blade deeper, aiming for his chest. With one last push, I tore his heart out.
The forest fell silent except for my ragged breathing. Blood dripped from my hands, and I stared at Scott's lifeless body.
Then I heard footsteps—quick and steady. The patrol warriors had arrived. They stopped in their tracks when they saw me, their faces pale with horror.
"What… what have you done?" one of them asked, his voice trembling as he looked at the blood-soaked scene.
I stood there, Scott's heart still in my hand, his body lying motionless at my feet. My mind raced, but I knew one thing for sure—this wasn't over.