Lo ran and ran. Her legs hurt, her body hurt. But they didn't let her stop.
She felt the dried blood already from the bite she received when she tried. The fear of getting another made her somehow keep pace.
They ran for what felt like hours.
At least focusing on the pain of the exertion in her tired trembling muscles kept her mind occupied from the grief and terror that was threatening to consume her.
When they finally began to slow she felt herself shaking. She could barely walk without stumbling. She panted to catch her breath as they ushered her onward into some rolling hills within the forest.
They walked for sometime, quietly, until they reached a gently flowing stream. There they all stopped to wash the blood off.
Lo reluctantly shifted back and shakily did the same. She couldn't stop thinking of Lottie the whole time she scrubbed her trembling hands.
She stared numbly at the red water that trickled down off her.
"Stop your nonsense. That female was as good as dead anyway." The Varga enforcer beside her snapped. Lo swallowed thickly and realized tears were streaming down her eyes. She looked up at the male. He had a severe look to him, like all the others did.
She vaguely remembered him. He used to run patrols near their home. He walked away a moment later.
Lo took slow breaths and kept scrubbing even after all the blood was off her. She still felt dirty...
She heard their voices around her, they were clearly talking to each other, not in any congratulatory or happy manner despite having done exactly what they had set out to do. The Vargas weren't like that.
They were cold. Ruthless.
After having spent time with the Lykaia, the difference in their mannerism was never so clear to her as it was now.
She wondered if the Varga males even knew how to show joy... they never showed anything except anger.
Otherwise, they seemed emotionless.
With how she was feeling, it was hard to focus on any conversation, so she hardly comprehended what they were saying. Lo cast a careful glance at the Gamma. He had clearly taken on their Alpha role now, she could feel it from him. It occurred to her he had pack bonds.
The remaining Vargas must have declared their loyalty to him.
Lo turned her attention forward when they started moving again and she reluctantly shifted back to follow. She was in no condition to do anything else.
A few minutes later she saw some cave mouths ahead. It was clear that's where they were headed.
The Gamma snarled back at the one beside her the moment they approached. He was the one who had given her the warning bite when she slowed. His meaning was clear. Lo followed him as he branched off from the others.
She kept on casting quick glances around. She could hear their scouts out in the woodlands.
Intense fear at her situation was slowly setting in...
But... it felt different now. She knew now what it could be like. She was not going to be that subservient little female anymore.
She couldn't...
This wasn't the Varga land. It wasn't boxed in. It would be easier to run. Her frantic mind couldn't accept that she'd go back to living like she did before. She wouldn't become a breeder for them...
She'd rather die.
Having a taste of freedom, even if it wasn't truly freedom, made the fear she felt lessen somehow just by thinking about what the Lykaia had taught her.
YOU ARE READING
Winter Wolf
Werwolf"Why are you so cold to me?" Lo asked. She didn't understand it. This should be a blessing to them both. Tristan stopped at the threshold of the door. She could see his muscular form tense, his large hands clenched at his sides. A thick silence fol...
