Royally Mated

-28-

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UNEDITED

I am getting out of breath. 

My breathing is growing hoarse as I round another sharp corner, leading into an even darker corridor. I feel like the energy I had felt before is slowly seeping out of my veins and into the dark night. 

The voices seem to have faded a little way down, as I consider the options before me, I could continue to run, or I could try and hide, wait them out and then sneak around until I've found my way out. 

The last thing I can do is get caught, because once I am caught it will be the end, I won't be able to get away again.

As I pass a small alcove to my left I pause and look down the hallway behind me before ducking into the small space, in the wall. 

This part of the hallway is not lit by a torch so most of the wall is cast in dark shadows, leaving me hidden in the darkness. 

I slump back against the wall for a moment catching my breath, trying to slow my racing heart. It's pumping loudly in my ears, like the sound of a drum hitting against my skull. 

Probably the remnants of that unleashed power that I felt only minutes before. It was like a rush of adrenaline that coursed through my entire being and took control. I liked it, I felt like I was truly myself.

I pause when I hear the shuffling of feet around the corner I had just come from. 

"Round here! I have a faint smell leading in this direction," A gruff voice calls out from the darkness, other mumble something and then there are a lot more footsteps coming towards my little space. 

I hold my breath as if that would be able to stop my scent from escaping out into the air. 

As they near me, someone from farther away howls, the sound echoes down the vast hallway and all the footsteps pause only a few feet away from me. 

"Shit..." one says. 

"let's go... she can't stay hidden out for too long, there are only so many ways to get out... we'll find her eventually" Another one mumbles. 

I hear more agree before they are all running in the direction of the howl. 

I muffle my giggle with my hand and let out a little triumphant fist pump when I am officially alone. Out of all the odds pushed against me I got away, but I have to be quiet because Lukai knows I am gone and I don't expect him to let me get too far before he comes looking for me himself.

Then the silence creeps in and I begin to realize I am utterly alone. There is no one in this strange place who can help me. If only I had werewolf powers to be able to mind link the pack I could at least warn Jasper. 

I shake my head and try to not think about the mate I've left behind. Thinking about my friends and family won't help me anymore then it will hurt me. I need to stay focused and that means to try and find a way out of this damned place.

I take a peek around the corner of where I am hiding, the hallway is dark, and I can just barely see a dim glow from a little further down, probably from the main hallway I had run down. 

I gather up all of my courage before I take the first step down the dark hall, with how silent it is I hear my soft footprints echo around me and I feel self-conscious about the fact that someone with hyper-sensitive hearing may be able to scout me out. 

As I creep, further along, I get closer and closer to the light at the end of the hallway, I don't hear anyone in the area, so I speed up while keeping my steps light.