Running Free

Chapter 3: Regret

I woke up what seemed like days later. My neck was throbbing. I looked around the room. Carter and two other people were yelling at each other. I couldn't speak. "DO YOU EVEN CARE ABOUT HER?" The female yelled. Carter said nothing. "If you don't care about her why is she even here?" The male asked. "Shes my mate. I personally don't want her, but Lucifer does." Carter simply replied. "Shes up." The female said, with a pitying look on her face. I didn't need her or anyone's pity, he simply said everything I already knew. Carter instantly had a look of regret on his face. "Lily, I didn't mean it.." he started. "Save it asshole. I already knew you didn't want me." I said. River whimpered in my mind. "Lily.." Carter started again. "Don't even bother. I'm done." I simply said. I pushed the covers off me and stood up. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" Carter asked. "Far away from you." was all I could manage. That's when I knew I would be leaving tonight, with or without Bella. "Bells, I'm sorry. But you need to make a choice. If you're staying here or leaving with me." I linked her. "Lily, you already know my choice." She replied back. "Tonight." I simply linked. "Tonight" she agreed.

~time skip 6 hours~

"Meet at the Eastern border. They're dealing with something on the western border." I linked Bella. "On it." she said. As I got to the eastern border, I saw Bella's wolf. We crossed the border without turning back. "They're going to tell other packs to keep an eye out for us, you know." Bella simply linked. "I know Bells. We just have to make it to the rogue camp about a day and a half away." I linked back. She simply nodded. Within minutes we heard two lonely howls, we knew they belonged to our mates. "No turning back." I linked her. She nodded and continued running. When morning came we were about three hours away from the rogue camp, when we heard shuffling behind us. We tensed up. Three male wolves came out of some thick brush. They didn't belong to a pack. Bella shifted and grabbed her clothes, I did the same. After we dressed the males shifted as well. We instantly knew who they were. "Lily? Bella?" The tallest asked. "Marcus? Alex? Carlos?" I asked wearily. They all nodded. We shared quick hugs. "How are you two alive?" Carlos asked. "We hid under the tree the day of the attack."I simply replied. They nodded. We all knew Dallas didn't make it. "Lily, I think you know who, has been following us." Bella said quickly. "I know they are Bella." I said back. "Who the hell is following you two?" Alex asked angrily. "Long story. We were captured by the Darkmoon pack, found our mates, the alpha and beta, then we ran away. Now they're looking for us." I said simply. Our brothers looked shocked. "We have to run Lily. Let's get to the rogue camp." Bella said. We all shifted and began running. We got there faster than we had expected to. Everyone turned their heads to us. "Look who decided to drop by." Hazel said grinning. We shifted and hugged her. "Haze you better put up some enchantments. We kinda have the Darkmoon pack after us." Bella said. Hazel nodded. "You two act like I don't already know this." Hazel said playfully. We all laughed. About an hour after the enchantments were put up we saw the pack. They couldn't see us but they could smell us. Bella and I laughed. Thinking that we had finally escaped and that they wouldn't find us. "Now little mate, we know you have a witch in there. Come on out and no one will be hurt." Carter growled out. "Yeah, come on out." Chester snarled. After we didn't come out, they got frustrated. "We have all the time in the world darling. You just wait until the council gets here. Then you won't be able to hide." Carter said smugly. We all shared a look. "When the council gets here you guys run and hide." I told everyone. "Lily if you think we'll ever let those pack mutts hurt you or Bella, you're dead wrong." is what everyone told us. Bella and I shook our heads. "You two are family. We've watched you two grow up. We will all stand together." Eliott, a rogue we met a few years back said. Everyone agreed with him. "You guys aren't dying for us." Bella and I said together. "The council has arrived." Carter said smulgy. "Fuck." I mumbled. Everyone nodded. We all saw the elders of the council talking to Carter and Chester. "I'll be back." Hazel said before she vanished. We all knew we were still safe. "Lily and Bella Winters, you have two minutes before we break this enchantment. After it has been broken, all rogues in the area will be murdered." said the main elder. I glanced around the camp and saw more and more wolves arriving. I looked at my brothers and Bella. "Lily, we can't let anyone die for us." Bella said. I knew she had given up. It was clear she was tired of running. "Bella you distract them, I'll get everyone out." I said. Knowing that if she didn't distract them everyone would die. She nodded. She hugged our brothers and ran to the packs. I snuck everyone to an area that wasn't surrounded. My brothers looked at me with sad features. Everyone knew I wasn't born to be tamed, I was born to run free. It broke me to say goodbye again, but I couldn't just leave Bella. I sighed and hugged them, not knowing when or if I'd ever see them again. I let a few tears fall. "Lily, we aren't leaving you and Bella. We're staying. No matter what." Marcus told me gently. I nodded. As we walked back to the camp, they had just broken the enchantments. I felt Carters stare before I saw him. He walked over and grabbed me, putting me behind him. He looked at my brothers while growling. "Carter stop, they're my brothers." I said softly to him. I hated the effect he had on me. I hated his mark. I hated that he could track me through the bond. I hated that he found me. Carter looked at me with disappointment and regret. Carter began talking to the council. Glancing at me every once and a while. I eventually subcumbbed to my thoughts.