Chapter 4: Being Chased Through Woods
Rosalie:
I didn’t stop.
The moment my body moved, it was like something primal took over - something deeper than thought, deeper than fear. My legs burned as I ran blindly into the forest. Branches clawed at my arms, my dress caught against thorns, and twigs snapped beneath my feet echoing far too loudly in the storm-soaked night.
The rain came harder, heavier, soaking me within seconds. My hair clung to my face and neck, blurring my vision, but I didn’t dare slow down.
Because they were right behind me.
I could hear them now, clearer with every passing second. Heavy, fast, and controlled footsteps were following me.
My breath came in sharp, uneven gasps as I pushed myself harder, ignoring the sting in my lungs and the ache in my legs. I didn’t know this part of the forest well, not like the trained warriors did. I had always stayed near the safer areas, the places where the pack’s presence lingered.
But tonight, I had run too far. Too deep. And now I was paying the price.
"Spread out!" a voice barked from behind me, cutting through the sound of rain and thunder. "She can’t get far!"
My heart slammed violently against my ribs as I realized they were closer than I thought.
I veered sharply to the left, ducking behind a cluster of trees. My hand slammed against the rough bark as I steadied myself for half a second before pushing forward again.
Think.
Think, Rosalie.
But my mind refused to cooperate. It was drowning - still trapped in the aftermath of the ceremony, in the echo of their voices, in the image of Charlotte standing where I had once believed I would be.
"-Alpha’s orders-bring her back-"
The words reached me through the storm, broken but clear enough to understand.
Bring her back.
I felt an instant flicker of something - hope? disbelief? - It sparked weakly in my chest.
Back?
Why? Why now? Why after everything?
But the next words crushed that fragile thought instantly.
"-if she resists-don’t hesitate-"
"-no one will question it-"
My steps faltered for the briefest moment.
What...?
"-end her if you have to. She’s not worth the trouble-"
The world seemed to tilt beneath my feet.
End her.
My blood ran cold and I stumbled, barely catching myself before I could fall. My hand scraped painfully against the ground as I pushed myself back up and ran even faster.
No.
No, no, no-
They wouldn’t-
They couldn’t-
But the words echoed relentlessly in my mind, louder than the thunder, louder than my own heartbeat.
End her.
She’s not worth the trouble.
My throat tightened painfully as a sob clawed its way up, but I swallowed it down, forcing myself to keep moving.
No one cared about me, about whether I lived... or died.
Not even them.
If the Alphas wanted me gone, why didn’t they just say it? Why didn’t they just look at me, just once, and tell me to leave?
Because I would have. I would have disappeared without a word, without a fight, and without ever looking back.
Because even after everything... even after the humiliation, the betrayal... a part of me still loved them enough to let them go.
So why... why this? Why hunt me? Why send people after me like I was something that needed to be erased?
My chest tightened painfully and the ache spread until it felt unbearable.
Had I really been that blind? That stupid?
The whispers came back again.
"She’s just a plaything."
"They’ll throw her away eventually."
"They’ll never choose her."
I had laughed back then. Dismissed them. Believed I knew better. But I didn’t, I never did. Because the truth was right in front of me now, chasing me through the darkness with every intention of ending my life.
They had never cared. Not really. And if they could stand there tonight, look at me like I was nothing, and choose another without hesitation... then what was stopping them from getting rid of me completely?
Nothing.
Nothing at all.
A branch snapped loudly behind me, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"There!" someone shouted.
My breath hitched as panic surged through me, sharp and suffocating. I pushed myself harder, ignoring the way my legs trembled, ignoring the burning pain in my chest.
I couldn’t stop unless I wanted to die.
The forest grew denser the deeper I ran, shadows swallowing what little light remained. The ground became uneven, slick with mud and rain, making every step a risk.
I slipped once.
My foot skidded out from under me, and I crashed hard against the ground, pain shooting through my side.
A cry escaped my lips before I could stop it. "No-" I gasped, scrambling up desperately. My hands were shaking as I pushed myself forward again.
They were too close. I could hear them breathing now, feel them.
My body screamed at me to stop, to give in, but I forced myself forward, weaving between trees, ducking under low branches with my heart pounding wildly.
Then the next moment, a hand brushed the back of my dress, but I yanked forward with a terrified gasp. The fabric tore slightly as I broke free, stumbling but not falling.
"Stop running!" another voice shouted. "You are only making it worse!"
Worse? A hysterical laugh almost escaped me. What could possibly be worse than this?
Lightning split across the sky, illuminating the forest in a flash of white. And for a brief, terrifying second, I saw them. There were too many of them, and they were closing in.
My chest tightened as I turned sharply, running in another direction, barely thinking anymore - just moving, surviving, trying to put as much distance between us as possible.
But the forest was changing. The ground began to slope upward. The trees thinned. The air felt... different.
And then, I broke through the treeline.
My steps came to an abrupt halt, and my breath caught when I found myself facing the very edge of a high, steep cliff. Endless darkness stretched below, while the sound of crashing water was faint but unmistakable.
The realization hit me like a physical blow.
No...
My chest heaved as I stumbled backward, panic surging violently through me.
I had nowhere left to go.
The rain poured harder and the wind picked up, whipping my hair across my face as I turned slowly... and froze.
They emerged from the forest one by one like shadows taking shape. Their faces became clear. Their expressions were calm, confident, and certain because they knew they had me.
But just then, more figures appeared from my left. And my heart dropped as I recognized one of them immediately.
Luxe - Alastor’s beta.
He was tall, composed, and always stood just behind Alastor like a shadow. Always loyal. Always obedient.
And now, he’s here.
My breath trembled as the last fragile piece of denial inside me shattered completely. This wasn’t a misunderstanding anymore. There was no mistake.
This was planned, ordered... by them.
My vision blurred as tears spilled freely down my cheeks, mixing with the rain.
What more proof did I need?
Luxe stepped forward slightly, his gaze fixed on me.
"Rosalie," he called, his voice calm, almost gentle. "Stop running."
I let out a broken laugh, shaking my head. Stop... running? Now? After everything?
"Come back with me," he continued, as if nothing had happened, as if this was normal, as if I hadn’t just been hunted through the forest like an animal.
My hands trembled at my sides.
Go back? Back to what? To them? To the place where I had just been erased? To the people who had decided my life was disposable?
"No..." I whispered in a barely audible voice.
I took a step back and the edge of the cliff crumbled slightly beneath my heel, small stones slipping into the darkness below.
"I’m not going back," I said, louder this time, even as my voice shook.
Before I could react, someone from the first group moved, and he was too fast. His hand shot out, grabbing my arm tightly.
"Let go-!" I struggled instinctively, panic surging through me as I tried to pull away.
"What are you doing?" Luxe asked, his voice finally shifting and I almost caught an edge of panic in it.
My heart pounded wildly as I twisted in the man’s hold, trying to free myself as my foot slipped dangerously close to the edge.
"Let her go!" Luxe demanded.
And then, the man did exactly that - he let go.
It happened so fast... and yet it felt like time slowed. My body lurched backward and the ground vanished beneath my feet.
My grip on his arm slipped, and suddenly... there was nothing.
Nothing but air.
The world tilted violently as I fell. The rain whipped against my face and the sound of thunder crashed above me.
A scream ripped from my throat, but immediately got lost in the storm.
For a brief, fleeting moment, I saw Luxe at the edge of the cliff, staring down at me in shock.
And then... darkness swallowed me whole.
