The Hunted Princess

Chapter 2

For a second, my body refused to move. Soon enough my feet finally listened to my brain and I was running through the woods like my life depended on it.

My life did depend on it.

Five minutes into running and I heard a loud gunshot followed by multiple howls.

Oh God no.

They had already let them out?

There was still plenty time left before the hunting passed . . . A whole week to be exact!

How was I supposed to hide from these monsters for so long?

My eyes fell on a brown bag hanging on one of the branches. Without wasting another second I grabbed onto it and quickly unzipped the bag.

There were multiple weapons inside.

Oh, thank God. I needed all the help I could get if I wanted to come out of this thing alive. Which, even though my mind wanted me to believe that I was pretty much dead meat, my heart told me that I could still make it once I played my cards right.

At least one thing seemed to be working in my favor.

As I heard another howl, my entire body began to tremble. I felt myself hiccup in anticipation and fear, something I often did when I was this afraid.

Without another thought, I took off running into the deep forest. My throbbing head was filled with the rich, exotic scent of the woods. The cool air doing nothing to help the sweat forming all over my body or the fear enveloping my heart.

 As I raced against time, my body was suddenly hit with visions that completely startled me. One by one, images popped into my mind, one after the next. The visions forced me to slow down until I completely stopped and pressed my head against a tree for support.

What was happening?

It felt as though I'd been in this forest before. In fact, I felt as though I knew every inch of this place. My eyes scanned my surroundings as my brows knitted together in confusion.

But it was impossible. No one except human girls who'd been sacrificed in this mating hunt would know what this forest was like and still they wouldn't know every inch of this forest. It would take someone years to know every inch of this place and still they wouldn't know it this well. Then how could someone like me who's never been here before already know?

Yet despite the obvious, somehow I knew it well.

My mind could pin point all of the hiding spots. In fact, if I kept running there should be a cave packed with essentials to last me the entire week.

How could I have possibly known that?

Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. The only thing that was left to do was to keep running and see for myself.

As I heard another howl, it was all of the persuasion I needed to keep going. I all but ran in the direction my mind showed to me. I passed a tree that should have been an average tree to anyone, yet to me. It was the marking that told me I needed to turn right.

This was crazy. 

You must be going out of your mind Alina.

Yet, I didn't have a better idea than to follow the images that were still appearing in my mind. I couldn't get there fast enough however, for the bag of weapons was dragging me down with it.

I was stupid to think I could carry the entire thing and get to the cave on time . . . If there really was a cave.

My head was throbbing once more, it felt as though it was being split in the middle. I fought the urge to scream. I had to hold it in if I didn't want to make it easier for the monsters to find me.

However, as I heard the breaking of a branch nearby, I knew it was already too late. I unzipped the bag once more and dropped all the weapons onto the floor as fast as I could.

Was that a bow and arrow?

How the hell did you even use one of those?

I grabbed a knife and held onto it tightly. A loud growl broke into my concentration as I turned to evaluate my surroundings.

My hand flew to my mouth as my gaze landed on the large grey wolf to the front of me. Drool was dripping down its mouth as he took a step closer to me. I pushed myself backwards until my back hit the tree trunk behind of me.

My hands were trembling and I was finding it hard to hold onto the knife.

I watched in horror as the wolf lunged for me. A scream got caught in my throat as I saw another massive wolf crashed into it.

My breath got caught in my throat as I got a better look at this one.

I felt another throbbing headache as my eyes fell on this wolf. Despite its mighty appearance, jet black fur and striking silver grey eyes. There was something else that bothered me, just like I felt like I knew every single inch of the forest. I also felt like I knew this wolf.

I felt as though I often stared at him. As though I've been studying him for years.

That had to be impossible! Before I didn't have a single clue of what these creatures looked like.

Yet now, all of a sudden, my mind wanted me to believe that I somehow knew this wolf?

This was insanity at its finest!

Could these people have possible drugged me before I came here? It was the only possible explanation. Yet, they hadn't offered me any food which crossed off that suspicion quite easily.

Maybe if the wolves knew I was losing my God damn mind, they would no longer find me so appetizing!

This wasn't the time for me to be going crazy! I needed to use this opportunity to get out of here. They were both obviously fighting over who got to eat me, I couldn't wait around to find out who won!

I hastily searched around me and picked up the knife I'd dropped upon seeing the black demon wolf.

With one last glance at the wolf my mind desperately wanted me to believe that I knew, I took off running once more. This time, I didn't stop until I crossed over a small fence and spotted some vegetation that blocked off what I believed was the pathway that pointed to the cave. A horrific wolf cry caused me to lose my balance as I dropped onto the ground before me. I hesitantly picked myself up, praying that the cry didn't come from the demon wolf with black fur. 

It couldn't have, for I knew what his cry sounded like . . . it was etched in my brain like a distant memory.

I shook my head, not the time for this Alina.

My hands itched as I pushed my way through the tall grass. My breath got caught in my throat at the sight.

The pathway.

This couldn't be happening to me.

How did I know it would be here?

As I kept on walking, my body went into another state of shock as a wave of dizziness took over my body.

The cave.

It was indeed here.

What was happening to me?