The Alpha's Luna in a Strange Land

CHAPTER 14: EXCAPE PLAN 2

**NATASHA'S POV**

The rain fell heavily as I trudged through the wet forest floor, occasionally kicking up mud. My lungs struggled to fill with oxygen, but I persevered through the pain Above me, thunder roared and lightning momentarily illuminated the surroundings.

So far, I hadn't come across any border patrol wolves, but I knew there had to be at least two or three out here. Alexander was a cautious man and would never leave his territory unprotected. I just needed to keep moving through the shadows and cross over into the next territory to figure things out.

"Don't leave," my inner voice battled with me at every turn. I tried to ignore it, but it was my own voice that I couldn't escape. It was a constant battle between my head and my heart. I wanted to stay, but I knew I needed to leave.

I tried to focus on the positive outcomes it would bring. I would be free again and have the right to do as I pleased. I could go wherever I wanted and eat whatever I desired without anyone dictating my actions.

Thanks to Desmond, this time I wouldn't be trapped in wolf form as I now had the ability to shift into a human. I could board a plane and travel to any country, or even get a boat and sail to Nigeria where I could escape it all. I could finally leave Damien behind without a trace.

Lord Alexander's face flashed through my mind. I remembered how he scolded Jorge to leave me alone, how he accepted me into his home when many Vampire Lords wouldn't, and the near-miss of a kiss we had shared.

He acknowledged that we were mates. His red eyes and muscular body were ingrained in my memory. Lord Alexander was a handsome man whom I would love to spend the rest of my life with, but I couldn't because I had to keep running.

What I didn't understand was why Damien was still searching for me after more than two years. What did he actually need from me? What made me so special compared to other wolves? He was now the Alpha after killing my husband, so why was he still seeking me after I had outrun him for more than two years?

Staying with Alexander would keep me safe, but what if his kingdom forced him to make a decision against me? What if Jorge turned against me?

I had plenty of reasons to run away, yet I couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't doing the right thing. Now, I finally understood the gravity of the mate pull. I had fought it off because I had been so close to him. I had to resist the pull; otherwise, my wolf would have taken over and completed the bond.

The thought of Lord Alexander filled my mind, and it felt like I was hurting him. My conscience continued to plague me, but the truth was that there was no turning back.

I knew I would never see or hear his voice again, but at least I would be free.

"He chose someone else," I said to my inner voice, trying to justify my actions.

The thought of Lord Alexander marrying someone else broke my heart. I couldn't bear the idea of seeing him with another person. My heart ached, and I looked up at the sky, hoping to see the moon, but it was hidden behind storm clouds.

"Moon goddess," I thought, "you have betrayed me." Not only did I lose my mother to the hands of the evil Alpha, but I also lost my husband and now my true mate. "Why am I still alive?" I cried, voicing my pain. The moon goddess had taken so much from me that I had nothing left except my meaningless life.

I continued to run as fast as I could until I finally left Alexander's territory and entered the next one. I knew there was a no man's land close by, so I had to go there and stay for some time until I figured out my next move.

I kept running until suddenly, I noticed four glowing eyes in the distance. I froze, feeling my wolf stir deep within me, sensing the imminent danger. My breath caught in my throat, and I didn't move a muscle. I knew they had already spotted me as I could feel the intensity of all eight glowing eyes on me.

There was no doubt that they were searching for me. Their scent reached my nose, and instantly, dread and terror washed over me like a bucket of ice-cold water.

It was them—the wolves who had chased me into Lord Alexander's territory, the same wolves who had been pursuing me for over two years. These must be the wolves Damien had sent to retrieve me. Were they lying in wait for me here? What did Damien really want from me?

At this moment, I realized that all the years of running had been in vain, as they were about to take me back to the evil man I had been fleeing from. They stepped out of the shadows, their wolf forms growling at me, teeth bared and ready to attack. I knew this would finally be the end of my long run.