Saved by the Daughter of the Moon

Chapter 2

Aria

I’d lost count of the days. The darkness in the dungeon was absolute, making it impossible to know how long I’d been locked away.

I felt the cold stone walls closing in on me, my body sore from the harsh treatment and the numerous bruises covering my skin.

The burning sensation in my throat and churning hunger in my stomach were little in comparison to the chilling, debilitating anxiety that lurked deep within me.

Mason had come to my cell after that first night. I cringed even now thinking of how he just stood there with those eyes dark with malice and stared at me. His cruel words still rang in my ears.

"You could have had it all, Aria," he sneered, stepping closer to me. "But you chose to defy me."

I can't forget the way he touched me, his fingers on my face, slowly drifting down, following the path of the bruises he inflicted. Repulsion ran through me, deep-rooted hatred simmering just below the surface.

When his hand moved lower, trying to claim my body as he had promised he would, something snapped inside me. I bit him. Hard. So hard that I nearly ripped his finger apart.

His blood had tasted bitter on my tongue, but the satisfaction of hearing his pained grunt was enough to make the risk worth it.

That earned me a severe black eye. His fist connected with my face, sending me sprawling across the floor. But I didn’t regret it. Not even for a second. Mason hadn’t returned after that night.

I had made it clear to him that no matter what, I wouldn’t let him break me.

My days ran together after that, all the same, all miserable. But I never stopped paying attention. I noticed things...the guards, their routines, their behaviors.

The change of shift happened twice a day, the flicker of the torches, the only signal of time passing. I observed everything, waiting for the right moment.

And then this. Well, something had been going on with me...something weird. My eyesight had sharpened. There in the pitch-black cell, I should have been blind...yet I saw clearer than I ever had.

I hadn’t shifted into my wolf yet, but it felt like my senses were waking up in ways they never had before. The heightened awareness was unsettling but thrilling, like a long-buried part of me was stirring from sleep.

Every night, I lay in wait. I studied the guards every night, their steps, their patterns.

There was one in particular, a young, skittish one, who was always nervous, always looking over his shoulder. If I timed it right, I could knock him out. I just had to bide my time.

Then, one night, something unexpected happened.

It was a shift change for the guard, and the new guard was this guy who always took forever to get comfortable in his post.

But instead of standing in front of my cell, he left. Confusion gripped me, and I pressed my ear against the heavy iron bars, listening intently. The sound of footsteps receded down the hallway.

My heart raced. Was this a trick?

I hadn't decided yet when I noticed a movement, a shadow. I squinted, straining to see through the darkness.

A figure...a tall, shadowy figure, approached my cell door. The figure crouched and swiftly unlocked the door with a key I hadn't seen, causing my breath to catch in my throat.

I parted my lips to inquire about their identity, but the figure vanished before I could say anything. Disappeared just as swiftly as they had appeared.

My cell door creaked open, a sound so foreign it took me a moment to comprehend that it was real. The heavy iron door stood ajar, and freedom, though it still seemed distant, was suddenly within reach.

I didn’t waste time.

I stumbled out of the cell, my legs gave out, and I almost fell flat on my face. They hadn’t used in what felt like months, and the sharp pain that shot through them was enough to bring tears to my eyes.

But I gritted my teeth and forced myself forward. There was no time for weakness now.

It was so dark in that hall, but I kept to the shadows and moved as quietly as I could. Every step was agony, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t.

As I approached the exit of the dungeon, I could hear the distant sounds of celebration. The pack was busy with some kind of event, and I thanked the Moon Goddess for the distraction.

I opened the door and stepped outside, feeling the refreshing night air hitting my face. I took a big breath and enjoyed the freedom I hadn't had for what seemed like ages.

The pack was distracted, the torches were ablaze, the music was playing, and everyone was laughing. I didn't even care to wonder what they were celebrating for. I was focused on one thing...escape.

I didn’t stop to think. I didn’t hesitate.

I tiptoed, I sprinted, in the shadows, my feet made no contact with the ground, and I passed the wolves as they gathered. No one saw me. No one called out my name. The dark was my friend, and I worked it in my favor.

The soles of my feet hit the border of the forest, and the bush ripped against my legs as I dived into the trees.

The noise of my labored breathing and the crunch of leaves beneath my feet supplanted the celebration as I moved forward.

Despite my racing heart, I continued running. I had no idea where I was heading. All I knew was that I had to get the heck away.

But I wasn’t free yet.

It wasn’t long before I heard the howl.

It was low and drawn out, just enough to make the blood freeze in my veins. The pack had noticed my absence. They were coming for me.

I continued running despite my legs screaming in protest at the jagged rocks and branches cutting at my bare feet.

The rush of adrenaline took over, silencing the pain and giving me strength I didn't know I had. I persisted and ran faster than I could have ever dreamed of.

I could hear them now the sound of paws beating against the ground, wolves snarling as they approached. I was breathing heavily, my chest was burning with the effort, but I didn't slow down.

Something strange was happening again. All that energy that had been stored up inside of me for days surged through my arms and legs, enabling me to move quicker, and stronger.

As if my body finally understood what was happening, the will to survive kicked in, desperately.

Branches slapped against my face, the forest flying by me, as I ran as fast as I could through the trees. The wolves were close, but I was faster.

I could feel the power surging through me, guiding me, helping me to avoid their snapping jaws.

I jumped over a fallen log and landed on the other side without my feet making much noise from hitting the ground. The pack was at my heels, but I could hear their rage. I was slipping through their grasp.

I have no idea how long I ran. The wind rushing through my hair and my pulse thumping were the only noises audible to me as time seemed to blur. But finally, the howls began to fade. The pack was losing me. I had outrun them.

It wasn’t over yet, though. I continued running, my legs moving automatically, as fatigue started to set in.

I needed to put as much distance between myself and the Shadow Moon Pack as possible. I wouldn't be safe until I was well out of their reach.

The trees got shorter and shorter, and the forest became more and more thin. I tripped over a fallen log and landed face first, my body surrendering as I rolled into the grass.

I didn't care that I was panting and that every muscle in my body was screaming in pain. I was free.

I let myself finally be hopeful, for the first time in days. I had escaped. I had done what I never thought possible.

Yet as I lay there, trying to catch my breath, it all hit me. I was alone. Alone, in the bush, without food, shelter, or pack.

I was clueless about where I was going. But I will figure it out. Because there was no going back now. Not ever.

I will survive. I had to. Those were my last thoughts before sleep overtook me.