Chapter 120
Chapter 120
Chapter 120: Shelter
Rhea
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The northern winds bite through my skin, but I don’t stop running. My lungs burn, my legs ache, but none of it matters The only thing that matters is getting as far away from him as possible.
The bond is gone.
That woman–that witch–she destroyed it.
A clean final. I thought it would feel like freedom. I thought it would be relief. But all I feel is a heavy weight on my chest. like something is pressing down on me so hard that I can barely breathe.
I shove the feeling down, it isn’t like I haven’t felt worse pain before. Like the moment my wolf was killed–poisoned.
The trees stretch endlessly, their branches all twisted and curved, reaching toward the sky. Snow crunches under my paws the deeper I go. And it keeps getting colder.
It’s better this way.
I don’t want to hear him. I don’t want to feel him. I don’t want him to come anywhere near me or try to tell me that everything’s alright, that he had to do it for his reasons.
I don’t care. I keep going, this time with a destination.
‘Further north. Beyond the frozen pass. There’s a small town. A pack of wolves, but they don’t care for the wars outside their borders. They live quietly, away from the reach of Alphas and councils. No one knows about them, and no one will come looking for you there.
Before I left the land, the witch told me where to head after she destroyed the bond.
“They won’t care who you are. They won’t care who’s hunting you. They’ll keep you, and they’ll protect you.”
That should comfort me.
It really doesn’t.
I know better now than to believe in safety. There’s always a price. A cost. People don’t offer shelter without taking something in return. But I don’t have a choice.
I can’t go to my mother again, let Aron threaten my family- which he will if I head south to my old pack.
So, I keep running.
The frozen pass stretches ahead. Ice clings to rocks. The air is thinner here, sharper. I push forward, forcing myself to move even when my limbs are giving out. My ribs ache from the cold, but my tells me she can bear it for a while longer.
The wind gushes through the pass, carrying scents from the land beyond. Faint, distant, but wolves.
The town.
I’m getting closer. I slow my steps, panting as I reach the top of the range. Below, there’s a town. Smoke curls from several houses and buildings, lights glow faintly in the dark through the thick snowfall. The scent of wolves–they aren’t warriors, not Alphas either.
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09:22 Mon, 21 Apr
Chapter 120
They’re something else.
Something quieter.
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I stay where I am for a moment, watching. My body is screaming for rest, for warmth, but I take a moment to consider. I don’t know these wolves. I don’t know if the witch was right about them.
What if I put myself into danger?
What more can I even be in?
I drop the bag from my mouth onto the ground and shift. A quick change before I start down the slope. It’s cold, chilly, but I don’t want to enter the town as a wolf..
It’s less threatening if I shift.
I pass between the first few homes, pulling my hood up to cover my face. There aren’t many people out at this time of the night, but I can see a few, along with some cars.
The town is smaller than I thought–maybe a few dozen buildings, houses close together. No walls. No protection. No warriors patrolling their borders.
I walk for a while more, reaching the other side. A few people have seen me, and some have begun whispering.
When I turn to take a final glance around, I see someone approaching me.
A man. Broad shoulders, a fur–lined coat hanging on his shoulders. He’s old, but there’s no aggression on his face.
Still, I tense.
“You’re not from here,” he says, moving closer.
I swallow, my throat dry. “No.”
His eyes flicker over me. “Where do you come from?”
“There was a woman, a witch, she told me I could come here. That there are wolves here.” I look up at him, straight into his eyes while breathing heavily.
He doesn’t say anything for a moment. He’s just silent.
“You have a name?”
“Rhea.”
“Who are you running from?” His eyes narrow on my body, though more than anything else, on my condition. “Wolves don’t really make it here from the south alive. Unless you’re from the north?”
“Yes,” I bite inside my cheek. “I’m from the BloodClaw pack, and I can’t go back there.”
His expression doesn’t shift, but something in his eyes sharpens. He knows that name. Of course he does.
“Well, why don’t you come inside? It’s cold out here.” He stretches his head, gesturing at a house in the distance.
I hesitate.
The invitation is simple. No demand. No threat. But I can’t seem to relax, and I can’t afford to look like prey.
“You don’t have to fear anything. But if you stay out here, in the cold, you won’t survive.”
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09:22 Mon, 21 Apr **
Chapter 120
I nod after that and follow him.
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The house in the distance is fairly small, fucked between the trees like it belongs there, like it has always been part of the land
The man doesn’t look back as he reaches the porch. He pushes the door open, steps inside, and then holds the door for me.
“Thank you.” I whisper while walking in.
Instantly. I’m welcomed with warmth and with the scent of burning wood and herbs.
“Ayla,” the man says, calling someone from the back. “There’s someone here you should meet.”
A woman walks out of a door with a wet rag in her hand. She looks around mid–forties, her dark hair pulled back in a loose braid. Her eyes flick to me the moment she steps into the room, quickly assessing.
“Who is she?”
“She’s from the BloodClaw pack,” he simply says, as if that alone explains everything
Does it?
“I found her outside, alone.”
“Oh.” the woman gives me another glance. “Well, I’ll bring something warm then. Why don’t you sit down?”
I nod before taking a seat on one of the couches. The man and the woman both step away, leaving me to ponder alone.
I should be relieved. It’s warm in here, and those people don’t really look evil.
But my stomach keeps twisting.
I don’t know if I’ve found shelter or if I’ve just placed myself in another mess.
Will the town’s wolves protect Rhea if Aron comes looking for her, or will they hand her over to save themselves?
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