Chapter 2 Jamie

Jamie's black wolf growled.

"No no no Jamie." I whispered to myself.

A loud roar echoed through the pack from the Alpha. The authority he wielded sent many cowering in fear. But there Jamie stood, unfeigned by the Alpha.

"Do you pray for death you fool?!" I screamed at him but he paid me no mind still staring at the Alpha in the face.

Kate looked sick concerned for Jamie as he stood to the Alpha.

"On the count of three, run." Jamie stated. Change and run."

"What are you."

"Shut the fuck up and listen to me for once in your life. Your disobedience got you into this mess in the first place."

I was silenced because he was right.

"Why are you doing this for me. I don't deserve it."

"You don't. But...I love you Lara."

"What?"

"One..."

"Jamie..."

"Two..."

"Jamie please..."

"Three...Now!!"

All hell broke loose as the guards raced towards us. I didn't want to leave Jamie, I really didn't. But the look gave me...tears trickled down my eyes as I shifted and ran.

"And don't look back." I heard him say telepathically. Then a mixture of growls and claws filled the air. He pushed a wolf that tried to capture me away flinging it towards the pile of weapons effortlessly.

Nobody helped him, nobody moved an inch, not even Kate. I sobbed as I ran into the forest. He told me not to look back and but I couldn't...I just couldn't.

I stopped, and looked back.

I never thought in my entire life that I would wail with this kind of grief.

His bloodied body was on the ground as the wolves overpowered him even when he still tried to fight...he was too weak to.

His eyes met mine and the pained furrow of his brows made me realize how much I loved him.

"I told you not to turn." The weakness in his voice made me sob harder. His eyes, still on mine smiled a little. "I love you too Lara. Now go.... please."

I turned swallowing my tears. I didn't even get the chance to take another step before I felt the silence breeze whoosh past me.

I paused blinking but stopped myself from turning back again.

He was dead.

Jamie...my Jamie was dead.

I ran without looking back, ran furiously like I was chasing the wind. My heart pounded in my chest as I hurried through the forest, I hated myself for allowing myself to get carried away. I hated myself so much for letting this happen to Jamie. I hated myself, I hated me.

I switched into my human form and let out a scream. Yelling out the pain bottled within me.

I trembled as I sobbed with agony.

"Jamie...Jamie..."

An hour passed, as the cold breeze brushed against my skin.

I looked down at my dirty palms, recalling the memories I had in my pack.

Jamie...he was the one who made my experience worth cherishing.

The coldness of the night made me remember the nights he warmed me up when I was cold.

The times he would bring me hot coffee and sleep in my room till late at night when I was sick, just to make sure I was okay.

I hiccuped.

I told him everything about myself, except one thing and that was my relationship with the prince.

I wish... my emotions...I wish I had not allowed my feelings to get in the way because it killed the one I loved most.

Gently, I rose to my feet, taking in the cold breeze.

"I won't let your death be in vein Jamie." I whispered to myself. They will suffer, all of them. Even Matthias. His death will be the worst of all, and I couldn't wait till that day finally came.

I ventured deeper into the forest when, I hard growls. I sniffed the air and the scent of decay and wood wafted into my nostrils coupled with the scent of blood.

Rogues.

I heard a low growl and slowly turned to see a pack of rogues aligning themselves before me.

I stepped back as fear gripped my chest. These wolves snarled at me dangerously snapping their teeths as they advanced towards me.

Wasting no time, I turned and immediately shifted into my wolf before sprinting into the forest.

I didn't even know where I was heading, but I wanted to be as far away as I could from the rogues.

I could hear their steps from behind me and knew they were catching up.

I cried inwardly searching for a place of safety and finally found a cliff at the end of where I was heading.

I would've stopped seeing that I was heading for danger, but I would rather be dead than be eaten by a pack of rogues.

I launched myself off that cliff, not giving a damn about the raging river crashing below.

Those mangy rogues could eat my dust. I twisted through the air and smashed into the freezing water like a boulder.

The current started whipping me around, battering me against rocks and shit.

But I preferred this to getting ripped to shreds by those mongrel furballs.

Finally, after feeling like I was caught in a fucking washing machine cycle from hell, the river eased up.

I clawed my way up the muddy bank, collapsing in a soaked heap.

Shifted back to my human skin, shaking like a waterlogged rat trying to gulp down some air.

"Well ain't you a sorry sight, darlin'."

I jerked my head up to see three grimy ass lowlifes closing in.

Bandits by the looks of their scraggly rags and shit-eating grins.

The head asshole grabbed a fistful of my hair, dragging me up.

"Ain't every day we find such a pretty little thing out here all alone."

"Get your fucking hands off me!" I thrashed against his grip, but the prick was built like a boulder.

"Now now, that's no way for a lady to speak." He leaned in close, stinking of piss and stale booze. "You're coming with us, nice and quiet like."

I hawked up a thick loogie and nailed him square in the eyeball. "Like hell!" As he recoiled, howling, I kneed him where it really counts.

The ass-muncher went down squealing like a stuck pig.

I booked it into the trees, the other two dingbats giving chase, crashing through the undergrowth behind me.

Up ahead I spotted a crevice in the rock face, just big enough for me to squeeze through.

On the other side was a small cave sloping downwards underground.

A dead end, but those shit-lickers wouldn't be able to follow.

I flattened back against the cave wall as one of the dickheads started shoving his way through the gap.

Didn't even have to think about it - I shifted into my wolf form, all fur and fangs.

My bigger body wedged me in tight, blocking them out. I snarled and snapped my jaws, making them piss themselves.

"Fuck me, did you see that thing?!"

"I ain't tangling with no monster mutt!"

The bitches turned tail and hauled ass out of there.

I shifted back, my whole body screaming from getting the living daylights beaten out of it.

Looked around at my shithole hiding spot, but I was too bushed to go anywhere else.

The gut-punch of grief smashed into me all over again.

I curled into a ball on the cold ground, sobbing until I was a snotty, wailing mess.

"I'll make them pay, Jamie...I'll make every last one of those fuckers pay for what they did to you..."

Must've cried myself into a fitful sleep at some point.

When I finally came to, a dim light filtered through the crevice entrance.

That's when I noticed the stash in the corner - some old clothes, bread, and a waterskin.

I quickly swapped out my sopping rags for the oversized shirt and pants.

I had no clue where the hell I was, but it didn't matter. One way or another, I'd get my revenge.

Matthias and his entire goddamn pack were going to suffer worse than death itself.

I'd make certain of it.

With that vow burning white-hot in my soul, I started making my way out of these godforsaken woods.

That's when I heard the low growl rumble out from the shadows behind me.

"Who are you?" It rumbled.