Chapter 25: Black Wolf

Sofia ran as fast as her legs could carry her.

She had no idea where she was going. She didn’t know the path.

She only knew one thing.

Anything was better than being Damien’s slave.

The forest closed around her as she ran. Strange sounds echoed from every direction. Leaves rustled. Branches snapped. Shadows moved where they shouldn’t.

She forced herself to keep going.

Her mind filled with the stories she had heard growing up—rogues, witches, vampires. Creatures that hunted the forest.

Fear crawled up her spine, but she didn’t stop.

It was now or never.

As she pushed deeper into the forest, the noises grew louder. Closer. Too close.

She thought she heard footsteps behind her.

Her heart slammed harder.

She broke into a faster run.

Then she saw it.

A shadow shifted between the trees.

Her breath caught.

She turned to run—but it was too late.

Three figures stepped out, blocking her path.

Rogues.

“Well, why stop?” one of them laughed loudly. “I was enjoying the chase.”

Another chuckled, his voice rough and cruel. “I like playing with my prey,” he said slowly, “before I eat them.”

Sofia’s legs burned. Her chest hurt. She could hear them moving, circling her.

“I’ll go first,” a third one said eagerly. “I want a taste before you all ruin her.”

He sniffed the air. “She’s not pretty,” he sneered, eyes roaming her, “but God… her body and scent.”

Sofia’s stomach twisted violently.

“Please,” she cried, tears spilling down her face. “Please don’t hurt me. I’ll give you everything I have. Anything. Just let me go.”

They laughed.

“Well, well,” one mocked. “What do we have here?”

“An ugly damsel in distress,” another added, laughing harder.

Their laughter echoed in the forest.

With shaking hands, Sofia grabbed a thick stick from the ground and held it up.

“Don’t come any closer!” she shouted.

They laughed again.

“Oh, this just got interesting.”

One of them stepped forward.

Sofia swung with all her strength, striking him between the legs.

He screamed in pain and dropped to his knees.

But the moment didn’t last.

Another rogue lunged at her, knocking the stick from her hands. A sharp slap sent her crashing to the ground.

“Enough,” their leader growled. “Hold her down.”

Two of them pinned her arms. Their claws dug into her skin. Blood trickled down her arms.

She couldn’t move.

Her voice died in her throat.

Was this it?

Maybe in my next life, she thought weakly, I’ll be born with better luck.

Her eyes closed.

Then—

A voice thundered through the forest.

“Let her go.”

The ground shook.

“And don’t dare touch her.”

Sofia’s eyes flew open.

A deafening roar ripped through the trees.

The air changed instantly.

Before she could fully turn, a massive black wolf appeared between her and the rogues.

He was enormous.

Bigger than any wolf she had ever seen.

His fur was dark as night, streaked with deep crimson.

She couldn’t breathe.

There was a blur of movement.

Something wet hit the ground.

A body collapsed.

Headless.

Sofia’s breath caught as she realized it was the leader.

The other two rogues screamed.

They ran.

They didn’t make it far.

Shadows flashed. A low snarl tore through the air.

Two heavy thuds followed.

Silence.

The forest went unnaturally still.

It was over.

Just like that.

Sofia stood frozen, shaking, her mind unable to catch up.

The massive wolf turned slowly.

His burning eyes locked onto her.

She couldn’t move.

Her heart was pounding so hard.

“W-who… who are you?” she whispered, her voice barely a sound.

The massive black wolf didn’t answer.

He stared at her for a long moment—like he was memorizing her face, her scent, her soul.

Then he turned.

Without a sound, without another glance, he disappeared into the forest, his dark form melting into the shadows.

Sofia stood there alone.

Shaking.

Confused.

But she didn’t wait.

The moment her legs remembered how to move, she ran.

Meanwhile, Damien noticed the moment she ran.

“She’s running,” he growled.

He turned sharply, about to go after her—but it was too late.

More Rogues burst from the trees.

They attacked him head-on.

Damien roared, rage exploding through him, his massive wolf crashing into them with deadly force.

Claws tore.

Bones snapped.

Blood sprayed the forest floor.

He killed them fast.

Too fast.

Because every second mattered. And with every second, Sofia was getting farther away from him.

The moment the last rogue fell, Damien didn’t stop to breathe.

He ran.

Hard.

Fast.

Wild.

He followed her scent deep into the forest, panic clawing at his chest.

“Sofia,” he snarled under his breath.

Then he saw it.

Bodies.

Three rogues.

Dead.

One headless.

Damien skidded to a halt, shock cutting through his rage.

Someone else had been here.

His wolf circled the bodies, sniffing the air.

Her scent was strong.

Too strong.

She had been here.

Damien lifted his head and sprinted again.

Sofia’s lungs burned.

Her legs screamed.

Branches whipped her skin as she ran blindly, tears blurring her vision.

She didn’t know where she was going.

She just knew she couldn’t stop.

Suddenly—

A blur of black slammed into her.

She screamed as her back hit a tree hard enough to knock the air from her lungs.

A massive hand pinned her wrists above her head.

Her feet barely touched the ground.

She looked up—

And froze.

Damien.

His eyes were blazing. His chest rose and fell rapidly. Rage rolled off him in suffocating waves.

He had already shifted back to human form, his fury barely contained.

“Do you have any idea,” he growled, his voice shaking with anger, “what you just did?”

Sofia trembled, pressed against the tree, his grip iron-tight.

“You ran,” he snarled. “During a rogue attack.”

Her breath came out in broken sobs.

“I—I was scared,” she whispered.

“Lies…” he growled in rage, his anger-filled eyes fixed on her. “You were trying to escape,” he snarled.

Sofia swallowed hard. She knew Damien was smart. She knew she couldn’t lie her way out.

Damien’s grip didn’t loosen. If anything, it grew harsher.

His face hovered inches from hers, sweat and blood dripping down his skin, his eyes burning with fury.

“You will pay for this,” he said slowly. “Deadly.”

Her breath hitched.

He released her wrists only to grab her arm instead, his fingers digging painfully into her skin.

“Move.”

She stumbled as he dragged her forward. Her feet scraped the ground, roots catching her ankles as she struggled to keep up with his long strides.

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