My feet bolted through the woods. You could practically hear my fear in my footsteps. My eyes raced across the trees, but I didn't dare to look back out of fear that they were following me.

You're going to be okay, Milan. I told myself. Soon you'll be back home

However, I had no idea just how far away from home I truly was, nor did I know how long I'd been held captive. After day three, I lost count of the days and how far we traveled

Keep moving. If you stop, they'll catch you, and it'll be your death.

**I forced my feet to go faster despite the aching pain that grew stronger with each passing moment. I knew there was quite a bit of wolfsbane in my system due to the burn. I wanted to shift back into my human form and rest against a tree, but I knew that wasn't an option. Besides, if I did shift back, then I likely wouldn't be able to return to my wolf form at all

A hawl echoed through the distance, but I forced myself to ignore it. The sinister smirk of the man flashed through my mind, and I shook my head. Werewolves were the least of my troubles right now. If he caught me, I'd be ten feet under before the sun rose.

My breathing became labored, and my feet slowed down despite how I tried to speed up**

You can't give up now, Milan!

**I scolded, but my body didn't listen.

My feet became a tangled mess, and my body crashed to the ground. My head banged against a rock, and everything seemed to grow hazy**

Get up, I thought, but I couldn't will my body to move

Get up, get up, get up!

**After a few minutes, my body seemed to catch up with my mind and the sense of urgency that was racing through me. I shakily stood up and limped along the way. Any distance was better than no distance

The blurriness didn't disappear. Everything began to spin and blend together. I couldn't tell a tree apart from a bush. I stumbled along until I felt something wet against my paws

Water

Without thinking, I stepped into the body of water, hoping it would throw them off my track. I made sure not to go too deep so I could still get out.

The cold liquid was more than welcomed after spending such a long time without it. Though I couldn't see, I was sure that my usually light brown fur was in dire need of a clean

Though that would have to wait until I was safe from danger.

I turned around to get out of the water, but my body froze when an unknown scent flooded my nose

Blackberries

I didn't get the chance to turn around before I was knocked back into the water and fully submerged. Everything burned. I squirmed to try and break free as the water entered my body. However, my body was already weakened, and I'd used my remaining strength to walk in the first place, so now there was nothing left.

The burning sensation was doubled, and a quiet whimper escaped my mouth as black spots invaded my vision. There was no response, but right before I lost consciousness, deep brown eyes that almost appeared black came into view, and a spark was ignited..

I managed to get my head out of the water, and I opened my mouth, but there wasn't a chance to make a sound before I was abruptly pushed back underneath, and everything went black.

............

"Are you sure he's not dead?"

"He's still breathing."

"Barely."

"Barely is still something."

"How do you know that he won't- oh shit!"

My eyes cracked open, and a groan escaped my lips. The sunlight blinded me, and I attempted to raise my arm in order to block it out; however, it barely moved. My brows furrowed, and I tried to turn my head, but even that proved to be a struggle. Panic seared through me, and I tried to fight against my body's reluctance to move. I needed to get up!

"Your body is still weak," an unknown, smooth voice said.

My now wide eyes drifted toward the direction the voice came from, and I was met with the sight of a long-haired, curly, dark-skinned man. He leaned against a tree, mossy-green eyes watching-no, examining me as if I was some type of lab experiment.

"He doesn't seem like he can talk just yet," another voice said, and I noticed a girl sitting on the ground beside him. She looked to be around twelve or thirteen, judging by her appearance

Who were they? Where was I? Did I escape them? Many questions raced through my mind, yet I couldn't open my mouth to get answers.

The green-eyed man nodded. "Doesn't surprise me. He reeked of wolfsbane when we found him. His body is still trying to recover. Thankfully, there wasn't enough in his system to kill him, but he'll likely be temporarily immobilized for a few days."

Days?! I couldn't be down for days! I needed to get home to my pack to my family! They were probably worried sick about me**.

"You think he's a rogue?" **The girl asked the man.

He shook his head. "No, judging by his faint scent, he's part of a pack. Had the bond been officially severed, it would've worn off by now. Not to mention the way River looked at him when we found him**."

Who was River?

"**I wonder what kind of trouble he got himself into."

The man frowned. "Don't. Wondering gets you killed."

Though I couldn't move, his words shook me. Memories of the day I was taken resurfaced-specifically, the memory of why I left the safety of pack territory in the first place. There'd been howling as if someone was in pain, and I'd gone to investigate, only, instead of an injured wolf, what was waiting for me was a group of hunters looking for their next paycheck.

Before I could even react, they drugged and kidnapped me. They spoke of how I'd be an easy one to get away with, and after a while, part of me began to agree with their words.

I didn't have some fancy high rank within the pack. I wasn't born to the alpha's family, the beta, or gamma's— not even the head warrior's. I was an average werewolf, and because of that, my disappearance wouldn't receive the same amount of urgency as someone of a higher ranking; it was the sad reality of werewolf society. However, I knew my family had to have been looking for me. They had to have been worried when I didn't return home.

They had to have been searching for me.

That was the only thing that gave me hope, and I clung to it all the while I was held captive. Someone out there was worried about me, and that was enough**.

"You think he'll make it?" **The girl, whose name I still didn't know, asked.

The man shrugged. "We'll see. If he can last until that wolfsbane is fully out of his system, he might just pull through**."

Might. **Not certain

A strong sense of resolve ran through me, and I knew that I would survive. Not might, I was certain—I had to. I escaped them and survived this long; I couldn't call it quits. Not now

"Looks like he's about to fall asleep again," I heard the girl's voice as my eyes grew heavier

"Let him. He needs it," the man replied

And so, as my eyes fell shut and the darkness once again consumed me, a fire burned within-one that told me that not only would I survive, but not just that; survival alone wasn't enough. First, I'd survive the wolfsbane that plagued my body, and then, I'd make it back home**.

The second time I awoke, I was no longer lying on the grass outside. Instead, I laid on a blanket that was placed inside a flimsy-looking tent, but beggars can't be chooser. Nobody was around this time, but the scents were still strong, which told me that they couldn't have gone far.

I took a deep breath before forcing my body up into a sitting position. They were sore, but I didn't mind considering it was already more than I could do last time. I glanced around the tent, which was almost bare, besides a few small items, such as a notebook and a broken necklace lingering in the corner.

Just where was I?

That was the first thing I needed to figure out. The sooner I knew where I was, the sooner I'd be back home.

"River, come on! Wait!" I heard a familiar voice call out as it got closer.

Not even a second later, the tent was roughly snatched open, and a head of dark brown curls, honey-tan skin, and deep brown eyes came into view.

Deep, glaring brown eyes

I immediately recognized the man, who was now in his human form, as the wolf who'd attacked me. Apparently, he recognized me as well because before I knew it, he was approaching me in a quick stride, followed by a growl.

"*Riv---"

"Shut the **** up," he snapped at the girl, his voice a rough contrast to the other man I'd met*.

He stopped right in front of me, his hand slamming against the ground beside me, and I could feel my heart pounding against my chest. Slowly, I dragged my eyes up to meet his, and there it was again: the spark from before. If he noticed it as I had, it only seemed to make him more furious. His dark eyes flashed, and he let out another loud growl which caused me to flinch.

"Why is it here?" The man asked, looking at me with an expression of disgust. The girl didn't immediately respond, and the annoyance showed on his face. He turned to her with a look of impatience. "Well, Thalia? Answer me."

"I brought him back," the smooth voice from before said as the man stuck his head inside the tent. His eyes focused on the honey-skinned wolf. "Don't take your anger out on the child."

The honey-skinned man scoffed. "Child? She's already seen things most wolves her age would've shriveled up in fear from."

"And as unfortunate as that is, it doesn't change the fact that she is still a child- one who only recently turned thirteen. You will not yell at her like that again, and we will not be arguing in front of her anymore," the green-eyed man replied.

There was a silence in the air, and I saw the honey-skinned man's jaw clench before he turned to the girl-Thalia.

"Leave us," he dismissed her

Thalia glanced over at the green-eyed man, who nodded, and she disappeared out of the tent. Immediately, both pairs of eyes turned to me.

"What is it doing here?" The honey-skinned man repeated.

The word "it" would've made me frown if I wasn't too worried that he'd take it as a reason to further harm-or kill-me. I wasn't an object

"Recovering," the other man responded simply.

"Why?"

The green-eyed man sighed. "Why must there be a reason to help an injured wolf? I saw him, he was in bad condition, so I brought him here. There is no other reason."

"He's a pack wolf. You should've just left him," the honey-skinned man responded, and the disgusted expression grew stronger.

An unknown pain filled me at the sight of it. I wasn't sure exactly why I cared about what this wolf thought of me, but some part of me didn't like his apparent hatred for me

Maybe I'm going crazy.

"So what if he is?"

"You, of all people, should know the risks of getting involved with packs, Vrai. They're nothing but trouble. The fact that when you found it out there injured should've been enough to tell you to leave it alone and let nature take its course. It probably committed some crime and got it's *** kicked. Nothing but trouble."

Committed crime? Trouble?

"I didn't do anything of that sort!" I said defensively. My voice was dry and scratchy, but I tried to ignore it.

The honey-skinned man looked me up and down before scoffing. "So it says," he turned back toward the other man-Vrai -and his eyes narrowed in a predatory manner. "He's not staying here."

Vrai almost looked amused by this. "You don't control me, River, and you, of all people, most definitely do not get to order me around."

River. This was River.

The air grew tense, and I saw River's hands clench into fists. He looked as if he'd attack right then and there, but Vrai didn't appear to be worried, so I tried to keep my calm as well. This continued for a few moments before River scowled and abruptly yanked his arm away from me. The action ended with the two of us touching, and he looked at me as if I'd burned him.

He let out one last growl before turning to Vrai again

"Your problem, so you're responsible if it does anything. If it leaves your sight, I'll dispose of it myself," he warned or rather promised.

I fought the urge to shiver at the blatant threat to my life. Vrai stepped to the side, and River exited the tent, leaving the two of us alone.

"You can come back now, Thalia," Vrai called out after a moment.

The girl reappeared, only she wasn't alone this time. A boy who looked to be no older than fifteen or sixteen was by her side. He stared at me with curiosity