Claimed by the Alpha King

Lizzie

I followed closely behind, or so I tried. The men had longer legs and didn't even try to wait for me. It's not like I was expecting them to. Grabbing my skirt and slightly lifting them, I stride towards them.

We got out of the trees near my house. It was too fast and too soon. I didn't even realize how quickly I could cross this part of the forest in a matter of five minutes, rather than twenty.

The men continued to march ahead until we stopped before a carriage. Two white horses were in the front of the carriage with a leather rope attached to them. A man was seated outside the front of the carriage, just behind the horses, holding their reins and a whip set aside beside him.

The two men closed in on the driver, and the three men started to speak to each other in hushed tones. For the first time, I ache for my wolf and shifter abilities to appear—anything that would enhance my hearing ability to catch what they were whispering. Were they discussing what would they do to me? Where they were taking me? Or perhaps, were they planning on how deep they should bury my body?

But my curiosity didn't stay long as it didn't matter what they were planning.

Because I had other things planned and to worry about.

As the coach driver started to get the two men's attention, I started to back away. Every fiber of my being tensed, but I didn't stop. I took each tiny step very carefully, hoping and praying that they wouldn't hear the gravel crunch beneath my foot.

Good big gentlemen, don't mind me if I take off on you.

I slowed down my breath, taking whatever I needed while not alerting them, and before they could turn to tie me up and force me to go to whatever miserable place, they would eventually take me, I started to run to the opposite side.

I ran and ran until my lungs were about to give out.

I could hear the shouts and snarls coming from them as they belatedly reacted to me bolting away from them.

I did not look back and find out whether they were already chasing me down.

I feared that the moment I turned around, they would catch me.

---

After everything crumbled down before my eyes; my mate rejected me and my father betrayed me, selling me to some stranger, and being chased down by some outsiders. I did the only right thing I thought to do.

I ran away without regret.

It wasn't easy. After all my pursuers can shift and turn into their beasts. They could shift to their true forms and jump at me if I was a minute slower. And most importantly, I had nowhere to run to. The only place I could run to was outside of the pack's territory. Even then, I wouldn't be safe. 

Thankfully, I was trained since I was young. I was the best fighter in the class, and among the best fighters in the pack, I ranked fourth, just below Merlin, the Gamma's son and also one of my friends. Fighting in the Pit also helped me pick up some things I could use.

I entered the forest before they could. I knew that they could track me using my scent, but I didn't run without a plan.

I reached the spot where I hid my travel bag. I hid them because I had this one foolish illusion that if Liam would turn out to be not my mate, I would ask him to come with me and leave everything behind. This, of course, happened years before he was sent to the Edge and met Avery. I was very young at that time, so foolish and delusional.

Maybe, not too much. Because now, I'm using it to my advantage.

I dropped down to the ground and started to dig out the pack I hid beneath the ground, covered by the long and curvy vines. When I finally saw the black cloth, I didn't waste time grabbing and opening it.

I took out a bottle that was filled with Ivy Spring, a mixture that could hide my scent from any shifters nearby, and poured the contents of the bottle to my body. I just hoped that this would be enough to hide me from my pursuers.

When I was satisfied and poured every drop of the liquid on me, I started to run again.

The sun was about to set. Too bad for me, and a great opportunity for them to use their nocturnal abilities to see me even without smelling my scent.

Shit! I cursed and ignored the barking pain from my aching legs. I hadn't run this fast and long after I graduated from the pack's training. Not even at the Pit.

I saw the fence, the border that separated the pack territory from the outside world and from the other shifters who were not part of our pack, and also from the beasts that roamed the forest. I climbed over it, and when I finally touched the lush ground beneath my feet, I sighed with relief.

But that relief was short-lived.

I spun around and almost crashed into someone's chest.

I didn't even know that a man was standing behind me. I didn't sense him even after training myself so strictly, just so I could stand against a beast shifter.

"What is your name?" A deep, husky voice rang inside my ears. Something deep inside twisted me as he spoke.

He was deadly gorgeous. That was the only thing I had in my thoughts when my eyes first laid on his face. He was taller by more than a head than me, towering my 5 foot 3 inches height.

But I had no time to gawk at someone's face or get a clear look at him.

I stepped back.

Unexpectedly, he took a step forward.

Again, I took a step back.

And he took another.

He sniffed the air slightly. His nostrils flared, and his eyes closed as if he was trying to take in my scent. He shouldn't be able to smell me. I bathed myself with Ivy Spring. Even Liam and the Alpha James couldn't even scent me from a close distance. I took another step away from him, but a growl rumbling from his chest made me stop.

When he opened his eyes, two golden orbs stared back at me, and inside them was a ring of red hue that glowed frighteningly fierce but disappeared before I could dissect whether they were real.

"Do you have a name?" he asked again.

I didn't answer. I was too afraid and mesmerized at the same because of the man in front of me. Then I sucked in a breath as I came up with something. We were outside the pack's territory. We're in the Wood now. And a few beings who could be out here. There were Rogues, Kraven, and Beasts. I chose rogue for my beautiful stranger. Just for my peace of mind.

"Or are you a mute?" he tilted his head, making me snap out of my thoughts.

I wanted to slap myself for being distracted by him.

I ignored him, stepping to the side to avoid him. I needed to go to the fence and escape from here. I can't waste more time dealing with him.

However, before I could take a step or get to the fence, my pursuers were already in sight at the opening I had used as a path earlier. The fence served as a barrier between us.

My heart fell to my stomach as I knew I wouldn't be able to escape them. And at the same time, for no reason at all, my eyes met those golden ones again.

I opened my mouth, ready to ask him for help to deter my pursuers. But before I could say a word, a finger tapped lightly against my forehead.

A strange warmth rippled through me, and tingles spread from my head to my toes. Before I could react—fight back, flee, or even think—darkness swallowed me whole, pulling me into a deep slumber.

Just as the void claimed me, I heard the faint voices of my pursuers.

"Your Majesty."