The chill of the pre-dawn air clung to Raven like a shroud, a familiar companion in her solitary life. Hidden deep within the forest, the rhythmic thud of her running shoes against the damp earth was the only sound that mattered, a desperate beat against the drum of her impending doom. Elissa’s shrill voice still echoed in her ears, a constant reminder of the life she was desperate to outrun.

Sweat stung her eyes, mingling with unshed tears. Every aching muscle screamed in protest, but she pushed harder, dodging roots and low-hanging branches with practiced ease. The overly sweet perfume Elissa favored seemed to waft even here, a phantom scent that grated on her nerves. She pictured Elissa, poised and perfect, walking through the grand halls of the Alpha’s mansion, a stark contrast to Raven’s mud-splattered, sweat-soaked form.

Her mind raced, plotting. Tonight. It had to be tonight. The king’s arrival was imminent, and with it, the finality of her fate. Ray. The very name sent a shiver of dread down her spine, a fate worse than any rogue in the forest. Freedom was a distant, shimmering mirage, but it was all she had left to hope for. She closed her eyes for a fleeting moment, imagining a life where she belonged, where she was loved, where a true mate awaited her. The fantasy, fragile as spun glass, shattered against the harsh reality of her existence.

As the first sliver of dawn painted the sky, she reached her secret clearing, collapsing onto the mossy ground. The laughter from the distant pack celebration, a hollow mockery of joy, drifted through the trees. She pulled her knees to her chest, burying her face, and wept, the silent sobs shaking her entire body. She had to run. She had to escape. Before they could sell her to a living hell.