Gianna's POV
My heart was wrenching in pain as I aimlessly walked back to my room. The world around me felt blurred, like I was drifting through someone else's nightmare.`
I slammed the door shut behind me and locked myself inside. My hands trembled as I slid down against it, trying to comprehend what had just happened. The tears refused to stop, burning trails down my cheeks. Every breath I took felt heavy, like the air itself had turned against me.
"No!" The word tore out of me before I could think. I wiped my tears with shaking hands and turned to the door, desperate to question Lazarus, to ask if this was one of his cruel pranks meant to test my love for him? But as I reached for the doorknob, a searing pain pierced through my chest, stealing my breath.
That stabbing ache was proof of how utterly our bond had been severed. It was the evidence that the man I'd once loved and cherished was being ripped away by the man I'd trusted, the one I'd given everything to.
And at that moment, all I could think was 'Why?'
I was aware that I didn't deserve Lazarus. He was an Alpha Prince, and I was nothing but a broken wolf who had no place in society. But he was the one who held my hand and made me feel my worth, that I, too, belonged in this world.
However, he had… left me for my sister… the person he was truly supposed to marry before meeting me.
A storm of thoughts crashed through my mind as I stood frozen by the door, grief splintering into panic, as I clutched my heart. The pain of rejection was turning severe.
"But what should I do now, baby?" Just as these words came out of my mouth, my entire body trembled as I pressed a shaky hand against my stomach.
Fear clawed at my throat. What if someone found out? What would they do to me? To my baby? The thought alone made my knees threaten to give way.
I didn't mind dying, after all, what was left for me after being thoughtlessly tossed by the man I love, but… I couldn't let my baby suffer even before they arrived in this world!
I was in pain, but my instinct screamed at me to leave. I had to run before anyone could find out that I had an heir of the Ashwood family in my womb. If Lazarus had rejected me, then they wouldn't let me or my pup live.
I forced my numb limbs to move. My hands shook as I yanked open the closet, snatching whatever I could reach: clothes, an old sweater, and some money that I'd saved.
I barely breathed as I stuffed everything into a battered duffel bag. Every sound outside made me freeze, heart pounding against my ribs, terror thrumming through my veins. But my will kept me going.
I couldn't stay there!
The house felt colder than ever as I crept down the stairs. My hand hovered over my belly in a desperate protectiveness. As I reached the door, I didn't look back. I couldn't. If I did, I might never leave.
I moved to my car, stepped in, ready to drive far from the palace, and from Lazarus.
I started the engine and drove it out of the driveway. I took the south exit of the palace, since it was barely used.
While driving on the empty road, the scene of my mate kissing my sister kept appearing in my head, worsening the pain. I only wanted to get as far as possible, but I didn't know where I could go. I was still racing my brain for a safe place, where even Lazarus' shadow couldn't reach, when a loud thud shook the car as I almost lost control over the steering.
Before I could react, something slammed against the window, breaking it.
"Ah!" I shrieked, jerking at my seat with the impact and stared at the injured wolf on the road. In the rearview mirror, I saw a pack of wolves following me!
My stomach twisted in fear. These weren't wild wolves since the security around the palace would never allow any such wolves to roam around. They were the warrior wolves, specially trained and were definitely sent to kill me.
But who would want to kill me? No! Lazarus would never do this.
"Lazarus…" I breathed, the word barely leaving my lips as I slammed my foot down on the accelerator.
I didn't know where I was going anymore. The car shook beneath me as it rattled violently, making my chest tighten with fear.
My body felt heavy from exhaustion. My heart wouldn't stop thundering as I was filled with burning pain from the rejection.
"Bam!"
Another blow came from underneath, throwing me forward against the seatbelt. I screamed, trying not to panic but my head got a hard hit against the steering.
"I can't keep going like this," I muttered.
If I stayed on this road, they'd kill me. My hand instinctively went to my stomach, thinking my baby wouldn't survive if I kept driving the car. I couldn't let that happen; it's my only one left in this world for me.
Seeing the wolves were close, I applied the brakes and removed my seatbelt swiftly. The car's door was jammed as it refused to open. Using whatever strength I had, I hit myself against it until the door loosened, and I exited it while grabbing the bag I had packed earlier.
All I could see was tall, ancient trees around me. Running through the forest, I didn't know where I would be heading. The sun had set already and the sky had turned deeper red. I could hear the footsteps of the warriors following me. At this moment, I regretted not having a wolf.
If only I had my wolf… I could've run with a much greater speed. Why did the Moon Goddess even send me to the earth with such a cursed fate?
Putting the backpack on, I grabbed my speed, running though the steep hill, which was covered with dry leaves.
"She's there!" a voice howled from behind. "We can't let her go, or the Fourth Prince will kill us!"
"Yes! We must end her!" another one growled and the next second, I felt them transforming into their wolves' forms one by one.
Fourth Prince?
When I heard Lazarus' name, I felt my body giving up. He truly wanted me dead. But the pup in my womb kept not letting me stop. If the wolves had me it would be over for me.
Lazarus… he not only rejected me… but he wanted me dead?
The thought left me empty from the inside. My knees trembled and I lost my balance. However, instead of falling on the forest floor, I balanced myself against a tree.
I couldn't breathe, my lungs were tearing apart, but I didn't care. I kept moving, hiding between trees, ducking behind trunks, dragging my body.
I tilted my head and saw a wolf just a few meters away from me, snarling while showing his fangs.
"No!" I shook my head, still running when I tripped over a root and fell hard, rolling down, not knowing where I was. The impact knocked the air out of me. My body refused to move after that.
As I tried to keep my consciousness, I saw a warrior figure not far from me. Then, I heard the wolf's words,
"She's out of her hands. We can't cross these borders!"
"She'll die anyway, J–"
Tears rolled down over my cheeks. I was unable to even lift a finger. My pup… I cried before everything turned dark for me.