Chapter 11

Ava's feet carried her deeper into the woods, each step taking her further from everything she had ever known. Her legs ached, but she couldn't stop. 

"I can't stop!" She mumbled to herself, her voice hoarse from crying. 

"Just keep walking, don't look!" She whispered. 

The morning sun was just rising but Ava barely noticed anything around her. Her mind kept dragging her back to everything she had left behind; especially Ethan. 

"The one I have given my heart to..." Ava whispered sullenly and a whirlwind of memory hit her. 

 *FLASHBACK*

In Ethan's room, just two weeks ago;

"I will never let you go. You are my everything, Ava." Ethan had whispered, his arms wrapped around her waist as they lay on his bed. 

She had turned in his arms, pressing her forehead against his. 

"I know. Because you wouldn't stop reminding me every time!" Ava had replied jokingly and they had laughed happily. 

"But I want you to promise me we will always be together." She had requested, afterwards. 

"Definitely. I promise you, my beloved. No matter what anyone says about you being an Omega, you are mine. Forever." He had said as his fingers traced her cheek so tenderly. 

"Forever." She had echoed, believing it with all her heart.

"Now, tell me, who has disturbed you today or given you stress? All you need to do is to give me names and I am going to make them regret ever bothering you." Ethan had said and Ava couldn't stop laughing out loud. 

"Aww, my protective lover! Well, I will have you know that I don't need you to interfere with my work. I am handling it quite great." Ava had maintained firmly but gratefully. 

 *END OF FLASHBACK*

A sob tore from her throat at the memory, and she stumbled against a tree. Her legs gave out, and she slid to the ground, becoming so tired, both physically and mentally. 

"He doesn't even know. He has no idea why I left." She whispered and fresh tears started falling from her eyes. 

"What are you going to do when you find out, Ethan?"

She pulled her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth. 

"My brother! We are siblings and and we didn't even know." 

"Now, how do I live with this hurtful knowledge? How do I live without Ethan in my life?" She whispered as she sobbed. 

 ~~~~~~~~~

After practically bawling without a care in the world, for many minutes, Ava was able to pick herself up and continued her journey of no destination. 

"No one other than my mother and Ethan would feel my absence. Nobody wanted me around anyway." Ava mumbled as she walked aimlessly. 

"I am sure those annoying girls would be jubilant now that I am gone..." She thought and couldn't stop the cruel words from the pack echoed in her head.

"Look at the little Omega, thinking she could actually mate with the Alpha's son." Elora would always sneer. 

"She is just lucky that she was able to bewitch him if not... Who the heck is she?"

"If they only knew the truth that I know now!" Ava thought and let out a bitter laugh as she imagined how their reactions would be. 

A sparrow flew overhead, and Ava watched it disappear into the trees. 

"At least you are free, no pack rules. No hierarchy. No secrets. No betrayal. No sadness." She said to the sparrow. 

"I want to be free just like you..." She added. 

The day went by as she walked, lost in her thoughts. 

It wasn't until her stomach let out a loud growl that she realized how much time had passed.

"Great, of course, I would need food." She muttered, looking around. 

Her werewolf senses picked up movement nearby. It was of a plump rabbit, wandering excitedly, unaware of her presence.

"Sorry, little one, but I need to survive." She whispered as she prepared to hunt. 

Fifteen minutes later, she had a small fire going and the rabbit cooking over it. The smell alone made her mouth water.

"What would Mother say if she saw me now? Her proper daughter, cooking in the wilderness like a rogue?" Ava talked to herself, trying to fill the silence. 

Then she took a bite of the cooked meat. 

"Though I guess that is what I am now. A rogue." She pointed out as if she was just realizing that. 

"Better than being there, anyway. Better than watching Ethan's face when he finds out the truth." She continued, trying to convince herself. 

Then a thought struck her and she became too sad to continue eating. 

"Oh by the moon, Ethan. How will you ever forgive me for leaving like this?"

She mumbled as she imagined his pain, his confusion. 

"But I couldn't stay. I couldn't watch you look at me with disgust when you learned the truth." She argued with her conscience. 

She was still at that, not able to eat anymore when a sudden sound made her freeze. 

She turned her head around, scanning the forest which was becoming dark then.

"Hello? Is someone there?" She called out, her voice trembling slightly. 

Silence answered her, then she started to hear approaching movements.

"Please... Please just be a deer." She whispered desperately, slowing standing up. 

At that moment, a low growl rumbled through the ground and she jumped back in fright. 

"That isn't the sound of a deer." She instantly noticed and her face paled at the realization. 

"Oh no, no..." She breathed heavily, backing away from her fire. 

Ava's heart pounded against her ribs as she turned in circles, trying to locate the source of the sound. The forest had gone deadly quiet as if every other creature could sense the danger.

Then she saw them – two glowing red eyes in the growing darkness, fixed directly on her.

She heard another growl, this one so powerful it shook the leaves on the trees, and Ava knew she was in terrible trouble.

"Oh Moon Goddess, please help me out!" She prayed desperately.