THE HUNT

~{INGRID'S POV}~

*

The moment I ran out of my pack and became exposed to the the outside world, I became lost.

I didn't know where to run to or how to even go about this hunt and it became frustrating.

As fast as I could, I stealthily followed a particular group wherever they went while paying close attention to whatever they were saying.

"That path leads to one of the five forests and so does this one. So which should we follow?" The leader of their group asked and one of them gave a suggestion.

"The map doesn't really states in which order the forest goes. It's just random."

"Then what do you presume?" Another one inquired.

"I suggest we take this path, after all it will still lead to the other forests," another one reasoned.

"Why don't we take the right path since the left are always evil," another one made a point to which they found reasonable.

I stood behind a tree watching them in silence. I didn't believe in such, rather I preferred they go left instead of right but nonetheless, I watched them march along the right path, causing me to think deeply.

I didn't want to be alone even though I was confident in myself that I will come out unscathed.

Why didn't I just pair with that idiot? I wondered to myself and began to regret not pairing with my step brother even though I didn't like him.

Everywhere became dangerously quiet as I stepped out of my hiding place and began to contemplate whether to follow them or not.

"Generally I must stick to the pack," I pondered out loud while looking left and right.

"But sometimes it's best to go solo," I said and headed in the left direction only to stop halfway when I had a bad feeling.

I was at a disadvantage for not having the map and it frustrated me even more.

"Take a deep breath Ingrid, you got this," I said to myself and quickly maneuvered to the right.

"I can't afford to take that risk at a time like this," I said and walked hastily in order to catch up with them.

However, the more I searched for them, the more I couldn't locate them. Did they take another route I wasn't aware of? At that thought, I sighed heavily and began to think of how to go about it since there wasn't a sure road. Everywhere was covered in leaves.

"I should've just followed the left. This is why they say don't follow the crowd," I said to myself and began to pave my own path but it was difficult.

And the more I walked, the more I felt like I was going in circles.

It got to a point I desperately wanted to scream for help but I restrained myself.

I turned around and decided to find my way back to the very path I took so I could follow the left but in doing so, I stumbled into a strange forest.

Confused, I looked around just to find myself surrounded by tall thick trees. When I tried to locate the forest filled with leaves, I couldn't and it surprised me.

The more I looked around, the more I realized something.

Thankfully I had learnt that there were five forests and their names are as follows; The Cursed Trees, Whispering Leaves, Water Forest, Rocky Forest and Deserted Forest.

And currently it felt like I was in the cursed trees forest because all I could see was trees and it felt strange that I couldn't find the other forest I had stepped out from and stumbled into this one.

"Ingrid!"

Someone called my name and I looked around in alarm before zeroing my eyes in a particular direction where I found someone immediately going into hiding behind one of the trees.

Strangely, as I headed in the direction where the person who called me was, I heard my name again in another direction and it felt so near like it was right behind me.

I instantly shifted into my wolf form and became fully alert because my senses told me none of this was ordinary.

"Ingrid!"

When I looked again, I frowned when I found Joseph, my step brother waving weirdly at me with a weird smile.

The more I looked at him, the more the smile began to slip from his lips and before I knew it, he began to run in my direction while panting harshly.

Without thinking twice, I took to my heels, running as fast as I could in the other direction when he transformed into a black creature.

The bad thing about being a Theta wolf was that I had no special ability. All I could do was defend myself but there were instances where defenses weren't necessary especially if death is certain.

And out of habit, I howled, hoping my pack would hear me but I got reminded of what the royal commander had said to us, '...I want you all to note that once you leave this pack, you are responsible for yourselves.'

When I glanced back to see if the unknown creature was still after me, I noticed it wasn't there anymore.

Nonetheless, when I faced forward I found it standing right in front of me at a short distance.

When I tried to screech to a halt, I couldn't and I ended up colliding with it.

When we tumbled, I tried to get it off me but it was quite strong and when we finally came to a stop, it fell off my body and I quickly scrambled back on my feet only to find myself staring at my lookalike which was smiling at me.

Freaked out, I looked at myself just to find that I was completely black and slimy like the creature which chased me.