Run

SUMMER

Summer squinted as the sun started to peek over the horizon, its rays casting a warm glow on her face.

“Freya...” she mumbled, her eyes adjusting to the morning light.

We need to get moving, Freya whispered, standing up and shaking off the dust and leaves that clung to her dark brown fur from their night on the forest floor.

She stretched, working out the stiffness from a long day of running, before heading deeper into the woods.

“Let's run until we find some water, then we can rest,” Summer suggested, and they took off running again.

After a few hours, they found a large stream. Freya drank from the flowing water, her eyes following the current. Suddenly, she pounced, catching an unsuspecting fish that had swum too close.

Freya enjoyed her meal, then rested by the water, replenishing her energy.

“Where are we going to go?” Summer asked, breaking the silence.

Freya took another sip of water before looking around.

I don't know... I guess we'll know when we get there.

“Do you think we'll ever feel safe?”

If we get far enough away, we might have a chance at a normal life, Freya replied, her voice filled with hope.

We escaped, that's what matters. You were so brave, enduring his abuse. I wish I could have been stronger, could have fought him off and gotten us out sooner.

“You know that's not true, Freya. But you're right, we escaped. And we'll never have to live like that again.”

Damn right. And if we ever see that man again, I'll rip his balls off and feed them to him, Freya growled.

They stared at their reflection in the water, anxiety creeping in at the sight of their mark.

“He can find us, can't he?” Summer whispered.

Not if I can help it, Freya growled.

Without warning, Freya clawed at her neck, tearing at the flesh until the mark was gone, her blood washing downstream.

“Do you think that will work?”

We'll see. Either way, it needed to be gone. His mark doesn't belong with us, Freya replied, her voice dark.

They ran for the rest of the day, only stopping when necessary. With the mark gone, they could feel the mate bond slowly fading.

Summer hoped this would convince him that she had been taken and killed by rogues, and that he would never find her.

Fatigue was creeping in again, just like the day before.

They kept going, sprinting through the woods as the day turned into night. She watched the sun set, praying for a little more daylight.

She didn’t want to stop. She couldn’t let him catch her.

She had been running for four days now. Freya was exhausted. They both were.

She paused to catch her breath, her eyes darting from tree to tree, staying alert.

A snapping twig nearby made her jump, her mind instantly filled with thoughts of Todd.

She let out a sigh of relief when a squirrel scampered up a nearby tree.

“Let's go...” she whispered, urging Freya forward.

They continued on, trying to put as much distance as possible between them and their mate.

But as the day wore on, Summer could feel her body giving out. She was covered in dirt and grime, dehydrated, tired, and her muscles and feet were aching.

“I don't know how much longer we can do this...” she sighed as they walked.

We have to keep going. We can't give up now, Freya whined, her words not reflecting her true feelings.

Summer could feel their strength fading. They needed to find a place to rest soon, or they might not make it.

Suddenly, she was on high alert.

Freya's fur stood on end as she prepared for an attack.

She stared into the shadows of the dense trees, her body tense as she braced for the worst. Someone was there, she could feel it.

Panic set in. He had found her. She was caught.

“This time he won't take us alive...” she whispered to herself, ready to fight to the death.

She had accepted it: if he found her again, she wouldn't let him take her back. She'd fight until only one of them was left standing, and she didn't care who it was.

Her thoughts cleared when four men stepped out from the trees, earning a growl from Freya when they got too close.

“You're trespassing on Blood Moon territory,” one of the men announced.

Summer swayed, dizzy from the strain of the past four days.

Freya's strength was gone, and Summer could feel her consciousness slipping away as she shifted back.

She stood in the middle of the border guards, her bruised and dirty body weak from days of running.

“I'm sorry...I just...I...” she stammered, trying to clear her mind.

But the darkness took over, and she collapsed on the ground, unconscious once again.