Run

That’s what she told herself as she dashed through the woods, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest. She was aiming for the boundary.

"We can make it..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. She was trying not to get her hopes up too high, knowing all too well that she could be caught again, just like the last two times.

"Just run," she said again, pushing herself to keep going even though she was starting to feel tired.

Her heart was thumping wildly in her chest, her body was on fire with adrenaline and hope as they crossed the pack border. She wouldn’t stop running until she either dropped dead from exhaustion or got far enough away to never be found again.

She was okay with either outcome.

"DO YOU ENJOY THIS?! WHY DO YOU KEEP MAKING ME HAVE TO DO THIS?"

Todd was standing over her, his face as red as a beet, his anger boiling over.

Summer was sitting on the floor, her hand clutching her stomach as waves of pain washed over her from his blows.

He was angry at her again, claiming she had embarrassed him. And once again, he had hit her.

When they had first met five years ago, she was thrilled. He was so good-looking and charming. He showered her with attention and she fell for him almost instantly.

The first time he hit her, she was so shocked that she convinced herself it hadn’t really happened.

Her mate would never hurt her, especially not on purpose. He was supposed to love and protect her, just like she loved him.

But that was a long time ago.

She held her stomach tighter as he loomed over her. She could feel her wolf growling in the back of her mind.

Freya wanted to fight back, wanted to beat Todd to a pulp. She wanted to tear his hands off and make him eat them.

But Todd was bigger and stronger.

The second time he hit her, Freya had tried to protect her by shifting. But that night, he beat her so badly that she couldn’t walk for two days.

She had lost track of how many bones he had broken, how many bruises she had to hide.

Not that anyone ever noticed or cared.

"YOU SLUT! HOW DO YOU THINK IT MAKES ME LOOK WHEN YOU COME ON TO ANOTHER WOLF!? HMM? WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY TO THAT, HMM?"

"I..." she stammered quietly. "I'm sorry. I wasn't, I promise."

"Are you saying I'm wrong? That I didn't see what I saw?" he shot back, his voice dark and menacing.

"No, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I wasn't..."

Summer didn’t know what to say. She knew she hadn’t flirted with that man. He had just asked her a question and they had chatted casually while waiting in line for dinner at the packhouse.

She flinched as Todd got close to her face, his icy blue eyes blazing with anger as he grabbed a handful of her long brown hair.

His angry shouts echoed in her ears as he berated her, telling her how useless she was and what a terrible mate she was to him.

After he had vented his anger, he walked away, leaving Summer crumpled on the living room floor.

Summer took a shaky breath, whimpering into her hands so he wouldn’t hear her and get angry again.

"We can’t…he’ll just find us again. He always catches us. We have nowhere to go."

Summer knew she was right. It was only a matter of time.

She thought back to the last time she had tried to run away. She had almost made it to the border when he caught her.

He had beaten her right there in the woods and then dragged her back to the house.

She was jolted back to the present when she heard Todd coming out of the bedroom. His footsteps were slow as he stopped at the end of the hallway. He leaned against the wall and stared down at her.

"I’m sorry, baby."

Summer took a deep breath, the pain in her stomach finally starting to ease. She looked up at him and forced a smile. "I know."

He ran a hand through his hair and sighed as he stepped closer. "You just...you don’t know what you do to me. Sometimes I just get so angry."

"I know."

"You know? Is that all you can say?" he said, his voice rising as his anger started to flare up again.

"No," Summer stammered, scooting backward as he stepped closer.

"I just meant that I know I made you angry...I’m sorry. It was all my fault today. I shouldn’t have been so careless. You were right."

Todd paused for a moment, as if deciding whether to let it go. She hoped her apology was enough.

She stood up slowly, using the couch for support.

Todd moved closer, his rough hands gently gripping her arms.

He kissed her cheek, making Summer’s whole body want to recoil. But she stood still, stiffening at his touch. He kissed her cheek softly again.

"I love you."

"I love you too," she whispered, taking a sharp breath when he quickly turned away. She was always on edge around him.

That night, she lay awake in bed, her mind racing as she tried to figure out a way to escape. A way to finally be free.

She smiled at her wolf’s bravery. “Knowing Todd, he’ll wake up the minute I try it,” she replied in her mind.

Suddenly, Summer made up her mind. She was going to leave.

She knew she wouldn’t get another chance, so her plan had to be perfect. She would either succeed or die trying. Because there was no way she was going back.

As she lay in the dark next to her worst nightmare, she finally came up with a plan.

Now all she needed was the right moment.

“All we need is the stars to finally align, for fate to finally be on our side... and I think we’ll make it out of here,” she whispered to her wolf.

“This time it will work,” she echoed.