Chapter 14: Chapter 14

Mia took off into the woods once she escaped the palace. She was certain she'd be found soon if she didn't move quickly. She'd rather lose a leg first before she is caught.

She considered shifting but she couldn't, she couldn't risk being naked. Although nakedness wasn't anything new to them, she had hardly ever had to shift in public and whenever she did, she was always wrapped in a robe or quickly clothed. Whenever she shifted with Rain, they were always behind a tree or two.

Mia had to rely on her legs and they weren't fast because she had never had to travel on foot in her life.

She would run for a while and stop to catch her breath while panting like she was asthmatic.

She did this too often and storm was becoming impatient with the whole ordeal. Storm threatened to take control, which was just an empty threat as she couldn't except Mia gave permission.

"I'm trying my damn best," Mia complained to her wolf between deep breaths.

Her best seemed like a snail to Storm and it irked her.

'I wonder just how pathetic you'd have been if you were just a mere human and didn't have me,' Storm said and Mia could imagine her shaking her head sullenly.

'Well, I'm not a mere human, and good thing I have you.' She teased her worried wolf with a small smirk playing on the corners of her lips.

'Hurry up, Mia.' Storm urged Mia.

'What's the hurry, Storm? I thought you were against the whole idea?' Mia panted, still trying to catch her breath.

She just had to get to the mainland which could link to any pack and although she didn't know the way, she hoped to find a good passerby with hopefully a carriage.

'It's no longer an idea now, is it?

And besides, I still am against this.' Her wolf lied.

Mia could feel how excited she was to do this too. She was a sucker for adventures just like Mia.

'You do realize I can feel your emotions right?' Mia chuckled lightly and Storm swore under her breath.

When she finally reached the mainland, she was sweating and panting so hard, she feared for her lungs.

'Mia look!' Storm pointed her attention to a passing carriage.

Mia tried to calm her breathing as the carriage drove her way. It was getting dark and Mia was not a great fan of the dark. She ran in front of the slow carriage which had slowed down because of the sloppy road.

The rider drew back his horses and they protested loudly, trying to stop in their tracks. The carriage gave a loud screech.

"Young woman, are you drunk?!"

The man asked in exasperation, staring down at Mia like she was a crazed fool.

"No, I'm not," Mia tried to sound sad and helpless even when all she wanted to do was yell at him and tell him he was the crazy and rude one.

"Get out of my way, you frog," The man said angrily before riding past her like a madman.

Mia's jaw hung open and she placed her palm on her chest in offense but then she burst out laughing. She has never been spoken to like that in her life and it gave her a feeling of freedom even if it was just an illusion thereof.

It took about five long minutes before another carriage came passing by.

"Young woman, are you lost?" The carriage man asked, dismounting his carriage as he approached Mia who looked lost.

"Yes, mister," she sniffled trying to seem younger than she was.

It wasn't hard though as she was petite.

"Oh, dear," The man said, standing before her and seeming concerned. "Where are you off to lad?"

This was her chance and she wasted no time in grabbing it.

"Crystal Moon Pack," She replied in a high-pitched voice making her sound naive and innocent.

The man took compassion on her

"You're lucky, lad. You shouldn't be on the road this late though. Hop into my carriage, I'm going that way."

Mia thanked the man gratefully, trying to keep up with the act.

"Where are you from?" The older man inquired and Mia feared he was beginning to suspect she was an escapee.

"I'm from Diamond Shadow Pack," She said truthfully, swallowing a ball of saliva.

"Oh, now I understand the accent." The man chuckled lightly, leaving Mia wondering what accent he was talking about. She didn't hear an accent.

The man didn't ask any other questions after that and Mia was grateful for that.

•••••••••••

"Miss, miss." A familiar voice tugged at Mia's consciousness and she fluttered her eyes open.

She was pulled out of her slumber by the older man who was looking down at her in amusement.

"We're approaching the palace gate. I'll tell the guards that you're my daughter, okay? You don't say anything, got it?"

He instructed and she nodded in agreement still trying to clear her vision.

When they got to the palace gate, the guards didn't even ask him any questions. They just checked his carriage and granted them access to the kingdom.

Mia fused her eyebrows, thinking that their security was nothing to write home about.

They approached the woods and she asked the Samaritan to drop her off so that she could find her way from there.

"Are you certain you'd be fine, miss?" The man asked, not convinced.

"I'm certain," She promised before thanking him and making her way into the woods.

It was dark now and Mia began to regret ever agreeing to this madness in the first place.

She didn't even know how to find the palace as the old man wasn't even headed that way in the first place.

She saw a small river and sat in front of it with her head buried in between her knees.

Just when she felt she was all alone in the world, she heard voices coming from a distance, causing her to lift her head in a bid to take a closer look only to be surprised to see soldiers.

She held her breath and widened her eyes, turning jittery at the sight.

"Shit." She cursed quietly as she struggled to her feet.

She couldn't tell why they were in the woods but the first thought that crossed her mind was to flee.

Just when she was about to run, she lost her footing and fell into the river she had been sitting in front of.

She screamed in reflex.

"Who is there?!" One of the shoulders yelled and in no time, the sounds of them running toward the river filled the woods.

'Shit, shit, shit!' She chanted in her head and jumped out of the river with a thumping heart.

This was bad, very bad. She could hear their footsteps approaching her as she struggled through the mud in a bid to escape the consequences of her actions.

Something tugged at her heart, something other than fear slowed her feet. Goosebumps spread up her arms and her stomach tied itself into knots and Storm was acting all frantically as well. A shiver ran down her spine and a foreign feeling shoved fear out of the pit of her stomach.

Reality dawned on her when Storm said quietly, 'Mate' like she was in disbelief herself.

Mia couldn't believe her luck but it didn't stop her from running.  Glancing over her shoulder, her legs got entwined in a bunch of vines and caused her to fall face down into a puddle of mud and when she raised her head, she was beyond embarrassed to see a bunch of soldiers staring down at her.

None of them even made an effort to help her.

Who was her mate amongst them?

She wondered until a hand was outstretched to her, offering to pull her up.

'Mate,' said Storm.