Mariana:
By now I had no idea how many hours I had been running. My feet throbbed with every step.
The dress I was wearing was so inappropriate that even if I tried to defend myself, it was nearly impossible. I was still in the sa gown I had worn for breakfast.
My makeup was still on, though it had sared all over my face. My hairstyle was completely ruined.
The princess who had barely ever lifted a glass at ho was now wandering through the woods with the heels of her shoes clutched in one hand and a log gripped tightly in the other.
I needed a safe place for the night, and the night was approaching fast. Exhausted, I sank down in one spot to rest when strange sounds began echoing around .
Today I realized how dangerous the North truly was. I had not even been able to close my eyes for long.
I kept thinking that if I shut them for too long, a monster would snatch away. I was still deep in the woods.
Worn out, I kept moving forward. Several tis, strange creatures and twisted animals appeared before , and I knew they were monsters.
So I managed to scare off with the log. So I had to strike. It was not easy.
Most of the ti, I crept along quietly, forcing myself not to make a sound. But as night fell, I understood that sothing worse was beginning.
Low growls echoed from every direction. The monsters were closing in.
I could not understand how a father could do this to his daughter. Then I began to think about all those teenagers who were brought here.
How did they survive? From the outside, we used to assu they were handed guns and trained to fight.
This ti, I learned the truth. They were given no guns and no training.
They were taken from their hos, sent to the academy, then to the train station, and finally to the North. That was the journey. That was all they were given.
"Hey, look over there," my wolf whispered in a weak voice.
Thankfully, she had started to wake in fragnts, though the transition was still taking ti. She was still in pain.
When I followed her voice and looked ahead, I noticed sothing that looked like a fence. It seed as if soone had tried to build a safe area there.
Without thinking, I rushed toward it. As I reached the fence, I saw that soone had created a small secured space.
Inside stood a badly damaged makeshift tent. I quickly shut the fence behind , secured it, and went inside the tent.
I sat down, curling into myself. Within monts, tears began spilling from my eyes.
"Don’t cry. You already know your father has always been cruel," my wolf murmured softly, trying to comfort .
But she also knew that no matter how many words she used, no matter how many lullabies she sang in my mind, this pain would not lessen.
I survived today. I do not know if there will even be a tomorrow morning.
It is not enough for to survive. I will need food. I will have other needs.
Will I spend my entire life here now? If the Crusaders, the Alpha’s children, could not survive here and so many of them died every ti, then what am I?
I have never even raised my hands to defend myself. How will I live here?
A sob tore out of , and I broke down, hiccupping through my tears.
"Mariana, I do not know much. But I know this, you have to rely on . The mont trouble cos, I will shift. Whatever happens, we are not the children of low ranked parents. Our rank is strong. Yes, you did not train, but I do not need training. I can defend myself, and I can defend you," Ana declared confidently.
Her seriousness steadied a little. I felt a small wave of reassurance settle inside .
The only problem was that I did not know how long we could go on like this. The North was not a place ant for living. That was why it had been locked behind so many gates and towers.
Eventually, I fell asleep sitting there. I have been under stress since last night.
First, I was worried about Fauna. Then ca the full trauma of the morning. After that, what my father did to .
I was still sitting there when sleep took over. Loud screams jolted awake, and my heart lurched violently in my chest.
It felt as if soone was moving around the fence. I could hear sounds outside, and among them was a growl.
Fear crawled up my spine. As I rubbed my eyes and looked ahead, I realized it was almost morning.
I could not believe I had slept through the entire night.
"How shaless am I to fall asleep at a ti like this?" I muttered to myself in complaint.
"Stop being hard on yourself, Mariana. None of this is your fault," Ana snapped finally, her voice rising when frustration overtook her.
"Right now, you only need to know that soone is around our fence."
That confirmation was all I needed from her. My skin broke out in goosebumps instantly.
I rose carefully and grabbed the log I had kept beside through the night. I wrapped both hands around it and stepped out with caution.
The sun struck my eyes so sharply that I flinched. Either the night had been too deep, or even the faint light now felt like needles piercing my vision.
The mont I moved outside, I saw soone bent over on the ground beyond the fence. I sprinted toward them at full speed and swung the log with all my strength.
As the man straightened, he caught the log mid air. In the next second, he yanked toward him.
I stumbled against the fence while he stood firm on the other side. When he pulled closer and my scattered senses began to settle, I realized I knew the face in front of .
"Yorick," I breathed.
His brows eased instantly.
"Mariana, what are you doing here?" he demanded, shock ringing in his voice.
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