In Love With A Lycan: The Rogue Alpha

TWENTY YEARS AGO...

As the cold wind of the night blew towards the trees and rustled the dead leaves on the ground, a man and woman dashed through the dark woods, crushing the dead leaves beneath them. The man held her hand firmly as the woman tried to keep up with him. Tears kept rolling down her cheeks as they ran. Her eyes scanned their surroundings in fear of what was lurking in the dark. Would they make it out? Would they be found before they could? Different thoughts coursed through the woman's mind, and the more they ran, the more she lost the small hope she was holding on to that they would ever escape, until the hope was finally gone.

Suddenly, the woman came to an abrupt halt, forcing the man to stop too. He turned to look at her, his eyes wide in shock and fear, his hand still firmly gripping hers.

"Elena! What are you doing?" he said in urgency as his eyes scanned their vicinity. The wind blew even stronger, but the woman didn't move. Instead, she shook her head and burst out crying.

"We need to leave her here. We can't take her with us," she said, looking down at the sleeping baby in her arms, wrapped in a shawl. She held the baby close to her chest and continued to cry.

"What the hell is wrong with you, Elena? We can make it. I promise to protect both of you," the man said, trying to convince her. But Elena shook her head. His words no longer brought hope. Instead, they dwindled it even more.

"No, we can't. No matter how long we keep running, they will find us. She isn't safe with us. We have to find a safe place to keep her and-" Elena couldn't finish. Her eyes grew wide in horror as she caught a glimpse of something-or rather, someone.

"No!" she breathed out as a figure walked out of the shadows behind the man.

"What is it? We can make it, Elena," the man started, but Elena's eyes filled with fresh tears as the figure drew closer.

"They found us," she said in a low, fearful voice, and the man felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

Before he could turn to see who it was, a slashing sound echoed, and everything fell dead silent.

"Cedrick!" Elena screamed in anguish as she watched her husband drop to the ground, the light in his eyes dimming until it was finally gone. The man kicked away his lifeless body, and she felt like the air had been sucked from her lungs. "No," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head in disbelief.

"You shouldn't have run. All I want is her. I promise not to hurt her. She's safer with me than she is with you. Do you think I'm the only one searching for the child? I am just one of many," the figure said as he started walking toward Elena.

She stepped backwards, away from him, but before she could turn and flee, she hit something with her back. Turning around, she gasped when she saw one of his men standing behind her with a scary smile on his face.

"There's no escaping, Elena. Give her to me and I promise to let you go," the man said.

Elena held her child closer. More tears streamed down her face as her eyes travelled to her husband. He didn't deserve this. This was all her fault.

"I will never give her to you," she said firmly. Her eyes no longer held tears but a fierce determination to save her child, even if it was the last thing she would do.

"Then I think you should join him," the man said.

Before Elena could react, she felt something sharp pierce her back, followed by searing pain. The breath was knocked out of her as the agony spread through her body. Still, she didn't let go of her baby, even as her strength began to fade. Elena fell to her knees, the baby slipping from her arms as she collapsed. Her hand reached for her back, and her eyes grew wide when she saw the blood on her fingers. Her breathing grew ragged as she tried to pick her baby back up. Determination still burned in her eyes, now laced with fear.

She stretched out her hand toward the baby, still fast asleep. The spell she had cast was still in effect. More tears escaped as she tried to think of a way out. If only she had listened to Cedrick.

"I'm sorry," she whispered to her child. No, she couldn't give up now. There was one way out, but she didn't know if she was strong enough.

No. It was the only shot she had.

Elena closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were filled with determination. The fear was gone.

She began to mutter words under her breath.

"What is she doing?" one of the men shouted in alarm, charging toward her.

Before he could reach her, a blinding amber light enveloped the baby. He staggered back, shielding his face. "Stop her!" he yelled, but none of the men dared to move. The light grew brighter and brighter until none of them could bear to look.

For several seconds, they shielded their eyes, and when they finally looked again-

She was gone. The baby was gone.

"Where is she?" the man muttered, as his men exchanged confused, shocked glances. No one moved. No one dared.

"Bunch of cowards. You're all a bunch of cowards!" he shouted, storming toward Elena. But when he reached her, he froze. The frown on his face deepened as he knelt beside her, placing a hand near her nose.

"She's gone. This freaking wench," he spat, then turned to his men, who still hadn't moved.

"Find me the child. I don't care how you do it, but bring her to me."