Chapter 2 Tired soul

Lila POV

My feet are hurting so bad!

I have been walking for four days straight, and I need to find somewhere to take a break. I walked down the empty road with Milo fastened to my chest. I hummed softly to him and to myself as we kept moving. The road was long and quite wide, with trees stretching endlessly on both sides. I should probably be scared that someone might come out and hurt us, but I strangely felt safe here.

I came to a stop when I saw a huge sign right in front of me. It was big and showed a picture of the clearest water I had ever seen. There was also a picture of a family-a mom, a dad, and two kids, one a boy and the other a girl. They looked like they were in the happiest place ever. Some words were written on the sign.

"C-cr-y C-crys-s." Ugh, I give up! I shrugged and kept walking. But I felt a weird sensation as I passed the sign, like I had crossed into some kind of invisible boundary. I didn't think too much about it because I suddenly heard the sound of running water. I turned to my right and, through the trees, I spotted a stream. Even from this distance, the water glittered in the sunlight, sparkling beautifully. Before I knew it, I found myself walking toward it.

The trees around the stream looked strong and healthy as I got closer. When I finally reached the water, it took my breath away.

The water was like crystal, so clear that I could see the fish swimming in it. I didn't realize I was smiling as I gazed at the beautiful sight. The stream was rushing along so fast that no one could cross it without being swept away by the current.

I decided to follow the stream in the direction the water was coming from. The further I walked, the slower the water became until I reached a dam. It seemed to be built by beavers, with sticks, wood, and mud. Water was trickling through some of the gaps, and there was a huge log lying over the top of it, probably knocked down by a storm, forming a bridge.

I climbed the steep hill, holding Milo close to me. The view was stunning. On the other side of the log was a breathtaking waterfall about 50 feet high. The mist from the falling water made the place feel magical, and it even created a rainbow in the air.

"Wow, this is beautiful," I whispered to myself.

"It really is."

I almost jumped out of my skin when I heard a voice. It was my wolf. I hadn't heard from her since I was attacked and made the choice to run away. A smile crept onto my face.

"It's good to hear from you again, Sade," I said quietly.

I could feel her smile in my mind.

"Yeah."

I grinned and walked closer to the waterfall. Milo started wriggling in his holder, trying to break free. I let out a small laugh and took him out.

"There you go, little one."

Milo stopped squirming and looked around, his big, light brown eyes wide with amazement. He started making baby noises and waving his arms excitedly like he couldn't get enough of the view.

"Alright, alright," I chuckled. I shifted him to my hip, making sure to support his back, then I took off my shoes and rolled up my pants. I dipped my toes into the water, testing the temperature. It wasn't too cold. I stepped in with both feet and sighed with relief.

"You want to feel the water too, buddy?" I asked him. His little baby squeal was all the answer I needed, and I laughed. I gently dipped his toes into the water, and he giggled, lifting his legs and putting them back down again.

We played in the water for a bit, but then I sensed my wolf growing uneasy. I quickly picked Milo up in my arms and looked around. My heart started to race.

"We need to go," my wolf warned me.

I didn't argue. I could feel eyes on me, as if someone was watching us. I hurried out of the water, grabbed my shoes, and put them on. I carefully strapped Milo back to my chest. He started fussing, so I softly cooed at him until he calmed down. Then I quickly left the waterfall behind. I was going to miss this place, but I didn't have time to think about that right now.

I ran deeper into the woods, using the trees as cover. The sound of footsteps thundering behind me made my already beating heart beat even faster.

Have they found me? Oh, please, don't let them find us! I silently begged. I ran even faster as the sounds grew louder. I could hear growling not far away, probably only about half a mile. Tears stung my eyes as I held Milo tighter, and he started crying at the worst possible moment.

"Please. Please," I whispered through my tears as I ran. The footsteps and growling were getting closer and closer until, out of nowhere, a giant wolf leapt at me from behind, knocking me to the ground. But before I hit the dirt, I quickly turned to my back to protect my baby.

The impact knocked the wind out of me as my attackers growled and circled me like predators. My heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. My wolf was stirring inside me, ready to protect her pup.

"Who are you, and why are you on our land?!" A loud voice demanded. I turned my head to see a tall, muscular man standing in front of me. He looked strong enough to rip a tree out of the ground and use it as a bat. "I asked you a question, rogue," he growled.

I swallowed hard, trying to push down the lump in my throat.

"I-I mean n-no harm, sir," I stammered. I held Milo closer, hiding him from their view.

The huge man's eyes narrowed as he looked at my arms.

"What are you holding?" he asked, his voice harsh. I started trembling. He couldn't take my baby from me.

"N-nothing," I replied. His eyes darkened as he stepped closer, making me shrink back while the wolves behind him growled.

"Who are you, and why have you come into Crystal Water's territory?" he asked again, his voice demanding an answer. I shook in fear under his gaze.

"I-I didn't know I was t-trespassing," I whispered.

"Sure, you didn't," he said sarcastically, though his voice was still cold. My heart pounded in my chest. "What are you holding?"

"N-nothing," I repeated, holding my baby even tighter.

Whatever I said must have made him snap because, in the next moment, he grabbed me by the throat and yanked Milo out of my arms.

"No!" I screamed as my baby let out a loud wail. The quilt that wrapped around him fell to the ground, leaving him dangling in the man's grip, screaming. The man's eyes widened in shock. My wolf roared inside me, furious at seeing her pup being treated this way. I grabbed the man's hand and twisted it, making him cry out and drop Milo. I quickly raced to catch my baby before he hit the ground. Holding him close, I looked up at the wolves and let out a growl so loud the trees seemed to shake.

"Don't. Touch. My. Baby," I snarled through gritted teeth.

The wolves were still frozen in shock. I stood in a defensive stance, ready to fight if they attacked again. The man who had grabbed Milo opened and closed his mouth, looking like a fish gasping for air.

"I-I'm sorry. I thought it was something stolen," he said, horrified by what he had done. I relaxed a little but stayed on guard. I gave him a small nod. "But I still need answers. Who are you, and why are you on our land?"

I sighed and looked down at Milo. His face was wet with tears, and he snuggled into my chest. My wolf growled in my head, but I soothed her, reminding her that our baby was safe now. I looked back up at the man.

"My name is Lila, and this is my son, Milo. We mean no harm to anyone. I didn't know this land was taken," I explained.

The man looked at me, then at my baby. He gave a short nod. "I'm MartinZack, Alpha of the Crystal Waters pack."

My eyes went wide at his words.

"Alpha?" I squeaked, making the Alpha smile.

"Yes."

"A-are you going to kill us?" I asked softly. The Alpha looked down at me.

"No, but I do have a lot of questions, and you are going to answer them." I nodded quickly, keeping my eyes on the ground to avoid looking directly at him.

"My men won't hurt you now, but if you try to attack, we will have no choice but to end you and your son," he said firmly. I gulped and held my son closer, nodding again.

"Alright then. Follow me. We will talk in my office at the pack house."

My heart started racing again. Was this pack going to be like the New Moon pack? I prayed they weren't and that they would let me go. A tear slipped down my cheek, but I quickly wiped it away as the Alpha led me to the pack house. I kept my head down and clutched my son tightly.

Please God help me!