Chapter 6 My ending and River's POV

I stared dully at Sri, slightly aware of her presence and glumly not at the same time.

She was like a mirage to me, a bundle of warmth and happiness that I craved.

I could barely remember what my life was like before I woke up in the forest. Even though Sri had told me all about my parent's murder by my alpha and the way he'd broken the bond between us, I still couldn't remember.

Neither could I hate him for what he did to my parents and how he'd embarrassed me according to Sri.

I craved and yearned for him, crying at night when I was all alone in this bleary forest and hoping he'd just forgive me and take me back.

If you ask me what my offense was, I wouldn't be able to tell you because I don't know what I'd done wrong myself.

I was sure I was now a shadow of my former self. My usually lush ebony hair was now tangled and dirty and once when I'd looked into a puddle of water, I'd seen my sunken and gaunt face, and my lifeless emerald eyes.

Sometimes, I was aware of my surroundings and most times I wasn't just drifting through the day and occasionally chasing after images of Apollo.

My heart ached and even though the wounds in my body were starting to heal; at a slow pace albeit, I was aching all over.

"Are you listening?" Sri's lively voice called suddenly bringing back my already waning attention.

I blinked glumly at her and nodded once, however, she only stared back at me for a moment before sighing dejectedly and replacing the knife she was using to butter a toast.

"Are you still thinking about Apollo?" she asked calmly, her gaze fixed on mine.

I resisted the urge to tell her the truth and shook my head, already used to showing actions rather than actually talking... just like a dumb.

It would upset her if she knew I was thinking about him, and she'd already done so much for me in the past few days than for me to act ungrateful.

Everyday, she would make sure to defy the alpha's orders to sneak into the forest with a clean change of clothes, mattress and food to last me for the day.

Then, she'd keep me company telling me tales to uplift my downtrodden soul only to leave later with the promise of her return.

In truth, no matter how unresponsive I acted, I was always looking forward to her return.

Seeing my reply, she nodded her head, her eyes flashing coldly perhaps at the thought of what my mate did to me.

"Good, he's a bad person who doesn't deserve you..." she said gently, her calloused hand finding mine.

I bit my chapped lips and looked down at the point of contact.

He was a bad man, but I could never stop craving him.

"I have made plans for you to leave this place tomorrow. But the alpha's guards are already getting suspicious of my whereabouts," she said, her voice low and suddenly scared.

I frowned, clutching her hands tighter as a brief but lasting image of a burning cabin flashed in my mind, but I didn't say a word.

I knew what the alpha's guards getting suspicious of her meant and I didn't want anything to happen to her.

She was my best friend no matter how alienated I now felt towards her, and she was my only hope in this life.

She spoke, showing me a sad smile, "if I don't return by noon tomorrow, then I have been executed..."

I gasped, clutching her hands tighter until she winced and patted mine in response.

"...leave this place and go far away. The goddess protection will be with you," she concluded her gaze forlorn, and a thick haze of uncertainty hung between us.

"But I am sure nothing would happen, silly me," she quickly laughed trying to dispel the heavy mood as she went back to buttering a toast for me to eat.

...

I woke up the next day, early with the sun realizing with pain that I'd been crying in my sleep again.

Life was so unfair and I hope Apollo was also going through as much hell as I was...If not even worse.

I usually spend my morning doing nothing after consuming whatever cold leftovers I had left from Sri, before sitting to wait for her thinking about my mate.

This morning wasn't different, however, I was on edge. My startled eyes kept watch at her usual entrance waiting patiently for her to arrive.

Her warning still rang perfectly clear in my head and I prayed in my mind that what she'd fear wouldn't come to pass.

My faith kept on, until noon passed fast approaching dusk and my faith diminished badly.

I staggered to my feet, a ragged sob escaping me as the pain of sitting in one position dawned on me.

Sri had been killed. I was sure of it even though I had no bond with her. Her refusal to show up today was enough proof.

My sobs increased a realization that I was now really all alone in the world dawning on me.

I'd lost all I cared about. My parents, home, my mate, and now my best friend.

My wails increased carrying through the still forest.

Why was life so cruel to me?

How could one have so much bad luck?

I was mateless, wolf-less, orphaned and left to die in a godforsaken forest.

My sobs didn't ease for a long time and I didn't leave the spot I was crouched on until I remembered her warning.

I was to leave this spot or else he'd send someone after me to finish everything.

Thinking it would be better to die, I decided to remain here and wait for him, however, the natural instinct to survive took over and I found myself running through the forest away from whatever would threaten my life.

After a long while, when the moon was already rising, I slowed weakly to a walk, tiptoeing cautiously through this unknown part of the forest.

It was calm and dark with not even the sound of an insect. I instinctively started to relax, however a loud growl broke the night's calm.

I started, stopping as my crazed eyes darted around the thick growth looking for whatever had made that sound.

My nose picked up a putrid smell and I gasped, choking and coughing at the bitter tinge it carried.

A growl followed another and I soon caught sight of what made the sounds.

Behind a pair of towering twin trees, a large hulking figure moved and I sighted a pair of red glowing eyes glaring at her.

Large fangs that dripped drool were bared at me, and I instantly backed away, survival instinct kicking to life as I fought down the urge to screech as I darted away in the opposite direction just as the crouched beast pounced on my former position.

It snarled pawing the ground and chased after me its fur bristling.

Fear made my weakened legs strong. They pounded away beneath me as I ran through trees and thick undergrowth, my already ragged dress tearing and dirting further.

I didn't know how far or how long I ran, and even when my legs caught in a foxhole, I didn't know how I fell.

But I saw clearly, the wide opened jaws of the enraged theta wolf as it stretched wide open above my neck aiming for my jugular.

It snarled and bit down. A loud scream tore from my throat and my consciousness slipped into the dark.

When I regained consciousness, the monster was already gone and I was alone on the floor, bleeding to death.

A groan slipped out of my lips, the pain was mind numbing and I stretched several times, gasping as my hands clutched at my neck trying to stop the flow of blood.

It pumped out incessantly slowly draining the life out of me.

I twitched desperately fighting for my life gurgling as I tried to keep in the oxygen that kept dissipating through the wide open gash on my jugular.

I was in unspeakable pain, and then, as if in mockery to my situation, a calming wind blew through the forest for the first time, and the dense canopy of leaves overhead parted to let in slivers of silvery moonlight.

They landed on me, illuminating my pale wretchedness. And just as I was about to gasp my last, a glow enshrouded me. It was silvery just like the moon's halo, and blinding.

I screamed with my last strength, my hands flying to clutch my head as I fought against the thing that suddenly threatened to burst out of my head.

Then, in a bright burst of light after a seemingly eternity, a loud howl was heard.

It was feminine, yet it carried an immense amount of power that couldn't be unrivaled and I gasped drawing in a raspy breath before consciousness eluded me once again.

And unknown to me, in the dark of the night, a shimmering silver light fell on me as a large beautiful beast, its fur the color of obsidian circled around me once before laying beside me holding a protective stance as its glowing green eyes flashed weakly.

River

I sniffed the air instinctively tasting the metallic hint of blood on my tongue. My frown deepened and I straightened my spine to look further into the dense canopy of trees.

"Come on River, I am telling you. It's just a bad dream," Muna called out behind me and I sighed.

She wouldn't listen to me and refused to believe my words. But I was sure about what I'd seen.

The dream had been vivid, those ghastly green eyes as real as life itself.

I groaned, running a hand over my scarred face wondering for the first time if I was really just being stupid.

We'd been in this forest since dawn and had been prowling through searching for something I wasn't sure about.

"Muna, believe me this once. I know what I heard, it was revealed to me in the..." I said, my voice strangely calm despite my thoughts.

I didn't get to speak finish, when I was interrupted by the other member of my group. He was the youngest and had the opposite features to mine which I sometimes envied; pleasant, ruddy and attractive to look at.

"Over here..." he called.

I hurried over stopping at once at the sight that awaited me vaguely hearing Muna grumble behind.

"Seriously, this is a bad idea. There's no such thing as–" she complained, stopping when she beheld the wonder that stopped us.

Rory the younger of the us, went on his knees gaping with mouth wide open at the massive creature that caught our attention.

"What were you saying, Muna?" he asked with a cautious tone.

"Nothing...I was wrong, this is unbelievable," she whispered, her voice sounding breathless.