Nightshade

Every single part of my body hurts.

I haven’t slept or eaten in two days. But I can’t stop. Not yet.

The cold wind sweeps through the dense forest, rustling the leaves and masking the sound of my hurried footsteps.

I run, my breath coming fast, my heart pounding in my chest.

My wedding dress, supposedly a symbol of hope and union, is in absolute shreds, its once delicate lace and silk trailing through the underbrush, slowly being torn and soiled.

Good.

I fucking hate this dress, a cruel reminder of a life I never wanted.

I'm barefoot, feeling the forest floor beneath my feet, sharp rocks and cool soil alike.

My toes become dirtied and bloodied, but I can't stop. I know I have to keep moving, to stay one step ahead. I've left everything behind, everyone I know, my whole life, the pack that had once been my home.

Even though it hasn’t felt like home. Not since she left me.

Rain pours from the sky, completely drenching me. It soaks the dress making it heavy and clinging to my body in a very uncomfortable way. But that won’t slow me down.

I can’t turn though. That will make my scent stronger. Easier to find.

For a wolf, abandoning the pack is the gravest of sins. It's an act so unforgivable that it's the equivalent of a death sentence.

In the unforgiving wilderness of Lycanterra, lone wolves can't survive the harsh winter, the scarcity of food, and the constant danger that lurks in the shadows.

But most importantly, we are pack animals. Our strength comes from the pack. A lone wolf gets weak and wavers away.

Yet, my fear and hatred for what awaits me in the pack I've fled are even greater.

Do I hear howls in the distance? Is my mind playing tricks on me?

They have to know I’ve left. Are they after me?

I know he is.

My escape began on the very day of my wedding, a desperate flight into the unknown, driven by a hatred and fear I can't voice just yet.

Whatever I find can’t be worse than what I escaped.

And as I run, I know that that my nightmare will eventually catch up to me.

Night falls again.

I’m exhausted, my strength waning. I’m no longer part of a pack, and the solitude is already taking its toll.

My steps falter, and as I slip on the slick forest floor, I try to hold my balance but I crash to the ground, hitting my head on an unforgiving rock.

Desperation pushes me to fight the encroaching darkness. I try to remain conscious, knowing that in this vulnerable state, being aware is the only way to keep running for my life.

I can feel darkness taking over me with every shallow breath.

Then the world blurs before me and my vision fades to black.

…