I ran for hours, pushing my new body to its limits. The forest was thick and dark, but my enhanced sight made it easy to navigate. I leaped over fallen logs, splashed through streams, and climbed hills without losing speed. My old self would have collapsed after ten minutes. This new me felt like I could run forever.
But even with my enhanced stamina, I eventually had to stop. The adrenaline that had been driving me was fading, and exhaustion was creeping in. I needed to rest, to think, to figure out where I was going.
I found a small clearing near a stream and collapsed against a tree, my chest heaving. Now that I'd stopped moving, fear caught up with me. What had I done? I'd escaped from Silverwood, yes, but now what? I was alone in a forest I didn't know, with no real plan and nowhere to go.
I pulled out the bag Cassidy had given me and counted the money inside. Forty-three dollars. It seemed like a fortune to me since I'd never had money before, but I had no idea how far it would go. Could I buy food with this? Shelter? Was it enough to get me to safety?
My stomach growled, reminding me I hadn't eaten since yesterday. I had the small piece of chocolate Cassidy had given me for my birthday, was that really only three days ago? It felt like a lifetime had passed since then.
I unwrapped the chocolate and took a small bite, trying to make it last. The sweetness exploded on my tongue, and I had to fight not to devour it all at once. I forced myself to rewrap it and save the rest for later. I had no idea when I'll find food again.
The stream burbled nearby, so I cupped my hands and drank deeply. The water was cold and clean, and it helped calm my nervous stomach. At least I wouldn't die of thirst out here.
As I sat there in the darkness, catching my breath and trying to think clearly, I became aware of sounds in the forest around me. Animals moving through the underbrush, owls hooting in trees, wind rustling leaves. And something else, footsteps. Multiple sets of them, moving through the forest in my direction.
My heart leaped into my throat. Were they already tracking me? Had Victor's associates already picked up my trail?
I scrambled to my feet and pressed myself against the tree, trying to make myself small. The footsteps were getting closer. I could hear voices now, low and male.
"The trail goes this way," one voice said. "Can't be far now."
"Are you sure it's her?" another voice asked. "Could just be a regular lone wolf passing through."
"Boss said she'd be running tonight. Dark hair, small, probably terrified. We find her, we get paid. So shut up and keep tracking."
They were hunting me. Victor had sent people after me already, which meant he must have found out I'd escaped. How? I'd been so careful, and it hadn't even been that many hours.
Unless Alpha Thorne had sold me out immediately. Maybe he'd told Victor where I was headed, given them my scent to track.
I looked around frantically for a place to hide. The clearing was too exposed. I could climb a tree, but they'd probably smell me anyway. I could run again, but I was tired and they sounded fresh.
My wolf growled in my mind. "We fight."
"We can't fight them," I whispered. "We don't know how many there are or how strong they are."
"Then we use our power," she insisted. "We're Silver Moon. We're not helpless anymore."
She was right. I wasn't the weak omega they expected to find. I had abilities now, even if I didn't fully understand them. Maybe I could use my moon magic to hide or confuse them.
I held up my hands and focused on calling the silver light. It came easier this time, flowing from my palms like water. But instead of directing it outward, I imagined it wrapping around me, concealing me.
The light spread over my body like a second skin, and then something amazing happened, I started to fade. Not completely invisible, but blurred, like I was made of mist and moonlight rather than flesh and bone.
I held my breath as the footsteps entered my clearing. Two large men appeared between the trees, both dressed in dark clothing and carrying weapons. They were scanning the area, sniffing the air.
"I smell her," one of them said. "She's close."
They walked right past where I was standing, so close I could have reached out and touched them. But they didn't see me. The moonlight camouflage was working.
"Trail goes to the stream," the other man said. "She must have crossed here to hide her scent."
"Smart girl," the first man said with a laugh. "Not smart enough though. We'll pick up the trail on the other side. Victor wants her alive if possible, but if she fights, we're authorized to use force."
They moved to the stream and started searching for tracks. I stayed frozen in place, not daring to move or even breathe too loudly. The silver light flickered slightly around me, I could feel it taking energy to maintain. How long could I hold this?
"Here!" one of the men called. "Tracks leading east."
They weren't my tracks, probably some animal had passed through. But the men didn't know that. They took off running in the wrong direction, and I finally allowed myself to breathe.
The moment they were gone, the silver light faded and I became fully visible again. I slumped against the tree, exhausted. Using my power took more out of me than running did.
But I couldn't rest. If those men could track me this easily, others would too. I needed to keep moving, needed to put more distance between me and Silverwood.
I splashed through the stream, hoping the water would help hide my scent like the men had said. On the other side, I picked a direction at random and started running again. My legs burned and my lungs ached, but fear drove me forward.
The forest seemed endless. Every tree looked the same, every shadow could hide an enemy. I had no idea where I was or where I was going. For all I knew, I was running in circles
Just when I thought I couldn't take another step, I saw lights ahead through the trees. My first instinct was to hide, lights meant people, and people meant danger. But as I got closer, I realized these weren't search lights or flashlights. These were the warm lights of houses, a small settlement at the edge of the forest.
I crept closer, staying in the shadows. It was a tiny town, maybe a dozen buildings clustered along a single road. Everything was quiet and dark except for one building that had lights on, a gas station with a small convenience store attached.