Run

SUMMER

Summer squinted as the sun began to peek over the horizon, its rays shining light into her face.

“Freya...” she mumbled as their eyes adjusted to the morning light.

We need to get moving, Freya whispered before standing and giving a good shake, her dark brown fur letting go of the dust and leaves it had gathered from sleeping on the forest floor.

She stretched out the aches in her body from the long day they'd had of running before walking farther into the dense woods.

“Let's run until we find some water, then we will rest a while,” Summer replied as they broke into a run once more.

After a few hours of running, they came upon a large stream. Freya lapped at the water moving in its downhill current, staring out at the water as it passed by her.

Suddenly she jumped in, her jaws clamping down on the prey that had foolishly swum past her.

Freya ate her meal happily before sitting by the water for a little while, her body resting and building up its energy.

“Where are we going to go?” Summer asked as they sat quietly.

Freya took another drink before looking around.

I don't know... I figure we'll know it when we get there.

“You think we'll ever feel safe?”

I think if we get far enough we might have a shot at this whole life thing, Freya replied, her voice filled with hope for the future.

We got out, that's all that matters. You were so strong for so long taking his abuse. I should have been stronger, then I could have beaten him and we could have escaped sooner.

“You know that's not true, Freya. But you're right, we got out. And we'll never have to live a life like that ever again.”

Ain't no way. And you better believe that if we ever see that man again I'll rip off his boy parts and feed them to him, Freya murmured.

They stared at their reflection in the water, worry filling their mind at the image of their mark.

“He can find us, can't he?” whispered Summer.

Not if I can help it, Freya growled.

Before Summer knew what she was doing, Freya clawed at her neck, ripping and tearing at the flesh until her mark was torn away, her blood washing away down the stream.

“You think that will work?”

Guess we'll find out. Either way it needed to be gone. His mark doesn't deserve a place with us, Freya replied darkly.

They ran for the rest of the day, still only stopping when they had to. Now that their mark was gone, they could feel the mate bond slowly leaving.

Summer was hopeful that it would cement the thought in his mind that the rogues had taken and killed her, and that he would never be able to find her.

She could feel the fatigue attempting to claim them again as it had the day before.

They continued on, sprinting through the woods as the day once again came to an end. She watched as the sun sat in its seat on the horizon, praying for light just a while longer.

She didn’t want to stop. She couldn’t let him catch her.

She had been running for four days now. Freya was exhausted. They both were.

She stopped for a moment to catch her breath, her eyes shifting from tree to tree as she continued to stay alert to her surroundings.

She jumped as a twig snapped nearby, her mind racing as thoughts of Todd rushed forward.

She let out a long breath of relief when a squirrel scrambled up the tree beside her.

“Let's go...” she said softly, urging her wolf forward.

Freya continued on as they attempted to get as much distance between themselves and their mate.

But as the day wore on, Summer could feel her body giving up. She was covered in dirt and grime, her body was dehydrated and tired, and her muscles and feet ached terribly.

“I don't know how much longer we can do this...” she sighed as they walked for a while.

We have to keep moving. We can't give up now, Freya whined, her words not matching how she truly felt.

Summer could feel their strength fading. They would have to find a place to truly rest soon, or they might not survive.

As she ran through the trees, she was suddenly on high alert.

She could feel the hairs on Freya's neck stand tall as she prepared for an attack.

She stared into the shadows of the thick trees, her body tense as she prepared for the worst. There was someone there, she could sense it.

Summer began to panic. He had found her, she was caught again.

“This time he won't take us alive...” she whispered to herself, ready to die.

She had already accepted it: if he found her again, she wouldn't let him take her back. She'd fight until only one of them was left, and she no longer cared who.

Her thoughts cleared, and she thanked her lucky stars it wasn't Todd as the four men stepped out from the tree line, earning a growl from Freya when they got too close for comfort.

“Wolf, you are trespassing on Blood Moon territory,” one of the men called out.

Summer swayed, becoming dizzy as her body finally had the time to take in the strain of the last four days.

Freya's strength was gone, and she could feel the corners of her mind going dark as she fought to stay conscious before shifting back.

She stood in the center of the cluster of border guards, her bruised and dirty body weak from running for so long.

“I'm sorry...I just...I...” she muttered as she tried to clear the fog from her mind.

But the darkness claimed her and she collapsed on the ground, her unconscious body lying once again in the dirt.