Chapter 41: The Saviour

Olivia’s POV

​I was as good as dead.

​Behind me stood an entire mob of angry villagers who hated my fake face, and right in front of me were two massive, bloodthirsty monsters that looked like they had crawled straight out of a nightmare.

​One of the creatures let out a deep growl and suddenly jumped at me.

​Panic took over. I tried to move out of the way, but my foot caught on a thick tree root. I fell hard to the ground, the impact knocking the breath out of me. I quickly tried to crawl backward, but the creature was already coming straight at me. Its mouth opened wide, showing sharp teeth covered in thick black liquid.

​I squeezed my eyes shut and raised my arms over my face, waiting for it to tear into me.

​Instead of fangs tearing into my throat, a deafening roar echoed through the clearing. A massive, shadowy wolf crashed into the creature mid-air with brutal force.

​The weight of their collision sent a shockwave through the dirt. I opened my eyes, gasping for air as I watched the two beasts roll across the moss.

​I didn’t know who this new wolf was. All I knew was that he was nothing like the red-eyed monsters. His fur was dark and smooth, and his body was huge and strong. Every move he made was fast and controlled. I could tell immediately that he was an Alpha wolf.

​The second monster hissed, joining the fight to protect its mate. The Alpha wolf didn’t flinch. He ducked under a snapping jaw, locked his teeth into the first monster’s neck, and ripped its throat open in one fluid movement. Black liquid splattered across the grass as the first creature went limp.

​The remaining monster let out a high-pitched screech. Realizing it was completely outmatched, it turned and dragged its injured body deeper into the thick forest, disappearing into the shadows.

​Silence settled over the woods.

​I sat on the ground, trembling uncontrollably, my hands caked in mud and rotting tomato juice. My heart hammered like a trapped bird against my ribs as the huge Alpha wolf turned toward me.

​The wolf stepped closer, and right before my eyes, his body began to change. His dark fur slowly disappeared as his wolf form shifted back into that of a man. My breath caught the moment I recognized him.

​"Alpha Lucas?"

​The Alpha King?

​Then my eyes dropped lower, and I immediately turned my head away. Oh. He was completely naked. Of course he was. He had just shifted from a wolf. Apparently, almost getting eaten alive had made me forget how shifting worked.

​"My clothes are over there," Alpha Lucas said calmly.

​I kept my eyes firmly on the trees while he walked away to get dressed, but then something occurred to me. His clothes were already here. I glanced toward him and quickly looked away again, but not before noticing the pile of clothes beside a large tree.

​That meant he had already been inside this forest before he found me.

​"You can turn around now."

​I slowly looked back. Alpha Lucas was fully dressed and adjusting the sleeve of his shirt as he walked toward me. His eyes immediately moved over my drenched hair, stained clothes, scratched arms, and shaking hands. His expression changed, concern appearing on his face as he stepped closer.

​"Are you hurt?"

​"No," I managed to say. "Just... shaken."

​He reached out a hand, helping me pull myself off the damp ground. "What happened to you? Why are you out here looking like this?"

​I wiped a mixture of mud and dirty water from my forehead. "I went for a walk around the pack. People recognized me at the market. They started throwing things at me, shouting at me, and chasing me. I ran into the trees to escape them."

​Alpha Lucas froze. His jaw tightened, and a dangerous glint flashed in his eyes. He was clearly furious that his own pack members had attacked me, but he didn’t launch into a long speech.

​"We need to get you out of here," he said, his voice low and firm. "Now."

​I glanced around the dense, suffocating trees, then looked back at him. My brain was finally starting to work again, and a sudden realization hit me.

​Everyone in the village had stopped at the edge of the forest as if crossing the tree line meant certain death. Yet here was Alpha Lucas, casually walking around inside it.

​"Why are you even here, Alpha Lucas?" I asked, narrowing my eyes slightly.

​He looked at me, his expression unreadable. "Sightseeing. It has been a long time since I last walked through these woods."

​I stared at him in utter disbelief. Sightseeing? After almost being turned into monster food, taking a casual stroll through these nightmare woods sounded like the most insane excuse I had ever heard. I didn’t believe him for a second, but I didn’t have the energy to push for a better answer.

​"What were those things?" I asked instead, pointing toward the dead creature on the ground. "And why did the villagers stop chasing me the second I ran into the trees?"

​Alpha Lucas began walking, motioning for me to follow close behind him. "You ran into the Forbidden Forest," he explained quietly. "It has existed for generations and is one of the most dangerous areas in Full Moon territory. Those creatures are magically bound to these woods. They cannot cross the boundary, which is why the pack stays safe."

​He paused, stepping over a fallen log before continuing. "It is also where we send the worst criminals. People who commit unforgivable crimes are cast into this forest as punishment. Very few ever survive."

​My stomach dropped into my shoes. I had accidentally run straight into a place used as an official death sentence. No wonder the mob had stopped at the tree line.

​"Can’t you just teleport us back to the mansion?" I asked, desperate to get out of my filthy clothes and away from this creepy place.

​Alpha Lucas shook his head. "Teleportation does not work in the Forbidden Forest. The ancient magic that keeps those beasts trapped inside also blocks all teleportation magic. No one can teleport in or out. The only way to leave is to find the boundary on foot."

​Which brought me right back to one question.

​What kind of person willingly walked into a forest full of flesh-eating monsters knowing his greatest ability would be useless?

​Alpha Lucas was either incredibly brave or completely out of his mind.

​"Stay close," he added, his voice dropping low. "Getting into this forest is easy. Finding your way out is another story. The woods shift. Paths disappear, trees move, and scents loop around in circles to keep you trapped."

​So I hadn’t been losing my mind earlier. The forest really had reshuffled itself behind my back.