Chapter 5

Aisha's POV The damp chill of the dungeon seeped into my bones, my thin dress offering little protection against the biting cold. I hugged my arms around myself, willing my body to stop shivering. The darkness pressed in on me while the distant drip of water echoed through the stone corridors. Days had passed, maybe weeks. I had lost track of time. I wasn't meant to survive here. My stepmother and Lisa had made sure of that. They had bribed the guards, ensuring I wouldn't last long in this place. The food was barely edible, the air reeked of mold and decay, and the prisoners, some of whom had committed unthinkable crimes eyed me like prey. I refused to die here. I was deep in my thoughts when I heard a faint creak that shattered the silence. My ears perked, heart pounding as I turned toward the source. The heavy iron door to my cell was slowly swinging open. My breath hitched. A shadowed figure slipped through the opening, her steps silent and sure. As she stepped into the dim torchlight, my eyes widened in recognition. Aurora. She was a she-wolf I had once saved, an act of kindness I barely remembered, yet she had not forgotten. Her short, dark curls framed her sharp face, and her green eyes gleamed with urgency. "You're taking a huge risk," I whispered, my voice hoarse from days of silence. She shot me a small smirk. "You saved my life once. It's my turn to return the favor. I cannot let you rot in here." Without another word, she grabbed my wrist and pulled me forward. I winced at the sudden movement, but the urgency in her grip kept me moving. We slipped past the guards, their snores filling the corridor. I held my breath, my pulse thundering in my ears. One wrong move, one clumsy step, and this would be over. But luck was on my side. Aurora led me through a hidden passage, and within minutes, we emerged into the night air. The scent of damp earth and pine filled my lungs as I sucked in a shaky breath. "Run," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "Don't stop until you're far from here." I met her gaze, swallowing the lump in my throat. "Thank you." A ghost of a smile touched her lips before she turned and vanished into the shadows. I didn't waste another second. I ran. The night air whipped against my skin as my bare feet pounded the forest floor. My lungs burned, my muscles ached, but I pushed forward, fear clawing at my back like an unseen predator. Every snap of a twig, every rustle of leaves sent my heart into a frenzy. If Jack realized I was gone, he would hunt me down. I couldn't let him find me. As I ran, a faint voice echoed in my mind, weak and distant. Aisha… April. My wolf's presence flickered, her energy a mere whisper. She was hurting. "The betrayal," she murmured, her voice strained. "The rejection… it's too much." Panic flared in my chest. "No, April, stay with me!" "I need to rest," she said, and I felt her slipping further away, her warmth dimming into nothingness. Then, silence. I stumbled, gasping for breath. The emptiness left behind was unbearable. A wolf and her human were one, bound together for life. Losing that connection, even temporarily, was like losing a part of my soul. But I couldn't stop. Tears blurred my vision, but I wiped them away and kept running. By dawn, exhaustion had set in. My legs trembled, my stomach twisted in hunger, but I forced myself to move. I needed to think of my next step. The central hospital. It was a neutral ground, one of the few places where species didn't matter. Werewolves, vampires, witches, even humans all received treatment there. No one would question my presence if I had the right skills. And I did. For as long as I could remember, I had dreamed of becoming a doctor. My father had encouraged it before he died, and I had spent years studying everything I could about medicine. If I could find a way to work there, I could rebuild my life. Hope flickered in my chest. It wasn't much, but it was something. I pressed forward, my destination clear as day. But then, I smelled it. Blood. I halted, instincts flaring. The scent was strong, coming from nearby. My exhausted body protested, but I followed it, my curiosity outweighing my caution. I Then, I saw him. Leaning against a tree, half-conscious, was a man unlike any I had ever seen. His body was battered, his dark clothing torn and bloodstained. Deep scratches covered his arms and legs, the wounds festering as though poisoned. Strands of raven-black hair clung to his sweat-dampened forehead, framing a face that was all sharp angles and ruthless beauty. His jaw was clenched, his lips pressed into a firm line as if he refused to show weakness, even in his current state. But what held me captive were his eyes. Even through the haze of pain, they burned with intensity, icy silver, piercing and unreadable. An Alpha. Power radiated from him, even in his weakened state. But he was dying. My instincts screamed at me to run. I was on the run myself, and stopping to help a stranger, especially one as dangerous as him, was reckless. But I wasn't just a fugitive. I was a healer. And I couldn't ignore someone who needed help. I knelt beside him, pressing two fingers to his neck. His pulse was weak but steady. My eyes darted to the wounds on his arm. The edges were darkened, the veins surrounding them almost black. Poison. If I didn't act fast, he wouldn't make it. He stirred, his lips parting slightly. "Who…" His voice was raw, barely above a whisper. "Stay still," I ordered, already ripping the hem of my dress to use as makeshift bandages. "You're poisoned. If I don't treat you, you'll die." His gaze locked onto mine, something flickering in those silver depths. "Who… are you?" "Aisha," I said. His lips curved slightly, a ghost of amusement, despite his pain. "Beautiful name." I ignored the way my heart skipped a beat. "Save your strength. I need to find herbs to counter the poison." I pushed myself to my feet, scanning the forest for the right plants. My mind raced. Who was he? Why was he alone, wounded in the middle of nowhere?