Chapter 8

• Tessa’s POV:
• I made my way down the hill with zero knowledge of where I was going. The surrounding area was full of trees and grassland, and if I was to maneuver my way through, I had to do it with the sunlight still out, which won’t be for long.
• Not wasting another second, I put one foot in front of the other and then the next, slowly breaking out into a kind of jog.
• The hill opened up like the woods, with tall trees being its predominant occupants. I trotted down the surface, dry leaves crunching underneath my feet as I went. Each step distanced me further from Lucian’s estate, causing it to shrink in size the deeper I went into the woods until the building was no longer in view.
• I had been running for a few hours now, and the sun was starting to set. To make sure that Lucian and his people wouldn’t be able to find me, I took several arbitrary turns and paths. I had hoped that I would come in contact with some people soon, but I haven’t made contact with anyone yet.
• My stomach grumbled in hunger, and I placed my hand over it knowingly, “Yeah, relax.” I scanned the area to see what was available. I hadn’t eaten anything all day.
• I wasn’t only hungry; I was also tired from running. My feet just couldn’t take another step; they were at their limit, and so was my dry throat.
• I spotted a tree trunk where I could rest for a while to think of my next step and was about to go to it when I saw a suspicious area covered by a bunch of leaves.
• I walked past the corner, avoiding the area before bending down to check what was underneath. To my surprise, it was a pit of around three feet deep; it appeared to be some sort of trap.
• Why was there a trap in the middle of the woods? Was someone else staying here, and what on earth were they trying to catch with such a deep hole?
• I ignored it for now; I was too tired to figure anything out. I covered up the area and dropped to the floor, resting my back against the tree trunk.
• My stomach grumbled again, reminding me of the situation at hand. How was I going to find food when I didn’t even know where I was?
• “Let me help,” my wolf howled from inside me.
• My brows twitched in genuine surprise. “I thought you were against me running away? Why are you offering to help?” I quizzed.
• “I am against it, but we’re still one, remember.”
• I pouted my lips and said reluctantly, “Alright, what do I need to do?”
• “We’re surrounded by all we need. The first thing we need is to find a water source or fruits to quench the thirst,” Tyla expressed.
• I stood up and searched the area with my eyes. From where I stood, I couldn’t see any tree with edible fruit. “I don’t think this place has any fruit,” my voice came out low. Defeated.
• Then I heard the screeching of a monkey above me, and I sharply instructed Tyla, “Monkeys are one of the best guides. It could lead you to where you could find edible fruits and, if we’re lucky, water.”
• Speedily, I began trailing the monkey as it swung across the trees. I kept at its tail, making sure not to lose sight of it. Soon it came to a stop, and a few other monkeys popped out.
• As I looked around the surroundings, I was stunned to see berries right in front of me. “Oh my goodness! Tyla, you’re a genius.” I screamed in happiness.
• Hurriedly, I began to pluck some with the help of Tyla, who helped me discern which were edible and which were poisonous. She also guided me in choosing plants like cattails, which were edible plants whose rootstock you could eat raw. I dug out a few, adding them to the berries I plucked for dinner.
• When I was done, Tyla advised that I mark the area so I could come back tomorrow. I cut out a solid branch and broke it in half. I scratched the tip against the rough surface of a tree trunk to sharpen it. Then I carved an ‘X’ on the tree before making my way back to my earlier position.
• As soon as I got back, I rested against the trunk, then I cut out a piece of my gown—the floral gown I was given to wear for the introduction ceremony—and poured out my foraged foodstuffs. I separated the foodstuff into two, one for me to eat now and the rest for later. I wasn’t sure how long I was going to be in the woods for.
• I began to feast on the berries and plants. I was eating as I tried to enjoy the peaceful silence that was accompanied by the sound of the animals in the woods. My mind was still reeling about the events of the day; the fact that I actually managed to escape Lucian’s estate was still astonishing to me.
• But the quiet silence also brought to the surface all the hurt I had managed not to feel up till now. The betrayal of people I called family selling me out like a mere commodity for their own comfort, the chains that bound me to accept due to my father’s health condition, and even the very essence of my life’s suffering since I was born. It all burst out like a swollen vein that ruptured, spilling its heart-wrenching contents to the floor.
• “What have I done to deserve a life like this?” I cried out, holding my broken heart. Why did it feel like I was cursed right from birth? Even when I thought there was a glimmer of hope in the form of Benjamin’s offer of an escape, life still snatched that away from me.
• Tears gushed out now, unrestrained and unstoppable.
• I wasn’t still crying when I suddenly heard the crunching of a leaf. My crying immediately ceased, and my head swerved to the direction the sound came from.
• The sun had now completely left the sky, and the only source of light was the dim illumination by the moon. “Who…is there?” I called out into the darkness, my heart beating with trepidation. I was given no response.
• My heart began to pound harder as I saw a shadow emerging from behind the tree. “I asked, who are you?” My words were shaky. Unstable.
• Oh, this was bad! I was in the middle of nowhere with nothing and no one to defend me.
• The figure drew out into the open area, and the moonlight shone on the monstrous beast. Covered in fur with sharp claws for hands and elongated canines for teeth, before me was a huge brown bear.
• Its mouth stretched wide, and a gut-wrenching, piercing roar thundered from the monstrous beast's mouth. It echoed through the wood, sending even the trees shaking with fright.
• I swallowed hard, the gulp very loud.
• Yeah! This was where I met my demise.