Into the woods The forest swallowed us whole.
Within minutes, the pack house disappeared behind the trees.
I kept running.
Branches clawed at my clothes.
My backpack slammed against my shoulders, my lungs burned, and every few seconds I glanced behind me expecting to see someone coming after us.
Nobody did.
Eventually, Jace appeared beside me.
“Told you I’d catch you.” I shot him a look.
“You literally ran ahead.” “Still beat you.” “You cheated.” “I prefer strategically enthusiastic.” Despite myself, I laughed.
It felt strange.
Laughing while running away from the only home I’d known for twelve years probably shouldn’t have been possible.
But nothing about tonight felt real.
No one was shouting my name.
No one was ordering me back inside.
No footsteps followed me down a corridor.
No Derrick.
No Rosanne.
Just trees.
Moonlight.
And Jace.
I slowed.
Jace did too.
“What are you doing?” “Nothing.” “You stopped running.” “I know.” I looked around.
The forest stretched endlessly in every direction.
For the first time in my life, nobody knew exactly where I was.
A smile crept across my face.
“I’m free.” Jace smiled.
“Yeah.” The words felt too big.
I whispered them again.
“I’m actually free.” Something cracked behind us.
I spun around.
Jace did the same.
We stared into the trees.
Nothing moved.
My heart hammered.
“Probably a deer,” he whispered.
“Probably?” “Could’ve been a rabbit.” “That’s worse.” “How?” “I don’t know.” He laughed quietly.
“Come on.
We need to keep moving.” That was the problem.
I might have been free.
But we weren’t safe.
Not yet.
Nearly an hour later, we climbed a steep hill overlooking the valley.
I stopped at the top.
“Wow.” Moonlight bathed everything in silver.
The forest we’d just crossed stretched for miles beneath us, and beyond it enormous mountains disappeared into the clouds.
I’d seen those mountains from my tiny bedroom window.
I’d just never imagined I’d actually reach them.
Jace dropped his backpack.
“Five minutes.” I barely heard him.
“I’ve never been this far before.” He looked at me.
“Seriously?” I shook my head.
“Derrick never let me leave pack territory unless I was working.” Jace’s expression changed.
“I know.
I just…” He stopped.
“What?” “I hate that every time you tell me something about your life, I find out they treated you even worse than I thought.” I shrugged.
“It doesn’t matter anymore.” “It matters to me.” His voice was quiet.
“They stole your childhood, Lilah.” I looked away.
Nobody had ever said that before.
For years, I’d been told I should be grateful.
Derrick and Rosanne had given me somewhere to live.
Food.
Clothes.
A roof over my head.
I owed them.
At least, that’s what they’d always told me.
But standing there, looking across a world I’d barely been allowed to see, something finally made sense.
They hadn’t given me a childhood.
They’d taken one.
My stomach suddenly growled.
Loudly.
Jace stared at me.
I stared back.
Then he laughed.
“Seriously?” “Shut up.” “When did you last eat?” “This morning.” His smile vanished.
“When?” “I found half a loaf of bread in the kitchen.” He stared at me.
“That’s all you’ve eaten today?” “I’m used to it.” Jace’s jaw tightened.
Without another word, he dropped to his knees and ripped open his backpack.
“What are you doing?” He started pulling things out.
Sandwiches.
Apples.
Packets of crisps.
Energy bars.
A flask.
I stared.
“Jace…” He looked ridiculously pleased with himself.
“I came prepared.” “How did you even get all that?” “I’ve been collecting things.” “For tonight?” “For whenever.” I frowned.
He handed me a sandwich.
“I knew you’d leave eventually.” I stared at him.
“What?” “I didn’t know when.
But I knew you would.” “How long have you been planning this?” “Months.” “Months?” He shrugged.
“I wasn’t letting you go alone.” Something tightened in my chest.
“You’ve been preparing to run away for months because you thought I might leave?” “I knew you would.” “What if I didn’t?” His expression softened.
“Then I’d have waited.” I couldn’t speak.
I’d spent my entire life wondering why nobody had ever come for me.
And all that time, someone had been quietly making sure that when I was finally ready to leave…
I wouldn’t have to do it alone.
I took the sandwich.
“Thank you.” Jace smiled.
“You’ve thanked me about three times tonight.” “And I’ll probably thank you another hundred.” “I’m going to start charging.” “I’ve got nothing.” His eyes dropped towards my backpack.
“You’ve got that terrifying teddy bear.” I gasped.
“Don’t insult Mr Buttons.” Jace blinked.
“Mr Buttons?” “Yes.” “You finally named him?” I looked down at my bag.
“Apparently.” “I’ve known that bear practically my entire life and you’ve only just named him?” “He was waiting for the right moment.” “Mr Buttons?” “Do you want your sandwich back?” “No.” “Then respect him.” Jace held up both hands.
“My apologies, Mr Buttons.” I smiled.
Then— A howl echoed across the valley.
Every bit of warmth disappeared from my body.
Jace was on his feet before I was.
Another howl answered.
Closer.
Then another.
And another.
I slowly lowered the sandwich.
“Jace…” “I know.” “How many?” He listened.
Another howl rolled through the forest below.
“At least six.” My heart started pounding.
“They know.” “They’ve probably checked your room.” “And yours.” “Yeah.” I shoved the sandwich back into its wrapping and grabbed my backpack.
“Jack?” “Probably.” I looked towards the forest we’d just come through.
Somewhere beneath those trees, wolves were hunting us.
“They’ll smell us.” “Yes.” “So what do we do?” Jace looked at me.
Then he smiled.
“We make them work for it.” We ran.
This time, there was no laughing.
Jace led us down the opposite side of the hill and straight towards a stream.
“Get in.” “What?” “The water.” It was freezing.
I gasped as it flooded into my boots.
“This is your brilliant plan?” “Water breaks the scent trail.” “I know that!” “Then stop complaining!” “I’m allowed to complain when my feet are freezing!” We followed the stream for several hundred metres before Jace suddenly climbed onto a fallen tree stretching across the bank.
“Here.” We scrambled across it.
Then doubled back over rocks.
Then changed direction again.
Jace seemed to know exactly what he was doing.
I stared at him as we hurried between the trees.
“You’ve really thought about this.” “Little busy, Lilah.” “You’ve planned an escape route.” “Yes.” “How many?” He glanced back.
“A few.” “How many is a few?” “Depends.” “On what?” “Whether we’re counting the stupid ones.” I nearly laughed.
A howl sounded behind us.
Closer.
Neither of us laughed after that.
“Move.” We ran again.
Branches whipped across my face.
My lungs burned.
I could hear something now.
Not wolves.
Not yet.
But movement.
Somewhere behind us.
“Jace.” “I hear it.” “They’re getting closer.” “I know.” Fear crawled up my spine.
If Derrick caught me— No.
I wasn’t going back.
I’d die before I went back.
Another howl tore through the forest.
Much closer.
Jace grabbed my hand.
“Come on!” We ran.
By the time we finally stopped, my legs were shaking.
Jace stood silently for several seconds, listening.
Nothing.
No howls.
No movement.
Only wind.
“Did we lose them?” “Maybe.” “That isn’t reassuring.” “I’m not going to lie to you.” I looked around the small clearing.
“So what now?” “We rest.” “Here?” “Unless you’ve secretly packed a house.” “Couldn’t fit it beside Mr Buttons.” “Poor planning.” I shoved him.
He laughed.
Then started digging through his backpack again.
“What now?” “Security.” He pulled out string.
Then several tiny bells.
I stared at him.
“You brought bells?” “Yep.” “Why?” He began tying the string between trees around the edge of the clearing.
“If someone comes through, we’ll hear them.” I watched him.
“You really did plan everything.” “Not everything.” “What didn’t you plan?” He looked at the mossy ground.
“A bed.” I looked down.
Then back at him.
“This is still better than my cupboard.” His smile disappeared.
“Don’t call it that.” “What?” “Your room.” “It was basically a cupboard.” “I know.” Jace tied off the last bell.
Then looked at me.
“One day, I’m buying you a bedroom so big you’ll get lost in it.” I laughed.
“Why?” “Because you deserve one.” “With an actual bed?” “Obviously.” “A wardrobe?” “Massive.” “Windows?” “Loads.” “Books?” The word left my mouth before I could stop it.
I looked down.
“I still can’t read.” Jace didn’t laugh.
“You will.” I looked at him.
“You’ve already tried teaching me.” “I know.” “They kept stopping us.” “I know.” His voice softened.
“But they’re not here anymore.” I swallowed.
“As soon as we find somewhere safe, I’ll teach you properly.” “You promise?” “I promise.” No one was going to stop us.
That thought felt almost impossible.
We settled beneath a huge oak tree with our blankets wrapped around us.
I stared through the branches at the stars.
“So…” Jace looked over.
“What?” “What happens now?” He thought for a moment.
“No idea.” I laughed quietly.
“Great plan.” “Step one was escape.” “And step two?” “Survive.” “Step three?” “Figure out step three.” I smiled.
“Brilliant.” “I thought so.” Silence settled between us.
Then something occurred to me.
“Do rogue wolves celebrate birthdays?” Jace turned his head.
“What?” “Birthdays.” “You don’t even know when yours is.” “I know.” That still hurt.
“But maybe one day I will.” “You will.” He said it with the same certainty he always did.
Like if he believed something hard enough, the world would eventually have to listen.
“And when I do?” “We’ll celebrate it.” “Cake?” “Huge cake.” “Presents?” “Loads.” I smiled.
“I’ve never had a birthday.” Jace’s expression softened.
“Then your first one’s going to be ridiculous.” “How ridiculous?” “Embarrassingly ridiculous.” I laughed.
“Deal.” I rested my head against the tree.
My eyes slowly closed.
For the first time, I wasn’t dreaming about escaping.
I’d actually done it.
I wasn’t running from my old life anymore.
I was running towards something better.
Jingle.
My eyes opened.
Jace sat bolt upright beside me.
Neither of us moved.
One of the bells trembled in the darkness.
Jingle.
My heart stopped.
Jace slowly reached for his knife.
Something moved between the trees.
Then a voice came from the darkness.
“Lilah.” I knew that voice.
Every bit of blood drained from my face.
Jace whispered one word.
“Run.”