Chapter: The Fragrance of a Price
Rosa's POV
The night was thick with silence, except for the rhythmic crunch of my bare feet against the forest floor. My dress was torn at the hem, soaked in dew and sweat. I had been walking for hours — or was it days? I had lost track of time. My legs ached, my lips were dry, and the edges of my vision flickered like dying candlelight.
I had escaped the palace, yes — but I hadn't planned for what came after.
The woods were dark and twisted, every branch a claw, every shadow a whisper. My wolf, Laura, had gone completely quiet inside me. It was like she didn't want to be found either.
I slumped beside a tree, breath ragged. My heart was heavier than my limbs, and all I could think about was the pain in my chest. Bryant. The mate bond. Maltida. The betrayal.
Tears welled in my eyes, but I blinked them away. There was no point crying when there was no one to hear.
Then it happened.
A snap.
A branch — just behind me.
I stilled instantly. My breath caught. I turned my head slightly, eyes scanning.
More footsteps. Soft at first, then faster. Urgent.
I tried to run.
But my strength was gone.
Within seconds, rough hands grabbed me, dragging me up to my feet. I let out a scream — but a filthy cloth shoved into my mouth cut it off.
"She's a runner!" one of the men growled.
"No... wait..." said another, pausing suddenly. His head tilted, and he leaned closer to sniff me. His brows raised in surprise.
"This one…" he said slowly, licking his lips, "this one smells expensive."
A third man, tall and scarred, leaned in too. He gave a low whistle. "Royal blood. Maybe not from here — but definitely Pack royalty. That scent is ancient."
They looked at each other, grinning wickedly.
"We're rich."
"She must be worth a fortune."
"No one's around. Let's take her."
Before I could struggle, my wrists were tied roughly behind my back, and a dirty blindfold was yanked over my eyes.
All I could do was listen to their footsteps as they dragged me deeper into the unknown.
Bryant's POV
The scent hit me like a punch to the chest.
Rosa.
It was faint — almost buried beneath dirt and leaves — but I knew it. My wolf knew it. The familiar pull clawed at my insides as I rode faster, my horse crashing through the thick forest underbrush.
When I reached the clearing, everything was still.
Too still.
My boots hit the ground with force as I jumped off the saddle. I sniffed the air again. Her scent was here. Very recent.
And then I saw it.
Her pendant.
The silver chain glinted faintly in the moonlight, and a thin smear of red coated the side — blood.
A growl ripped from my throat. My vision blurred with rage.
Rogues.
I bolted through the forest, following their scent as fast as my feet could carry me. The tracks split at a fork — left and right. Both seemed recently used.
Time was running out.
My instincts screamed right.
I went right.
Rosa's POV
I didn't know how long the journey was. The blindfold pressed against my eyes, making it hard to breathe. Every jolt in the wagon threw me off balance, my arms aching from the way I was tied.
They didn't speak much. Just low chuckles, an occasional slap to keep me quiet.
Eventually, we stopped.
I was dragged down from the wagon. My knees hit stone. The air here was colder. Damp.
Steps. A door creaked open.
I was forced forward, down what sounded like a hallway. The smell of wet wood, moss, and old blood filled my nostrils.
Then silence.
Rough hands yanked the blindfold off.
I blinked fast, eyes adjusting to the dim torchlight.
My breath caught.
Someone stood before me — tall, shadowed, familiar.
I gasped.
"No… it can't be…"
But it was.
[End of Chapter]
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