Chapter 2 - chapter 1

### Chapter 1: Hunted by Fate 🐺🌑✨

**Lia's POV**

The forest is black as pitch, the kind of dark that swallows you whole. I crouch behind a gnarled oak, my breath ragged, my fingers clenched around the knife's hilt until my knuckles ache.

Their shadows flicker through the trees—Lycans, always hunting, always chasing. Two years I've been running from those bastards, the ones who call themselves my mates.

Two years since they tore my world apart, slaughtered my parents, and left me with nothing but rage. And still, they won't let me go. 🌙

I press my back against the rough bark, trying to steady my breathing. The knife's weight is the only thing keeping me grounded, its cold steel a promise of vengeance.

I've dreamed of this moment—plunging it into their hearts, watching them bleed for what they did. Dorian, Eric, Rick. The Alpha brothers. My *fated* mates. The thought alone makes my stomach churn, a sick twist of fate I can't escape. I'd rather die than let them claim me.

A twig snaps nearby, and my heart lurches. They're close. Too close. I can't hide forever—not when their Lycan senses can sniff out an omega like me from miles away.

My power's fading, a dull ache in my chest that's been growing since I started running. Only a mate's bond can bring it back, but I'll be damned if I let those monsters touch me. I'd rather let my soul burn out than give in.

I take a deep breath, steeling myself. No more hiding. I step out from behind the tree, a scream ripping from my throat as I charge the nearest Lycan.

My knife flashes, slicing through the air, and I drive it into his throat with every ounce of hate I've got. Blood sprays, hot and slick, as I pin him to a branch, his body slumping like a broken doll. I yank the blade free, my hands shaking but steady enough to keep moving. 🩸✨

Another Lycan lunges from behind, his growl vibrating through the night. I spin, dodging his claws by inches, my heart pounding so hard it feels like it'll crack my ribs.

I don't think—just run. My boots pound the dirt, branches clawing at my arms as I weave through the forest. Pain stabs my chest, sharp and relentless, like my body's screaming for the bond I'm fighting.

If they don't reject me, I'm screwed. The mate bond's a chain I can't break alone—they have to let me go. But these brothers? They'd rather see me caged than free.

I stumble, my legs giving out, and I hit the ground hard, dirt scraping my palms. My breath comes in gasps, and I clutch my chest, trying to hold myself together.

The Lycans are close—I can hear their footsteps, their low snarls. My power's nearly gone, a faint flicker where it used to burn bright. I hate that I need them. Hate that my body craves what my heart wants to destroy.

I force myself to stand, gripping the knife like it's my last lifeline. A shadow moves ahead, and my blood runs cold. I look up, and there he is—Rick. The quiet one. The one I almost killed once, when I thought I could end this nightmare.

His hazel eyes lock on mine, soft but sharp, like he's seeing right through me. He kneels, his hands reaching for me, gentle in a way that makes my skin crawl. "Lia, are you okay?" he asks, his voice low, almost tender.

I don't buy it. Not for a second. My hand moves before I can think, driving the knife into his shoulder. He grunts, blood seeping through his shirt, but he doesn't flinch.

I scramble to my feet, ready to bolt, only to slam into a wall of muscle. My eyes lift, and my heart stops. Eric. His cold blue gaze pins me in place, his presence like a storm ready to break. I step back, my voice shaking as I scream, "Leave me alone!"

He moves faster than I can blink, grabbing my wrists and shoving me against a tree.

The bark digs into my back, and his grip is iron, unyielding. He leans in, his breath hot against my ear. "We finally meet again," he whispers, his voice a low growl that sends a shiver down my spine. I hate how my body reacts, a traitor to my will.

I struggle, trying to wrench free. "Let me go, you bastard! I stabbed one mate—next time, it'll be your neck. Or maybe your mouth."

Eric chuckles, dark and dangerous. "I'd love to see you try, little omega."

Before I can spit another curse, I'm yanked away, my feet stumbling as another hand grabs me. My eyes lift, and my blood freezes. Dorian.

The worst of them. His dark eyes burn with rage, his hand wrapping around my throat as he snarls, "Did you think you could run from me?" His grip tightens, not enough to choke but enough to make my pulse race.

His scent—pine and fury—floods my senses, and I hate how it pulls at me, how the bond twists my insides even as I want to claw his eyes out.

"I hate you," I spit, my voice breaking as I try to shove him off. "Let me go!"

He leans closer, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. "Oh, Lia," he murmurs, his voice dripping with menace. "I'm just getting started."

He shoves me toward a group of Lycans waiting in the shadows, their eyes glinting like wolves circling a kill.

"Take her back to the pack house," Dorian orders, his voice cold as ice. "Chain her. Make sure she doesn't escape."

I scream, my voice raw as I thrash against the hands grabbing me. "I'll make you all pay!" I yell, my words echoing through the trees. "One day, you'll beg for mercy, and I'll watch you bleed!" 🐾🔥

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