Chapter 4

Astrid's POV I wish I could say that I left immediately, found my Dad and began to live the life that I was destined for. My life simply couldn't be that easy. Fighting the urge from the mate bond to return to Xavier, I made my way back to my room to pack my essentials. I didn't know where exactly my father the Alpha King was but I knew that my search would have to start at the capital city. The Werewolf Capital City was the pack managed by the Alpha King that lay at the heart of our continent. It was also where he resided. At least until he disappeared. My current pack was such a long distance away from the capital that I wondered what exactly my mother had been running from to run this far. I would find out when I reached my father. I would find him. I wasn't sure how but I worried that if I thought too long about this plan then I would back out completely. I needed to leave now. And I couldn't get caught. I finished tossing whatever little property I had left into the bag and proceeded to leave the room. I had not gone more than three steps when I heard loud footsteps heading in my direction making me duck into a small passage. "She's not at the party and all the guests are already there." That was Darryl's voice. The kind lady from the kitchens that had given me a cake. I wanted to step out and talk to her but some hidden instinct made me stay in place. A deeper masculine voice scoffed in response to her words. "What do you expect from an omega who has never had anything?!" "Lower your voice, she could overhear us. The Alpha wants her to feel at home for now. Wait until he's gotten what he wants from her. Then we can treat her as she deserves to be treated." I couldn't believe my ears as they walked past me to my empty room. So even her kindness had been an act. How many times could one person be betrayed? I wiped at my tears furiously. I couldn't break down now. I had to get out of here first. Once I heard their footsteps receed as they continued to search for me elsewhere, I was on the move. I couldn't get to the Capital City on foot so I needed a car. I didn't have one but the Alpha's car collection was in the garage adjoining the Pack house. With a skill of picking locks that had risen from Lyra locking me up so many times, I was in. Call me petty but I went straight for Xavier's car. It was black, sleek, fast and most importantly it still had the key in the ignition. Xavier was that arrogant. As the heir apparent, who would dare mess with his car? I smiled viciously. It was only right that the person that he couldn't see as more than a lowly omega was the person who would steal his car. I slipped into his car ignoring his intoxicating scent that came from the seats. Damn mate bond. I began to pull out of the garage only to see Lyra's car. It was a hot bubble pink and it was as expensive and gaudy as its owner. She had always bullied me. Always tormented me. And now I was leaving my mate for her to keep. Angry roiled within me and I couldn't stop myself from hitting on the gas and slamming Xavier's car against hers, breaking one of her headlights and denting the car. Immediately the cars hit, I felt shocked and a little bit afraid of what Lyra would do to me if she found out. No, Astrid, stop being so scared of everything. I had to take back my life and stop being as submissive as this pack had made me to be. I drove out of the garage and to my surprise no one stopped me. I guess most of the pack members were at my celebratory party that I would not attend. That only meant that I had to move fast before they realized that I was gone. When I reached the gates of the pack, I was suddenly nervous. I had somehow forgotten all about the guards that always checked the entering and exiting vehicles. The windows were up and tinted. They wouldn't be able to see me in this darkness but all they had to do was ask for an identity check before letting me through and I would be done. One whisper down the pack link and Xavier would catch me before I even made my escape. A guard stood in front of the car, his head cocked curiously. "Who's going out this late?" Another guard came up to him and gave him a slap across his head. "Can't you recognize Alpha Heir Xavier's car?" Thank the Goddess. Who would have thought that being petty would turn out to be so rewarding? The first guard bowed hurriedly to the car. "My apologies, Alpha Heir." He turned back and I the rest hurrying them along. "Open the gates and let him out." Relief coursed through my veins as I finally left the Moonshadow pack behind for good. It was very late to be traveling and everyone knew about the rogues that lurked about waiting to prey on wanderers at this time. I couldn't shift so I didn't even have a way to defend myself. I couldn't travel far but at the same time, I couldn't stay too close in case the Moonshadow pack sent people after me. I settled for an in-between. I would go to the r Renext town outside the Moonshadow pack territory and pass the night there. I looked at Xavier's car that I was driving. They could use it to track me. I had to dump it and I knew just where. I drove up to the lake just on the border of the Moonshadow pack then I pushed the car in. The car would be discovered easily but my scent would not. I looked at the car in the water feeling my last tie to Xavier sever. My heart hurt as well as my mate bond to him but I still had a lot to do. I took a quick dip in the lake water to obscure my scent then I was off. Reaching the town on foot was harder and by the time I reached the first hotel that was open so late, I was winded. As I walked into the hotel, some male wolves sat at the reception and I felt a distinct sense of maliciousness coming from them. I wanted to leave but the probability of me finding another hotel that was open to guests was low so I approached the receptionist. "How much for a night?" The bubblegum-biting blond stared at my cheek before telling me the price and I touched my no longer bleeding but still hurting cheek self-consciously before paying her. Thankfully I had gotten some cash from Xavier's car so I was able to afford the fee. She slid me a key. "You've got room 89. Here is your room key, honey. Breakfast will be served at 8 a.m." I bobbed my head grabbing the key. "Thank you." I found my room easily and when I sat on the bed, I was finally able to decompress and realize how much I had gone through in the past few hours. I had found out that my mate was my bully, got rejected by him, found out my whole life was a lie and that I was being manipulated at every point. I had also left my home to look for my father whom I didn't even know what he looked like. My body shook violently and sobs escaped me as I hugged my knees tight to myself. I thought after my eighteenth birthday that I would never feel alone again because my mate would have my back but I had never felt more alone in my life. The doorbell went off and I wiped at my cheek hurriedly. "Room service." The voice announced. Room service? I didn't have the money to waste on food. I needed it for my journey. "I didn't order anything." "Complimentary meal from the hotel." The voice responded. Complimentary meant free, right? I realized that I was pretty hungry after all the walking and pushing a car into a lake. I opened the room door to see a woman holding a tray ladened with food at the door. Eyeing the platter, I took it out of her hands. "Thank you." She nodded and left. The door was barely closed behind me when I dug in. The food was warm and so sweet but savory. I was so full that I passed out immediately afterwards. When I woke up, I was cold. My head felt like it was full of cotton wool and I couldn't think straight. I opened my eyes and the unfamiliar ceiling blurred up ahead of me. I blinked and my vision aligned. I was no longer in my room at the hotel. I heard the scrap of wood across the floor and turned my head slightly to the side to see an unfamiliar man looking at me. My panic spiked and I tried to sit up only for my head to spin. My voice came out hoarse and croaky. "Who are you? Where did you bring me to?" Why was I feeling so weak? I recalled the food I had not ordered and the suspicious men in the lobby. Had I been drugged? The man-sized me up with a gruff look before nodding. "You are awake. Good." Good? What did he mean by that? He stood up from the chair smoothly barely looking at me as he spoke. "Clean up and get dressed. We need to leave." I looked down at my clothes realizing why I was so cold. My clothes were torn up and dirty. I clutched my clothes to myself feeling violated and confused as my muddled mind still struggled to stay in the present. "Go where?" The man bared his teeth at me. "Stop asking questions. You have been bought to be Alpha Jaxon's surrogate not to ask questions." My world shifted again. Surrogate?