Wolf of Cinders

Chapter 17

Eli's POV

I followed behind my step-mother, unsure of our destination. She held my wrist tightly and pulled me through the forest. I squinted at the glaring sun that shone down on me after so much time in the dark basement. As we continued down the path, my step-mother remained quiet, not even glancing back at me.

"Um... Where are we going? What are you doing?" I voiced the questions that had been on my mind. 

"... I'm doing what I should have done a long time ago." Shivers ran down my spine and I stared at my step-mother, now afraid of what would happen.

As we moved deeper into the forest, my nerves were tingling. I wanted to stop and rest, but my step-mother seemed determined to keep going.

Finally, when we reached the edge of the forest, we stopped. My step-mother turned to me, shoving me out of the forest. "Now then..." She smiled a slow, gentle smile. Though she was smiling, her eyes were cold. "Elijah," She spoke slowly and sweetly. "I'm afraid this is where I have to banish you from the pack." 

My eyes shot up. "What?! But... You can't do that!"

"As your legal guardian, I can do anything I want." She sneered, her eyes full of malice and hatred. "I should have done this from the start. You were always a thorn in my side, trying to ruin my plans..." She turned away from me, walking back towards the forest. I didn't dare to move, my breathing shallow as I watched her disappear, leaving me alone.

The area was deadly silent as I sat there, shaking with fear. I looked at the forest in front of me, glancing back as well. The forest acts as a blockade, marking our territory. Behind me, the woods began to mark the territory of another pack. I think for a moment, the idea in my mind terrible and wonderful at the same time.

If I can't go back to my old pack, who's to say I can't join another? But, leaving the pack would weaken the bond between me and my mate, making it impossible for him to find me. But, do I really want him to find me? I've spent all this time trying to run away, doesn't that mean I don't want to be with him? No... I've been trying to protect him, and the pack. Whether they know it or not. It may be destiny that put us together, but there's no way they'd ever let an Omega be Luna, let alone a male Omega. It would bring shame to our pack, and my mate. I can't do that to Cyrus.

With my mind made up, I stood, turning to the woods behind me. Taking a deep breath, I hardened my resolve, entering the woods. It was a simple enough task to enter them, but finding my way through them was a harder challenge. Not only that, but dealing with the pain of separation. The fact that I've been able to be away from my mate for this long without losing my mind is an achievement in itself. Leaving the pack to join another is a different story.

My safety wasn't my only concern. What will happen to Cyrus now that I'm leaving? Will he be okay? Will he care that I'm gone? Will he find a different mate? I stopped walking, the thought of Cyrus taking another mate hurting me more than I cared to admit. I knew I was being selfish. I'm the one who's leaving the pack. I'm the one who's asking him... No... I'm telling him to find a different mate. A better mate.

As I went deeper into the woods, I felt dizzy, my eyes unfocused. Then, a sharp pain stabbed through my head. I cried out, falling to the ground. Through my hazy vision, I managed to see a figure. "Well, well, well," His muffled voice was teasing, and I could imagine the snide smile on his face. "What do we have here?" Several figures joined him in my line of vision, but that's all I was able to see before I blacked out.