Discover Novels Library Profile

Beyond redemption - Chapter 29



Chapter 29


Kora’s POV

The days began to blur together after that. We moved fast, too fast to stop and think, and the haunting memory of Aaron’s voice still echoed in my mind like a distant drumbeat. I could almost feel him tracking us, his presence lurking just behind the fog, the trees, the silence.

It was during one of these tense, fog-filled mornings that I realized just how much we had changed since we left the capital. It wasn’t just the urgency in our steps, or the weariness in our faces. It was the way we moved, the way we had become an army of shadows, always on the edge of danger.

The forest itself felt alive with the weight of our fear. Every snapped twig, every whisper of wind sent us into alert. We were constantly looking over our shoulders, waiting for the blow that would come.

We passed through miles of thick, unforgiving woods and uneven terrain, the landscape shifting from dense forest to open plains and rocky hills. Every step felt like it could be our last.

I could see it in Edward’s face, too. His eyes, always so sharp, were clouded with something darker now. Was it guilt? Fear? Regret? I couldn’t tell, but it was there, hidden beneath the soldier-like exterior.

There were moments when I caught him looking at me, and I knew it wasn’t just concern for my safety. It was something deeper. Something neither of us was willing to acknowledge.

The bond, however broken, still lingered between us. I could feel the pull — a magnetic force that seemed to tug at my very soul. Every time he was near, it flared, sending sparks of something dangerous through my body. He might have been trying to distance himself from me, but there was always that invisible thread between us, a thread that no matter how much he tried to cut it, never quite broke.

One night, while we camped beneath a starless sky, I couldn’t hold it in anymore.

“Edward,” I called softly into the darkness.

He stirred beside me, his silhouette barely visible in the moonlight. “Hmm?”

I swallowed, my heart pounding in my chest. “Why are you really doing this? Helping me, I mean.”

There was a long pause. I couldn’t see his face, but I could feel him stiffen.

“I don’t know,” he said finally, his voice low and rough. “I don’t have a reason, Kora. I just do.”

I felt the weight of his words settle between us, heavy and unresolved. I wanted to press further, to ask him about the anger in his eyes sometimes, the way he would push me away but never really let go. But I didn’t. There were some things I didn’t want to know.

Instead, I asked the question that had been gnawing at me for days. “Do you ever think about... us? About what happened before?”

I heard him shift again, his breath unsteady. “What happened before is gone, Kora.”

I wanted to argue with him, to tell him that it wasn’t gone, that nothing could ever erase what we had shared, the bond that tied us together. But I didn’t. He was right in one sense. What happened before couldn’t be changed.

I just didn’t know if I was ready to let it go, either.

---

The following morning, we came across a small village nestled at the foot of a mountain. It was a quiet place, its people simple and humble. There were no signs of trouble here, no tension or fear. It was the kind of place I had once dreamed of — a peaceful, hidden haven far from the madness of our world.

Edward suggested we stop for a few hours to rest, to gather supplies. But the moment we entered the village, I felt it. The prickle of something off. Something wrong.

The villagers were friendly enough, greeting us with smiles, offering us food, water, and fresh clothes. But there was a look in their eyes, something fleeting yet unsettling. It was as if they were hiding something, as if they knew more than they were letting on.

I pulled Edward aside as we walked through the market. “Something’s not right,” I murmured. “Can’t you feel it?”

He glanced around, his gaze sharp. “What do you mean?”

“Just... them.” I gestured to the villagers, who now avoided our eyes. “They’re hiding something.”

Edward didn’t reply immediately, but I saw his expression tighten. He, too, had noticed the strange vibe in the air. But there was nothing we could do. We needed supplies, and we needed to keep moving.

Still, my senses were on high alert. I didn’t trust this place.

We found an old woman running a stall near the village center, selling bundles of herbs and dried meats. She gave me a knowing smile when I approached, her eyes too bright, too intense.

“You’ve been running for a long time, haven’t you, dear?” she asked, her voice like gravel. I froze, caught off guard. “I... I don’t know what you mean.”

She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a whisper. “The hunter is close. Too close for comfort.”

My heart skipped a beat. The hunter.

Edward stepped in then, his hand on my arm. “Is there a problem?”

The old woman gave a wicked smile, her teeth yellowed with age. “Nothing, nothing. Just a little advice for the road.” She pushed a bundle of dried herbs into my hand, pressing it into my palm with surprising strength. “Keep this. It will keep him at bay.”

Edward opened his mouth to protest, but the woman was already turning away, her weathered back bent over the stall.

I stared down at the bundle in my hand. It didn’t look like anything special, just a collection of dried leaves and stems. But the woman’s words hung in the air, unsettling and sharp.

“Keep it,” she had said. “It will keep him at bay.”

It felt like a warning. A warning I wasn’t sure I wanted to follow.

We left the village shortly after, the unease I felt only growing. The further we walked, the more oppressive the air became, thick with the weight of something unspoken. And as we reached the edge of the forest once again, I could almost feel the presence of Aaron lurking in the distance, his eyes watching from somewhere in the dark.

We couldn’t outrun him. We couldn’t hide. Not forever.

And as much as I tried to shake the thought, one fact kept clawing at my mind: Aaron was getting closer.





Chapter 30


Kora’s POV

The tension in the air felt thicker than ever as we left the village behind, the weight of the old woman’s words still hanging over me. The herbs, tucked safely into my pack, were an enigma I didn’t know how to solve. Could they really protect us from Aaron? Or were they just another superstition, another trap to lead us into something darker?


Edward and I moved in silence for most of the day. We kept our pace steady but cautious, knowing the longer we lingered, the more danger we put ourselves in. The road ahead was uncertain, but one thing was clear — we couldn’t stay in one place for long. We had no choice but to keep pushing forward, deeper into the unknown.


But despite our best efforts, the oppressive silence felt suffocating. Every crack of a branch beneath our feet, every flutter of birds taking flight, made my heart race. I couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched, that Aaron’s gaze was on us even when we couldn’t see him.


After hours of travel, we made camp on the outskirts of a dense forest. The sun was setting, painting the sky in shades of red and orange, a contrast to the heavy mood that clouded the air. I sat by the fire, trying to ignore the creeping dread settling in my bones.


Edward, always the silent one, was sharpening his blade nearby, his face unreadable. The rhythmic sound of the steel against the stone was oddly calming, but it didn’t soothe the unease that twisted in my gut. I could see him, though, glancing over at me from time to time, his expression hard. He was worried — I knew it.


“You’re quiet tonight,” I said softly, breaking the silence.


Edward didn’t look up from his work. “I’m always quiet.”


I let out a small laugh, but it felt hollow. “True.”


Another stretch of silence passed, longer this time. I could feel his gaze on me, even if I couldn’t see it.


Finally, he spoke. “You think the herbs will work?”


I blinked, surprised by the question. “I don’t know. I don’t even know why she gave them to me.”


“You think she’s trying to help, or...” He trailed off, not finishing the thought.


I shrugged. “Who knows? Maybe she’s just trying to keep us here longer, to trap us.”


“Maybe,” Edward agreed, his voice low. “But we don’t have many choices. Either we trust it, or we don’t. We’re running out of time.”


I could hear the frustration in his words, the tension in his shoulders. I wanted to tell him it would be okay, but even I wasn’t sure of that anymore. There was a certainty in his voice that made me uneasy. Edward wasn’t the type to let his guard down, especially not with me.


But there was something else in his tone that made my pulse quicken. It wasn’t just concern — it was something deeper. Something I wasn’t sure I could confront.


I glanced up at him, meeting his gaze for the first time that evening. There was something raw in his eyes, a depth of emotion I hadn’t seen before.


“What is it, Edward?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.


He hesitated, his jaw tightening as if he were struggling with the words. But when he spoke, it was almost like he had no choice. “I’m not just worried about Aaron, Kora.”


I swallowed, suddenly unable to look away. “What else is there?”


“You,” he said simply, his eyes never leaving mine. “I’m worried about you.”


I blinked, caught off guard by the intensity in his gaze. “Me?”


He stood abruptly, throwing the sharpening stone down on the ground with a force that startled me. “Yes, damn it. You. Every damn day I watch you, and I can see it in your eyes. You’re falling apart, Kora. You’re not who you were before.”


The harshness in his voice made my heart ache. It wasn’t just anger or frustration — it was something much deeper, something I couldn’t quite understand.


“Edward, I—”


“No,” he cut me off, stepping closer. “I’ve been standing by, watching you lose yourself, and I can’t do it anymore. You’re not the person you were when we first left. You’ve changed. And it’s like... like you’re becoming someone I don’t recognize.”


His words hit me like a slap, hard and fast. I wanted to defend myself, to explain why I had become this way, but the words didn’t come. There was truth in what he said.


I was different. But the weight of everything we had endured since leaving the capital — the constant danger, the fear, the loss — had chipped away at me. I was no longer the girl who had trusted easily, who had believed in the possibility of good.


I was a survivor now, and that had come with a price.


“You don’t understand,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “I can’t be the same. I can’t be that person anymore.”


Edward’s eyes softened for just a moment, but the hardness remained in his posture. “I don’t need you to be the same, Kora. I just need you to stop pushing me away.”


I flinched at his words. “I’m not—”


“You are,” he interrupted, his voice soft but firm. “You don’t let anyone in anymore. You keep everyone at arm’s length. And it’s killing you.”


I felt my chest tighten, the familiar ache of loss pulling at my heart. I wanted to tell him he was wrong, that I was just trying to protect myself, but deep down, I knew he was right. I had shut myself off from the world, from him.


“I’m sorry,” I said quietly, though the words felt hollow. “I don’t know how else to be.”


Edward let out a heavy sigh, kneeling down in front of me. His hand reached out, and for a moment, I thought he might touch me, comfort me. But he hesitated, pulling back just as quickly.


“Just promise me something,” he said quietly, his voice hoarse. “Promise me that when this is all over, you’ll remember who you are. That you won’t let everything that’s happened destroy you.”


I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.


For a moment, there was a fragile silence between us. Then Edward stood and walked to the fire, leaving me to wrestle with the weight of his words.


It wasn’t just Aaron I had to fear anymore. It was the person I was becoming.


I couldn’t allow myself to lose everything — to lose myself. But the path ahead felt darker than I could have ever imagined, and I wasn’t sure I had the strength to fight it.


The night passed in a tense stillness, the crackling of the fire the only sound between us. And as I drifted off to sleep, I couldn’t help but wonder: Was Edward right? Was I losing myself in all of this? Or had I already

 lost the person I used to be?


I didn’t know anymore.


But I was going to find out.





Chapter 31


Kora’s POV

Morning came heavy and damp, the kind of cold that sank into your bones and refused to let go. The fire had burned down to little more than embers, and the forest around us was wrapped in mist so thick it was like walking through breath itself.


The pack was restless. Luka moved stiffly, his wound still bothering him though he’d never admit it. Mara scowled at the mist as though she could burn it away with her glare. Even the younger ones, usually quick with whispered jokes or small comforts, were silent.


Edward gave the order to move before anyone could complain. He didn’t say much, just adjusted his cloak and started forward. That was his way to push forward, no matter how heavy the burden.


I followed close behind him, my steps uneven. His words from last night still echoed in my mind. Stop pushing me away.


Was I? The thought gnawed at me. I hadn’t meant to, but maybe he was right. Maybe, in trying so hard to protect myself, I was building walls so high no one could reach me.


But then again, wasn’t that safer? Wasn’t that the only way I knew how to survive?


The mist grew thicker as we moved, curling around the trees and swallowing sound. It was hard to tell how far we’d gone, or even if we were still on the path. Everything looked the same — endless shadows, endless fog.


Then, suddenly, Edward stopped. His hand lifted, signaling silence. The pack froze instantly, every nerve strung tight.


I strained to listen. At first, there was nothing — just the soft drip of water from the trees, the muffled sound of our breaths. Then I heard it. A low growl. Not human. Not friendly.


The mist shifted, and shapes began to emerge. Wolves.


Not like the wolves I had grown up with, not pack or kin. These were rogues — lean, scarred, eyes glowing faintly in the mist. Hunger radiated off them, sharp and feral.


There were at least a dozen of them, maybe more. They circled us, their movements slow, deliberate.


My hand went instinctively to the dagger at my side. The air was thick with the scent of danger, and my pulse pounded in my ears.


“Stay close,” Edward murmured without looking back. His stance shifted, blade ready.


The rogues didn’t attack right away. They prowled, testing us, their growls low and guttural. One of them — larger than the rest, its muzzle scarred and torn — stepped forward, its gaze locking on me.


I froze.


Something about its eyes made my stomach drop. They weren’t wild, not completely. There was something... controlled in them.


“Edward,” I whispered, my voice trembling. “These aren’t normal rogues.”


He didn’t answer, but I knew he had noticed it too. His grip on his weapon tightened. The large wolf snarled, baring its teeth — and then it lunged.


Chaos exploded.


The pack moved as one, weapons flashing in the fog. Wolves slammed into us from every side, claws and teeth snapping. Mara let out a fierce battle cry as she drove her blade into one, twisting hard. Luka, despite his injury, fought like a man possessed, his axe cleaving through fur and flesh.


I ducked under a snapping jaw, slashing my dagger upward. The wolf yelped, staggering back, but another was already coming for me. My chest burned with panic.


Then Edward was there. He moved like a storm, his blade a blur of silver. Two wolves went down in seconds, their bodies collapsing into the mist.


“Kora!” he shouted. “Stay with me!”


I tried, gods I tried, but the wolves were relentless. They pressed in from every side, pushing us apart. Their coordination wasn’t natural. Rogues weren’t supposed to fight like this — scattered, mindless. These wolves moved with purpose, as though guided by something unseen.


By someone unseen.


The thought struck me like lightning. Aaron.


The scarred wolf came for me again, its massive form cutting through the mist. Its teeth snapped inches from my arm, the force of its weight knocking me backward. I stumbled, my dagger slipping from my hand.


For a moment, I was vulnerable, helpless. And then the herbs.


The bundle the old woman had given me slipped from my pack as I hit the ground, scattering across the dirt. The scent that rose up was sharp, bitter, almost metallic.


The wolf froze.


Its eyes, still locked on me, flickered — confusion, hesitation. It snarled, shaking its head, but it didn’t move forward.


My breath caught. The herbs. She had been right.


“Kora!” Edward’s voice rang out, pulling me back. He was fighting his way toward me, blood streaking across his arm, fury blazing in his eyes.


I scrambled, snatching up the herbs with shaking hands and holding them out. The wolf growled but didn’t advance. It took a step back instead, its body tense, as though fighting some invisible force.


Around us, the battle raged. But the scarred wolf — the leader — was staring at me, its gaze burning.


And in that moment, I heard it.


Not Aaron’s voice.


But close.


Run, little wolf. Run while you can. He’s coming.


My blood ran cold. The voice wasn’t in my head like before, but it was real enough. The scarred wolf’s lips curled, almost like a smile, before it turned and bolted into the mist.


The others followed, retreating as suddenly as they had attacked.


The clearing fell silent, broken only by the sound of our ragged breathing and the crackle of fading echoes. The ground was littered with bodies, both wolves and men. Blood stained the mist red.


I was still clutching the herbs, my hands shaking uncontrollably.


Edward was at my side in an instant, his blade dripping, his chest heaving. His eyes searched mine, fierce and desperate. “Are you hurt?”


I shook my head, unable to form words.


His gaze dropped to the herbs, and his jaw tightened. “What did you do?”


“I... I don’t know,” I whispered. “But it worked. They stopped.”


Edward’s expression was unreadable, torn between relief and suspicion. But he didn’t press further. Instead, he took my trembling hand in his, grounding me.


“We need to move,” he said firmly. “Now. Before they come back.”


I nodded, still clutching the herbs like a lifeline. But deep inside, I couldn’t shake the words that had echoed through me:


Run while you can. He’s coming.


Aaron wasn’t just chasing us. He was sending his monsters ahead, testi

ng us, breaking us down.


And if this was only the beginning, I wasn’t sure how much longer we could last.




Chapter 32


Kora’s POV

The mist didn’t let up as we left the battlefield behind. It clung to us like damp skin, swallowing every sound we made. My boots squelched in the wet soil, my palms still stained with blood. I didn’t know if it was mine or the rogues’.


I held the herbs tightly, not daring to let them go. My mind kept circling back to that scarred wolf, to the way it froze when the scent hit the air. To the voice that came with it.


“Run, little wolf.”


Even now, the echo curled inside me like smoke.


“Keep moving,” Edward ordered, his tone sharper than usual. He hadn’t let go of my hand since the attack, his grip firm, protective. Maybe it was more for him than me, but I didn’t care. I needed it.


Behind us, the pack trudged in heavy silence. Some limped, some dripped blood, but no one complained. Luka carried a boy who’d been clawed across the chest, his face pale but alive. Mara walked with her blade still slick, eyes sharp and restless.


Everyone looked shaken. And I knew why. Rogues didn’t fight like that. Rogues didn’t move like a trained pack.


But those had.


The forest thinned eventually, the mist giving way to a wide stretch of meadow. The grass was tall, wet with dew, bending under our steps. For the first time since dawn, the sky peeked through, pale gray with hints of gold.


I inhaled deeply, trying to push the stench of blood out of my lungs.


We stopped at the edge of a small river. The water was dark but running fast, and Edward called for a break. People lowered themselves to the ground, some washing wounds, others simply sitting like their legs couldn’t carry them anymore.


I sank down beside the river, dipping my hands into the cold stream. The sting cleared my head a little. I let the herbs soak in my lap, the water turning faintly green.


“Talk,” Edward’s voice came low behind me.


I looked up. He was standing over me, his arms crossed, his jaw set like stone.


I swallowed. “About what?”


His eyes narrowed. “You know what.”


I looked down at the herbs, twisting the wet stems in my fingers. “The old woman gave them to me. She said I’d need them. I didn’t believe her, but when I dropped them, the wolf—”


“Stopped,” Edward finished for me, his tone clipped. “It didn’t attack. You’re saying herbs made it hesitate?”


“Yes,” I whispered.


Edward crouched, his eyes searching mine. “Kora, do you realize what this means? Those weren’t ordinary rogues. Someone’s controlling them. And whatever these herbs are, they interfered with that control.”


My chest tightened. “Aaron.”


The name left my lips like poison.


Edward’s jaw ticked. He didn’t say yes, but the silence was loud enough.


For a long moment, neither of us spoke. The river gurgled, the pack murmured in the background, but it felt like we were the only two in the world.


Finally, Edward reached out, brushing my wet hair from my cheek. His touch was softer than his voice. “If those herbs can stop them, then you don’t let go of them. Ever. Do you understand me?”


I nodded quickly.


“Good.” His hand lingered for just a second longer before he stood, scanning the horizon. His shoulders looked heavier than I’d ever seen them.


I leaned back, staring at the sky. The weight of it all pressed on me — the rogues, the herbs, Aaron’s voice. And the baby. The tiny life inside me that I hadn’t even begun to understand.


Was this what fate wanted? For me to be hunted, tested, pushed until I broke?


I closed my eyes, letting the river’s sound fill me. And for a moment, I let myself imagine what it would be like to live without fear, without running. To sit beside Edward in a meadow like this with no blood on our hands, no enemies at our backs. Just peace.


The fantasy didn’t last. A scream shattered it.


My eyes flew open as the sound echoed across the meadow. It came from one of the younger pack members, a girl with hair like spun gold. She was pointing toward the trees, her eyes wide with terror.


Shapes were moving there. Not wolves this time. Men.


Dozens of them, armored, their banners snapping in the wind.


Edward cursed under his breath, his hand flying to his blade. “Hunters.” The word sent a shiver down my spine.


Hunters. Humans who knew of us. Who tracked us, trapped us, slaughtered us for sport and pride. Worse than rogues, worse than enemies. Because they didn’t see wolves as kin or rivals. They saw us as beasts.


“Move!” Edward barked, his voice cutting like steel. The pack scrambled, grabbing weapons, helping the wounded to their feet. The river rushed at our side, the only barrier between us and the oncoming army.


But there were too many. Far too many.


I clutched the herbs tighter, my stomach lurching. Hunters. Rogues. Aaron.


The world was closing in on us from every side.





Chapter 33


Kora’s POV

The hunters didn’t waste time. As soon as they broke through the tree line, their arrows flew. The sky hissed with them, sharp and black against the gray light.


“Shields!” Edward roared.


The front fighters raised makeshift barriers, some catching arrows in their arms and shoulders. The sound of wood splintering and metal clanging filled the air. I ducked low, pulling a boy with me as an arrow whistled past my head and struck the ground.


“Stay down!” I hissed, but my voice shook. My whole body was trembling, not from the cold, but from the sheer panic clawing inside me.


Hunters.


I’d heard stories about them since I was a child. The cruelty. The cages. The way they skinned wolves alive for their pelts. My father used to say they weren’t human at all, but monsters in men’s flesh. And now they were here, their boots pounding the earth, their eyes burning with hatred.


Edward was already in motion, blade flashing. He wasn’t just fighting — he was commanding, shouting orders between every strike. “Mara, hold the left flank! Luka, the wounded behind the river—now!”


The pack moved with him, trained and loyal, but they were outnumbered. For every hunter they brought down, two more surged forward.


I clutched the herbs tighter, my chest rising and falling too fast. What use were they here? Against rogues, maybe they had power. But against men? Men didn’t bend to scents and spells.


A shadow fell over me.


One of the hunters had broken through, his sword raised high. His face was smeared with black paint, his teeth bared in a cruel grin.


“Got you,” he snarled.


I froze. My legs wouldn’t move, my throat locked. All I could see was the glint of steel. But before the blade could fall, another struck it away.


Edward.


His roar was primal as he drove his sword through the hunter’s chest, blood spraying across the grass. He didn’t look at me, not even once, just turned and cut down another.


“Stay behind me!” he barked.


I wanted to scream that I wasn’t helpless, that I wasn’t a child. But my voice wouldn’t work, and my hands still shook around the herbs. So I did what he said.


The battle raged on, chaos thick as smoke. I caught glimpses through the madness — Mara’s blade flashing as she cut a man down with a snarl, Luka shielding two injured boys with his own body, blood streaming down his arm. The hunters fought with no hesitation, no mercy. Their eyes burned with something deeper than hate — zeal, obsession.


One of them shouted above the fray: “Take the girl! The one with the herbs!” My heart stuttered. They were talking about me.


How did they know?


Several hunters broke from the fight, charging toward me.


I stumbled back, clutching the herbs so hard the stems dug into my skin. My eyes darted to Edward, but he was too far, locked in combat with three men at once.


Panic clawed at me, but I forced myself to move. I bolted toward the river, splashing into the cold water up to my knees. The current tugged at me, cold and sharp, but I kept moving, my gown heavy with water.


The hunters followed, splashing after me.


“No!” I screamed, flinging the herbs into the water without thinking. The stems burst apart in the current, spreading like ink. The smell hit the air, sharp and bitter, carried fast by the flow.


The hunters froze mid-step.


Their bodies jerked, stiff, like invisible strings yanking them taut. Their eyes rolled back white, mouths twisting. For a heartbeat, they just stood there, trembling. Then one by one, they collapsed into the river, thrashing like fish on hooks.


I gasped, stumbling back to the bank. What... What had I done?


The others noticed too. Mara stared, her blade dripping red, her mouth hanging open. Luka’s eyes widened, even as blood poured down his arm.


Edward’s head snapped toward me. His gaze flicked from the floating herbs to the hunters writhing in the river, then back to me.


His face hardened. Not with anger — but with fear. “Kora,” he said, his voice low, sharp. “Don’t move.”


The battlefield seemed to pause, just for a moment. The remaining hunters pulled back, shock flickering in their painted faces. Some of them whispered to each other, pointing at me.


And then one of them shouted a word that made my blood run cold. “Which!”


The cry carried over the river, over the clash of steel. The hunters’ fear twisted into something darker. Hatred. They weren’t just fighting Edward’s pack anymore. They were hunting me.


Please Log In or Sign Up to continue reading.

No account? Sign Up

Unlock all Chapters with 3$

Proceed to payment to unlock all chapters and continue reading.

Tags:
Previous Post Next Post

You Might Like 😎

See All