The days until her eighteenth birthday felt like they were moving slowly, each one dragging her through the same hellish routine at school.

Every morning, Lily counted down the hours, telling herself that soon, it would all be over. Freedom was so close, she could almost taste it.

She had spent a lot of time thinking carefully about her escape, and now, only days remained. But as her birthday approached, a feeling of unease had started to enter into her thoughts.

“Lily, you’re sure about this?” her best friend, Maya, asked as they sat under a large tree at the edge of the school courtyard during lunch.

It was the only place people didn't throw their food at her, unlike in the cafeteria where they constantly poured insults and various things on her body.

At least she was with Maya, the only person in the entire pack who treated her with any kindness. She had been there since they were kids, standing by Lily even when the bullying became unbearable.

Lily looked at her sandwich. Her resolve to escape increasing.

“I don’t have a choice, Maya. I can’t stay here anymore. Not with them.” She looked at the school building for a moment, where she knew Lucas and Liam were likely planning their next round of insults.

“I get it, I really do,” Maya said, her voice soft and full of sympathy. “But running away? It’s dangerous. You won’t have the pack’s protection anymore. What if something happens to you?”

Lily sighed. She knew Maya was right to be concerned, but she also knew that staying wasn’t an option.

"The pack stopped caring about me a long time ago" She replied.

The pack had never protected her, not when her father was exiled and not when the Alpha twins made her life a living nightmare.

“It’s the only way,” Lily said. “Besides, I’ve been saving money. I have enough to get by for a while. I’ll figure it out.”

Maya wasn't convinced yet. She cared sincerely for her best friend's wellbeing.

“And where will you go?” she asked.

“I don’t know yet. Maybe a small, quiet town, somewhere far from here. I’ll start over there, and forget this place entirely.” Lily tried to sound confident, but the truth was, she had no idea what life outside the pack would look like.

She had only known this world, but she’d rather take the risk than stay and suffer.

Maya didn't want her to go but she has seen how much suffering Lily has been enduring for years. It was the best thing to do.

“Just promise me you’ll be careful and always call me” Maya said.

“I promise,” Lily said, a smile appearing on her face as she hugged Maya. She was the only person she would miss.

The bell rang and lunch ended. Lily stood up and carried her backpack over her shoulder.

“I’ll be fine, Maya. I just have to make it through the next few days, and then I’m out of here" She said, trying to act strong so Maya won't worry.

Maya gave her a weak smile.

“Just don’t do anything crazy, okay?” She adviced.

“I won’t" Lily hugged her once again.

As Lily walked back to class, her heart felt heavier than usual.

Maya was her only friend, the only one who had ever stood by her. Leaving her behind was one of the hardest parts of her plan, but she couldn’t stay for anyone.

The pack had made her feel small, unworthy of friendship, love, or even basic respect. She had to leave for her own sake.

Lily sat through the rest of the afternoon classes barely paying attention to the lessons, mostly because Lucas and Liam kept throwing papers at her.

When the final bell rang, she packed up her things and headed toward the school main door. She was halfway down the hallway when a voice stopped her.

“Leaving so soon, Wolf Trash?”

Lily turned around to look at Liam. She could see his hand was around his girlfriend, Lexa, who was laughing as she watched his mock her.

Lily kept walking, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction.

“Aw, come on, Lily,” Liam called after her, his voice filled with fake sweetness. “Don’t ignore me. I thought we were friends.”

Lily clenched her fists but kept moving toward the door. She wasn’t going to let him get to her today. Not when she was so close to leaving all of this behind.

Before she could make it out, a strong hand grabbed her arm, stopping her from leaving the school. She turned around to see Lucas standing there, his icy blue eyes staring into hers.

His grip on her arm wasn’t too painful anymore, she was used to it, but it was firm enough to make her heart race.

“You think you can just walk away?” he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

Lily looked angrily at him, trying to remove her arm out of his grip, but he was too strong.

“What do you want, Lucas?” she asked as she tried to withstand the pain he was inflicting on her.

Lucas didn’t answer right away. He just stared at her, as if searching for something in her face.

His eyes, usually so cold and cruel, held something else, something Lily couldn’t quite understand.

For a moment, she thought he might actually say something different, something that wasn’t an insult or a taunt. But then Liam appeared at his side, his signature smirk plastered across his face.

“Come on, Lucas,” Liam said, putting his arm around his twin’s shoulders. “She’s not worth it.”

Lucas’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t say anything. He looked at Liam, then back at Lily, his expression unreadable.

“Yeah, I’m not,” Lily muttered, releasing herself then turning away from them and heading for the door.

She was done with their games.

That evening, as Lily sat in her room, she went over her plan one last time.

She had packed most of her things, only important stuff. Clothes, some food, and the small amount of money she had managed to save over the years.

She didn’t have much, but it would be enough to get her out of the pack’s territory. That was all she needed.

Her heart pounded as she thought about it. In just a few days, she would be gone. No more school, no more bullying, no more Alpha twins. She would finally be free.

Her phone buzzed on the table and she picked it up to see a message from Maya.

"You okay?I heard what those two monsters did" She asked.

Lily quickly responded, telling her friend she was fine. But the truth was, she wasn’t. She felt like a storm was coming, and she had no idea how to stop it.

As she lay back on her bed, staring up at the ceiling, she thought about Lucas’s strange behavior earlier that day.

He had looked at her differently, almost as if he was trying to say something. But what? Was he starting to feel guilty for how he treated her?

Lily shook her head. It didn’t matter. Very soon, she would be gone, and whatever was going on with the twins wouldn’t affect her anymore.

Still, the feeling of dread wouldn’t leave.

Later that night, Lily went to the kitchen for a glass of water. As she stood at the window, looking out into the night outside, something caught her eye.

Someone stood in the street just staring at her house. It was too dark to see clearly, but she could make out the shape of someone watching her.

A chill ran down her spine.

Her cup fell from her hand and by the time she looked outside again, the person had disappeared.

Her heart raced as she stepped back from the window. Who had been watching her? And why?

As she made her way back to her room, she tried to steady herself despite feeling terrified. Something was definitely wrong.

And for the first time, Lily wondered if she would really make it to her eighteenth birthday.

The days went on, but the strange feeling in Lily’s chest only grew stronger.

Maya had noticed her being distracted in school.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” she asked for the third time that week, sitting next to Lily in the courtyard during lunch.

Lily nodded her head to answer.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just tired" She replied.

“Tired from what? It’s not like you’re pulling all-nighters for school,” Maya teased, but her eyes were filled with concern. “Look, I know things have been tough with the twins, but something feels off. You’ve been acting weird.”

Lily sighed, leaning back against the tree they sat under.

“It’s not just them,” she admitted. “There’s… something else.”

Maya frowned.

“What do you mean?” she asked almost immediately.

Lily hesitated, unsure if she should even bring it up.

She didn’t want to sound paranoid, but the feeling of fear had been in her mind for days. Finally, she decided to tell Maya about the person she’d seen outside her window.

“I think someone’s been watching me,” Lily whispered. “A few nights ago, I saw someone standing by the trees outside my house. They were just… there, watching. And then they disappeared.”

“You saw someone? Who? Was it one of the twins?” Maya asked as her eyes widened in surprise.

“I don’t know. It was too dark to see their face, but I wouldn't be surprised if it was either Liam or Lucas. Maybe this is their sick way of trying to get me to become more terrified" She replied.

Maya’s face turned paled.

“Lily, that’s… really creepy. I'm scared for you" She said. "Maybe you should tell someone."

“Tell who?” Lily asked, her voice filled with pain. “No one in the pack cares about me. They’ll just think I’m making it up. And even if they did believe me, why would they do anything to help?”

Maya didn’t have an answer for that. They both knew the pack wouldn’t lift a finger to protect Lily.

She had been an outcast for as long as anyone could remember. No one cared if she was scared or in danger.

“Maybe it's not any of the twins,” Maya suggested. “Maybe it was some random person passing by.”

Lily didn’t believe that for a second, but she didn’t want to worry Maya more than she already had.

“Yeah, maybe" She said.

Still, the memory of the person haunted her. And as her eighteenth birthday drew closer, her anxiety grew.

It was finally her birthday and the Moon Goddess Festival preparations were in full swing.

The entire pack was buzzing with excitement, especially because this year, the Alpha twins would come of age.

The festival would mark the moment the twins were officially named as the next leaders of the pack.

The thought made Lily sick.

She sat through another boring history class, staring blankly at the board as Mrs. Davis talked about some ancient werewolf legend.

She barely paid attention, her mind too busy racing with thoughts of her escape.

In a couple hours, she would be gone. She just had to make it through the festival without drawing too much attention, and then she could slip away while everyone was distracted.

Just as she was about to let her mind wander completely, the classroom door swung open.

Everyone turned to see Lucas standing in the doorway, his usual confident smirk disappeared. Instead, his face was blank, his eyes unreadable as they scanned the room.

Mrs. Davis stopped teaching and looked at him, clearly surprised.

“Mr. Lucas, is there something you need?” she asked.

Lucas’s gaze locked on Lily, and she felt a chill run down her spine. He didn’t answer the teacher’s question. Instead, he walked into the classroom.

He was certainly acting weird. He wasn't him usual hateful self.

Lily’s heart pounded in her chest. What was he doing? He never showed up to random classes like this.

Lucas walked straight to her desk, ignoring the curious stares of their classmates.

He stopped in front of her, standing over her. His presence felt suffocating and Lily couldn't help but be afraid.

“What do you want?” Lily asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

Lucas didn’t respond right away. He simply stared at her, his piercing blue eyes searching her face as if he was trying to figure something out.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he spoke.

“You need to be careful,” he said quietly, his voice so low that only she could hear.

Lily was confused at his words.

“What do you mean?” she asked.

“Just watch your back,” Lucas added, his tone serious.

Without another word, he turned and left the classroom, leaving everyone, including Mrs. Davis, stunned into silence.

Lily stared at him as he left, her mind racing.

What was that about? Lucas had never said anything like a warning to her before. Usually, he was the one causing her trouble, not warning her about it

Maya leaned over from her desk, her eyes wide with confusion.

“What the hell was that?” She asked.

“I have no idea,” Lily muttered. She was just as shocked as everyone.

Lucas’s weird warning left her shaken.

It was like he knew something she didn’t.

In school, Lily couldn’t concentrate. She mind wasn't listening to any word coming from her teacher's mouth because her mind was filled with questions.

What had Lucas meant? Why did he care if she watched her back? Was he playing some kind of twisted game with her?

As the classes continued, she found herself thinking more and more about the person she had seen watching her.

What if Lucas knew something about that? What if he had seen the person? Or perhaps he knew who it was? But why wouldn’t he just tell her?

Frustrated and exhausted, Lily finally got up from her seat and went to the restroom.

She washed her face, trying desperately to calm herself and focus on her escape plan instead of thinking about Lucas.

Suddenly the door to the restroom opened and Lexa walked in with her large group of friends.

They were laughing about something Lexa had said but as soon as they saw her, their laughter disappeared.

Lily’s heart raced. She didn't want to be anywhere near these girls because they were just as mean to her like Lucas and Liam.

She attempted to leave but the girls blocked her passage.

"You've got some nerves" Lexa began. "I honestly don't know what the twins see in you to even bother talking to you."

"That's exactly what I wonder too" Lily said, trying to act cool instead of being afraid.

Lexa raised an eyebrow then landed a slap on Lily's face within seconds.

Lily held her face, staring at Lexa with astonishment written all over her face.

"First of all, I'm not the twins that you can just talk to" Lexa applied lipstick to her lips. "You're beneath me and that means you shouldn't even look at me. Well, when the moon goddess picks me to be the twins mate tonight, I'll make sure your life here becomes worse than hell."

Lily wanted to retaliate but she knew it will only make things worse for her. She needed to just endure everything even if it meant being humiliated in the girl's bathroom.

"Now apologize, you wolf trash" Lexa's friends said, pushing Lily from different corners.

Lily didn't want to, but if she disobeyed them, she wouldn't be able to handle the consequences.

"I'm sorry" She said, bowing her head to avoid staring directly at Lexa.

Lexa smiled, pleased with herself.

"Whatever, I don't care about anything that comes out of your filthy mouth"

She pushed Lily out of her way and walked outside.

Lily stared angrily as tears fell from her eyes.

She was done enduring this horrible treatment.

The Moon Goddess Festival arrived faster than Lily expected. All around her, the pack buzzed with anticipation.

Decorations hung from the trees and houses, and people seemed to be enjoying the evening's grand celebration.

The festival had always been a massive event for the pack, a tradition going back centuries.

It was meant to honor the Moon Goddess and her guidance over the wolves, particularly in matters of mates.

But for Lily, tonight held a much darker significance. It was time for her escape, the day she had been counting down to for years, the day she would finally leave.

No one in the pack had cared about her birthday; no one even acknowledged it, they probably didn't remember.

All they cared was the Alpha twins mate ritual. But that didn’t matter. She didn’t need their well wishes. What she needed was freedom.

She clenched her fists at the thought of Lucas and Liam.

All these years, they had tormented her relentlessly, making her life a living hell. And now, they were about to ascend to the role of Alpha leaders.

The pack worshipped them, adored them. No one knew the true monsters they were, except for her.

But after tonight, they wouldn’t be her problem anymore.

She needed to stick to her plan. She planned on waiting until the festival had already began and people didn't even care about her presence, then she would slip away unnoticed.

She had checked out a path through the woods that led out of pack territory. From there, she would follow the river to the nearest town.

It was risky, but it was her only option. She couldn’t stay here any longer. Not after everything she’d endured.

Taking a deep breath, Lily grabbed her bag and carried it over her shoulder. She made her way downstairs, the house empty as usual.

Her mother had left hours ago to help with the festival preparations, not that she would have noticed her absence anyway.

She was practically invisible to her, an outcast in her own family.

As she stepped outside, she looked around to make sure that she wasn't being watched by anyone.

She kept her head down, walking quickly past the crowd, avoiding eye contact with anyone who might recognize her.

As she reached the edge of the forest, Lily hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the city.

This was it. Once she crossed into the boundary, there was no turning back.

"Goodbye hell" She said.

She stepped into the woods and made her way down the road.

The path she had mapped out in her head was clear, and she moved swiftly, her senses on high alert.

She knew she wasn't entirely safe until she has successfully crossed the border. It was most important.

Lily had only been walking for about fifteen minutes when she heard it, a rustling sound behind her.

She froze, her heart skipping a beat. Slowly, she turned, looking at the trees, but there was nothing there. Just the wind, she told herself. Just the wind.

But as she started walking again, the sound came back, louder this time. Footsteps.

Someone was following her.

Panic surged through Lily’s body as she quickened her pace, her eyes moving around the forest.

She could feel the presence behind her, following each step she took. Whoever it was, they were close, too close.

Suddenly, someone stepped out from the shadows, blocking her path. Lily’s heart leapt into her throat as she recognized him instantly.

Lucas.

He stood there, arms crossed over his chest, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Going somewhere?” he asked, his voice filled with mockery.

Lily’s blood ran cold. How had he found her? She hadn’t seen him anywhere near the edge of the forest. Had he been following her this whole time?

“What are you doing here?” she demanded, her voice shaking despite her best efforts to remain calm. "Aren't you supposed to be at the moon goddess festival?"

Lucas took a step closer, his eyes gleaming with amusement.

“I could ask you the same thing. But I already know the answer" He said.

Lily clenched her fists, her mind racing. She had to think of something, some way to get past him. But Lucas was fast, stronger than her, and she knew he wouldn’t let her go easily.

“I’m leaving,” she said, her voice more confident than she felt. “I don’t care what you or anyone else in this pack thinks of me. I’m done being your punching bag.”

Lucas raised an eyebrow, looking almost impressed by her defiance.

“You think it’s that simple? That you can just walk away?” he asked.

“I don’t care if it’s simple,” Lily snapped. “I’m not staying here another day.”

For a moment, Lucas didn’t respond. He simply stared at her, his eyes narrowing. Then, without warning, he lunged forward, grabbing her arm. Lily gasped, trying to pull away, but his grip was like iron.

“You’re not going anywhere,” he growled, his voice low and dangerous. “Not tonight.”

Fear gripped Lily as she struggled against him, but Lucas held her firmly, his strength overpowering her.

“Let me go!” she shouted, her voice echoing through the trees.

Lucas’s expression darkened, and for a moment, she thought he might actually hurt her. But then, something shifted in his gaze. The smirk vanished, replaced by something colder, more serious.

“You don’t get it, do you?” he said quietly, his grip loosening slightly. “You can’t leave. Not now.”

Lily’s heart pounded in her chest.

“Why? Why do you care?” she asked.

Lucas let out a humorless laugh, shaking his head.

“Because, surprisingly, you’re important, whether you like it or not" He replied.

Lily blinked continuously, trying to understand what he was saying to her.

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

But before Lucas could answer, another voice cut through the air.

“She deserves to know, Lucas.”

Lily turned to see Liam stepping out from behind a tree, his expression unreadable. He walked toward them, his eyes locking onto Lily’s.

“You're our mate,” Liam said, his voice steady, but filled with anger. “The Moon Goddess chose you, Lily.”

The words hit her like a punch to the gut.

Mate?

Her mind went blank, her body going numb. This had to be some kind of sick joke. The twins, her mates? The very same boys who had tormented her for years?

She shook her head, stepping back, her heart racing.

“No,” she whispered. “That can’t be true.”

Lucas’s grip tightened on her arm again.

“It is, Lily. You can’t run from this" He said. "If you do, the entire pack will be thrown in chaos and you'll eventually end up dead."

Lily’s world spun out of control. Everything she had planned, every hope of escaping, shattered in an instant.

How could the Moon Goddess have done this to her? How could she bind her to the very people who had made her life unbearable?

Her knees failed her, but before she could fall, Lucas caught her, his arms steadying her. She felt trapped, suffocated by the reality crashing down on her.

“I… I can’t…” she stammered, her voice barely a whisper.

But it didn’t matter. There was no escaping now.