Darkness.

That’s all I remember. It’s cold and it’s dark. My own body feels like it’s given up on me. I can’t hear a thing. Can’t even feel anything. Eventually, my sight begins to adjust with my surroundings once my brain figures out that I’m not on solid ground.

I’m falling.

I don’t know why but I can’t move my feet and I can’t feel my arms. It’s like I’m stuck in the moment, forever waiting to hit the river beneath me. The chances of surviving the fall are slim. All I know is that I’m fucked. Once I hit the running river, there’s no turning back.

Holding my breath, I embrace the pain and accept my fate, closing my eyes as I clash against the waves. Why does it feel like I’m on my way to die? To my bad luck, no hopeful thoughts occupy my mind. Not even a single face crosses my memory. The mild pain is all there is. The constant drowning. The cold waters engulfing my lungs.

It’s too late.

All my hope has gone and left me. I start to wonder if this is the end for me. That some things are better off left unfinished. There’s nothing I can do to save myself. To escape from this endless pit.

But then, out of nowhere, a tree falls over and alters my path towards death. With the huge rocks along the way, the current knocks me over and forces me down a different path. This one, however, is more at peace with the waters.

My body floats over the river with grace, like a siren soaring through the sea. Darkness finds me once again as I try to catch my breath, like a dying man seeking oxygen. It isn’t until then that an overgrown root under the water gets hold of my feet, throwing me off balance.

Fuck.

I struggle against it but the river’s too strong. With a grunt, I gather all my remaining strength until I successfully break off from my shackles. My own body falls helplessly over the side of the river, giving me one last hope to survive.

On my back, I take a deep breath as I stared up at the sky. Above the trees, I hear the birds singing in the sky. It’s like a dream. One that I never truly quite understood. With a sigh, I force myself on my feet but my body’s too heavy to begin with. I take a look around the forest and almost caught myself in shock.

Beyond the trees, there is a woman and a small cabin rests behind her. She pays no mind to me while she waters her plants, unaware of my unwanted presence. She is oblivious, doing her chore with a passion.

For a woman, I wonder if she lived here on her own. The forest is no place for a woman. Especially for the innocent ones. Although she seems distant and out of reach, she is beyond beautiful.

Her elegant hair is dark and long. It runs along her back like a waterfall. For a second, the sight of her state confuses me. She wears a dirty rug and her feet are bare. Had she lived here longer than I thought?

I try to speak, to introduce myself and steal her delicate attention. But no words left my mouth. I raise myself up from the grass, only to fall on my knees, hardly out of breath.

It isn’t until then that she noticed my existence and for a second, she looks terrified. Surprise doesn’t define her face. I’m in awe, left frozen on my spot. I wanted to approach her but i’s her backward step that forced me to stop on my tracks.

I hesitate, wondering if she’s afraid of me. How can I tell her I’m not a threat? How can she believe me? For a while, she is dead silent, the way the birds and the trees stay quiet before us, observing me with her curious eyes.

I wanted to tell her that I needed her help. That I needed saving. I feel like I’m about to pass out. But at that significant moment, all I can do is stare at her beauty. Perfection cannot describe it.

I was out of words.

With every breath she takes, my heart beats faster. I’d give anything to have her speak. To know the thoughts that swirled inside her pretty little head. If she spoke, then perhaps I’d know that I wasn’t dreaming.

She lands a wary little step forward, causing my breath to hitch. Whether she takes me as a threat or as a victim, I didn’t know. Perhaps I might never know. I try to rise on my feet, yet again, but it was too soon. My own body gives up on me and my sight begins to blur.

“Save… me,” I manage to say before falling on the ground head first.

***

This book is the continuation of Kaiden's story from my book "Mated to the Alpha King" You can still read this as a stand-alone although I recommend reading that book first. Enjoy reading!