Clara's POV
I pressed my back against the mansion's wall, holding my breath as the guards passed by. If they caught me, it would be a disaster. I needed to leave—needed to get far away from here. I needed to be free from that Alpha by all means and this was the only way I could protect the child growing inside of me.It had been a week since the Alpha's punishment, and I had spent the time carefully planning my escape. The Alpha hadn't bothered me since then, and I was grateful for that at least.I watched from my hiding spot as the guards passed and the night grew darker, I began to creep through the small bushes in the area, careful not to make a sound. My goal was the secret escape route I had found—a small opening that no one else knew about except for me and a few other maids that were my friends. Security around the mansion had tightened since my last escape attempt, but this time, I was determined not to let anything stop me.I hid in the bushes, waiting for the main light to turn off so the area would be darker. After a few seconds, the light went out, and I moved cautiously through the shadows. I was almost at my secret escape opening when a voice stopped me cold. "Where do you think you are going?"I froze, cold sweat dripping down my forehead. Slowly, I turned to face her, and to my horror, it was Veronica. What was she doing in this part of the mansion? Hardly anyone ever came here, so if she was, she must have known about my escape plan. Why is she always spying on me and why does she want to ruin my life further?Veronica walked towards me, a smile on her face as if she were already relishing the thought of my coming punishment. I just know she is going to report me to the alpha and this night is not going to end well. "It seems that almost freezing to death wasn't enough for you, was it? Why are you trying to escape again after what you went through last time?"If I didn't know better, I might have thought she was concerned for me, but that wasn't the case. Her eyes gleamed with excitement at the thought of me suffering another punishment. Desperate to find the right words, I began to speak, my voice trembling with panic as I glanced around to make sure no guards were coming. "Veronica, please, just let me go. Pretend you didn't see me tonight. Please, let me go.""Why?" she asked, a smile playing on her lips as she crossed her arms. "What exactly are you trying to escape from? You are the Alpha's favorite, aren't you? The only woman who gets to sleep in his bed, in his room. The only one he lets kiss him, the only one he actually thinks about, even when his other mistresses are bouncing on his cock. So what is it you are so afraid of? Many would die to be in your shoes. You are very ungrateful you know and I think you deserve every punishment he gives to you""You don't get to talk unless you have actually been in my shoes, Veronica," I snapped. "You wouldn't know what pain and suffering feel like unless you have experienced it yourself. I am trying to escape, which means you can finally be in my shoes and let us see just how much you like it." The fact that I am his favorite only makes things worse for me. The fact that he wants me more than the rest makes it worse. "Look, Veronica," I said, trying to keep my emotions in check, "if you let me go, you can have him all to yourself. You won't have to worry about me anymore.""Is this why you are trying to escape?" Veronica suddenly asked, showing me my pregnancy test. My heart skipped a beat. How exactly did she find that? This is bad. She smiled to herself before adding, "Imagine what he would do to that thing growing inside you when he finds out. Isn't that something to look forward to? I mean, I want to have Alpha Lucas all to myself, but the thought of seeing you suffer might just outweigh my desire for him. Besides, the punishment will never stop. Sooner or later, you will die from it, and then he will be all mine."Tears welled up in my eyes as I realized what Veronica was planning. She smiled wickedly, about to call for the guards, but I acted on instinct. I lunged at her, tackling her to the ground and clamping my hand over her mouth to muffle her screams.She struggled against me, but adrenaline rushed through my veins, giving me strength. I had never felt so alive in my entire life. It was like I was fighting for something worth more than riches itself. I glanced around frantically and spotted a large stone. Without hesitation, I grabbed it and struck her on the head. Veronica fell unconscious immediately, her body going limp under me.I threw the stone away, my mind racing with the gravity of what I had done. There was no turning back now; if I got caught, it was over. I squeezed through my little escape hole, bursting out into freedom—or so I thought. I was still within Alpha Lucas's territory.I started running in the thick woods as fast as I could, my heart pounding in my chest. I prayed that no one had discovered Veronica's unconscious or desd body yet, I wasn't sure if she was alive or not.The distant howls of wolves sent a shiver down my spine. They knew I had escaped and now they are after me. The fastest wolves in the pack would be on my trail soon. I had to keep moving. Panic rushed through me, almost too much to handle. I wanted to hide, but that wasn't an option.I would definitely get caught.