Her Unwanted Mate On The Throne
Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Chapter 109 Run, baby.

She almost didn’t believe it when she heard the lock click. It took several tries at different keys before itfinally worked. Doris threw on another sweater before she carefully creaked open the door and peekedinto the hallways. She wasn’t sure how it had gotten so dark in such a short time, perhaps Jospeh tookall of the light with him.

She quickly pushed his kind face away from her mind. Kindness counted for nothing when she wanted tosurvive-she learned that the hard way. Lessons are always learned the hard way and she had gonethrough more than a few of her own.

Slowly, Doris creaked the door open and slipped out through the small crack. She clicked the door shutand locked it behind her as if she hadn’t left the room at all. It would only fool them til morning, then theywould be after her. Hopefully she would replace the camp long before that happened.

It could have been hours or mere minutes until the sun came out, she didn’t know but she was certain ofone thing. She had to hurry before anyone else came knocking. Joseph had been the only one to checkon her since she’d been here besides Mr. Hugh. But, she already had an appointment with him so shedidn’t expect him to wonder about her until evening. That gave her enough of a chance to try and get asfar as possible from here as she could.

Doris kept her steps light as she followed the same path Joseph had led her down less than an hourbefore. She skimmed the walls and peered around each comer to make sure the guards were still fastasleep before she hurried by. She had no idea if Joseph was off for the night after he left her or if he wasdoing a round of the grounds since no one else was up to do she. She just knew she had to be extracareful.

Her feet felt as if they were gliding on air as she rushed to the door that led outside. Not one soundthumped against the ground as if she weighed nothing. Though, her heart was the loudest thing inside

her. It could have even woke the dead.

When she reached out to open the door, she banged against it. The sound was so loud, she had to holdher breath and listen for any trace of steps hurrying her way to throw her back where she came from.She counted silently in her head and stayed still as ice. When she reached thirty, she moved to open thedoor but it was locked.

Doris pulled out the keys and tried every single one of them until one finally fit in the hole and allowedher to tum it. The cold breeze the chilled her face was almost a relief. She glanced back once before shehurried out into the snow that still held their footsteps.

It was dead silent. Like there was no life for miles and miles no matter where she headed. Doris didn’tknow what direction to head in, she didn’t know which one would lead her to where William was but shehad to try. All she knew was that she had to make it through the trees but she was dead if she didn’t geta horse first.

Doris scaled the walls and peered over the edge of the corner. Two guards were in deep conversationwith their backs to her near the stables where William had stolen the horses. Doris quickly pulled backand hid herself from their view again. Her breath grew louder to her ears. She tried to calm the sound butit only made her feel as if she’d gotten louder the more she tried.

This was ridiculous—how was she going to get out of this one without a horse? She’d be walking allnight now and would arrive to them with missing toes from the frozen air.

Doris glanced at the trees and saw an opening between the darkness. She kept her steps light as shehurried towards it. It was much colder than she thought it was. When she came out with Joseph, she felthot as if she couldn’t feel any trace of the cold air but now it was like she was coated in her own layer ofice. It was what she deserved for using his kindness for her own benefit.

A distant howl sounded in the distance, it made her skin ripple with goosebumps. What if they hunted herlike an animal when they found out she was gone? She knew she had to keep going and at least try toget away. She’d never forgive herself if she sat around and did nothing while her future was decided forher. Especially if they ended up wanting to kill her just to spite William.

She moved between the trees carefully. There were no traces of another guard for miles and she hopedthat meant she’d left them all behind her. Each crunch in the snow made her cringe and heart race as if itwas trying to exit her chest. How far was the camp from here? She remembered it being long by carriagebut fast by horses. Perhaps if she ran she would get there quicker—as ridiculous as that was.

Doris glanced around and saw nothing but more trees. She took a long deep breath before she took offinto the darkness away from Life Pharmacy. The forest didn’t look familiar but she knew that Williamheaded this way when they were on their horses.

Doris cursed those guards for surrounding the area and making her run back to the camp rather thanride. They must have realized that William stole a few of their horses the night they escaped before theywere found out and now made sure it was always monitored.

It didn’t take long for her breath to run out with barely any ground covered thanks to the thick snow. Shewasn’t used to running like this, she collapsed to the ground and rested her head against her knees. Shehad to keep going.

She allowed herself a few breaths before she got up again and continued on. Life Pharmacy was now adistant shadow behind her but she knew it was still too close for comfort. The sun started to poke upabove the horizon and she wondered how long it had been since she left her prison. Did Joseph noticeshe was gone yet? Or would he wait a few more hours before he checked if she was awake?

She didn’t want to imagine the betrayal on his face when he realized what happened

and where his keys went. She deserved his anger and hurt, but she didn’t want to see it. He had torealize that she didn’t deserve to be a pawn, he had to know that. Why else would be be so kind to her?

Any time a small branch broke or something shifted behind her, she paused to make sure nothing wastrailing her. She kept to the trees and didn’t dare to stay out in the open for long. It was only a death wishand she had no reason to be caught so soon. Even if she was heading in the wrong direction, it wasbetter than sitting around. Anything was better than being a prisoner, they were foolish to underestimateher.

Louder howls echoed through the trees, she wasn’t sure how close they were but it made the hair on theback of her neck stand up. Doris quickly ducked behind a large boulder and searched for any sort ofweapon to grasp onto.

She closed her fingers around a sharp rock and listened to the change in the wind. Paws beat againstthe ground and she knew in her heart that they had found out she was gone. It took them a lot quickerthan she wanted and now the only thing she could do was

“Run, baby!” A loud voice broke through the silence. A man laughed so loud it made her flinch. “We’vealready got you!”

Doris stood and took off through the trees. She ran as fast as she could and couldn’t hear if anything wasbehind her or if she was about to be mauled to death. Keep going, keep going. Her breath was loud inher ears as she panted harder. Don’t look back, keep going

A rope wrapped around her chest and yanked her back into the darkness. Some man she didn’trecognize in the slightest lassoed her back and dragged her through the cold snow until she was at hisfeet. He took a long drag on a cigar in his mouth before he blew out the smoke and smirked down at her.“That was pretty fun. You almost got away with it, little one.”