<h4>Chapter 520: 520-I Found Him In The North</h4>


    <strong>Mariana:</strong>


    By now I had no idea how many hours I had been running. My feet throbbed with every step.


    The dress I was wearing was so inappropriate that even if I tried to defend myself, it was nearly impossible. I was still in the same gown I had worn for breakfast.


    My makeup was still on, though it had smeared all over my face. My hairstyle waspletely ruined.


    The princess who had barely ever lifted a ss at home was now wandering through the woods with the heels of her shoes clutched in one hand and a log gripped tightly in the other.


    I needed a safe ce for the night, and the night was approaching fast. Exhausted, I sank down in one spot to rest when strange sounds began echoing around me.


    Today I realized how dangerous the North truly was. I had not even been able to close my eyes for long.


    I kept thinking that if I shut them for too long, a monster would snatch me away. I was still deep in the woods.


    Worn out, I kept moving forward. Several times, strange creatures and twisted animals appeared before me, and I knew they were monsters.


    Some I managed to scare off with the log. Some I had to strike. It was not easy.


    Most of the time, I crept along quietly, forcing myself not to make a sound. But as night fell, I understood that something worse was beginning.


    Low growls echoed from every direction. The monsters were closing in.


    I could not understand how a father could do this to his daughter. Then I began to think about all those teenagers who were brought here.


    How did they survive? From the outside, we used to assume they were handed guns and trained to fight.


    This time, I learned the truth. They were given no guns and no training.


    They were taken from their homes, sent to the academy, then to the train station, and finally to the North. That was the journey. That was all they were given.


    "Hey, look over there," my wolf whispered in a weak voice.


    Thankfully, she had started to wake in fragments, though the transition was still taking time. She was still in pain.


    When I followed her voice and looked ahead, I noticed something that looked like a fence. It seemed as if someone had tried to build a safe area there.


    Without thinking, I rushed toward it. As I reached the fence, I saw that someone had created a small secured space.


    Inside stood a badly damaged makeshift tent. I quickly shut the fence behind me, secured it, and went inside the tent.


    I sat down, curling into myself. Within moments, tears began spilling from my eyes.


    "Don’t cry. You already know your father has always been cruel," my wolf murmured softly, trying tofort me.


    But she also knew that no matter how many words she used, no matter how many lubies she sang in my mind, this pain would not lessen.


    I survived today. I do not know if there will even be a tomorrow morning.


    It is not enough for me to survive. I will need food. I will have other needs.


    Will I spend my entire life here now? If the Crusaders, the Alpha’s children, could not survive here and so many of them died every time, then what am I?


    I have never even raised my hands to defend myself. How will I live here?


    A sob tore out of me, and I broke down, hupping through my tears.


    "Mariana, I do not know much. But I know this, you have to rely on me. The moment troublees, I will shift. Whatever happens, we are not the children of low ranked parents. Our rank is strong. Yes, you did not train, but I do not need training. I can defend myself, and I can defend you," Ana dered confidently.


    Her seriousness steadied me a little. I felt a small wave of reassurance settle inside me.


    The only problem was that I did not know how long we could go on like this. The North was not a ce meant for living. That was why it had been locked behind so many gates and towers.


    Eventually, I fell asleep sitting there. I have been under stress sincest night.


    First, I was worried about Fauna. Then came the full trauma of the morning. After that, what my father did to me.


    I was still sitting there when sleep took over. Loud screams jolted me awake, and my heart lurched violently in my chest.


    It felt as if someone was moving around the fence. I could hear sounds outside, and among them was a growl.


    Fear crawled up my spine. As I rubbed my eyes and looked ahead, I realized it was almost morning.


    I could not believe I had slept through the entire night.


    "How shameless am I to fall asleep at a time like this?" I muttered to myself inint.


    "Stop being hard on yourself, Mariana. None of this is your fault," Ana snapped finally, her voice rising when frustration overtook her.


    "Right now, you only need to know that someone is around our fence."


    That confirmation was all I needed from her. My skin broke out in goosebumps instantly.


    I rose carefully and grabbed the log I had kept beside me through the night. I wrapped both hands around it and stepped out with caution.


    The sun struck my eyes so sharply that I flinched. Either the night had been too deep, or even the faint light now felt like needles piercing my vision.


    The moment I moved outside, I saw someone bent over on the ground beyond the fence. I sprinted toward them at full speed and swung the log with all my strength.


    As the man straightened, he caught the log mid air. In the next second, he yanked me toward him.


    I stumbled against the fence while he stood firm on the other side. When he pulled me closer and my scattered senses began to settle, I realized I knew the face in front of me.


    "Yorick," I breathed.


    His brows eased instantly.


    "Mariana, what are you doing here?" he demanded, shock ringing in his voice.