The alternative ending starts where the line is bold.

Adelia tightened her backpack over her shoulders. It was getting old now, the threads had begun to fray, but it had been with her for so long - since the beginning - she couldn't bear to change it.

This was the sixth move in this month. They were relentless, angry. But she could never give up even if it meant putting her life at risk. Adelia gripped the tea-stained and pen marked map tightly in her left hand whilst scanning the dark woods in front of her.

She had to take this shortcut. Taking the bus meant that her scent would linger on other people and she knew what he was like. Heartless. She would never stoop to his level of heartlessness and put innocents at risk.

Shoving the map into her backpacks side pocket, she took off, running headfirst into the awaiting woods. The moon was bright but patchy, only managing to infiltrate the thick overhead canopy where the trees thinned. Her eyes managed to pierce through the suffocating darkness and she could see ahead of her in perfect detail.

Her feet slammed into the ground with a rhythmic pad, her breaths calm and measured. This run to the next town was long but easy; Her advanced physique was the only feature of this cursed life she was grateful for.

Adelia glanced at her digital watch quickly. She had been running for an hour and the next town was close. She would rest there for a day at most and then change locations. Maybe she should try somewhere more remote rather than trying to blend in with a populous town. Or maybe she should leave the country. Germany was surrounded by different countries but she was closest to France. If she got to France, she could take the Eurostar to England and then to the Republic of Ireland where there were few wolf packs. He would never look for her there and it should be far enough for him not to sense her either.

It was perfect.

But first, she would have to escape today's hunt.

Suddenly a large bird flew overhead, screeching a warning cry to other animals. Adelia heard as smaller animals went scurrying underground and multiple wings flapped furiously as they flew away.

The wolves were close.

She stopped and cocked her head, facing her ear in the direction the bird flew from. She could hear five faint heartbeats growing closer and closer. The next town was too far to make it before they caught up to her and they were running in their wolf form.

"Dammit", she swore, tossing her backpack into the overhanging tree. She would have to fight, there was no other way out. Sniffing the air deeply, she cursed again. He had sent his personal henchmen. The strongest of the lot. There was no way she could overpower them as a single woman in human form.

She would have to shift. There was no other way.

Adelia tore off her clothes in a frenzy, kicking them to the side and hunched on the ground in agony. It had been so long that the shift was no longer familiar to her body and as the muscle and bones rearranged, she opened her mouth in a wordless scream.

She lay panting on the ground as fur covered her snout and face before standing up on all fours against her unfamiliar protesting muscles.

There was no time to succumb to pain and fear. In her wolf form, she was strong, but she had to be level-headed to tap into that strength.

Adelia trotted over to a thick bush and waited patiently as the five steps grew closer until they finally breached the area where she hid. The biggest of them sniffed the ground, a faint growl resonating from his throat.

Now.

Adelia leapt out from the bush, her jaws open as she aimed her teeth for the throat of the leader. His head shot up in surprise but he was slow, too slow, and Adelia clenched her jaws, her teeth effortlessly sliding through his muscles. She felt the blood gush out, matting her muzzles, and she spat and let him fall to the ground in a lifeless heap.

The other four stood in shock but quickly leapt into action, growling and circling.

They weren't allowed to hurt her but she didn't play by his rules. She would hurt them.

Adelia was fast, faster than the average wolf. She pounced before they realised, working her way through the small pack in a deadly blur. They tried to react but they were too slow - It was like they were moving in slow motion.

As quickly as they had come, they were gone, dead to the world.

Adelia washed in a small nearby stream, donning her clothes hurriedly. She had shifted, it was only a matter of time before he found her. Shifting was like the setting of a flare that only he could sense, but she had no choice. She was only able to stay in her human form until now because she used to have her team and now she didn't. She had to move, now.

She didn't bother to tidy the mess she left behind. He probably would. Like he always had.

Within minutes the next town came to view.

Adelia would allow herself a small rest. Then she would run again.

-

"Thank you", Adelia called out as she gripped her room key tightly. The lady at the reception desk gave a wink.

"Have fun!" She called out.

"What?" Adelia asked, confused.

"Nothing, nothing. Good night", the lady said, still smiling.

Adelia cast one last glance at the eccentric lady before heading up the wooden stairs and into a quiet corridor. The doors were all identical except for the brass number plates and the cream wallpaper gave the illusion that the passage was a lot bigger than it really was.

"310", Adelia murmured, looking at her key. It was the room at the far end, apparently the biggest on the floor. She headed there impatiently, sliding the lock in and turning the doorknob in relief.

The sitting area that greeted her was large and spacious due to the varying shades of white from the furniture to the paint. Adelia locked the door behind her and unceremoniously dumped her bag by the sofa.

First, she would sleep.

She headed for what she assumed would be the bedroom door and opened it to see a dark room. Flicking on the lights, she froze.

He was there.

On her bed.

"Hello, Adelia", he purred.

"No- How-", Adelia stuttered in horror.

"We're mates, Adelia", he grinned darkly. "I know what you will do before you do it".

Adelia stared back in shock. He was as handsome as ever, so handsome her heart hurt. He had thick black hair, locks tumbling onto his forehead, with dark piercing eyes that stared into her soul. He wore his usual trousers and a shirt with the sleeves rolled up, something that made her heart beat in a wild frenzy.

"Come here, my love", he murmured encouragingly.

"And be touched by those blood-stained hands?" Adelia spat as she snapped out of her trance. "I'd rather not!"

"It wasn't my fault, if only you had listened to me", he laughed condescendingly. "Your poor, poor rag-tag team of bumbling fools. I wonder how you sleep at night knowing you led them to their graves".

"Don't you dare blame me", Adelia hissed vehemently.

"You could have ended it. Me. But you didn't. You hesitated. And because of your weakness, they all died. How pathetic".

"Oh, shut up", Adelia snarled. "You chose to kill them. You held me captive as I watched you kill them!"

"Oh yes, it was fun", he chuckled. "I used one claw on each of their throats. I wish I could do it all over again just to see that priceless look on your face. How that does turn me on".

Adelia inched backwards, her hand slowly reaching for the doorknob.

"What do you want, huh?"

"You", he smiled. "Even if you've tried to kill me".

"I'm one of the many who wants to. You're a tyrant. You're abusive and sick. I'd rather die than be your mate".

"Like your poor friends? What a shame", he mocked. "You lied to your friends, didn't you? You didn't tell them about how pined over the very man your team was planning to kill. You pined like a bitch in heat even as your boyfriend planned to kill me. I enjoyed his death the most. I loved the tears that fell as he fought oh so helplessly".

Adelia twisted the doorknob and ran out of the room towards the window. She would jump out and shift again and run and run and never look back.

She got no more than five steps when she felt muscular arms wrap around and yank her backwards.

"Let go!" Adelia squirmed and scratched but all her efforts were futile against the Alpha.

"I was too easy on you and let you get away. Now, I'll make sure it'll never happen again", he said as he pushed her into the sofa head first.

"Okay!" Adelia screamed. "I promise, I'll come with you. I swear I'll obey".

"Why should I trust a scheming bitch like you?" He hissed, pushing her down more.

"Because I'm tired of running away! I'm so goddamn tired and I'm so, so alone, okay?" Adelia sobbed. "I hate being on the run, and I hate fighting the mating bond every single minute of my life!"

"Hah", he laughed in disbelief. "Why the sudden change of mind? Prove it!"

"Prove it?" Adelia asked, confused.

He lifted her up and leant on top of her, her back to the sofa, with him on top. His hair fell, tumbling down his forehead and Adelia resisted the urge to touch it, run her fingers through it.

"Kiss me", he whispered throatily. "Kiss me".

Adelia stared in surprise and felt her heart beat faster.

"Okay", she breathed out, staring at his full inviting lips.

She lifted her head off the sofa, not breaking eye contact with the deep depths of his dark eyes. Tilting her head, she brushed a soft kiss against his lips and felt a hot wave of desire wash over her like a tidal wave.

He growled and grabbed her head, raising her lips back to his in a deep kiss.

Adelia felt her mind fog and turn fuzzy, and fought against that cloud of happiness that followed any contact with her mate.

He lifted his lips of hers for a second and smirked.

"If I knew it was that easy, I should have just fucked you before", he purred.

Adelia stopped in her tracks. What was she doing? Sure, she planned to seduce him as a backup but now he thought he had won.

He returned his lips to hers and Adelia felt her desire turn to rage.

Trailing her hands along her hip, she blindly felt for the hilt of the silver dagger thar rested at her hip under her shirt whilst fighting off the assault from his mouth. He moaned as she bit his lip in defiance and Adelia felt sick.

She was kissing a mass murderer. A man who had killed her parents, siblings, the man who she thought was her mate and her friends.

Only she could avenge their death.

She pulled the dagger out, discreetly, and brought her hands around his back, positioning it where his heart would be.

With a half cry, half sob, she brought the dagger down, the blade sliding through flesh and bone as if were butter until it was buried up to the hilt in his back.

He let out a gasping sound as his flesh and skin began to sizzle and burn under the painful silver.

"Why?" He choked out, blood gushing from his mouth and splashing on her face. "You- You bitch".

She said nothing, only smiled a sad smile as he choked and wheezed above her and his heart stopped beating.

"Because we can never have a happy ending", she whispered through her tears as his body came crashing down, the blood seeping through her clothes.

She stared at the ceiling as his body slowly turned cold, a dead weight on top of her, and her heart grew empty and void.

They could never have a happy ending.

But now everyone else could.

It's still grim but he's a piece of shit so he must go 😂

Thoughts?

Xx