Chosen by Destiny

  Finding Sanctuary Book One

  Natasha Madden

  Magic Mist Publishing

  Copyright © 2022 by Natasha Madden.

  Cover Art Design by Natasha @ Infinity Designs Book Covers.

  This is a work of fiction. All characters are fictional and any resemblance to individuals is unintentional. Any references to people, places or events are only to provided authenticity and are used fictitiously.

  All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the author.

  For all those who believed in me.

  You are my everything.

  Chapter One

  My breath was coming out in short sharp bursts as my feet pounded the dirt track beneath me. My heart crashed against my ribs, as if it was trying to escape the confines of my chest. As terrifying as this was, running for my life, and I won’t admit this to anyone, I love the thrill of being chased. That rush of adrenalin that infuses every part of your body, the kind that makes you feel you can do anything, was incredible.

  My focus remains steady on the path in front of me. The forest was hard to navigate this late into the night. The shadows taking on different shapes as they stretch across the ground in front of me, playing tricks on my eyes.

  Glancing up, I am able to make out the full moon overhead. A slight smile adorns my lips as I notice a rise in my power. I always found comfort and power with the moon. I knew better than to enter Forest Park after dark, especially on a full moon, but I had no choice.

  Well, that’s a lie, the little voice inside my head whispered. I had this insatiable pull to help and aid those who needed it. My plans may go awry, and sometimes they could be impractical, but I always get the job done. I just didn’t have it in me to say no, a downside I blame on my birth date. I was born on the twenty-seventh of August along with my twin sister, Niamh. We were both restless, impulsive, compassionate, and born fighters who refuse to tolerate injustice. Mom said we had hearts of gold. We just didn’t know when to concede, when to accept things for how they are.

  I dodge to the side, ducking to avoid a branch that's in my path. Not much further, I could totally make it. A chill snakes down my spine and my scalp prickles as I feel those tiny hairs on the back of my neck lift. A low growl has my heart skipping a beat or two, while anticipation twists my stomach. Beads of sweat drip down my back, making the shirt under my leather jacket stick to my skin.

  They were getting close.

  A branch snapped to my left. I didn’t dare look. I knew I shouldn’t take my eyes off the path in front of me. Still, I let my gaze drift from the path, and I could just make out the flash of black in between the trees. I jerk my attention forward again. Nope, don’t look.

  I force myself to stay focused. If I give into my temptation to look again, I’d likely end up running into a tree and knocking myself out. My long auburn hair streams behind me, having become loose from my braid. My head grazes the wood as I dip under a low-hanging branch. Losing my footing I slide in the mud, my arms flying out to my sides to steady me. My breath falters, fear slamming into me as I regain my foothold. I sprint down the track to freedom, a snarl echoing close behind me.

  I was going to make it out of here, there was no other choice. Astraea was relying on me to come home in one piece. A vision of her big blue eyes wide and innocent and her cute little face hit me, taking my breath. Which was already becoming ragged, my legs burning from the effort to keep my feet steady in the muddy path. The rain had been relentless all day, nothing new for Portland. It just meant it covered the path in mud and I could feel it kicking up, coating my new jeans.

  “Fan-fucking-tastic,” I mutter. Then roll my eyes because now was not the time to be upset about my new jeans.

  The creatures chasing me weren’t likely to stop if they caught me. I was the prey now and their sense of logic would probably be gone, taken away by the urge to hunt and kill. Not all were like this, but most were and I didn’t know the pack here personally, so I couldn’t say for sure what they would do with me. Plus, the witches and the shifters weren’t on good terms.

  My stomach dropped as the ground beneath me disappeared, my feet slipping as I slid down a steep hill and slammed hard into a tree.

  “Mother trucker!!” I curse, jumping up. I don't waste time looking around. My palm lands on the rough bark of the tree as I push off, darting forward again. The jolt of adrenalin that shot through me spurs me on faster than before. My bracelet flared bright, giving me that extra boost of speed I needed.

  The wolves were gaining ground. I could almost feel their hot breath on the back of my neck, causing an icy shiver to coat my skin. Terror rips through me at the low menacing growl so close behind me, I felt like they were close enough to snap at my heels. I bite back a whimper as another branch snapped to my left, then another to my right. Fuck, they were closing in, herding me.

  Up ahead, I see the barrier, not a physical barrier, a magical one, my salvation. The barrier was an invisible border that surrounded the entire park, and if I made it to that border, I’d be safe.

  The witches created the barrier as a sanctuary for magical and supernatural creatures. It kept them concealed from human sight, without the need of their own magic or glamor. While the humans could still enter Forest Park through the barrier, they could not see what was hiding among them. The magic wouldn’t allow it. Some of those creatures chose to live here in the forest, safe inside the barrier. They wouldn’t dare reveal themselves to humans, none of us would. Humans were the worst beings out there, killing and imprisoning anything they didn’t understand or couldn’t control.

  I don’t slow as I run through the barrier. It shimmers a beautiful pale blue as I cross through, my skin tingling slightly from the magic. A thundering growl, followed by a hair-raising howl echoed through the park a moment later. As I slow down to a jog, I risk a glance over my shoulder. My blood froze, and I stumble at the sight of several sets of gleaming yellow eyes looking at me from the darkness. Even though I was sweaty from the run, small, prickly goosebumps broke out across my arms and stomach, sending a small, icy shiver through me. I let out a slow breath, relieved when I realized they stopped the chase. At least they had enough sense and awareness to stay hidden inside the barrier, even though there shouldn’t be any humans about at this hour.

  What was I thinking going into Forest Park, especially on a full moon with the pack out on a run. Tonight was close. Marcus was going to kill me himself when he found out where I was tonight. The man seriously had a stick up his ass and most days, I loved to see just how far it went. Not that anything I did was any of his business, but there was no way he wouldn’t hear about this. No way the Shadow Lake Coven won’t know I broke the rules tonight. Again.

  I had kept my distance from the coven as much as I could. My parents had always warned us to stay as far away from them as possible. From a young age, they taught me many things. I learned how to harness the sun and the moon. That nature itself was an element to nurture and guide us. Our magic came from the elements, and how we harnessed that energy depends on how much control we have. Even crazier, I thought there was magic locked way inside of me, which was impossible. We drew our magic from all around us, not inside us. But still, I felt something was just out of reach, something pure. Above all else, they taught me to keep all of what I learned a secret. Who we were a secret. Not only from humans, but from our own kind. Other witches. Trust was something I found hard to deal with. That was made worse after my twin Niamh’s death last year.

  I still had a little further to go to get back to my beat-up old car. I had parked just past the cemetery at one of the many entrances to Forest Park. A shiver runs through me as a gentle wind picks up my hair, tossing it around my face. I pull my leather jacket tighter around me. The weather was a little cooler than usual for this time of year in Portland. Well, it was always cool in Portland, but it was the end of June, the wet weather and chill should have abated by now. I had moved here with Astraea around ten months ago. I had fallen in love with the beauty of Portland. Not so much the city, but the suburbs and countryside were beautiful. I guess it reminded me of home a little.

  Astraea and I needed a fresh start. We couldn’t stay where we were any longer. It hadn’t felt safe anymore. My twin Niamh and I had talked about moving here after the death of our parents when we were fifteen, but never made it happen. Now at twenty-eight, I’m here without her. I rubbed at my chest, hoping to ease the pain there. I missed my sister. If you looked at us together, there is no way you would think we were sisters, let alone twins. Niamh was all light and happiness, with long blonde wavy hair and stunning blue eyes that practically turned violet when she was mad. I was the opposite, the dark to her light with my wavy waist length hair in shades of fall colors, mixture of browns and reds. My amber eyes that were a little too big were what stood out, along with my pale skin that showcased a small array of freckles. I didn’t compare to Niamh. Her inner light had everyone gravitating to her. I was the odd one out most of the time. If it wasn’t for Niamh, I wouldn’t have had any friends growing up. But truth be told, the only genuine friend I had was my sister. My heart ached at the knowledge of never seeing her again, never staying up watching terrible rom-coms, eating way too much chocolate, discussing the latest book we read, who our fictional boyfriends were, or just having someone to confide in.

  Tears welled up at the