Chapter 21 Almost Escaped

Regina’s POV
After my failed attempt to escape, Gavin and Nigel started to keep an even closer eye on me.
They would take shifts watching me in the back while the other one drove the car upfront. The rope on my feet was changed to iron cuffs with a chain, which had one end anchored to the floor.
And they kept the duct tape on my mouth the whole time in case I might cry for help. The only time I could have my mouth free was when I had my meals.
I didn’t have any appetite. They suspected me of going on a hunger strike so Nigel forced me to eat with a dagger. My head would get dizzy every time I ate the food that they gave me. There might be wolfsbane or sedative in it.
The restroom situation was also terrible.
They wouldn’t let me get off the truck and use the toilet in the gas station. When I asked to go pee for the first time, Nigel gave me a bucket and asked me to do it in front of him.
“Right here? In front of you? Can’t you at least give me some privacy?” I asked in disbelief after hearing that.
He snorted, “You proved yourself to be a runner. So excuse me to be extra careful. Do it here or hold it yourself.”
I felt humiliated, “C—Can you at least turn around? Or step outside for a moment?”
He grinned. His eyes raked my body in a nasty manner, “You highness can’t take a whiz in the bucket? I told you already. Do it here or hold it.”
That was the most humiliating moment of my life. I couldn’t help but cry in shame afterward, which made Nigel laugh even harder.
He enjoyed the process of destroying my character greatly.
Because of the sedative in my food, I spent most of the journey in a slumber. For a very few moments that I was awake, I overheard Nigel talking to somebody at the toll station. It seemed that we were heading towards the border. If we kept up with this speed, we would cross the border and enter Shadow Valley Pack tomorrow.
If I left the territory of Ever Moon, the chance of me escaping would be even more slim.
So I made up my mind to try escaping one more time before we crossed the border.
Now I just needed to wait for my chance.
The next day at noon, we arrived at the check-up point by the border.
I was leaning against the wall half-asleep when the truck stopped, and I heard somebody else’s voice from outside:
“Sir, please step out of your car while we examine your vehicle.”
I snapped my eyes open immediately. Nigel was opposite of me, and he had straightened his back as well. There was a nervous look on his face.
Then I heard Gavin stuttering, “W—Why do you need to check my car? The truck is empty.”
“It’s only a routine checkup and will only take a few minutes,” the person standing outside tapped on the car door. “Please step outside sir.”
I was so excited that my heart almost stopped beating.
Finally! I got to leave this truck!
Nigel cursed lowly and quickly came up to me and unlocked my cuffs.
“If you dare to cry for help—” he pressed a knife against my back, “—I will gouge your heart out right away. You hear me?”
I stared back at him and nodded.
He grabbed my collar pulling me up and opened the truck’s door. And I finally saw that we were at a checkpoint. There were a few cars parked in the lot like ours.
The officer who was about to check our truck walked to us with a sheet in his hand, “Fill this out. There is a waiting room over here.”
This was my chance!
“Sir—” I blurt out urgently and cried, “—Help! They abducted me! Please help me!”
“Fuck!” Nigel hissed and clamped my mouth shut, “Shut your fucking mouth!”
The officer’s mouth formed an “o.” He looked back and forth between Nigel and me and then asked, “What’s going on here?”
“She is an escaped slave,” Nigel forced out a smile. “Her father sold her to me for 10 thousand dollars and she ran away on the second day. I have to catch her back. Trust me, I am not a criminal.”
The officer seized us up. He glanced at my messy hair, my stained clothes, and my exhausted face. Then he nodded to Nigel, “Well, you better keep a close eye on her.”
I couldn’t believe this.
I didn’t know why he didn’t help me. Probably I looked more like a slave than a victim to him, or probably he just didn’t want any trouble.
Nigel let out a sigh of relief and dragged me away towards the waiting room. His left hand gripped my shoulder tightly. And he whispered into my ears gritting his teeth, “You learned NOTHING from past experience, Regina! I will have to pluck your tongue out later. And you deserve it!”
He said he would pluck my tongue out and he would.
Once we crossed the border, there would be nothing to stop him from torturing me.
Tears blurred my vision. I felt desperate once again.
There were a few people sitting in the waiting room when we walked in. Nigel gave me a warning look and went to find a pen to fill out that form.
I sat down on a chair shivering and carefully scanned the room. I didn’t dare to ask for a stranger’s help again. It was too risky.
And just then, I heard two people talking beside me, “Hey have you noticed it on your way in? It’s our Alpha’s car, isn’t it!”
WHAT?
I straightened up and listened attentively.
“It is!” the other said excitedly, “I couldn’t believe my eyes either. But it really is Alpha Gray’s car. I recognize his sigil. And even caught a glimpse of him! My god, he is so handsome and dreamy!”
I held my breath as my body shivered in excitement.
Gray was here?!
That made sense too. He said he was heading towards the border, and we left the packhouse almost at the same time!
Oh my god. The Moon Goddess answered my praying at least! I just needed to find him in this checkpoint, and I would be safe again—
“What are you doing?”
Nigel had returned with his pen and was looking down at me with a suspicious look. I quickly held my head down and hid the excitement on my face.
I must stay put for now.
“Nothing,” I murmured.
He snorted and sat down beside me and started to fill out that form. I kept glancing at the clock on the wall. The officer said that the checkup would only take a few minutes and I was running out of time…
“I need to use the restroom,” I whispered to Nigel.
“Use the bucket,” he said icily.
“My stomach feels funny. You wouldn’t want me to do it in the truck,” I said.
He looked up at me and narrowed his eyes. I could tell he was trying to find hints of me lying. After a long pause, he finally put down his pen, “I’m coming with you.”
I quietly let out a breath.
At least he let me go to the toilet.
The toilet was down the hall and there was a cleaning lady outside. She stared at us when Nigel was about to follow me into the restroom and cried, “Hey sir! You can’t go in there. That’s the lady’s room.”
“Fuck off!” Nigel snapped gruffly.
I looked at the cleaning lady briefly. I didn’t know if she understood the pleading in my eyes. After a small pause, she gulped and said lowly, “Use the third one. The first two are not working.”
I came into the restroom and locked myself in the third stall as she told me. Looking up at the ceiling, I found a vent in the roof, which was just enough for me to fit through.
A strong wave of gratitude washed me over.
Thank you! Kindness from the stranger!
“Hustle up!” Nigel’s voice came from outside, “You have 2 minutes!”
“…O—OK.”
I answered him and quietly climbed up to the toilet. Standing on my tiptoe, I reached for the vent and slowly pulled myself up. I didn’t dare to make any sound, afraid that I would alarm Nigel.
I eventually pushed myself through that small opening and got outside.
My head was clouded by thrill when my feet touched the solid ground again.
I did it! I escaped Nigel!
Gray…Gray! I knew you were somewhere nearby! I was coming to you! Right now—
“Princess Regina?”
A deep voice came behind me abruptly and almost caused my heart to stop beating.
Jerking around, I found a strange, 6 feet tall man staring at me darkly a few steps away.