chapter Eight: Battle for control
I could tell it was midnight from the distant howling of wolves, the hooting of owls, and the silence of the house. The urge to escape kept growing all evening, and I knew it was the only
solution for me.
After fueling up on the bread and now–cold soup that Daniel had brought me earlier, I gulped down enough water to revive myself. With renewed strength, I crept towards the door, slowly
turned the handle, and to my surprise, it wasn’t locked.
The guard stationed outside the door was snoring so loudly on
the chair that I was pretty sure I heard him sawing logs. His
snores were so thunderous that I wondered if he had a
breathing problem.
I prayed that I wouldn’t make a sound and quietly slipped past him, trying not to giggle at the drool dripping down his chin. It
was like sneaking past a sleeping dragon.
Mission successful.
With newfound purpose, I moved silently down the hallway and
barely made a whisper on the cold floor. I knew every inch of this house and every hidden corner because I had lived here all
my life.
I took a sharp turn to the left. This shortcut would lead me
straight to the backyard. I had used it countless times as a child,
playing hide–and–seek with Mia.
No guard was in sight. I burst through the door and into the night air. The cool breeze hit me and made my hair whip around.
The stars twinkled overhead and a million thoughts raced.
through my mind.
I pushed forward and began running, hoping for more strength
and speed. The goal was to escape without being seen by anyone, so that by morning, I must have covered enough ground. I was aware of the several guard stations that had set up patrols throughout the pack and planned to avoid them.
All my plans and freedom were short–lived because a guard
spotted me.
“Who’s there?”
His flashlight beam cut through the darkness and my heart
froze. I kept running, and when I got too close to the perimeter
wall, I crouched down low behind it.
“No need to run, Samantha,” he called out. “I’ve already informed
the guards outside to catch you.”
groter Eight
Oh no!
Without looking back, I knew he followed behind me. I felt his
hot breath on my ear and his warm hand grasp my wrist tightly.
“Let go of me.”
He grasped my arm with a firm but gentle grip and steered me
back in the direction I had come from. My mind raced with
desperation, and the only thought that managed to surface was.
to sink to my knees and plead with him.
“Please, don’t take me back. I beg you in the name of the
goddess. Let me go.”
But he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Samantha. I have my orders.”
The guard escorted me to a wooden bench, displaying an unexpected kindness. Typically, the guards were delta wolves,
and under normal circumstances, I would have tapped into my
own wolf’s strength to outrun him and escape.
But my wolf was dormant. If I had my wolf’s abilities, I wouldn’t
be in this predicament; I would be the rightful Alpha heir, snug in
my bed, beside my mate, enjoying the security and power that
came with my birthright.
I sobbed even harder and experienced emotional distress. My
muscles were sore from running and I felt like screaming for
chapter Eight Batti- for control
release.
“How can I stop crying when you’re stopping me from
escaping?” I wailed.
“I rescued you from making a bad decision. Did you
anywhere in mind to go?”
have
My neck snapped up and I sniffed. “My dad told me that Theo,
my mate, runaway from the pack. Did you see him?”
“Yes. In fact, my friends and I discussed this earlier. We saw him
ourselves. He’s alive but was badly wounded.”
Joy bubbled in my heart and shone in my eyes.
I felt like I was floating on air, like nothing could ever bring me
down again, but I felt an odd twinge of disappointment and my
thoughts broke miserably.
Once again, I had been left behind. It was impossible for Theo to
take me with him at the time he had to save his own life first.
But it still hurts to be left behind.
I turned to beg the guard. “Please, let me go. I have to find him.”
A quick no jerked his head. “I can’t let you go, Samantha. I’ll lose
my job, maybe even face punishment.”
“You’re the only one who saw me attempt to escape. The guard outside my door is knocked out, snoring. No one will even know
you let me go.”
My eyes welled up with tears. “I’ve been suffering for so long. Have pity on me. Besides, it’s not like my family members have much to lose. Mia has already been crowned alpha heir.”
He looked conflicted and I kept begging him. Just when I was
about to give up, he reluctantly agreed.
I I flung my arms around the guard, gratitude overflowing from my heart. Our bodies collided in a brief, awkward embrace. I
pulled back just as quickly, embarrassed.
“Thank you.”
“I’ll need to disguise you in my extra uniform. Wait here.”
My heart pounded away when he left because I didn’t want to get caught. He returned with a crisp, black uniform, complete with a cap and a badge. I put it on and it felt absurd. We walked
in silence until we reached a dense thicket.
“Good luck,” he said and turned back, leaving me alone in the
darkness.
The sounds of insects irritated me. I swatted at them nervously, feeling uncomfortable in my own skin. If I had my wolf, this
would be a breeze. But in my human form, I felt exposed.
I gathered some banana leaves and spread them on the ground, trying to create a makeshift bed. I lay down, sighing peacefully,
and shut my eyes.
But my peace was short–lived when I heard a low growl.
Fuck my life.
My eyes snapped open. I sat up immediately. A pair of glowing
red eyes stared back at me, and I knew I was in trouble.
My mind raced as I scrambled backward, realizing too late that I had been scammed by the guard!
He had pretended to help me escape but instead had led me
straight into a trap. I felt so stupid. How could I have believed
him?
Mia was really trying to kill me, even though she still needed my
blood to cure her illness. It didn’t make sense, but I didn’t have
time to think about it. The wolf took a step closer, its claws extended. They were sharp and curved, glinting in the
moonlight.
I tried to scramble to my feet, but my legs felt like jelly. The wolf took another step closer, its eyes fixed on me. It was going to
kill me.
The wolf raised its claws, ready to strike. I closed my eyes,
preparing for my death. I might as well give up. But just as the
claws were about to rip my throat, a loud growl echoed through
the forest, sending the wolf backing away.
A dark silhouette emerged, and I felt a familiar tingle course through my veins.
My heart raced with hope, and just as I thought I was about to pass out, the shadow transformed into a majestic wolf, its eyes gleaming in the moonlight.
Could it be? Was that shadowy figure Theo?
