Wolves of the new dawn

Making a choice

*Freesia*

The cool night air fills my lungs as I sprint through the streets, the familiar paths of the city guiding my frantic steps. My heart hammers against my ribs, a relentless drumbeat urging me onward. I push aside the fear gnawing at me, focusing instead on the singular thought: I need to check on Raylee. I need to know she’s safe.

As I round the corner onto her street, I see it. The silhouette of Torren, now a powerful wolfman, bolting away from me with Raylee cradled gently in his arms. My breath catches in my throat, and I freeze for an instant, the sight igniting a fire in my chest. so that is what he meant… I released him and no he has taken my sister.

“Torren!” I scream, my voice raw with urgency. I dash forward, my feet pounding against the pavement as I chase them down the darkened street. The city is quiet, but the echoes of my desperation ring in my ears. I know the alleyways here like the back of my hand as I like to walk home from work sometimes when I am done late and my way goes through this area. I can’t let them disappear into the shadows.

I veer left into a narrow alley, my breath coming in ragged gasps. I can hear Torren’s powerful strides, the soft tone of Raylee’s voice muffled by distance. With a surge of adrenaline, I rush forward, cutting through the labyrinth of buildings until I spot them again, silhouetted against the moonlight.

“Stop!” I command, my voice strong as I dart out to intercept them. Torren skids to a halt, his muscles coiling as he turns to face me, Raylee still cradled gently in his arms. My heart races as I take in the scene, my sister’s eyes wide, but with confusion not fear… there is something trusting in the way her arm is wrapped around his shoulder.

“Put her down!” I demand, my voice cracking with a mix of fear and authority. “What do you think you’re doing?”

Torren’s golden eyes, fierce yet softened by the moonlight, lock onto mine. He sets Raylee down gently, and she looks at me, She looks surprised to see me. “Freesia…” she whispers, her voice barely audible.

I don’t take my eyes off Torren as I speak to my sister. “You’re not leaving me behind,” I warn, my stance firm despite the tremor of uncertainty within me. Then I tell Torren. “You can’t just take her away.”

He growls softly, the sound resonating deep within his chest, a challenge and a plea intertwined. “I’m not leaving her, Freesia. She carries my pup.They are not safe here.”

“Raylee… Do you want to go with him?” I glance at my sister, searching her face for answers.

Raylee’s gaze shifts between us, but she remains silent, her eyes wide and I can’t read how she actually feels.

Torren steps closer, his towering form casting a shadow over me. “You don’t understand the danger she’s in. They will come for her, for both of them.” He nods toward Raylee, his expression fierce yet protective. “And I won’t let that happen. I can keep her safe… she is my mate.”

I take a deep breath, the reality of my sister’s situation crashing down on me like an avalanche. “What do you want me to do?” I ask, desperation creeping into my voice. “You can’t just run away! You have to let us…”

“Are you happy here, Freesia?” Torren interrupts, his tone shifting to something softer. “Doing what you do, playing their games, doing their bidding? You can come with us, away from this place. Away from Peterson and his plans.”

His offer hangs in the air, tantalizing and terrifying. I can feel the pull of his words, the promise of freedom and a life beyond this suffocating existence. But I shake my head, my heart clenching. “And leave everything?”

Raylee steps forward, her voice trembling but steady. “Freesia, I…I want to go. I want to be with him.”

“No!” I shout, turning to her, panic flooding my veins. “You don’t understand what you’re saying! He’s not just some… some escape plan! it is dangerous out there.”

Torren meets my gaze, his eyes unwavering. “I know how this looks, but I swear to protect her, to keep her safe. She’ll have a place with my people, a family. I can’t leave without her, Freesia. I won’t. You would have a home there too.”

The weight of his conviction weighs heavily on me, and for a moment, I falter. The thought of losing Raylee is unbearable, but so is the idea of keeping her here, in this hellish life she has.

“Please,” he urges, his voice low and steady. “Choose, Freesia. Are you going to stay in this prison, or will you fight for something worth living for?”

I look between them, my sister’s pleading eyes and Torren’s determined gaze, and the world around me feels like it’s closing in. I can’t protect Raylee if I’m shackled to this place. The truth washes over me, a bittersweet realization: I can’t keep her safe if I stay here.

I take a deep breath, my resolve hardening. “If you take her, if I come, you have to promise me that you’ll keep us safe. No matter what.”

Torren nods solemnly, and for the first time, I see the flicker of something like hope in his eyes. “I swear it.”