Alice and The Rogue Wolf

Chapter 29

I raised my face and sharply glanced around the room for a reasonable hiding place. I couldn't hear what Mrs. Allen was saying over the phone so I quickly hung up the phone and quickly moved to grab my backpack.

The only place that appeared concealed was the bathroom and eventually, I would be caught. Besides, I wouldn't want to spend the rest of the night in the bathroom, so I explored other options.

I strolled over to the window and peered down. It was quite a height! If at all I could survive a jump at this height, I would be offering myself to the guards who, after the rain had decreased, had returned to their posts.

Going out the window was not such a good idea and the footsteps even though approaching slowly, had made it up the stairs and was just about turning the knob when I jumped into the bathroom blindly, sliding the glass door behind me.

The walls of the bathroom had a blurred appearance from the outside but from the inside, one could have a much clearer view. I used this advantage and peered outside watching Jonathan walk in drowsily through the door and give out a long yawn before crashing noisily on the bed. The cold floor must have dealt with him as he almost immediately snuggled under the sheets, allowing me to escape.

Not wanting to be caught by surprise, I waited for seconds until I had made sure he had nodded off to sleep before I slid open the bathroom door. Fearing that my shoes would wake him up, I took them off and after holding them steady, I crept shakily across the room to the door.

Just as I was about to get past the bed, he must have caught my scent and twirled around on the bed murmuring my name in his sleep. I halted in my tracks, my palm getting sweaty from anxiety and my heart beating furiously.

When I figured out his uneasiness wouldn't be stopping anytime soon, I continued my walk regardless, this time, even more, slower than before. I successfully made it to the door and was just about reaching for the doorknob when my shoes fell out of my trembling grasp and landed on the wooden floor with a thud.

I squeezed my face at how loud it sounded. Slowly I bent over and picked it up before spinning around to check if my noise had startled Jonathan, only to see him seated up on the bed and letting out a yawn. When his drowsy eyes finally fell on me, he stared at me confused.

"Alice, you're back! What took you so long?"

"Uhm..." I stuttered but I couldn't come up with a better excuse. So I just stood there dumb.

He rubbed the remaining sleep off his eyes and only then, if it seems, did he realize that the bag strapped to my back didn't mean I was just returning.

"Wait! Are you leaving? Oh no! You're escaping?" He asked, his tone getting alarmed by the second.

Knowing any further delay could be deadly, I flung the door open and headed for the stairs. I must have timed my run wrongly as I missed the first step of the stairs and went tumbling down the rest of the steps at full force, hurting my arm in the process.

Jonathan soon came out and stood on top of the stairs yelling at me to stop running.

"Don't come any closer!" I threatened, advancing backward.

"Would you stop, already? Can't you see your hurt? At least let me help you and we could talk things through," he said, standing still.

"You have said enough already, Jonathan. How could you do this to me?" I blurted out.

"Alice, I don't understand a word you're saying or a thing you're doing. Hold on! Is this some sort of prank or did Brayden set you up to do this?"

"Brayden doesn't have a hand in me deserting this pack, but you do."

"What are you doing trying to desert the pack? Since you woke up, we have been nothing but good to you. Is this how you want to repair us? Have you ever thought about how your mother would feel? "

I laughed scornfully. "If I were you, I would drop the pretense as it no longer has any effect on me. And in case you're wondering, I know my mother would be fine and I have made arrangements to keep it that way."

"So if this isn't about Brayden, why then are you trying to run away?"

*Because I'm tired of your lies, Jonathan. I was so foolish to trust you, and I'm tired of watching you try to run my fate by yourself. For once I need to act on my own and not listen to a dark-hearted villain like you dictate what I should and shouldn't do. Perhaps the rest of the pack should also find out the sort of beast you are."

"You crazy girl!" He growled. "Do you think anyone would believe your made-up story? I'm a good ruler of this pack who is merciful and brave enough to eliminate the weak ones like you. You should be grateful I spared your life this long enough, yet you disrespect me and even question my authority. I think it's time to eliminate you."

"Just like you did my father, right?" I scoffed.

Whether it was meant as a response to my question or to annoy me more, he let out one of his maniacal laughs which rippled through the silent air.

"What a brute!" I exclaimed, clenching my teeth and fists in anger.

I was growing impatient by the minute and I started quickening the pace at which I was retreating, as I was done exchanging words with him. The weight of the backpack was aggravating the pain of my wounded arm, so I transferred the piece of luggage to my better arm.

"Oh, Alice! I truly loved you, I did."

"Then if you love me, you would let me go."

"I'm afraid I can't. You see, when you left me for Brayden, I had some hatred in my heart for you, and for reasons such as this, I have grown to hate you more than I loved you. I saw you more as a tool to accomplish my ambition but it seems your usefulness is drawing to an end."

He took off his shirt and after shrinking into his beast form, he jumped down the fleet of steps and walked on all fours towards me, snarling and flashing his vicious-looking teeth. His wolf looked more fierce than mine and even surpassed my wolf in size. He stopped a couple of yards in front of me and stared at me as if daring me to a fight.

Gulping, I dropped my bag on the floor and also took on my wolf form, snarling and howling taunts. There was no way I was going to waste time fighting him, besides I wasn't in good shape or had undergone any prior training. So I grabbed onto the strap of my bag with my teeth and after feinting a charge at him, I galloped away and out the front going as fast as my paws could carry.

Behind me, I could hear Jonathan howl a signal. Hardly had the sound left his lips, did all the guards stand guard around that pack, standing alert and looking out for the next command. I thought of disguising myself past the fence of wolves out front but the heavy guns locked, loaded, and clutched in their hands gave me a change of heart.

Once everyone has assumed their positions, he communicated to the guards through our telepathic link that anyone who sets their eyes on me should capture and return me to the main house. I was not allowed to exit the colony.

I was trapped, with no idea or plan whatsoever to escape. The warrior solves kept steady surveillance on the city and I needed to cover myself up in an empty shed to avoid being detected. I thought they would get tired but after five minutes of waiting out, the settlement was still as secured as a fort. I needed to come up with a plan quickly.

I waited for a band of guards in their wolf form to march past and when they almost filed past, I hissed a call at one of them, detaching him from the bunch. He walked over to find out what was calling out to him and as he uncovered the trash can and caught me, shock appeared on his face.

He tried to alert the others, but I quickly knocked him out and tried to fit myself into his armored harness. It was a little too tight on my body but I squeezed it on.

Unfortunately, the backpack seemed as if it would draw suspicion so I stashed it into the bin, only keeping my phone in one of the harness's pouches. I also ensured that I had concealed my scent as much as I could before jogging along to join the others at the end of the line.