Page 40 of Alpha Chained
Think about it later!
“We have to shift.” I face Raura. “We’ll move faster as wolves. Also, we’ll handle the weather better – the snow gets deep around here.”
She nods silently, not questioning me. Again, she’s putting her safety in my hands without hesitation.
“There’s a path that leads beyond the fence line past the training equipment. It’ll take us down the mountain.”
“Is it safe?”
“I’ve used it often during my runs. I’ve never been all the way to the valley, but I’m pretty sure we’ll be fine.” I cup her cheek. “We’re going to make it.”
“I know,” she says, smiling. “You’ve gotten us this far, right?”
“It’s just the beginning.”
“Well, it’s a good beginning. Thank you.”
We stare at each other for a moment, the weight of it hanging in the air between us. “Go!” I tell her.
Raura stands before me, her chestnut eyes locking onto mine with a mix of determination and trust. She nods once, then closes her eyes. A shimmer ripples through her, starting at the crown of her head and flowing downward like water. Her clothes slip from her body, falling in a soft heap around her feet as her limbs elongate and reshape.
Her bones crackle softly as they shift, fur sprouting in waves across her skin, the color of rose gold under the faint moonlight. Her transformation is seamless, almost graceful, and I can’t help but be mesmerized. Within moments, where Raura once stood is now a beautiful wolf with a sleek pelt that seems almost luminescent. Her chestnut eyes remain the same – fierce, intelligent, unyielding.
She shakes herself once, her fur rippling in a rosy wave, then trots across the plateau with an elegance that leaves me breathless. I follow her, my gaze fixed on the spot where she disappeared into the tree line. The path she took is one I’ve memorized through countless runs, each step ingrained in my mind.
Turning back for one last look at the Enclave, I feel a strange mix of triumph and emptiness. It’s hard to believe that after all these years of fighting, bleeding, and enduring Parker’s cruelty, it might finally be over. But this place has been my prison for so long that leaving feels almost surreal.
A sudden rustling sound snaps me out of my thoughts. I spin around just in time to see two guards emerge from behind a cluster of trees.
What the fuck?
They must have been on patrol when the alarms went off. Why the hell didn’t I think about that?
Shit.
My heart pounds as adrenaline surges through my veins. I tense, ready for a fight, my fists clenching instinctively. The guards’ eyes widen as they spot me.
“It’s the Beast!” one yells. “Get him!”
The other raises his weapon and fires before I realize what’s about to happen. I’ve been so focused on getting out that this has taken me completely by surprise.
Idiot!
The bullet hits my thigh with a searing pain that makes me stagger. It’s silver – Parker’s preferred method for dealing with shifters. The slug lodges in the muscle, sending a wave of agony through me as the poison spreads through my veins.
No! Not now!
Not when freedom is so close I can taste it.
In a blur of motion, I lunge forward, tackling the guard. We crash to the ground in a tangle of limbs, and I throw a swift punch that catches him squarely in the jaw, knocking him out cold.
The other guard fumbles with his weapon. I’m already on my feet despite the pain, closing the distance between us with a snarl. But each movement feels like I’m dragging myself through molasses as the silver saps my energy. He brings the barrel of the gun up, ready to take aim, and my vision is beginning to blur. I take a stumbling step forward, dropping to one knee.
Fuck!
It’s like I’m made of lead when I try to stand, my mind swimming with pain that hits me in waves.
A flicker of triumph color’s the guard’s expression as he aims down the rifle’s sights at me. And I can’t fucking get up.