When I didn’t catch a scent, at least anything close, I did the only thing an intelligent woman in my situation would do. I ran like my ass was on fire, not caring about the direction because, at this point, I was so panicked I’d probably get lost in the grocery store.
Panting, I figured I needed to start working out or shift more regularly to keep my form healthy. Ignoring the burn in my legs and ass wasn't easy, though, and that was down to the weight I'd gained recently. It was Caleb’s fault anyway. The man was a feeder, and he bought a lot of junk food.
Okay, fine, I baked a lot, and I’d developed a love for wine, but that wasn't the point!
“Would you shut up! You’re freaking me out.” I whined as I ran, the sound of movement behind me breaking through my panting and wheezing.
We’re gonna die!
“Shut up, just shut the hell up, wolf.” I sobbed, my eyes widening when I focused forward.
Ugh!
Shock slammed into me when I saw an edge coming up, and I dug my heels in, praying I would stop in time to avoid going over. “Oh, God!”
I screamed, the sound bursting out when I felt my feet slip and skitter on the damp earth. Falling on my ass, I skidded, coming so close to a cliff edge I nearly hurtled off before I twisted, rolled, and leaped back to my feet. Panicked, I looked around frantically, searching, needing somewhere to run before they caught up to me.
Unfortunately, I wasn't fast enough, and when I thought about breaking right, I realized I was trapped. A pack of men walked out of the trees, blocking off escape. Shit.
“Now, Ren. Did you really think you could get away?” Shane asked, his smile soft as I looked around and tried to consider my options.
With the cliff behind me, I had nowhere to go. Terror hit me. More so when I remembered my dream and a sense of doom curled through me.
“Oh, God. This can’t be real.” I choked, my head pounding as the voices screamed at me to run.
I can’t walk on air! What about you, wolf?
When she didn’t answer, just started to hum the theme song to Mary Poppins, I figured she was a lost cause, and I was on my own.
“Oh, it’s real, Mrs. Sheppard.” A big, blond man said softly, his smile almost tender when he took a step closer. “We mean you no harm. We need some help, is all.”
“I’m not helping you.” I hissed, my eyes darting around as if I could find an escape.
All I needed was a chance, and I’d freaking fly.
“It’s nothing big. I need to know what Walker plans for security around his pack. We’ve been scouting, but their lines are tight and more males are patrolling lately. I want to talk to him.” he lied, smirking when I scowled at him and hissed.
“You want to kill him. Don’t think I don’t know.” I huffed, ignoring the fear I felt because I would never, ever betray Walker, no matter how much trouble I was in.
He’d been my savior for a long time, in my corner despite the difficulties, and I owed him everything. I would never hurt him, not even to save myself, and while I didn’t want to die here or get stuck with Shane, the freak lunatic, I wasn't doing what they wanted me to. Never.
“Oh, come now. Surely you can’t like him? The male almost let the Sheppard brothers kill you!” the Janus Alpha said, frowning when I narrowed my eyes and glanced at Shane.
Something about this wasn’t right. In fact, something about things for the last while didn’t seem right. I mean, I knew Josh and his stupid brothers wanted to hurt me and swore to kill me, but now that I thought about it, they hadn’t done anything in a while.
“That was you outside my trailer?” I asked, watching them all until Shane smirked.
“No. It was my brothers. Little shits were trying to scare you out of there, get you to run to that feral mutt, Caleb Chase. I’m going to have to punish them for that. If not for them, I’d have gotten to you much sooner. But they were sniffing round, and they picked up Rudy’s scent.” He said, nodding to a redheaded man with eyes so beady, I thought of a ferret.
“Don’t do this. I know you’re upset, but you don’t hate me, Shane. Don’t hurt me. Let me go home.” I begged softly.
It’s not like he was decent. He never really was, and no amount of lying to myself would make it so. He was a terrible husband and a terrible man, and this proved how much of a mistake I'd made wanting to love him. It proved that he was irredeemable and my ‘accidental’ killing of him wasn’t worth a second of guilt.
“To Caleb Chase?” Shane sorted, baring his teeth in a cruel smile. “Maybe? If you help us.”
He was lying. I could smell it, and he proved it when he snorted and rolled his eyes at me, snickering cruelly. On the heels of the thought was a flash of something. Like a dream. Except, I knew it wasn't.
This was some sort of waking vision, and glancing over to where my mind saw them running I gasped. Even knowing that what I was seeing wasn't real, not yet anyway, I saw something so wondrous it shocked me.