For the Taking ?

4 ? Run

Breaking away from her I bolted down the stairs and out the front door. My parents weren't home having gone to visit my mother's relatives in a neighboring pack. I was thankful they weren't home, they'd have tried to stop me, I'll call them later to let them know I'm alright.

As my thoughts raced I ran past the last cottage of a wolf family on the outskirts of the town. My mouth grew dry as I ducked under a fallen tree trunk listening intently for any sound. I was nearing the boarder when I noticed two wolves sniffing some of the trees in the woods. They were one of the patrols and as their ears perked up I cringed when my fingers scraped against the tough bark of tree.

Spinning around I tucked myself behind a nearby tree holding my breath for good measure. I was so close yet it felt like a mile away, I knew I said they'd just let me walk out of the territory but then the worry hit me.

What if they say this as treason? Turning my back on my pack?

Gory images of wolves ripping me limp from limp flashed before my eyes and I sucked my lip in with the images. I needed to leave and the longer I sat here the closer Alpha Philip was to discovering what I've been up too.

Snap!

My head recoiled in the direction of the sound as whatever created the noise approached me. It sounded like heavy footsteps and with each...

Snap!

I cringed nearly in tears, I couldn't catch my breath, I felt like every breath I tried to catch it was never enough. I listened to myself gasping for air as an anxiety attack harassed my mind that was struggling to keep calm and steady. If I lost my focus now, if I panicked now, I'd never make it across the border.

Taking in a deep breath I moved to step from behind the tree but was pulled back flush against it. My mouth opened to scream but a rough hand pressed snug against my patted lips. My frantic eyes trailed up from the hand on my mouth. Thick muscle traveled from his wrist to his elbow; wide veins wrapped around his arm in mouth watering designs.

As I followed the rest of his arm up my eyes drew wide as I looked into those familiar and oddly soothing brown eyes. I instantly stiffened against the harsh bark that itched my fragile soft skin.

He dropped his head next to my ear making me tense up every muscle in my body. I felt scared and strangely fascinated in the way he made my body buzz with excitement.

He rose his free hand to his face and pushed his index finger to his lips in a hush gesture and I idly listened. Closing my eyes I listened as more foot steps walked by us and continued forward.

There were more...

Bones snapped as one of the wolves from the patrol shifted.

"You're the alpha slayer's brother." A male voice protected braking the eerie silence of the woods.

"I am and we were just leaving." Another deep male voice relied just on the other side of the tree.

My heart pounded against my rib cage with every second I stood pressed snug between the tree and the hard plane of this towering man. I didn't know what he was doing here or why he held me hidden.

With my eyes still closed I felt the breath of the man holding me fan my face. Goosebumps rose across my neck and I shivered at the gentle sensation.