Chapter 15
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Ikeep my eyes down, scrambling to the wall, not daring to meet any of their eyes.
Growls rumble deep in their bellies, their jaws snapping at me as they assemble, readying to strike.
The men whoop and holler, mocking my cowering position.
The driver bangs his baton against the rails, smacking my exposed shoulder between hits.
I yelp but remain frozen. Voices break out in static over their walkies, ordering them to the trucks.
“Cowards! All of you!”
A smaller gray wolf lunges at my raised voice, nipping my boot.
I have no choice but to kick at his snout, pushing myself flatter to the wall.
I barely clip him, but it earns the entire pack’s attention as they begin to close in on me.
I take one last glance at shadows of the men disappearing through the tunnel, there will be no witness to my last breaths.
“Dear Lord, it’s your daughter speaking,” I say aloud, voice shaking.
A large white wolf bristles at my voice, crouching to attack, fur lying close to his lean body it bristles with rage. His head lowers as he moves, not the least bit submissive, but calculating.
“Please keep my children safe and get this over with…” My eyes flutter shut and I exhale the last full breath in my body, accepting my fate.
A bark bellows through the cage, freezing the pack mid strike. The massive wolf storms through, snapping at each companion in its way, the glow of his amber eyes cutting through the tunnel light as he warily approaches.
He lunges in a blink, tackling the white wolf, snapping and hissing at his throat.
The white wolf obediently rolls to his back, exposing the tender flesh to…
the alpha. This is the alpha. A freaking timber wolf.
He stands tall and broad; that kind of size doesn’t come natural to a pack like this.
No, he’s built himself through clear survival and dominance.
The wolf’s fur is a blend of the night, layered with ash and shadow.
It lies thickly around his neck like a mantle.
I’m remain a statue in my corner; this is his kill, not theirs.
The alpha wolf pushes away his pack mate, his eyes piercing me in place. I lower my head between my knees, darting my eyes to the ground. His thick, scarred nose peers into view beneath my lashes as he approaches, sniffing cautiously at my filthy clothing.
I jump as a crack of lightning releases from his throat, the bark ringing in my ears. I frantically cover my face in defense. It’s complete silence. My shaky breath being the only noise filling my ear drums.
Am I in Heaven? “Jesus?” I whisper, hesitantly squinting looking for any sign of light. But the only thing in view is the dark fur pressed against my thigh.
Raising my head cautiously, the pack’s ears flicker at my movement, but their heads rest between their paws, as they watch their alpha carefully pose at my side.
His head rises, hackles slightly elevated, as he eyes each of his members in challenge.
I retreat my boot an inch for distance but the alpha snaps at me in warning.
His eyes hold my own, pinning me in place.
Slowly, he lowers himself beside me. One by one, the others mirror him.
Warm fur brushes against my calves and knees as they gather around me, pressing shoulder to shoulder until I’m the center of the pack.
Not trapped, but protected. The only wolf that refuses to follow is the white one, and by the way he’s looking at me right now, I’m okay with that.
Actually, I’d be more okay if I wasn’t surrounded by sudden death.
But the alpha remains at my hip, his amber eyes fixed on the ceiling above while the others fan out around us, ears pinned and muscles taut.
Every rumble from the tunnel draws another warning growl from deep in their chests.
I wait for him to move, but his paws remain planted.
Minutes pass in heavy silence. The ache in my ribs dulls from a sharp burn to a deep throb, exhaustion forcing the fight out of me piece by piece.
Around me, the wolves settle once more, their breathing slow and steady.
One rests against my shin, and another against my shoulder, until I’m forcefully submerged into a sea of gray.
Another minute drags by, and I stop waiting for them to turn on me.
I rest my head against the wall, sinking into the never-ending fur. Torin only twitches at the movement.
The ceiling suddenly starts to rumble, raising the pack to their feet and stumbling away, the wolves only look at me is I’m the one that caused it.
The alpha remains in his place, raising his muzzle to the debris falling from the commotion.
The trucks have been started, which means they’re fixing to be pushed into the loading trailers.
“I-I I’m here to help you… but I need to get up,” I say cautiously.
His answering growl vibrates my toes, but he seems to understand, stretching up to his full height.
I wait for him to move, but his paws are planted, so I use the bar to carefully hoist myself up, the chill aching in my sore bones as I rise.
Whimpers and whines anxiously bounce off the walls as the pack begins to pace, unsure whether to be concerned by their alpha still trusting a human or the chaos forming above.
The shaft at the end of our cell rattles, cement grinding against the ground revealing an entrance to the enclosed trailer.
It’s securely covered along the outer edges, giving us no escape.
The ground beneath us groans as it rises inch by inch, mud sliding into the trailer as the wolves scramble for traction.
The alpha barks, standing his ground against gravity.
There’s no way out other than to get on the trailer, if I can find us a way it’s going to be in there.
When they pull us out, I can try to get a connection to signal Cici and the others.
Plopping back into the mud, I speak to the alpha, “I know you have no clue what I’m saying but we don’t have a choice, I will get us out, I promise!
” I feel for my boots, counting the remaining knives.
He snarls at my sudden movement backing away from me, frantically yipping to his pack, who are losing their fight against the slide.
I let gravity win, sliding on my butt straight into the opening with a thud.
The alpha hesitates, leaning back on his haunches, paws scratching against the now naked platform.
But the ghostly white wolf hunkers low and gives way, allowing himself to slide toward me.
The alpha leaps, clearing the platform landing into the trailer, his paws spread in the muck, enlarging himself to his pack member.
His sleek coat pricks, the wolf’s powerful body shuddering with fury and thunder rolling in his throat with warning.
Torin. That’s what I’ll call him— if I survive this.
The remaining wolves follow, their heads cast down in respect as they make their way in.
“That’s the last of them!” a voice calls from outside. The trailer is dark; nothing but the muck from our cage fills its emptiness. I stand, the alpha still guarding me, more frustrated at the disobedience from the white wolf than my sudden brave movement.
I tap my earpiece. “Cici, do you copy?”
Nothing. Not even static. I feel along the wall, looking for any flaws in the enclosed trailer. Light shines through cracks from headlights outside, but none large enough for me to do any damage. A yelp sounds at my feet. “I’m sorry!” I whisper to the owner of the tail I just stepped on.
I continue to tip toe, feeling my way in the darkness.
A subtle brush of fur glides against my thigh as the alpha escorts me to the front.
I swipe at my nose, which is now crusted frozen with snot and blood.
My head snaps as bright lights gleam around a small door, connected to the truck.
I quietly press my ear against it, listening to the muffled voices.
“They’re closing the docks. We leave in five.”
A rusted door creaks open. “I need to take a leak then first.”
The lights go out, then I wait, listening for any other movement. I hurriedly reach for my smallest blade, feeling the door for a lock. Torin shifts at my thigh. Even in the dark, his canines glow at the sight of my weapon.
“Shhh,” I plead. Clicks and scrapes of the door silence him as I jiggle the knife in. The lock is too small.
Feeling back along the trailer walls, I find an opening and vertically wiggle my blade in as far as it can go. I rear back, kicking the hilt as hard as I can, splintering it to the floor. The wolves growl, pacing around me. I drop to my knees and scramble for the shattered pieces.
“Ouch, come on!” My fingertips slice against the invisible shards. I gather them up, stumbling back to the lock, careful of any tails in my path. Knowing they can smell the fresh blood makes my stomach knot.
Torin remains solid, unwavering from his guard duty at the back of my thighs.
He warily presses his weight into me, ushering me along.
My fingertips sting as I attempt to shove the broken pieces of my knife into the lock, deeper slices cracking open with the pressure.
My own whimper escapes me from the blinding pain in my hands.
Sweat coats my brows as I push through, racing against time.
Click. “We did it!” The door creaks open slightly. I look back to Torin and his pack.
“What the?” A man spins around in the passenger seat to face me.
I glance back at Torin as the man fumbles with his weapon. “Trust is going to have to be a thing with us. I’m not leaving you. Just bear with me.” Torin’s eyes glow as I disappear.
I slip my leg through the door as the man rises, and slam the heel my boot directly into his face, his head bouncing off the glass of the passenger window. The man moans, his head rolling on his shoulders.
Whirling inside, I pull the lever, pushing open his door, and slide into the driver’s seat.
I haul back both my feet and launch the man out into the snow.
Truck lights illuminate the area surrounding the opening, along with the glow of the moon.
Bear and Greer have moved in, steadily fighting their way through B.A.I.T’s team toward the truck.
No guns drawn yet, which is a good sign on our part.
I gasp as the trailer shakes, then peer into the mirror and spot Nyx slamming his opponent repeatedly into the metal side.
My hands sting against the horn as I pound on it for his attention.
My gaze is immediately pulled as lights flash in my peripheral, a Jeep struggling to start sits in the distance snow.
Vincent rushes around the front, helping his one-handed father into the passenger side.
Blood pours into the snow where he stands.
Nyx startles me as he swings my door open, gun taking aim.
“It’s me!” I hiss.
“What the hell happened to you!” Nyx hauls himself up, but there’s no time to explain.
“Hold on tight!” I yell, pushing in the clutch to take off. The truck rolls, the tires trudging through the snow toward Maxim and Vincent. The engine roars as I slam the gears. “Hold on Torin!”
In the headlights, Maxim’s arms flail through the back window. The Jeep tires spin, Vincent’s horrified eyes jerking wildly from me to the road ahead.
“Scoot up!” Nyx shouts, hauling his legs over my back. He slams the driver’s door shut and plops himself into the passenger seat.
“Buckle up buttercup!” I bellow.
Nyx fastens his seatbelt, slamming the open passenger door shut as he shouts, “You need to slow down Florence!”
I grip the steering wheel tighter, my own blood pouring down my wrists. “Hard to do when you don’t have brakes.” I flash a grin before adding, “Grab the e-brake, pull when I say so!”
Nyx opts argue, but the blood in my teeth must be convincing enough that he listens, gripping the long handle tightly with both hands. “You are one crazy woman,” he says with reluctant admiration.
I won’t let them get away. Not today! My headlights shine through as we gain speed, revealing the frantic father and son. “Now!”
“Florence!” Nyx yells. Sparks fly around us as metal screeches against metal. He jerks the brake back while I pull into neutral, releasing the gas pedal. The semi screams as it slams into the back of the Jeep.
Their vehicle jolts forward, spinning out of control in the snow and straight into the ditch.
My steering wheel jerks and I scream as my palms tear open, fighting to keep it steady as we glide to a halt, tires locking.
The trailer walls bang behind us as the wolves collide from the impact.
I pant, dropping my head against the bloody wheel.
I turn to Nyx, who’s still holding onto the brake for dear life.
“Everyone alive?” I ask, my chest heaving.
Nyx watchfully nods, and I can’t tell if he’s proud or ready to call the psych ward. The sound tears from me before I can stop it. My ribs shake painfully as I grab my belly. “Ow, ow, ow.”
Nyx’s mouth hangs open, his lips gradually spreading as he joins in.
I tap my earpiece. “We need backup,” I call, then I yank the device out from my ear and toss it to the floorboard. “Go get them, I’ll be here.” I wince as I stand, reaching for the trailer door.
Nyx slaps his palm against the door, blocking my path. “What do you think you’re doing?”
I shrug, picking his wrist up to remove him like a pest. “I made friends.”
The wolves stand at the back of the trailer, huddled in a defensive line.
Exhausted, I close the door behind me and slump against it, sinking to the floor.
Torin emerges from the cloud of gray, stalking toward me.
I haven’t the slightest bit of energy to save myself; if he chooses to take me out now then I wouldn’t blame him.
But the mighty alpha stops himself at my battered boots, slumping down with an exhausted huff.
The pack spreads out, following his motion, each plopping down around me.
Shouts sound from outside, the rumble of engines approaching.
But all I can do is lay motionless beside Torin, daring to rest a hand against his ash fur.
The alpha flinches against me, and I smile to myself at the familiar behavior.
My eyelids grow heavy as the shouts continue, giving way to the darkness.