The Consequences of Rage
Anne's heart dropped, her mind reeling with shock and disbelief. She hadn't meant to kill him—she had only wanted to protect Heather and Emily. But the sight of the man's lifeless form on the floor and the horror etched into Heather's and Emily's faces made her feel like a monster.
"No, no, this can't be happening," Anne muttered to herself, taking a step back as her body trembled with the weight of what she had done.
Heather remained kneeling besides her ex husband, her eyes wide and unfocused as she stared at his still chest. Her breath came in ragged gasps, and tears began to spill down her cheeks, leaving glistening trails on her pale skin. The man who had terrorised her for years, the man who had caused her so much pain, was gone.
Emily's sobs broke the heavy silence, her body shaking as she slid down the wall to the floor.
"Mum, what are we going to do?" She choked out between gasps for air.
Heather slowly turned to look at her daughter, her eyes filled with despair.
"I'm so sorry," Anne whispered, her voice barely audible. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I didn't want to hurt him."
Heather's calm eyes met Anne's, and for a moment, neither of them spoke. There was no anger in Heather's gaze, only a deep, sorrowful understanding. She had seen the violence and the desperation in her husband's final moments, and she knew what Anne had done was out of protection.
Finally, Heather took a deep, shuddering breath and rose to her feet. She looked at Anne, her expression a mix of grief and resignation. "It wasn't your fault, Anne," she said softly.
"He brought this on himself. But now we have to figure out what to do."
Anne clenched her fists, trying to keep her emotions in check. She knew they couldn't stay here—not with a dead body in the room. Panic threatened to take hold, but she forced herself to think clearly. They had to leave, and they had to do it quickly.
"I'll… I'll take care of him," Heather said, her voice trembling with uncertainty. "You and Emily should pack your things. We need to leave before anyone finds out. But first, help me with him."
Anne and Emily exchanged a glance, the reality of what they were about to do settling in like a cold shiver down their spines. Anne's heart pounded in her chest, but she forced herself to move to follow Heather's lead. Together, they approached the lifeless body of Heather's husband, the man who had terrorised them just moments ago.
Heather's movements were calm and methodical as she wrapped his body in the sheets from the bed. Anne hesitated for a moment, but she quickly pushed the feeling aside. Now wasn't the time for second thoughts. She bent down to help lift the body.
Emily stood back, her hands trembling as she watched her mother and Anne struggle with the burden. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. "Mum, what are we going to do?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
Heather didn't answer right away. She focused on getting the body out of the room, her mind working through the steps she needed to take next. Once they had managed to load the body into the trunk of the car, she turned to Emily, placing a gentle but firm hand on her daughter's shoulder.
"Don't worry," Heather said, her voice softer now. "I'll take care of him. You and Anne stay here and pack up our things. We need to be ready to leave."
Emily nodded, though she was still shaking. Heather didn't look back as she drove off into the night, leaving Anne and Emily standing in the empty parking lot.
As the car's taillights disappeared into the darkness, Anne turned to Emily, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Let's do what your mum said," Anne said, trying to sound reassuring, though her own voice trembled slightly. "We need to pack."
Emily moved mechanically, grabbing her clothes and belongings and stuffing them into her suitcase with shaky hands. Anne did the same, her mind racing as she tried to process everything that had happened.
Heather returned, her face pale but composed. She took a deep breath and looked at both girls, her expression serious. "It's done," she said simply. "Everything's taken care of. Now, we need to stay calm and forget about tonight. Tomorrow, we start over."
Anne nodded, though the words felt hollow.
Emily, still trembling, wrapped her arms around her mother, burying her face in Heather's shoulder. "I'm scared, Mum," she whispered, her voice breaking. "What if—what if they find out?"
Heather stroked her daughter's hair, her voice soothing. "They won't," she promised. "We'll be far away by the time anyone even thinks to look for him. We'll be safe in Alaska. No one will know what happened here."
Anne watched the scene unfold, her heart heavy with the burden of what they had done. She wanted to believe Heather, to trust that everything would be okay, but a nagging feeling in the back of her mind told her that nothing would ever be the same again.
Later that night, after Heather and Emily had fallen into a restless sleep, Anne found herself alone in the tiny motel bathroom to do what she had planned.
She had meant to clean up, to wash away the remnants of the evening, but instead, she found herself frozen in place, her hand clutching a small pregnancy test kit she had picked up earlier in; her wolf had been telling her that she needed to confirm her suspicions. With trembling hands, Anne unwrapped the test and followed the instructions, her heart pounding in her chest as she waited for the results to appear.
Two blue lines.
Anne stared at the test, her mind spinning with a whirlwind of emotions. Fear. Shock. Confusion. And deep down, a small, flickering hope. But as she stood there in the cold, sterile light of the bathroom, one thing was clear: her life had just changed forever.
Tears welled up in her eyes as she clutched the test to her chest, her heart pounding in her ears.
She was no longer just Anne, the rogue wolf running from her past. She was now carrying a new life within her, her mate's baby. Alpha Damien's baby. She had thought of looking for him and telling him the news, but a wave of uncertainty washed over her. Would he want this child? He didn't want her. What if he killed her baby ?
No !
She clutched her flat belly and whispered. "I will protect you, little one."
She would do whatever it took to keep her baby safe, even if it meant being on the run for her entire life.