Chapter 5

I woke to the feeling of strong arms around my waist. I would have felt comfortable, safe, if it wasn't Damon's arms that were snaked across my body. It felt suffocating and hypocritic; why do such a sweet, intimate gesture after you forced someone to bed with you?

I was deeply insulted, and coming from the emotions rolling off Echo, I knew she felt the same way.

<How long has it been since...?> I asked my wolf, straining to get out of Damon's tight hold without waking him.

<Roughly three hours,> was her reply. <Which leaves us about... two hours until dusk.>

<You think he will be gone by then?>

<He has to. What kind of Alpha lets his pack fight off  another without even checking it out?>

I snorted. <I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't care.>

I said that, but deep down I knew his Alpha instincts wouldn't let him stand by when his pack was in danger. Maybe. At least, I hoped he would care. I didn't like the thought of having innocent werewolves hurt just to let me escape. Then again, I did say I would do anything to get out of here, but did that include hurting my pack unintentionally? I pushed those confusing thoughts aside as I finally broke free of Damon's arms.

Two hours, Echo had said. I trusted her internal clock, her wild animal senses. They were the only reason I haven't gone insane yet, living in this singular room with no windows, and certainly no clock to keep track of time. Two hours. Damon would be out by then, and if he wasn't, then the oncoming attack will hopefully be enough to rouse him. 

"Running away again?"

I whirled around, scooting back to the relative safety of my cot until my back hit the wall. "Yes, and for the rest of my life."

He chuckled, running a hand through his dark, tousled hair. "Pup-"

"Don't call me that."

Damon's gaze was sharp as he snapped his eyes on me. I glared back, snatching my shirt from its place on the floor and shoving my limbs through the respective openings. I wanted nothing more than to give him a good jab at his prized jewels, but I withheld myself.

Barely. 

Damon began dressing himself as well, smoothing out the wrinkles in on his clothes. He looked as though he were about to say something when a knock  sounded on the door, rapid and urgent. He cursed, finished buttoning up his shirt, and cracked the door open. I strained my ears to eavesdrop on their whispering. 

"Unknown scents have been found on the edges of the southern boarder," the messenger said, her voice low and scared sounding. "Beta Axel thinks there may be some outsiders prowling the premise of our territory."

"Axel knows that I am to not be disturbed," Damon hissed back, causing the poor girl to flinch. 

"A-Apologies, Alpha, but he said this was serious! He thinks the neighboring pack, Blue Cloud, will be launching an attack for more territory-!"

"I know damn well who the neighboring pack is!" Damon nearly shouted, slamming a fist on the wall. He cast a quick glance back at me before saying something to the messenger in a tone so low my enhanced hearing didn't catch it. It must have been a command because the girl ran off, leaving Damon looking more pissed than before.

"Trouble in paradise?" I drawled, knowing that I was pushing my limits. I couldn't help it, though-- Jude's plan had started; my chance of escaping was increasing by the minute.

"Wouldn't you know," Damon said with a tense edge to his voice.

"Actually, I wouldn't, as I've been locked up in here--" I gestured to the cramped room-- "ever since I turned eighteen."

A flash of surprise flitted across the Alpha's face, followed by even more anger. His hand clenched around the old brass doorknob, his jaw hardening. "One day," Damon said simply, "one day." Just as his hand began to turn the knob, Echo sprang up.

<August, how do you say that one insult again?>

<'Fuck.'> I responded, already seeing where this was going but making no attempts of stopping her.

<Thank you!> she beamed-- actually beamed-- before brushing against the mind of Damon's wolf. Echo drew in a deep breath.

<Fuck you, Kalen.> 

Kalen, Damon's wolf, growled in response and struggled to take over. Damon had a confused look as to why his wolf was suddenly emitting bloodlust, but shrugged it off and exited the room, muttering about incompetent pack members.

<Damon didn't sense you in his mind?>

<No,> Echo said proudly, sticking her nose in the air. <I snuck in, did some damage, and snuck out.>

I grinned. <Good job, solider.>

<Proud to do my duty, comrade.>

*

"You can't what?" Jude said, his face paling a bit.

"I can't shift," I repeated, wringing my hands. "Trust me, we've tried! It's almost as if there's something blocking the barrier between wolf and human. We can still communicate clear as day, but when it comes to shifting..."

"Okay, okay," Jude whispered to himself, pacing in what little space my room had to offer. "Okay, slight change in planes. My fault for just assuming he could shift. Slight change in plan," he repeated, looking directly at me. 

He tossed me a big black backpack, and I grunted as I caught it. "What's in this thing?"

"Some clothes, light provisions, a map, and a water canteen," the Delta listed off. "There's no camping equipment because I thought you could sleep in wolf form and I wanted you to travel fast, but my misjudgment ruined that part. I apologize. There's a thermal blanket in there somewhere, though."

I pawed through the backpack, pulling out clothes that looked brand new. I looked at Jude for permission, but he just waved a hand.

Do what you want, he seemed to say.

Wasting no time, I yanked off my shirt and pulled on a thick, dark green flannel. It was soft, and would surely keep me warm. There was a black thermal rain jacket, which I layered over the flannel. The black pants were made of a sturdy, reliable fabric that I couldn't name, which I quickly donned, shedding my previous pair. My old clothes fell to the floor like a second skin, which is what they were- nothing but a nasty reminder of what I have gone though these past few years. Jude silently handed me a pair of boots lined with a supple material. 

"How do I look?" I said, giving him a twirl.

He made a half-smiling, half-grimacing expression. "Like a homeless hitchhiker. Now let's go; we've no time to waste." He opened the door and stepped out cautiously.

I followed, giving my prison one last middle finger before following close behind him.