ALPHAS LITTLE FOX

Part 12

Piper

Willow was nice enough to let my homeless arse camp out on her couch last night. She was still pissed off at me as I hadn't really decided what I was going to do about this mysterious Alpha Damian, and telling her I would figure something out apparently wasn't helping. The run today was the only real thing on my mind. I wanted to run with the packs, and I knew that if I got into any serious trouble, I could just kick it up into high gear, leaving the rest of them in the dust.

"Willow! What are you doing? We'll miss the start of the race!" I shouted to a slow and sluggish Willow who was taking her sweet time with everything today.

The makeup had to be right, the hair, the outfit. The list went on. Meanwhile, I was rocking my tracksuit pants and a white singlet. I opted out of the matching sports attire Willow—and most likely every other pack member—was in.

"You realise that Perry will be like a bloodhound chasing after you, right? That's not including the guards that are sick and twisted also. They could already have a plan in place, Pipe. Are you really going to risk a run knowing you could get caught?" she scolded me as she made her way downstairs.

"But it only happens once a year and it's my very first time running. Perry always kept me locked away and hidden from everything." I pouted as I sat on the couch.

"I know that, Pipe, but you've got to take this seriously! Alpha Perry is psychotic. There is no denying it." She sat down next to me and leaned her head against my shoulder. "You're my best friend, Pipe. We both know what that man is capable of, and I just don't want anything to happen to you over something as stupid as a run."

I pursed my lips as I wrapped my arms around her. If I didn't love the ground she walked on, I'd be pissed at how accurate Willow was all the time. Alpha Perry was a monster in every bit of the word.

"Think about it this way." Willow tilted her head up to look at me. "When you chose to go back to the Lightning Ridge Pack with Alpha Damian, then you'll be able to run around with everyone all you like. Remember the moon goddess has planned out everything to always work out." She tried to reason with me.

"You mean the past seventeen years of torture were all because of her?" I acted offended. "Bitch," I muttered.

Willow and I glanced at one another and burst out laughing.

"Bitch," Willow imitated me and we completely lost it in a fit of giggles.

"I'm serious though, Pipe." Willow chuckled a little. "Are you really going to jeopardise your freedom just for a run?"

"No," I grumbled. "You're right. As annoying as that is!" I growled playfully. "Alpha Perry is a sneaky mutt. I managed to get away last time but now . . ." I trailed off and shrugged.

"Thanks, Pipe. I know how much this means to you, but your life means more than just a simple run. There will be other opportunities, and if not, then you and me can go for one together." She pulled me in for a hug.

"Thanks, Willow. You're an awesome friend. Annoyingly right all the time but I can deal with it." I smirked as she squished me against her.

"What will you do when I'm gone? You can always stay here and cut up those truffles we found yesterday."

My nose scrunched up at the thought of touching them again.

"No way I'm touching those smelly things. I'll just go where I always go," I grumbled.

Willow gave me one more squish before she got up and made her way over to the front door to put her sneakers on.

"Why don't you stay on the border of the forest where the gym is? You might be able to see the run from there?" she suggested.

I nodded.

"Okay, well, I'm off then. Please at least try to stay out of trouble," she nagged.

I rolled my eyes at her. "Yes, ma'am," I droned.

Thud!

"Ouch!" I yelped.

Willow tossed a shoe at me and got me good right in the shoulder. I was rubbing my arm when I looked up in time to see her smirking face as she shut the door. Picking up the shoe projectile she hurled at me, I discarded it with its twin at the front door and sat back down on the couch. The clock on top of her mantle ticked away as I decided to give it a good five-minute wait before I headed out the door with my lightweight hoodie I wore for training.

The light jog to the gym felt good as a warmup. It was actually a pretty nice day considering I had Alpha Perry chasing my arse. That, combined with the knowledge that if I got caught, he would never let me see Willow again.

I slipped into the forest so I could sneak around the back of the gym without anyone catching me. Willow was right in stopping me from going to the run, but it didn't mean I couldn't keep my distance and just watch, right? I mean, it's not like this happened every year. This was the first time they planned to have everyone running as one and that would be pretty awesome to see.

When I found a tree that was close enough to the gym but also had a good branch I could sit on, I climbed up quickly in my wolf form and shifted back as soon as I was settled.

My back was against the trunk of the tree as I sat and waited for something to come. The smell of pine that drifted on the soft breeze made my eyes slowly close as I just sat there and let all the tension from the past two days ease out of me. I should do this more often.

My thoughts drifted to the forest and how nice a run would feel in my wolf form. I could even go for a dip in the lake right now to cool off from the day and pictured all the packs there splashing around happily with each other.

"I wish I could go," I murmured to myself as I opened my eyes and watched the sunlight flicker through the trees.

I was slowly kicking my leg backward and forward in the air as I smelt something funny on the breeze. It wasn't pine or an elk. Oh no! My eyes widened as I felt my body snap into fight-or-flight mode. The wind picked up as I leapt down quickly from the tree, but there was a slightly different smell to these wolves. They didn't smell like the guards Alpha Perry sent after me.

"Shit!" I panicked.

I needed to hide! Now!

Knowing Alpha Perry, he probably hired some fucking assassins or something to come track me down. His little army of guards were so pathetic that the only job they were good at was directing traffic.

Racing to the back doors of the gym, I fumbled with my keys and unlocked the back emergency exit. My heart was leaping out of my chest as I entered and locked the door behind me. A simple little lock wouldn't keep them out for long. Come on, Piper, think!

I ran around to the janitor's closet and dragged out four huge bottles of bleach. There wasn't a wolf alive that didn't despise the smell of this stuff. Granted I didn't too, but if my choices were burn your sense of smell for half a day or go back to Perry, I'd take a stinging nose any day.

Right as I was dragging the bleach up the stairs from the pool, a wolf slipped out of the forest and began sniffing all around the place. The wolf slowly walked over to the base of the tree I was hiding out in and lifted its nose in the air—proof that these wolves were looking for me specifically.

I needed to hurry.

Scraping the bottles across the ground, I dumped out two of the bottles at the back door and sprinted to the front entrance. Next to the heavy double doors at the entrance, I spotted the vending machines I raided on occasion and came up with another idea.

Using every last ounce of my strength, I wedged myself between the two of them and pushed as hard as I could, sending the massive machine slamming to the ground in front of the two doors.

"Good," I puffed as I dumped out the two remaining bottles of bleach and thought hard about where I could hide. Theses wolves could sniff me out in no time if I wasn't careful. I needed a way to get the air to waft the obnoxious smell all around the building. I looked up at the air vent above me and smirked.

If I was able to get into the air-conditioning vents, I could hide out till they gave up and went home. It could also double in helping the bleach permeate any scent of mine that might still be lingering about.

Good plan, Piper! Now . . . how do I pull it off?