Greykin Mountain

| 54 | Howl

          "Yeah."

          They headed over to the door; Jackson unlocked it and peeked out into the hall—no one was there. So, he led the way to the elevator as Damon followed, and when it arrived, they stepped inside.

          "If we just...walk quickly and don't look at anyone, I think we'll be fine," Jackson said, trying to calm his nerves, but as the elevator descended nearer to the ground floor, he felt his heart beating faster and faster.

          What if they got caught? There were so many police and hunters in this town that he was sure he and Damon wouldn't stand a chance.

          Would they?

          He looked at Damon, but before he could say anything, the elevator stopped, and the doors slid open.

          Jackson tensed up, setting his eyes on the hotel's lobby, where a few people were watching the news on the television.

          "Let's go," Damon mumbled.

          He did his best to fight away his anxious feelings and followed Damon out into the lobby. Nobody even glanced at them, though. Everyone was gawping at the television. So, he set his eyes on the exit and focused on getting out onto the street.

          Jackson's face was hit with a bitter wind the moment they stepped outside, and the snow it carried with it scratched his face. He grimaced, heading across the road with Damon once a few cars passed, and when they got into the narrow alley, they picked up their pace.

          Damon took the lead, glancing back at Jackson every few moments; the slightest sound made the Alpha halt for a moment each time, and he cautiously checked above and behind them. No one was following, though.

          When they reached the end of the alley, they set their eyes on the river. It was on the other side of the road and across a small opening of snow-covered grass.

          "Is it clear?" Jackson whispered, watching Damon look up and down the street.

          Damon reached back, grabbed his arm, and guided his hand down it until he took hold of Jackson's hand. "Let's go," he said and pulled Jackson out onto the street with him.

          They hurried across the road, but when they reached the grass, someone whistled to their right.

          Jackson immediately tensed up and looked over there, spotting two Emporium guards standing under a tree with cigarettes in their hands.

          "Hey!" one called curiously.

          "Where are you going?" the other called.

          "Ignore them," Damon insisted, picking up the pace.

          "Hey!" one of them called again.

          "You can't go down there!"

          "Hey!"

          Jackson's heart started racing again as Damon forced him to run, and when he looked over his shoulder, he saw the two guards chasing after them, yelling and insisting that they turn back. His panic quickly enthralled him, but he couldn't let it stop him.

          They reached the river, and Damon didn't even stop to plan their trek across. He rushed into the water, grasping Jackson's hand tightly; the current was so strong that Jackson could feel his body struggling, but the Alpha pushed through like it was nothing, pulling him with him.

          "Get back here! Hey!" a guard yelled.

          Jackson looked back at them and watched them debate whether or not they were going to follow, but one guy told the other it was too dangerous, and instead, they watched Jackson and Damon reach the other side and hurry towards the forest.