Shifting Love

Chapter 27: The Escape

"I am going to ask you one more time. How did you escape?"

"And I am going to tell you one last time, I am not going to tell you."

"Take her back to the basement."

A deep voice rumbled with laughter, "Over our dead bodies."

As if appearing out of thin air, I was suddenly flanked by Teague, Cooper, and Logan. So many questions swarmed my mind. How the hell did they get in here? Where was Dante? What was going on? But now wasn't the time for twenty questions.

"That can easily be arranged."

Logan grabbed my wrist and pulled me to his side. Cooper and Teague stared down Johnny. There were only a few hunters inside the room with us. It was nothing too hard for the two muscular wolf shifters to handle.

'Are you hurt?'

'I am fine, Logan. Where is Dante?'

'He is gone already. He lost you in the hallways but he found us outside and sent us in to get you. He wanted to come back to find you but I forced him to start going to the first territory. We will meet up with him there.'

'What about the other Alphas?'

'We don't have time, Ari. We will come back for them another day, I promise.'

"Rick, why don't you show these shifters here just how much training we have been doing in their absence," Johnny smirked, motioning to my captor.

"Teague."

"It would be my pleasure Alpha female," Teague smiled with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

He cracked his knuckles threateningly and stepped up to the hunter.

'We don't have time for this Ari.'

'I know but we need to distract them long enough to get away Logan.'

'Arianna, get out of here. Cooper, Logan, and I can handle the hunters. Bobby and Kevin are waiting for you at the entrance. They will take you to Dante.'

'They are what?'

I could almost feel the grin on Logan's face from his happiness at my anger towards Dante. What was he thinking bringing two younger wolves along? How could he even think that was a good idea for Bobby and Kevin to be anywhere near these dangerous men?

'They are fine, Ari,' Cooper reassured me, 'Once you get outside you will know where to find them. Once the hunters are distracted, you run.'

Teague didn't wait another moment for me to argue. He crouched low and charged at Rick. Cooper quickly pushed a shift into his wolf and jumped past me at two hunters that were eagerly looking at me.

Logan had been guarding me but the minute Johnny made a move for me he lunged at him. It was no secret to any of them the hatred that burned inside of me for the hunter or his weird homicidal rage against me.

His eyesight hadn't left me the moment I entered the room. But now his main focus shifted to Logan. I wanted to stay to watch over the men I loved dearly but I knew I wouldn't get a better chance to escape than I would at this time.

Once I was sure Johnny was no longer watching my movements, I quickly slipped back out the door. It didn't take me very long to find the exit. I was lucky not to run into any more of the enemy.

'Kevin? Bobby?'

'We are by the trees. We will come over and meet you.'

'No, stay where you are and I will come to you. Are you shifted?'

'Yes.'

'Good, stay that way. I am not going to stop. As soon as you see me start running and don't look back no matter what.'

'But Alpha Dante told us-'

'I don't care what he told you. I am telling you now that under no circumstances are you to look behind you. Do you understand?'

'Yes Arianna.'

I sniffed the around me for their scent. I instantly found them in the trees to the left of the building. I stripped down and focused on pushing my body through a hasty shift.

My paws crunched against the cold snow as I bounded for the forest ahead of me. Voice started shouting from the building behind me. I glanced to the side to make sure the boys were following me.

Two small wolves were nipping at my flank. I was thankful they listened to me for once and weren't looking back at the large group of hunters chasing us. We were much faster than them. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that we could make it to the next territory.

I was more worried about the three men and the family I left behind with the hunters in the old abandoned building. All I could do was throw a silent prayer up to the heavens that my father was watching over my family.

'Move faster, Ari!' Teague shouted.

A knife sailed through the air and narrowly missed my head. The blade sank deep into the bark of the nearby tree. The assailant must have been strong to make that kind of impact.

'Boys, keep moving faster!' I desperately ordered as another knife flew by us.

Teague and the others finally caught up with us. He flanked my left side while Cooper and Logan watched the back. The boys weren't in danger any longer with them by their sides.

After ten minutes of continuous running we finally lost the hunters. The boys were out of breath and complaining about the exercise. But I wasn't going to allow them to rest until my mate was in the same room as me once again.

'Where are we going?'

'Daniel's territory is first,' Cooper answered.

'We should be going to Christian's.'

'Why?'

'I want to check on his mate.'

'So he really has found her?'

'Yes and she has been hiding in his pack house for weeks now. I need to make sure she is safe. His will be the next.'

"Ari!"

Dante breathed a sigh of relief when we finally came into sight of the Dark Hills pack house. His hand brushed against my fur and he pulled me tightly against his chest. I whimpered at his touch and nuzzled my head against his arms.

"I am so sorry I left you. When we got lost in the hallway I had no idea where you went. The others wouldn't let me go back in to find you."

'It's okay Dante. I am here now and everyone is safe.'

"Are you sure you forgive me?"

'There's nothing to forgive.'

"Let's go inside. Carla is waiting for us. She left last night so she could talk to her pack for us. I thought it would make things go faster and smoother if she was here. I am sure she will have something for everyone to change into."

'Lead the way.'