Run Like a Rogue (Under Construction)

Chapter Fourteen: For the Love of Jump Rope

Alana’s Pov

I woke up feeling light headed and dizzy. Oh no! I’ve read books like this before. This is the part where I open my eyes and see some stranger that I got married to in my drunken state last night. I felt an arm curled around my waist. I can’t believe this is happening. Alright breathe, Alana, just breathe. I turned slowly and faced the man…my….husband. I opened one eye and peered up at his face.

Thank God! It’s just Rafe. Rafe! I jerked up and out of his arms. I shuddered remembering his anger and twisted smiles. He was crazy! He had killed the last rogue leader. He wanted me to stay with him. He had kicked Lily. Tears came into my eyes. That was the image that had haunted my nightmares last night. I searched the tent, looking for her small form. She was still there on the floor. I ran and kneeled next to her, shaking her softly.

“Get up, Lily, get up. We have to go.” She blinked wearily at me and hers eyes widened as she looked at me. She reached up and touched my neck with her tiny hands.

“I’m so sorry, Alana. I shouldn’t have brought you. I just thought, if anyone could help my brother, it would be you.”

“I don’t think anyone can help him Lily. We have to leave.”

“Leave?” Rafe asked in a childlike voice. I turned to him with wide eyes. At first he looked confused, then angry. I quickly scooped Lily up in my arms. Rafe followed me as I raced out of the tent. The rogue camp was already active. As soon as they saw how angry their leader was, their eyes began to gleam with excitement. They all stood and shifted into a pack of feral wolves. This was what they had been waiting for.

I put Lily down and grabbed her hands. “When I say so, get on my back and hold on, got that?”

She nodded seriously. Good. We didn’t have much of a chance, but it was better than nothing. I backed up slowly with Lily behind me, until I was standing between the forest and the rogues.

“Now,” I shouted. My clothes tore as a shifted. Lily jumped on my back and clamped her arms around my neck. I spun and dived into the forest. I ran as fast as I ever have, but it wouldn’t be enough. The rogues stayed on my tail. Lily seemed to grow heavier with each second. Instead of killing us instantly, the rogues ran off to the sides. They were surrounding us. It was a game to them, just another hunt.

Suddenly, a black wolf appeared in front of us and growled viciously. I growled back. A gray wolf stepped next to him and a brown one after that. More came, until we were completely surrounded. I looked at each of them. There was a small, white one that seemed vaguely familiar. She was obviously female. Her eyes were brown and full of hunger. I shook my head. I needed to focus. I scanned the circle of rogues again. They all paced a few yards away from us as if an invisible barrier held them back. Then, a weak looking brown wolf stepped into the center, Rafe. I looked at him, my eyes pleading. If there was any humanity left in him, maybe he would let us go. He lifted and eyebrow and smiled, exposing all of his fangs. Then, he turned and walked out of the circle. Each of the rogues followed him with their eyes. He glanced back, nodded once and disappeared. The rogues closed in on us.

I shook Lily off of my back and stood over her protectively. Then I lowered my torso, pushed my ears back and flashed my fangs at them. The black one smiled and charged at me. I darted to the side, hoping that he would miss me, but at the last second he twisted and bit savagely into my neck. I shook myself but his jaws just tightened. Next I felt a wolf rake their claws down my back. I let out a weak bark and kicked them off with my back paws. Suddenly, I heard a furious growl, saw a flash of black and my neck was released.

I leapt up in relief and turned to faces my attackers head on. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a muscular, brown wolf fighting one of the rogues. Dan! And just ahead of me a russet-colored wolf took down a rogue. Jake! Before I could find the others, a rogue bit at me, demanding my attention. He was large, too large. Everything I knew about fighting a strong opponent flew through my head in a moment. With renewed confidence, I attacked him.