I was going to make Noah regret treating me like some weak wolf that couldn’t protect herself. It was ridiculous to think he wanted me to remain locked up in my room. I was going to get out of here if it was the last thing I did which is why I was probably doing one of the dumbest things I could do. I had tricked the poor guards outside my door that I was in need of there services to help me with a plumbing issue in my bathroom. It was a terrible lie and I am a terrible liar, everyone from my old pack knew this about me which is why I never got away with anything with David. Lucky for me though my new pack had no idea about this and because I was there Luna they probably assumed I would never lie to them. I felt slightly guilty but getting back at Noah was more important to me.
Once the guards were in my bathroom I had locked them in, which didn’t make them very happy. I made sure to block the door with the chair Jane had been using the other day when she had been taking care of me. I knew that wouldn’t hold them in for very long but it would be long enough for me to get a head start. I’m sure they wouldn’t mind link with Noah right away only because they probably know how pissed he’d be with them. I smiled to myself as they banged against the door and yelled for me to open it as kindly as they could.
This is stupid, you’re going to make our mate even more upset with us. My wolf growls at me in my head.
Don’t you want to go for a run? Our mate will understand once I explain that’s all I wanted to do… I say back to her and I know I’m lying to her but it’s easier to convince her because she is essentially just another part of me.
She grows quiet at my words and I can sense the desire she has to be let out and run free since it’s been quite a few days. I smile to myself quite proud of my work as I make my way to the window near my bed. I open it quickly and kick out the screen without much trouble. I survey the outdoors to make sure that no one is wandering around and I’m happy when I find the coast is clear. I drop myself out of the window and land on the ground outside with a soft thud. I don’t wait another moment before I am sprinting across the large backyard toward the forest.
I had a huge grin on my face once I hit the tree line and my wolf was stirring with excitement knowing that she was going to be able to run free. It’s not like I could run away even if a part of me still wanted to be free from all my bonds now that Noah had claimed me I would never be able to leave him without causing myself actual physical pain or until one of us died. I felt my happiness beginning to fade over the thoughts of Noah’s claim on me and the fact that he hadn’t given me a choice in the matter at all. I closed my eyes and breathed in deeply pushing the thoughts out of my mind.
I felt the tension slowly fade from my shoulders and I opened my eyes as I pushed onward deeper into the woods, looking for a good place to hide and shift. My plan was to just make Noah think I had run away from him and freak him out a little, which he deserved after insinuating that I was a rogue. I spotted a large fallen log in the distance and knew it would be a could place to strip and hide my clothes.
I admired the stillness of the woods around me as I began to take my clothes off, realizing how much I had truly missed being surrounded by nature after my year long stint in the city. I smiled as I let the shift take over and my bones began to reset themselves folding and molding themselves into my true self. The shift was a pleasurable feeling, almost better than sex or well I had been told by other wolves. I shook out my black coat of fur when the shift was finally over. I dug my paws into the dirt beneath them feeling the vibrations and energy of the world around me.
I let my wolf instincts take over and with a yip of excitement I jetted off like a bullet from a gun. The wind rustled through my thick fur jostling it all about. My wolf and I were both feeling extremely pleased at the feeling of finally being free to run without fear of humans catching us. I don’t know how long I ran for but I finally tired myself out when I sun was beginning to get lower in the sky and the woods had begun to darken. I had blocked Noah out of my mind the entire time and I was sure he was probably searching for me by now as long as his goons had told him I had run off. When I heard the sound of a twig snapping behind me I was pulled out of my thoughts.
One of my ears perked up and the other one pressed down against my skull as I listening carefully to the space around me for dangers. When I heard another snapping twig my other ear pressed back against my head. Someone was out here with me and I suddenly began to regret my decision to leave Noah’s house. I mean I had no idea how far from his house I had gotten since I had been blindly running and the fact that he had to deal with a rogue earlier was now increasing my unease.
I shifted from foot to foot and began to scent the air trying to assess the threat but I only got a small whiff before a round of snarls erupted from the shadows around me. I lowered my head and the fur on my back bristled up on instinct as I growled. A large rust colored wolf emerged from the darkness his eyes glowing red with bloodlust a mark of a rogue wolf. I took a step back slowly but kept my defensive stance my wolf not allowing me to back down.
When two more wolves followed behind him I realized that I was in trouble. I might have the strength to fight off one rogue wolf maybe even two with some luck but three was out of the question, even with my stronger senses. I shifted my eyes between all of them trying to determine a route of escape. There blood colored eyes stared at me hauntingly. The rust color wolf lifted it’s large head and let out a loud howl which caused me to flinch because it told me that there must be more of them nearby.
I watched as the leader shifted back into his human form right in front of me which I found odd considering. He was a large man as a human. His body was riddled with scars like someone had taken a whip to his flesh many times. His hair was on the longer side hanging down around his shoulders and his eyes were still the haunting red. I shifted my shoulders and let out a threatening growl at him which didn’t seem to scare him one bit.
He kept his eyes focused on me, “Shift.” He commanded in a deep voice.
I wanted to laugh but my wolf let out a snort instead. The stranger didn’t seem to appreciate that because he let out a threatening growl, “Shift now or die!”
The sound of howls echoing in the woods around me told me that his pack of rogues were waiting in the shadows. I knew at this point that I had walked myself right into dangerous territory all because I was mad at my idiot of a second chance mate. I growled in frustration before I allowed myself to shift back into my human form quickly covering my nakedness with my arms.
“What do you want?” I spat out trying to remain confident even thought I was extremely uncomfortable being naked in front of this stranger. His red eyes never left my face, “You smell like that traitor who calls himself an alpha…” His words make me frown. I watch him cautiously as he takes a step forward scenting the air.
His eyes move over my body carefully inspecting me and finally landing on the spot on my neck where Noah had staked his claim. I watched his eyes widen in surprise and then narrow, “That’s impossible…” He mutters to himself before catching my gaze, “You are the mate to that traitor?!” He practically rages, his voice causes me to flinch slightly. He clearly wasn’t some ordinary rogue.
“Answer me now she-wolf before I let one of my men have there way with you.” His threat makes my blood run cold. I swallow my small fears, “I—If you’re asking if Alpha Noah is my mate than—no…” I lie hoping to protect myself. His eyes narrow, “Then whose mark is that on your neck? And why do you smell like him?”
“He caught me on his land without his permission the other day and I’ve been held prisoner—which I was escaping from when you so rudely interrupted me—But that’s why I smell like him I’m sure and this mark…” I shrug my shoulders a bit, “It’s would that I got from a fight with an Alpha…” wow, I was surprised by my own lie. This was the first time I felt I had told something believable, apparently when my life depended on it I could lie like it was second nature.
The stranger looked me over again as if trying to weight out the truth of my words and I only hoped that he would believe them. When he took a step towards me I backed away defensively which made him pause. Slowly I watched a smile spread across his lips, “So you want me to believe that a girl like you was able to out smart and escape from Noah and his pack?”
I narrowed my eyes, “Why don’t you come a little closer and find out just what a girl like me is capable of Mr. high and Mighty?” I growl feeling the need to assert my dominance. He chuckled at my words and the wolves behind him shifted slightly, “Do you know who I am?”
“No and honestly I don’t really care too. I just want to get back to escaping and every moment I spend here chatting with you, Noah could be getting closer…” I shift back remembering that I could open up my mind to Noah. I mentally smack myself for forgetting that. I let the link between our minds open and I feel the rush of his energy meeting mine.
‘Noah..’ I speak to him in our mind link
‘SCARLETT!’ his voice booms in my head and I have to do everything I can to keep from reacting, ‘Where the hell are you?! I’ve had everyone out looking for you!’
‘Listen—I know you’re mad at me right now—‘ I start but he interrupts me, ‘Mad—You think I’m mad?! I’m FURIOUS! I swear when I find you—you won’t be able to sit down for a week! Do you understand how dangerous it is for you to run off on your own? weren’t you listening to the fact that we have a problem with rogues?!’
‘NOAH!’ I yell over the top of him through our mind link and he quickly becomes quiet and I know it’s cause I’ve yelled at him but honestly I am in a bit of a pickle so I’ll deal with his tongue lashing later if I make it that long, ‘I need your help—Rogues—they found me—they have me surrounded.’
‘Fuck!’ He growls, ‘I’m coming for you Scarlett—try not to piss them off and get yourself killed’
‘Just hurry it up—I don’t like the way this guy is looking at me.’ I reply before disconnecting from the mind link knowing that I needed to focus on the situation at hand.
The stranger is smirking at me, “Well maybe you see the resemblance between Alpha Noah and myself—considering that he’s my baby brother.” His words make my eyes widen in shock, there’s no way right? There is no way that Noah’s brother is a rogue. He stood a little taller lifting his head higher, “You can call me Alpha Kellan If you want but personally I feel like that's to formal for someone such as myself. I prefer Kellan…”