Hey, everyone!
Thank you for your patience on waiting for an update. If you didn't see my message, I got sick and was down for a few days. BUT I'M BACK!
New highest ranking...drumroll........#102 on Sep 27! YUUUSSSSS YOU GUYS ROCK!
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It had to be beyond the next horizon.
That's what I kept telling myself as my feet propelled me forward, continuing to push as far as I could see. It was easier to see now, considering the darkest part of the night had passed and rays of the sun were slowly beginning to rise. My path no longer was dark and malicious, scattered with varying things I could trip over, but illuminated in the soft glow of the morning sun.
I expected the morning to give me renewed energy, or at the very least a newfound sense of direction. However, it gave me nothing but light. I was beyond grateful I could now see, but everything else was beginning to ware. My body ached, my lungs begged for air, my feet were numb, and my broken wrist was throbbing in time with my heart. I desperately wanted to stop and give my body a rest, but I wouldn't allow it. Not until I found the safe house.
So, I trudged on. I tried to ignore the protests from each of my limbs and distract myself with thoughts of freedom and what it would be like outside the country. The war would be raging, but that meant there would be towns where the wolves weren't in charge. I'd find one of those towns. I'd find a place to live, people I could trust. I'd enlist the help of others to go back and rescue my mother and Will. We'd all live together, free from the reign of those who thought they were above us.
I smiled to myself at the daydream, letting that hope propel me forward. The thing that excited me most was that it wasn't just a daydream anymore, it was becoming a reality. All I had to do was keep moving and I would make it come true. My smile widened as I suddenly realized that I had the power to do anything I wanted. There was no longer anyone forcing me to behave a certain way because of who I was perceived to be.
It was mid-morning now, and nothing around me had changed. Not the scenery, not my aching body, but not my determination, either. By this point, I was once again in desperate need of food and water. I paused momentarily, ducking behind a particularly thick tree. I leaned on the trunk, giving myself a moment of relief, as I dug through my backpack. I'd been careful with my supplies, so there were still quite a few things to pick from. In the end, I grabbed a bottle of water and can of diced chicken. I would need the protein to keep my body moving.
Once I had the items in my hands, I packed up and began moving again. If I stayed leaning against that tree any longer, I was afraid I wouldn't get back up. So, I continued on, but this time with the companionship of the chicken.
The sun was directly above my head now, and I began shedding my various layers. Kade's jacket was the first to go, followed by my own that I'd slipped on halfway through the night. They each went into my bag as I was sure I'd need them again later. I was debating taking off my extra pair of socks when I came upon a small clearing. I stopped in my tracks as I noticed the trees thinning to reveal a small white stone building.
I stared at the building in shock. Was I imagining it? I began to move forward again, but movement inside the building sent me to the ground. I crouched in place, making sure I was concealed by the brush. As I sat on the ground, I listened to a foreign voice. It came from inside the house and I was only able to hear the sound because of a window that stood ajar. The voice was deep, however, so I deemed it to belong to a man.
I concentrated harder as I tried to pick out what the voice was saying. However, I soon realized I didn't have the hearing of a werewolf. I sighed before adjusting my weight to lift myself slowly up. My eyes scanned the house, falling on the window I heard the noise coming from.
I watched one figure pace back and forth, passing the window every few seconds. His frame was tense and I noticed his hands were balled into fists, swinging by his side in time with his stride. He was the only one I saw for a few moments until a smaller figure sat at the window. I saw long dirty blonde hair falling behind the figure's shoulders, falling limply against the back. This one was silent, but I figured it was a woman.
All of my senses were now focused on that small house and the two people inside. The house was sitting in the center of the clearing, the nearest tree several yards away. It hid nothing and almost seemed to beckon me inside. However, my feet wouldn't move. Though I knew this was obviously a safe house, I wasn't intent on barreling inside until I knew I could trust whoever was there.
I was ripped out of my intense stare when I heard something cracking behind me. I whipped my head around only to come face to face with a man. He had light brown hair and a tall frame, long arms wrapping something close to his body. When his gaze landed upon me he let his arms fall, and I watched as he dropped the various small sticks and chunks of wood that he'd been holding. The wood clattered against each other as it all fell to the ground, sending the noise ringing through the silent trees. I jumped up from my spot and prepared myself to run, but the man quickly put himself in front of me.
"Samantha?" he breathed, almost in disbelief.
I furrowed my eyebrows. "Who are you?" My voice was hoarse, but it came out strong and demanding.
"I'm Zane." He moved a foot forward, but I quickly flinched back. "I'm not going to hurt you."
"How do you know my name?"
"Margaret told us you would be coming through here," he spoke slowly, watching me carefully.
His words registered in my mind and I instantly relaxed. He noticed this and gave a weak smile.
"Why don't we head inside? We've been waiting for you."
I looked back warily at the house but reluctantly nodded. If Zane was with Margaret, I could trust him.
Zane started moving, gesturing for me to follow. He walked slowly out of the brush and towards the cement building, whistling loudly as we approached. The man and woman inside immediately looked out the window, their gazes landing on me. I tried to look tall and strong, but my weakened body only came across as tired and dead.
The woman disappeared from the view of the window and came out the side of the building, running towards Zane and I. I stopped in my tracks, watching as she approached me. When she noticed I had stopped, she put her hands up much like Zane had done earlier.
"I'm Tahlia, Zane's sister. Can I help you inside?" Her voice was sweet and welcoming.
I didn't notice it at first, but she began walking forward again and reached for my bag. All at once, I relaxed. I let her take my backpack and watched as she slid it over her shoulder before putting her arm underneath mine. She started walking forward, taking my weight with her. I leaned on her fully, grateful for the help.
The three of us walked to the side of the building and through a small wooden door. Once inside the other man looked me over while walking quickly to Zane. I watched him carefully, though not as warily as before. He was taller than Zane, but not much broader. His skin reminded me of chocolate but his eyes were golden, seeming to pierce through my exterior. If he had hair, it was clipped short enough so that it would not be seen.
He nodded slightly in my direction before turning to Zane, whispering something. I tried to catch what he was saying, but before I could listen in, Tahlia was speaking to me.
"The house doesn't have any furniture," she gestured to the barren one roomed-home. "so you'll just have to settle for the ground."
She led me to a corner of the room, helping me slide lightly against the stone walls. Now with a full view of the room, I noticed how small it was. It could hardly be called a safe house, as it was more of a single bedroom with a smaller room in the back.
"No bathroom, either," Tahlia started. "You just have to go outside. It's not glamorous, but it'll do," she laughed.
Tahlia put my backpack down next to my feet before sitting next to me. I smiled lightly at her, though my gaze followed the two men who retreated into the back room. She noticed my gaze and laughed lightly.
"Enzo is a bit on edge. I'm sure he just wants to make sure you're who you say you are," she spoke lightly.
I nodded in response, leaning my head against the wall. This was the first time I'd sat down since yesterday, and my body was grateful for the relief.
Tahlia suddenly chuckled. "You know, we didn't really expect you until tonight or tomorrow. You must have been hauling ass."
I smiled at her again, taking a bit of pride at my hard work. It had paid off. "Thanks. I didn't really stop. Actually," I shifted my weight to look outside the window and the sun overhead. "I don't think I'll be staying too long here, either."
Tahlia's eyes widened. I now noticed her baby-like features, morphing her face into a sweet and innocent expression. The more I looked at her, the more I saw the resemblance between her and Zane.
"Seriously? But, you've got to be exhausted!"
I closed my eyes for a moment. "I am. But, I have to keep moving."
"At least stay for a few hours. We got some wood to start a fire tonight so it will be warm inside. Take a rest and eat a real meal. Your body will thank you for it."
"She's right, you know." Zane's voice met my ears.
I opened my eyes to watch the two men come out of the back room. They looked at Tahlia and I, Zane folding his arms across his chest. I started to protest, but he held up his hand.
"Just rest for a little bit and see how you feel. If you still want to go, fine. But, trust me. You need the rest."
I slowly nodded, taking the three of them in. I shifted my body weight, suddenly slightly uncomfortable. My mind told me they were only helping, but my heart didn't like the fact they were trying to keep me here.
Zane noticed my sudden unease and raised his arms. "Look, you do you. We're not forcing you to stay. But you should know you won't make it much further without a proper rest."
I slowly nodded. He was right, after all, and we all knew it.
He smiled and walked to the opposite end of the room, gesturing to the other man while he did so. "This is Enzo, by the way."
I smiled in his direction, and he nodded at me. "Good to have you. Sorry about earlier, we never can be too careful."
"It's fine, I understand."
The two men sat down across from each other, and now each of us was leaning against a wall. It made the house seem even smaller, if possible. I closed my eyes again, trying to calm my nerves. These people were here to help. They were humans. The good guys. There was no reason I should be afraid of them.
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Just another HUGE thanks for all your support! Especially the comments - those things make my day :D I'm already working on the next chapter, so another update shouldn't be far away.
What do y'all think of the new characters? Can they be trusted?
Where on earth is Samuel?
-Mquistey