2.13: Gettin the Hell Outta Here

It didn't take her long to work her way through the maze of corridors and make her way out into the fresh night air. The streets were flooded with people running, crying, looking for places to hide. She frowned and looked at the smoke that billowed into the sky in the city in the distance.

They were in the city. She gasped. She thought of Darien, where was he? Was he safe, or was he out there fighting them? She felt this incredible urge to find him. She ran down the road from the manor grounds toward the city, ignoring the people who were running in the opposite direction, toward higher ground and the safety of the manor.

She weaved her way through the streets, heading for the Alliance headquarters. She had gone there for her training when she first joined. She was meters away from the building when she heard a fierce guttural growl. She gasped and froze, turning to face the black beady eyes of a beast.

It stood seven feet tall, well muscled and standing on its hind legs, it had the face of a wolf and fur sprouding across its body, its jaws were rows of fangs, dripping with saliva. It's long spindly arms ended in black claws, already drenched red with blood. It curled its lip and snarled at her, then sniffed aggressively in her direction.

It launched at her, claw piercing her shoulder and throwing her to the ground, her body hit the pavement with a crack. The beast reared back its head, jaws wide to strike. Something launched and crashed into the beast, knocking it back. She sat up quickly, reaching for the dagger she had dropped next to her.

She saw Alpha Lucien growling, wrestling with the beast. He held a sword at his side, and what looked like a gun on his other hip. He stepped back from the beast, circling it. It swiped out at him with its claws. Lucien raised his sword and charged, swinging in a high arc he lopped the head off of the beast.

He turned to face her, panting, coated in the beasts blood. He saw her and growled, he walked toward her, circling her.

(Ding! Love Meter increased to 65%)

"And where do you think you were going?" He spat at her feet. She looked at him warily, he still held the sword in his hand.

"I was trying to find my friends." She said honestly, raising her hands in surrender.

"You mean going to find that alpha, and give him information." He said with a sinister growl. She gasped. He knew. "I followed you." He said.

"You followed me?"

"It was a test of loyalty, and you failed." He growled. He stalked forward and got up in her face. His hot breath was on her cheek. "You're coming with me." He grabbed her around the waist and threw her over his shoulder. She shrieked and pounded at his back, it was no use he just kept marching back toward the manor building.

When they arrived back at the building, he strode through the front doors. He made his way through a maze of corridors and up several flights of stairs before entering what looked like a private residential wing of the building. He walked up to a large set of double-doors and threw them open wide. A large bedroom with a roaring fireplace greeted them, he tossed her onto the bed. She shrieked and bounced as she landed. He slammed the doors shut and locked them.

She sat up and moved back against the headboard, she wrapped her arms around her knees and stared at him. He stood there, breathing heavily, bloody sword still in hand. His eyes were piercing, narrowed in anger. He looked somewhat crazed.

"Are you going to kill me?" She asked quietly. He paced back and forth at the foot of the bed.

"No! You are mine. Only mine. You will accept this in time." He nodded to himself and dropped the sword.

"You plan to keep me here? Locked up?" She said incredulously. He growled at her and approached menacingly.

"You were going to trade information to the enemy! What choice do I have but to lock you up? You've forced my hand." He said.

"Locking me up won't make me mate with you." She said firmly. This guy was delusional. He reached forward and with a bloody hand moved a stray hair behind her ear.

"No, you will come to me willingly." He said confidently. Then he strode into the ensuite washroom and slammed the door shut. She heard the shower run. She looked around the room, a large four-poster bed sat in the center of the room, a wooden desk was off to the side. Large, bay windows viewed out into the manor grounds. She could see smoke rising from the city. She saw squadrons of military soldiers go by in vehicles.

She tried the door again, it wouldn't budge. She sighed and sat on the bed, putting her head in her hands. Her shoulder throbbed. Finally, she heard the shower shut off and the door to the bathroom open, a cloud of steam wafted out. Lucien came out wearing only a towel slung low on his hips. She inhaled the strong alpha pheromones and her heart accelerated. He smirked as he glanced at her. He slowly dressed.

"Now, you'll be a good girl while I'm out." He said affectionately, and headed toward the door. He placed his palm over the lock and it unlocked for him. Damn, hand scanner. She couldn't pick that lock. The door clicked shut behind him.

She groaned in frustration and pulled at her hair. She was supposed to romance this guy? He's insane! She started to pace back and forth across the room, thinking. There's got to be a way for her to get out and find Darien. She looked to the bed, where her purse had been haphazardly thrown. She opened the purse and dug through the contents, sighing in relief when she saw the small flash drive and cell phone. She pulled open the phone and cursed. No signal.

She walked over to the large bay windows and looked out, they were really high up. She reached for the latch and pushed the window, it opened. He didn't think to lock the windows. She took a deep breath, and threw her leg over the edge.