Chapter 6

Echo remarked sadly, being the first one to say something since we exited our room for the first time in years.

Neither of us wanted to admit it; how we've missed so much time in our lives that we would never get back. In that small room we were helpless, knowing nothing about the outside world's current state and trends, new inventions and music and movies. It was agonizing, being trapped and uninformed. A dull ache bloomed in my throat at the thought.

I replied, but let myself wear a small smile. Echo was right, though; we had time. Hopefully.

"This way," Jude said veering right and nudging me down a hallway. Our pace was brisk, nearly running, but slow enough that we didn't sound like a herd of elephants as we navigated through the pack's complex. 

I saw no other werewolf. The place was silent and empty, with unnerved me. If the pack was under attack, shouldn't there at least be elders and children hiding in the safety of the house? Jude, seeing my expression, patiently explained.

"About four years ago there was a bad storm which wrecked some parts of the pack's living quarters. Damon decided to have another house built while the renovations took place, but now most of the pack just lives in the new house. It's bigger and more modern," he shrugged, as if he couldn't believe Damon could have made a good decision. "This building is mostly just used for guests, ceremonies, and jail cells. The thing is, Damon didn't want anyone finding about you, so this wing of the building off limits."

"If my wing was off limits, then how did you know about me?"

"I was the one to deliver your meals," Jude admitted, tugging on my arm to lead me down a different hallway. "Believe it or not, but I've only been Delta for about a year now, ever since the last one was killed. I was the only one to step up and volunteer, and apparently Damon and Axel thought I was submissive enough to be controlled."

"You're submissive?" I asked, surprised. From the way Jude carried himself, and the fact that he had a high position in the pack, I would have guessed he were dominant, or at even a pure beta.

"A submissive beta," he answered. "Shocking, right? Even I'm surprised that I became Delta, but after seeing and experiencing the effects that Damon and Axel had on the pack, I decided that the pack needed someone to rely on, even if they weren't dominant... Ah, this one," he said, stopping in front of double doors.

The wood was dark and shiny enough to reflect the outlines of us as Jude placed a hand on the doorknob. His hand was shaking, and I wondered how hard it was for him to have the pack he so deeply cared about to be attacked just for one person to escape the clutches of our Alpha. I was about to apologize, to tell him that I didn't mean for the pack to get hurt, but the scent of fresh air that crept though the crack of the door was so refreshing all my thoughts were replaced by the memory of running around as a pup, playing with the other kids, free as a careless child could be.

Without waiting for a signal from Jude, I pushed the doors open, nearly tripping down the short set of stairs as I ran out. Echo yipped with glee, her tail wagging so fast I thought she would take off in flight at any moment. The grass, the trees, the dirt, the wind... how long has it been since I've felt any of this?

Echo said, lifting her muzzle and giving the outdoors a deep sniff for the first time in years. 

The trees were bushy with bright green leaves, the grass a vibrant plush carpet. But the slight nip of the late afternoon wind told me that summer would be ending soon, autumn taking over with colorful foliage and crisp air. Autumn, my favorite season, where the trees were pretty and the crackling fireplaces making the pack house cozy and safe.

It was quiet, peaceful.

"Jude, you said the Blue Cloud pack is attacking, yet I see no signs of them," I said, distrust rising in me.

"They're on the other side. I told them to keep the fighting away from this area so I can get you out safely with no one noticing," he explained, sensing my discomfort. He pressed a piece of folded paper in my palm. "The address on this will bring you to a person known for taking in rouges and escapees. I can only go with you until the edge of our territory; it'll be suspicious if the Delta is absent during an attack."

I shoved the paper into a pocket on my jacket and zipped up the opening. I wasn't taking any chances of losing the address. Jude took off running in the direction of the trees after making sure I was situated. I followed him closely, weaving through trees and jumping over logs as we put distance between us and the pack house. 

My body, not used to physical activity, was quickly exhausted. My lungs burned from the running, my legs feeling wobbly and weak. Jude let me rest a few minutes along the way but urged me to keep going, nervousness and anxiety finding its way into his scent.

"Just a bit longer," he said every time I stumbled over a rock, or when I braced a hand against a tree, breathless. "Just a bit longer."

A bit longer, my ass. By the time Jude said we reached the end of the territory, Echo had calculated roughly eight miles from the pack house.

"This is where I must leave you," he said, his face full of sadness. "I'm sorry I can't go any further, or I would."

My stomach churned with both hunger and nerves and excitement. "Words can't express how grateful I am to you," I said, pulling my Delta into a hug. "I will forever be in debt to you."

"No need," Jude said, patting me on the back. "It's what anyone would do."

"No, it's not. You barely know me, yet you risked you life to reach out to a rival pack, have them attack us, and them bring me here. No normal wolf would do that," I insisted.

"Guess I'm insane then," he joked, pulling out from our hug.

"Insane, indeed."

It fell silent, only the whispering of the trees and singing birds filling the quiet.

Jude cleared his throat and pointed. "If you keep going in that direction you'll find a river, and if you follow the river south then there'll be a town. There's some cash in the backpack I gave you, so you'll be able to buy more supplies."

We stared at each other, and I couldn't help but feel a tug of regret that we wouldn't know each other long enough to become friends. 

"Good luck," Jude said, taking a step back.

"Give 'em hell from me, Jude," I smiled, taking my own step back. "You'd be a great Alpha one day, I can feel it."

And, with one final nod, we parted in opposite directions, chasing down our own fates like the predatory hunters we are.

Tears were streaming down my face, blurring my vision and filling my mouth with a slight salty taste. 

We were free.