Destined for Disaster ✔️

Chapter 17

Ryleigh's wolf made it very clear that it had been a terrible idea to escape. The animal agreed whole-heartedly that they had to escape, but the timing was awful. They weren't strong enough. But that had never stopped Ryleigh before.

One unsteady paw at the time, she kept going. They'd started off running, but she hadn't been able to keep that up for long, so she'd opted to walking as fast as she could. Which wasn't very fast.

She tried to ignore the animal in her head. Her wolf wanted to turn back. There was a chance no one had caught on yet. Perhaps she could slip back into bed like nothing had happened. But it was already growing light and Ridge was usually up early. The only way was onwards.

It was no secret to Ryleigh that her wolf was exhausted. She'd been in her wolf form for the better part of a month, and it was the animal that had taken the brunt of the damage. But if she chose to continue in her human form, she'd be even slower. She swayed dangerously on her feet, the forest floor blurring in and out of focus underneath her.

Her wolf was right, though. They were in no state to be doing this. She snapped her head up and listened intently. Please, don't let that be –

They were coming. She could hear them in the distance and cursed inwardly. With a deep breath and more determination than ability, she sped up. It would be a stretch to say she was running, but she was trotting on as quickly as she could.

Should she try to hide? She looked around her. The woods were wild enough, but she didn't immediately see anything that would be suitable as a hiding spot. And Austin would smell her anyway, wherever she hid. And yet she would rather die than surrender.

She was pretty sure she could hear her wolf sigh. The ground came dangerously close for a second when she missed a step. If she were to fall, she wasn't sure she could pick herself up again. Around her, wolves surrounded her. She couldn't see them yet, but heard and smelled them. They were close.

Three wolves came from between the trees in front of her. She halted and looked over her shoulder, where four other wolves were coming up behind her. Seven against one. This wasn't going to end well.

They surrounded her and stood still. Ryleigh figured they were linking Austin that they'd located her and she groaned at the thought of his triumph.

Ryleigh and her wolf didn't agree on many things – the animal was generally a voice of reason to Ryleigh's passionate recklessness – but if there was one thing the pair didn't need to discuss, it was that they would go down fighting. Their minds became as one, and she launched herself at the wolf closest to her. The thrill of the fight – if it can even be called that – made her forget her pain and exhaustion. For the moment, at least.

She sent the wolf flying backwards, latching onto his neck. Before she could make him submit, another wolf jumped on her, and she toppled off the wolf underneath her. She landed hard on the ground and the wolf, in turn, landed full on top of her, flattening her like a fly on the wall. She was pretty sure she could hear her ribs groaning under the weight.

More bark than bite, Ryleigh growled and tried to throw the wolf off her, with little result. She simply hadn't the strength, and she had to admit that yes, it had been a terrible plan from the start. Her initial victim quickly got to his feet again and jumped into the action, helping the other pin her down. The other five surrounded them again, this time in a much smaller circle.

A loud roar ripped through the air and instantly, the wolves scattered. The two wolves on top of Ryleigh gave each other a quick glance, then moved off her in unison and backed away. A fawn-coloured wolf entered the scene and Ryleigh instinctively understood she was looking at Austin's wolf. His scent washed over her in waves, and she closed her eyes, both bummed that he'd caught up with her and relieved that his presence was easing her pain. She clenched her teeth and struggled to all fours, wobbling on her paws. The wolves who had reached her first backed up further as Austin approached.

Her wolf eyed him with satisfaction, and – though she would never afterwards admit it – Ryleigh did the same. He might not have been as large and imposing as Ellis, but he was strong and sleek, and his coat was beautiful. He took her in with wide, dark eyes. She shook off the dirt and took an uncertain step towards him, her legs shaking and threatening to give in. He effortlessly sped to her side, supporting her weight before she could fall. They were right beside each other then, eyes locked.

She shook her head and pulled away, looking around her to the wolves surrounding her. As one, they started moving away, disappearing between the trees.

"I think it's best if you shift back now, Ryleigh."

Her head snapped in the direction of the sound to see Conall approaching. He threw a pair of trousers towards Austin, and a simple dress to Ryleigh. Austin usually didn't care about being naked, but there was something about his mate being there that made him nervous, so he gently clenched the trousers between his teeth and disappeared behind a few trees. He quickly shifted back and returned moments later, half dressed, which sparked Ryleigh's interest. He wasn't as muscled as his brothers, but Goddess, was he a sight for sore eyes.

Conall chuckled. "Got yourself an admirer, Aus." He glanced at Ryleigh, then pointedly at the dress in front of her. "Come on, missy. Your turn."

Ryleigh growled. Missy? 

"You have little choice, Ryleigh," Austin said.

She wrote the fluttering in her stomach off as the silver acting up again. It definitely wasn't because he spoke her name.

"We can do it the hard way or the easy way," Conall said. "Don't forget I silvered you once already. Don't make me do it again."

Ryleigh snarled, folding her ears back. She took a few steps forwards, but Austin stepped between her and the object of her rage.

"Shift back," he said – calmly, but sternly, the way someone would talk to a petulant pup. "You tried, you failed. Give up."

As usual, her wolf nudged her to do the reasonable thing. They had fought – had tried, like Austin said. They'd gone down fighting, and now it was time to face the music. She huffed and shifted back, a whine escaping her. Her paws turned to toes and fingers, digging into the dirt. It'd been easier to keep herself upright on four stocky legs than it was crouching on the forest floor on unsteady limbs. The world exploded into dancing stars and she fell forward.

Two strong hands landed on her shoulders and steadied her, and when the spots in front of her eyes rearranged themselves into a clear picture again, Austin's bare chest was right in front of her. She might have made a witty remark about his physique, but didn't have the breath required to speak – because of her dizziness, of course, and not because he was flawless.

She weakly pushed him away. A frown marring his features, he obeyed her silent plea for space. The chilly night brushed over her naked form and she shivered, longing for his touch back. But he wasn't hers to touch, and she definitely wasn't his. She reached for the gown that Conall had brought her and nearly fell face-first into the dirt again. Austin made a move to help her, but her warning glare kept him at a distance.

She managed to reach the dress and pulled the fabric over her head. Stretching her arms above her head, her muscles screamed as though they had shrunk and she was stretching them out beyond what leeway they could give.

"Just let me help you," Austin said. Clearly he hadn't been paying attention. Letting him help was admitting weakness, and if there was another thing Ryleigh and her wolf agreed on, it was never to show weakness.

"No." She pressed her palms against the dirt and closed her eyes, mentally preparing herself to the diminished balance that would come with standing up. With a deep breath and headstrong determination, she pulled herself upright. Instantly, her surroundings blurred into black and white again, and she passed out.

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A/N: So much for Ryleigh's escape attempt. But hey, at least she got to see Austin shirtless. That has to count for something. 

As always, any input is welcome, and thanks for reading!