The Waitress and Her Alpha

| XX - Forest |

James allowed me to sleep on the bed. He was proud that I stood up for a pack member, decided that I was falling in line with his ideals. If she wasn't pregnant however, he promised to cut deep into me for each word that I had spoken, and to watch my mouth in future decisions. It was a massive change, and even with how proud he was he left a trail of injury along my arm from his claws. Even when I do the ideal thing in his eyes, it's not enough. I lay wide awake next to him on the bed, his hands laying over my stomach while he snores. I never missed that. My thoughts travel to Jessica, her smiling face at the dinner table that gave me all the hope I needed.

Speak of the devil. The window slides open slowly, Jessica sticking her head through the window. I look over to James, his face un-changing from the subtle noise. She waves me over, a begging fear in her eyes. As quick, but graceful as possible I try to slide from his grasp. His fingers tighten, my eyes closing to hide the excitement that has formed from my savior. I feel them relax again, then feel him shift over on the bed letting me free. Jessica waves frantically now glancing over her shoulder for just a moment. I roll of the bed using the mat that lays next to the side table as a cushion for my footsteps. As fast as my human legs can carry me, I run over to her letting myself feel as light as a cloud. Thank anyone that men are heavy sleepers. Jessica grabs at my arm pulling me through the window. The shorts and tank that I was given doing nothing against the midnight chill. The lack of shoes forces me to bite my tongue, the twigs that litter the yard digging into the soles of my feet. I watch her slowly lower the window, look around once more, and then wrap her hand through mine. Jessica meets my eyes, her stare demanding, follow me.

We run towards the tree line, the black of night covering us from any curious eyes, however the problem of our scent is a growing concern. She dips left then right keeping it disorganized as we tunnel through the trees. As we get deeper into the forest, a reflective pool comes into view. Jessica runs at it faster pulling my arm tightly. The bottom of my feet are bloody messes by this point and attempting to get an infection is not on me to do list. I try to stop her, but she's much stronger than me. If you jump in the water, your scent will be masked for maybe a half hour. Enough to get past the guard line. My logic is wild, but enough to convince me that maybe Jessica does know what she's doing.

She tugs us both into the water quietly, a slow descent that pains every split part of my body. The collar weighs heavy on my shoulders as I soak it through, Jessica taking just as much time to meticulously cover every inch of herself. As soon as we soak our hair, she dips down grabbing lake mud running over her upper body and head, I follow suit pushing it between my collar and over my body. The cuts that cover my body have mud shoved into them, my blood being a potent indicator of my scent. This is going to turn out horrible, but at least I might be free. Now run as fast as you can.

And we do. We jump from the lake and force our bodies forward as fast as we can. Jessica is slightly faster than me, her hand staying on me to keep me in pace with her as we stay in a straight line to what I assume is an exit. My body screams to stop, the lack of energy resources starting to hit, my feel swelling, and the burn that covers every inch of me from that water. Don't stop running. So close.

The end of the tree line comes into view, the moon breaking so beautifully over the field. I watch the shadows of people form towards the middle, Jessica pushing us harder towards them. My body starts to light on fire, the bond cracking with joy as the beautiful face of Ares comes into sight. Mate. Mine.

"Come on, Vee, one last push." The first words she's spoken to me, and now I know why. Wolves.

Their growls fill the void behind us, feet beating against the woods floor. I take a glance at Jessica, her eyes welling with tears as we continue. Ares runs at me with a concentration I hadn't seen before. His eyes shift, a dark look taking over. Jessica looks to me, "When I say drop, drop."