Chapter 35

Zara

The day of the full moon arrived, and I hadn't escaped. I was too rattled by Chloe's visit, and I missed my chance. The guards were all on alert in the evening.

Lucian and Kieran would be visiting that evening. And they would demand I soothe their wolves. And I would do it, because I'd promised and because I knew that I couldn't just stand by and watch them suffer. I hadn't been able to make myself refuse them yet.

But with both of them in the room, it was practically guaranteed that one of them would notice the signs that I was their fated mate. One of them might be too distracted, sure, but the other would see. It had taken one kiss with Adrian and he'd known. I was beyond lucky that Lucian had been too out of it to realize when I kissed him in the bathroom.

I could refuse them anything more than the most basic contact, on any other night. But it wouldn't be enough for the full moon. They needed more. I would have to draw on the bond.

I shuddered, remembering the pain that had driven me to my knees. I didn't want to feel that again. The next time, it might just kill me. That's what broken bonds did to half-bloods.

So I had to get away.

I knew I had only one, single chance to escape. The guard who brought my breakfast was younger than the rest. He was uncertain of himself, and easily manipulated. That's how he let Chloe in.

I could threaten to tell the Alphas that he'd done that, but it felt cruel. Who knew what they'd do to the young guard? They wanted me isolated and he'd defied their order.

I was desperate to escape, but was I that desperate? To threaten a younger wolf who just tried to do something nice? He didn't know Chloe hated me. He'd hardly be the first wolf she'd fooled.

The polite little tap that announced the arrival of my meal interrupted my thoughts. It was now or never. I took a deep breath, apologized silently, and went to stand by the door.

“Wait!” I called out as the young guard stepped back after sliding my tray into the room.

He hesitated. He glanced down the hall, both ways, to check that it was empty. If there was a superior guard there he would only look one direction, looking for instructions. We were alone.

“Please,” I said. “I need your help.”

“I... I can't,” he whispered.

“I can't stay in here any longer,” I plead. “I need out. Just for a moment. It's the full moon. Can't you feel it? Pulling on us? If I can't even see the sky today... I don't know what it'll do to me. Please.”

“Zara, I'm sorry,” the guard whispered. “I'm so sorry but... they'll kill me. The Alphas will kill me if I let you go.”

“I'm not asking for that,” I lied. “Just take me to a window. Just for a moment. One little moment. It won't hurt anything. I won't tell anyone.”

“We could be caught,” he said. “They'd kill me.”

“I won't let them,” I said. “I'll take the blame. I'll tell them it was my idea. That I tricked you.”

“You are trying to trick me,” he declared.

“No, no I'm not. I'm begging. I am begging you to just let me see the sky for a handful of seconds.”

The guard hesitated.

“We're pack, aren't we?” I asked. “Does that mean anything anymore?”

It had never really meant much where I was concerned. I was the half-blood. But pack bonds were important. The guard wouldn't just ignore them.

I hoped.

“The Alphas said...”

“To keep me prisoner, I know,” I said. “But I'll still be a prisoner. I can't run away from you, you'd just turn into a wolf and run me down. I can't shift, remember?”

“I know,” he said, still hesitant.

“So what could it hurt? Just let me out for one minute. Just one.”

He visibly debated. I held my breath. Had I convinced him? Was there any chance he'd go against the Alphas for me?

The young guard shook his head. “I can't, Zara. I'm sorry.”

His shoulders slumped as he turned away from me. My breath caught in my throat. This was my last and only chance.

“Wait,” I said, voice barely above a whisper.

The guard stopped. He wasn't hesitating this time. He was frozen, mid motion, hand reaching out for the door.

“Don't close the door,” I said.

A look of calm and peace washed over the guard's face. I watched as his hand fell to the side like a puppet with one cut string.

What was happening? I felt my wolf stirring within, meeting my desperation with a strange, quiet strength. She'd never done that for me before.

“Stand aside,” I ordered.

The guard took one step to the side. I pushed my way out of the door before he snapped out of it. He was acting like he was under an Alpha voice, but it was just me. I was no Alpha.

Yet I felt the power behind my own words. I felt my wolf's strength and confidence. The guard wasn't trembling under my command. He looked calm, almost happy. He wasn't struggling the way I'd seen other wolves try to fight the Alpha voice. This was something different. But what could it possibly be?

I didn't dare trust him to stay under my command for long.

“Step into the room,” I ordered.

The guard obeyed with a tiny, contented smile on his face. I hated to think what Lucian and Kieran might do when they found him in there, but the only other option was to stay in there myself and I did not dare do that.

“I'm sorry,” I said as I slammed the door shut.

I hoped I hadn't just signed that young wolf's death warrant. And then I turned and ran as fast as my feet would take me.

I knew every secret way and hiding place inside the Alpha house. It had, once upon a time, been my home. Now it was a trap I was desperate to escape.

I dodged the servants and guards. Several times I had to press myself into a shadowed corner or huddle under a piece of furniture and wait for a pair of feet to pass. Every moment I expected to hear the alarms sound, to hear the howl of wolves. I was sure I'd see Lucian's piercing gaze or hear Kieran's infuriating laugh.

But neither twin materialized and the rest of the household staff didn't know they should be looking for me. I made it out into the garden. I just needed to find a place to hide. If I made a run for it the way I had before, I'd just be caught. I needed to be smart, to wait for the best opportunity.

I needed to go someplace no one would think to look. And I knew just the place.

I waited for a guard patrol to pass, and then I followed the trail from the Alpha house to the tiny, humble cottage the Alphas had generously granted to the widow of the former Alpha, and her daughter. I went to my step-mother's cabin. Because no one would believe I would ever go to her of all people for help.

I just had to hope that she didn't immediately turn me over to the Alphas.