Book 1 Chapter 24


    Book 1 Chapter 24


    When I arrive at work the next morning, Alpha Damien calls me into his office and runs through all the


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    details for the chase. I can wear whatever I want, which will probably be warm gym clothes, apparently


    it used to be a rule that the women go barefoot, fuck that.


    I have more confidence today; I feel well–rested, and I make a sudden decision to go for it and not


    think about it too much. On my lunch break, I swap my heels for trainers and trek into the forest. I have


    one hour to wander around, eating my sandwiches and rubbing against trees. I brush my free hand on


    every thing whilst I eat, making sure I leave footprints in the ground and foliage.


    I double back on myself a lot and take sporadic, directionless routes, making sure my paths will be visi


    ble but haphazard. After half an hour, I am deep in the forest and I‘ve finished my lunch, so I stretch my


    arms out to brush against the trunks of the trees. I pause, ready to turn around and go back, when a


    sh catches my eye. I step between some thick trees and argeke reveals itself, the sunlight


    shes across the surface.


    I try tomit my general route to memory and use my phone to find my way back. No one suspects


    anything when I slip back into work, hands freshly washed, shoes swapped.


    At five o‘clock, I finish my shift and return home, we are meeting at seven, when the sunsets. I decide


    to have a huge dinner, knowing that all this exercise is going to make me hungry. I quickly clean my


    teeth after and change into my trainers, a warm top and some leggings, perfect for an evening jog. I


    check my make–up and drive back to work.


    When I pull up, I‘m pleased to see Jayce waiting for me.


    ‘You look beautiful, hepliments me, brushing his knuckles across my cheek, the simple action


    twists my stomach in nervous but happy knots. Jayce takes my hand and leads me around the pack


    hall to the green, awn used for training. We walk across it to the forest‘s edge, Damien is standing at


    the edge, my nerves start to bubble up again.


    ‘Usually the whole pack is present, but I thought that you would be calmer if it were just us,’ he tells me,


    and I am touched at how thoughtful he is.


    ‘Thank you, I really appreciate that,‘ I reply, letting out a shaky breath.


    ‘Are you nervous about tomorrow?‘ Jayce asks and before I can ask what he means, Damien calls us


    over.


    We stand in front of Damien, sort of simr to how the bride and groom stand at the altar. Damien re


    cites some traditional speech, but I can barely listen because the sun is low in the sky, casting every


    shade of orange across it, and I know I have only thirty minutes to outrun him.


    A part of me wonders why run at all? But I know that this excites him, and in a weird way, I don‘t want


    him to catch me, I want to outwit him.


    ‘You have thirty minutes Myra, time starts when you enter the forest, Alpha Damien informs me and I


    nod, turning my attention back to Jayce.


    I‘m scared of the dark, I whisper, unable to stop the smile on my face because I sound like a child. He


    smirks and leans in close to me, so I can feel his minty breath on my face.


    ‘Don‘t worry Myra, you won‘t be alone for long, he replies huskily, his words send a shiver down my


    spine, and I know I have to do this now before I chicken out.


    ‘See you soon baby,‘ he taunts, and mypetitive side makes an appearance.


    ‘Good luck, you‘re going to need it,‘ I grin at him savoring his confused look. Turning on my heel, I


    sprint into the woods.


    I dodge in and out of the trees, I need to make the most of the sunlight whilst I have it, because soon I‘ll


    be running in the dark, and that‘s just asking for an ident. I push myself harder and pick up the


    pace, telling myself that I can restter.


    I trace one of my earlier routes, backtrack on it and then go off in another direction. I reach a small


    stream i‘d noted this afternoon, I hurriedly take off my trainers and socks and wade across it. The icy


    cold water quickly cools my body and I‘m relieved when I step onto the other side. I pull my socks and


    trainers back on, already feeling my socks drying my feet.


    Time passes much too quickly; the light starts to fade, and I begin squinting to get a clearer view of


    low–hanging branches in my way. All of sudden, a bone–chilling howl resounds across the forest,


    echoing off the trees.


    He‘sing


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    ?C+++


    Myra‘s POV


    He howls again, and I mentally curse him, he‘s taunting me, I know what that howl means; I‘ming


    to get you.


    I sprint as fast as I can, stumbling over uneven ground, my lungs burn but I keep pushing myself. A fi


    nal howl sounds out, and I can tell from his tone he is frustrated, he knows that I‘ve tricked him by


    spread ing my scent, and he‘s mad. The fear of him catching me pumps adrenaline through my body


    and I‘m able to run faster.


    An indescribable feeling of relief washes over me when I see theke, I skirt around it, sticking to the


    bank. I continually check back over my shoulder, paranoid that he is behind me. Only pitch–ck


    greets me, but I‘m relieved there are no glowing eyes in the darkness.


    By the time I‘ve reached the other side, the moon has risen and provided some light. I find a clearing


    with soft grass instead of hard ground, and I decide that I‘ve run enough, I‘m exhausted. I sit down and


    lean back against a tree, getting my breath back as I keep my eyes firmly fixed on space across the


    My eyes feel tired, but I force myself to stay awake and keep concentrating on that space, I‘m surprised


    at how long it has taken him. I thought he‘d find me faster, and I bet he thought he would too, so he‘s


    bound to be pissed off.


    I jump as his dark form leaps into the space, his eyes scan theke andnd on me. A shiver runs


    through me, and I swallow hard, I can‘t look away from his luminous blue eyes across the water. He lifts


    his head and howls loudly, a warning that this is nearly over.


    Fear spikes in me as he bolts off to the side, I know it‘ll take him only a few minutes to reach me, so I


    panic and begin climbing up the tree I‘m leaned against. I can‘t go far, only a few meters, but I feel a bit


    safer.


    I suddenly regret saying yes to this, this is terrifying, the adrenaline alone is making my heartbeat un


    healthily fast. Even though I know he‘ll never hurt me, my brain is not cooperating right now, and I feel


    so vulnerable, I‘m the prey..


    His footsteps thud into the clearing and I hold my breath as I hear the bones crack as he changes back


    to human form. He sniffs the air and then growls; I squeeze my eyes shut and pray to be back in my


    bed.


    Come down, now,‘ he snarls, and I have to p my hand over my mouth, so I don‘t scream in fear.


    I just want this to be over with.