Winter Wolf

Chapter 22: New Pack

Ira

Rick was running beside me, somewhat hiding me from anyone who would've seen us. I still couldn't believe that he was helping me escape. We ran to the woods and a ways into it before he told me to stop.

"Remember, my dad won't think it was me at first, you need to keep this a secret between us until I tell you otherwise."

I nodded in understanding. My legs felt stronger now that they were being used more, but my ribs and face still hurt from the beating yesterday. I was so hapy to have my friend again and helping me.

"Thank you," I said, giving him a kiss on his cheek.

He turned bright red and I smiled. Before he could say anything else I took off running into the woods and hopefully off their property. I was so relieved to be away from them all, but not Rick. I wished he was running away with me, but he'd be more help in his pack.

I ran on for what felt like hours, not wanting to stop and going purely on adrenaline, but once I was a long ways away from there, my legs gave out and I collapsed onto the dirt breathing heavily and sweating. My leg was aching and felt incredibly weak now, and it was the leg that was clawed.

I was feeling very tired, but I suddenly heard something snap behind me. I reacted quickly and started running again...well, if you want to call it running. I was down in a second again from exhaustion. My heartbeat wouldn't slow down from the panic that started to consume me.

"Hey, calm down!" a woman's voice said.

I looked around and saw about three people standing there, all of them women, and they looked concerned. I laid my head back down and panted very hard, knowing that I over did it and pushed myself too much to run away.

"Are you alright?" the woman from before asked, kneeling down beside me. Were they werewolves? They had to be, but I wasn't sure of anything now.

"She came from Holloway's territory," another girl growled.

"But she looks terrifed, and she's injured. My guess is that she is running away from them," the last one said.

I nodded while still panting. I was really out of shape. Suddenly I felt very tired and the dark peacefullness of sleep enveloped me.

_____

When I opened my eyes, I was in a large tent lying on a cot.

"Good, you're awake," the older woman from earlier said, walking in the tent. "Thought you might've died there, human."

"So, you are a werewolf," I stated.

She chuckled. "Patty, you met my younger sisters earlier, Ashley and Leah."

She didn't look that old, she couldn't have been more than thirty at the most, and the two other girls must've been in their early twenties, maybe my age. Patty had short brown hair and warm brown eyes. She wore ripped capris and foot-flops and a blue shirt. I'm surprised she wasn't freezing.

"Aren't you cold?" I asked.

Patty shook her head. "We're warmer than you humans, plus the snow has mostly melted."

"Really?" It seemed stupid now that I think about it. I landed in mud and dirt yesterday, so the snow was melting, but it was just as thaw...it'd be coming back soon.

"So, what were you doing in Alpha Holloway's territory?" she asked, sittig in the chair across from the cot.

I sat up and said, "Well, I was kidnapped and they want to kill Kostas-"

"Alpha Kostas?"

I nodded, unsure of how she knows him. She let out a small whistle.

"Well, were they using you to get to Kostas?"

I nodded again.

"You must be one special person then."

I felt myself blushing. "Well, I'm his mate."

"Oh," she said, very surprised. I felt hurt at that, but once she started smiling at me that hurt vanished. "He's a lucky wolf."

I smiled back.

"She's up," a girl said, walking into the tent. "Thought we were gonna have a dead one."

Patty rolled her eyes. "Forgive her, Ashley doesn't really know her manners that well."

"I know more than you do," Ashley retalliated.

I laughed. It was comforting to know that these two could be so calm when I was still in a fit of frustration. I was lost in thought until Ashley let out a low whistle.

"So, that's why you ditched the place. No wonder you were so important," she commented.

I nodded, not even knowing what happened. Her black hair was smooth straight, and it drifted down to her mid-back. Her eyes were a bright hazel that stood out and captured my attention. She was very beautiful.

"What are we going to do now? We can't very well attack them since she's gone and they'll blame us," Ashley said, changing the subject.

"We'll have to think of an alternative plan," Patty said, looking thoughtful and distracted.

"What do you mean? Who are you attacking?" I asked.

"We were planning to attack Holloway and possibly wipe out most of his numbers, but we aren't sure now that they're more than likely hyped up since you're gone," Patty explained.

"Why would you attack Holloway?"

"Why wouldn't we?" Ashley countered with a mix of a laugh and a sneer.

"We're rogues," Patty said, ignoring her sister. "We don't have a pack per say, but we all hate Holloway for our own reasons. We want him dead."

"You can't kill Rick!" I said.

They froze and looked at me with confusion. Uh-oh. Not a good thing to say to a pack of rogues that want him dead.

"Rick? Who's Rick?" Ashley asked.

"The alpha."

"I thought it was Brandon Holloway, the one who killed Titan Malone," Patty said, very interested in what I would say.

"Rick is Brandon's son," I slowly explained.

They both looked at each other and then Patty leaned back with an amused face. What was she planning?

"We could kidnap him like he did to you and tell Brandon that we'll kill him unless otherwise."

I chuckled a bit, causing their heads to snap to me.

"What's so funny?" Ashley asked, clearly trying to hide a smile herself.

"Well, Rick would be grateful if you did that. He hates his dad, and vice versa. I really doubt it would work since Rick did help me escape his place."

"Hmm, then I have another idea," Ashley said, a smile breaking through. "We're your allies here kid, now tell us," she said, walking over and crouching down in front of me, "does Holloway have any weaknesses that you know of?"

She was no older than me, that I could clearly see now, but she she held herself more than a normal eighteen year old would. Ashley was very intent on knowing about this, and I racked my brain for anything that I might've known from Rick or else when I was little. A thought suddenly came to my mind.

I smiled widely. "Holloway hates the cold."

_____

Hello!

I know this is shorter, or else it seems shorter, but it's to help build suspense!

Anyway, please vote, comment...ah, you know already.

Cya guys later!