Scarred

Chapter 16

Chapter 16

I get to the edge of the trees, I'd hoped I would come out right at the start of the trail, no such luck though.   I can see the trail, I run for it, I know if they left anyone on the trail or outside the house they will see me, how did they even get up here, Alex told me it would be impossible.  "There she is, going back down, wait Lucy, WAIT"   screw that, I'm not falling for anything, I have to get down to the lake, I'm not sure what I can do when I'm there, but I'm not going to get captured and brought to the alpha by these guys.   I have to be getting close to the jump by now, where is it? I’ll have to slow down and search or I'll fall down it. That tree looks familiar, that looks like the one I shifted behind last time, so I must be ... falling down the gap.  Crap! I can't grab anything, I kick my back legs off the wall and launch myself forward, shifting in mid-air.  This is going to hurt.   Again.  I reach the ledge and my fingers just brush off the edge, I missed the ledge, I'm falling.  There is no smaller ledge for me to grab onto.  I am going to hit the bottom.  Hard.

I hit something, and bounce once.  A net? I open my eyes,  it is a net, a safety net. I could just kiss Alex, he really thinks of EVERYTHING. Something just shook the net, I look around, there is nothing on the net, I look up and see three wolves looking down at me, then they disappear.  Great I'm stuck down here! The net moves again.  Wait, what’s holding this thing up?  I can see hooks in the walls where the net is attached, and one of them is definitely coming loose, I carefully stand up and move away from the lose hook.   I grab my bag and get as close to the wall as I can, if this net falls so do I, but if at least one hook stays in place, I can either climb down or stay at this point by hanging onto it.  I hear the twang on the net as part of it pulls the hook out of the wall. Then I feel the tension build under my feet.  "Lucy, we are passing down a rope ok, just hang in there we will get you out."  I look up and see three faces looking at me, they’ve shifted. I pull clothes out of my bag and get dressed as quick as I can without moving too much, not bothering with underwear or laces, if I get dragged up this wall the clothes might offer some protection, if I fall to the bottom, well at least I'll die with dignity.  Another hook is pulled out of the wall, then another.

"hurry, the net is falling" I look up and see the rope, I can almost reach it, another hook goes and another, I grab the rope and pull it down and tie it around my waist just as the net falls and I do too.

"PULL" I stop falling.  I am being pulled up, it’s only going to take a few minutes to get to the top. What will I do when I get there.   Who are these guys? If the alpha sent them, then letting me die would have been the easiest thing to do.   But who else could they be.   I'll have to run for it, once I'm up, I'll pretend that I am in shock and lash out at anyone who touches me, then I’ll run.  I know the way better in human form anyway.  I am grabbed before I reach the top.  I get ready to start my act.  But I am on the wrong side of the jump, damn.

"You gave us a fright there Lucy, if we let anything happen to you Alex would kill us, are you ok? Did you get injured? Do you need anything?" Whoa, slow down there. He sounds like he genuinely cares, what's going on here.

"I'm sorry, who are you?"  He slaps his forehead.

"Sorry Lucy, I'm Jamie, and this is Matt and Will.  We are friends of Alex.  He asked us to come up here and find you”.   Do I trust them?  How am I supposed to know if they’re his friends or not?

"Why did he not come here himself? Is he ok?"  If they are his friends they will know what's happened to him.   Jamie looks to the one I think is Matt.   What are they not telling me? I know he is alive, but that's all I know.  Matt looks at Will and he nods, then Matt nods at Jamie.  I can feel my blood boiling now.  JUST TELL ME.   I want to scream at them all.   "Where is my mate? What's happened?"