Runaway Rogue

Chapter Three: Indigo's POV

The sun was high in the sky, but the mountain air was still frigid when Indigo opened her eyes. Her entire body ached, like she was waking up with a fever, her mouth dry. But when she shifted her body, the aching was overpowered by pleasure. The kind that ripped away rational thoughts. Had her shorts always been this silky? Had her baggy t shirt always held her breasts so nicely. A moan leaked from her mouth. Everything from the cool grass beneath her to the breeze catching her midnight hair was exquisite.

Was she dead? Was this heaven?

She felt like she would have stayed there in the clearing forever, basking in the sun, enjoying her body. It was a shame she didn't pay attention to her full breasts and her aching core more often. She didn't care that she had been dumped here, didn't mind that she had spent the night outside, nature was perfection anyway. Everything was simple and wonderful.

Then, a long, low howl rang out.

A wolf. And the chances that a random wolf was in the area, so close to the general population, during the day, when she just happened to be in heat, was slim.

Because this was heat. It had to be.

"Fuck," she hissed, her body almost buckling as she rolled onto her stomach then onto all fours. She needed to run, but her body begged her to stay.

Would it really be so bad? She could just lie here and wait. Andrew would find her; he would smile at her and smooth her hair. He would assure her that he wasn't mad, he was just happy to have found her.

Then she thought of his sweaty body on top of hers. The way his eyes would glint during sex, how his touch never felt right no matter how gentle or how rough he was. The disgust that roiled in her belly was enough to clear her head. She forced thoughts of Sasha to the forefront, and of Paris. She couldn't risk Sasha being discovered by her father. She would not allow any harm to come to Paris who had no one else to rely on.

With her teeth clenched, she staggered out of the clearing, towards the tree line. She might have repressed her wolf now, but she still loved nature. If she wanted to shake someone off her tail, she was at an advantage in the woods. There was no way she could outrun a werewolf once it spotted her, the goal was only to stay hidden and to keep moving.

Another howl rang out into the air. The pleasure her body took from it was unrelenting, so strong, that she had to pause to lean against a massive tree trunk.

"Fucking bastard. Stupid fucking mate bond," she hissed.

Why couldn't she have been like every other girl in her pack and end up with sweet boys from back home. All they wanted was to be a part of the community and usually make a few babies too. Somehow, she had gotten stuck with an old man who made her skin crawl, one who saw their bond as something of a transaction.

It was that sensation that made her press on, even when the hormones in her body fought. She was doing this for Sasha, so she would never have to see her father again if she didn't want to. She was doing it for Paris who had been cast out of her own pack at such a young age. She was doing it for herself because living with Andrew had been a strange kind of hell where she feared breathing, but had every luxury.

Her legs protested, but ultimately obeyed when she asked them to run. She didn't know these woods well, but years of trail running meant she didn't have to. Thankfully, either Sasha or Paris had been kind enough to put shoes on her feet so almost nothing slowed her down as she moved. She stuck to game trails that wildlife used, ducking below branches, adjusting her strides for roots.

It was just a casual run, like she did almost every morning. She just wanted to see how fast she could go today. That was all.

The werewolf behind her howled again. In the back of her mind, she wondered if it really was Andrew out there. It had been years. But, if there was anyone more filled with determination, she had yet to meet them. And even if it wasn't the wretched man himself, it didn't matter. What matter were all of his contacts. And all of the money he had to bend others to his wishes. Surely, if another wolf found her, they would be more delighted with the reward Andrew could offer than her presence. People said money couldn't buy happiness, but they never had the option to try.

It didn't matter. What did was that the howls were getting closer. She didn't know if it was her anxiety playing tricks on her, but she swore if she strained her ears, that she could hear the creature panting after her.

She needed a new plan. She wasn't faster than a shifted werewolf, no matter how long she had been running for. She didn't have a nose like one either. If she wanted to get away, she would have to take some risks.

She followed her ears to the sound of running water. She knew where she was, if only vaguely. There was only one river in the area, small and safe, but deep enough to swim in and fast enough. If she could bear the glacial fed stream, it would take her down the slope, towards the town.

She reached the rocky bank, stumbling over stones and wincing when the icy water brushed against her calves. She didn't stop running until the water was swirling around her waist. Then she dropped in and paddled with the current, allowing the water to propel her forward.

She was a runner, not a swimmer and she had never regretted it more in her life. More than once, she swallowed a mouthful of water, coughing and disoriented, just to be swept under again. She lost her footing often and would plunge below the surface when she intended to suck in a breath. Her arms were exhausted, her legs felt like icicles. She pressed on, she had to.

She stayed in that water for far longer than her body wanted to face the freezing temperatures. Once the distance seemed great enough, she pushed her body towards the riverbank, allowing the current to do most of the work, but was able to get her feet firmly planted and fight the water if needed.

She only stopped her travels when she heard the roar of traffic. A highway crossed over the river, supported by an ugly overpass. Indigo hadn't lived here long, but places like this usually only had one way in and one way out. She dragged herself from the water, droplets splattering the rocks around her. Every inch of her was soaked. She must have looked deranged, her satin shorts now grass stained, her shirt drenched, her hair mangled.

"Oh my God! There she is!" someone shouted from a vehicle. Paris.

Indigo didn't know which god had pulled the strings to line this up. She didn't care. She thanked them all.

The shared old Corolla screeched to a halt on the side of the highway. Paris was out of the car before the tires had even fully stopped rolling, her slender arms open. "Oh my god, what happened? Are you okay? We went back, but we couldn't find you!"

Indigo sank into the warmth of the arms that wrapped around her.

"She's freezing! We have to get her warm!" Paris cried to Sasha who was running towards them.

"I'm so sorry," Sasha gasped, her arms now joining in the circle. "I didn't know what to do. We were so afraid that he would find us."

"No, you did the right thing," Indigo replied numbly. Her teeth were chattering, but she didn't know if it was from the shock or from the cold.

"Indigo, are you okay? What happened?" Sasha said, her grip falling away as she took in her friend.

Indigo stared ahead, feeling like her eyes weren't seeing. " He came after me."

"My dad?" Sasha gasped.

"I think so."

~~~Question of the Day~~~

Horses or Cows?