Leverage

Taking Flight

I did it. I'm out.

The shock from finally winning what I thought would be a never ending war with the door rendered me paralyzed. I see my way out, but I don't believe it. It has to be a trick. I can't stop staring out into the hallway, wide-eyed and mouth hanging open. It's as if I'm mesmerized by it.

Move, Stiles! I order myself. Move!

Snapping back to reality, I pick myself up off the floor and make my way out the door. My feet never stopping, I lead myself down the hallway, taking turns wherever my instincts told me to go. Left, then right, another right, and another left. Hoping that I'm heading toward some kind of exit out of this huge place.

My muscles all feel stiff, but the more I move, the more they loosen up. My pace is getting faster and faster the further I go, eagerness taking ahold of me. I have to ignore all the sharp, little pricks that are stabbing me in random places all over my body.

My feet eventually take me to a very big, open room where I can assume that this place used to be some sort of factory. I wonder what shut it down.

I scan the room, searching frantically for some sort of exit. There has to be one around here somewhere.

Then I see it. Relief floods through me as I look at an exit sign glowing red. I begin to approach it when I hear footsteps behind me.

No, no, no. I begin to panic.

Not taking a chance for the footsteps to find me, I run for the door. The adrenaline that courses through me, thankfully, helps me forget about my injuries.

As I reach my exit, I can hear shouting behind me. They found me. I don't risk a look back as I escape the building.

The bright glare of the sun is alien to me and makes me squint my eyes, but I can still recognize a tree line up ahead. I head for it, moving my feet faster than I think they have ever moved in my entire life.

I race through the woods, the trees a blur as I pass them. I suddenly realize that this route was probably not the best one to take when werewolves are chasing after me. Oh well. Too late now. All I can do is keep going. Not stopping for anything.

The wind blowing past my face feels amazing. It's weird how you can forget to appreciate simple, little things like that until they are taken away from you. When I am officially in the clear and don't have a pack of werewolves after me, I'll have to make sure I do that. Appreciate the little things.

Not too far behind me, a roar startles me causing me to trip over a tree root sticking out of the ground. I fall and an explosion ruptures through me, knocking the wind out of me.

My body goes into a flurry of spasms. It has to be from a broken bone somewhere in my rib cage. Falling onto it must have made it puncture something.

God, I hope not.

I have to get up. I have to move. I tell myself. I am too close to freedom for them to catch me now.

I cry out as I begin to lift myself up, the pain intensifying with any movement. How am I going to get out of here if I can't even stand up?

I take a deep, shaky breath and let it out. Ok. I can do this! If I was able to break down a door with a few broken bones, I can definitely deal with running with one for a little while longer. Plus, I'm not really giving myself a choice.

I place my hand over my side where it seems to be hurting the most and apply pressure. It hurts to do it, but it will be better than if I don't. Ok. Ok, I'm as ready as I'll ever be.

I stand up, keeping a firm hold on my side, and take off as fast as it will let me. Which isn't as fast as I wanted to be, but I just hope it will be enough.

I'm actually surprised they haven't caught up with me yet. A few Alpha werewolves against one severely wounded, human teenager? It should be easy for them.

I reach an opening from the woods and realize that it's because I made it to a road.

A road! Yes!...But where are all the cars? It's a road. It has to have people driving on it.

I look behind me to see if I can spot any of the Alpha werewolves after me, but there is no sign of them.

Oh wait. Not true. I see one of the twins just through the brush.

Terror washes over me as I turn back around and head up the road, praying that someone drives down it and sees me.

There is no one here, though.

Dread. That is a good word for what I feel right now. Dread, because one of them is right behind me and I hate knowing that he will reach me before anyone comes down this road.

I recoil when a 'don't move' is yelled too close for comfort and a hand forcefully grabs onto the back of my neck.

"What do you think you're doing?" He scolds, yanking me back.

I don't give an answer, too busy covering my face, scared that he will start throwing punches for what I just tried to do.

He rolls his eyes and starts walking us back.

"No!" I exclaim, thrashing against his grip. "I'm not going back!"

Ignoring me, he continues to pull us forward. He's man-handling me as if I'm not even fighting back.

"Please don't!" I whine. "Please!"

He stops in his tracks and looks at me angrily.

"I tried!" He said, clearly frustrated. "I tried to be nice to you! I did what I could. But now? Now, do you really think they are going to let me do that anymore?"

Ethan.

"Ethan, please!" I beg him. I feel like falling to my knees and crying, I'm shaking so bad. "I know you don't want to. Please just...just don't take me back there! I'm literally begging you!"

He scoffs. "I don't really have a choice, Stiles."

Without saying another word, he practically drags me back. I struggle to break free the whole time. It doesn't do much, but I'm not going to make this easy on him. I even start screaming out for help, hoping someone is in the area and hears me.

Before I know it, we enter the threshold of the worn down factory and Deucalion is waiting for us there.

"Take him to a different room." He orders, waving his hand almost lazily. "Watch him until Ennis gets back. He can deal with him."

A/N: As always, next chapter tomorrow morning! Thank you all for reading and sticking with my story so far. I appreciate it so much. Love you all :P