The Alpha Female

TWENTY-TWO: RUNNING

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: RUNNING

            I shifted back to my human form the moment my paws hit the dead grass of Mason’s front lawn.  Ahote’s scent was thick in the air and it had me worried.  He had to get out of there, if Mason was hurt because I was being selfish, because I couldn’t let him go, I wouldn’t be able to live with myself.

            I grabbed the front door by the handle and jerked on it, but it wouldn’t budge.  The one time I decided to lock the door behind me had to be now.  I used Mason’s favorite curse word before heading around the house to Mason’s bedroom window.

            “Mason!” I whisper yelled at the window before picking up a rock from the bed that ran around the house.  I chucked it at the window.  “Mason,” I groaned, grabbing another and throwing it up at the window, this one harder than the last.  I could hear the glass crack.  He had to open that window.

            I grabbed another rock, throwing it up as the window slid open.

            “Wha-” a sleepy looking Mason barely dodged the rock as he stumbled to the other side of the window.  “Holy-” he looked down at me.  “Suka, what are you doing down there…where are you clothes?”

            “Mason we have to go.” I rushed.  He leaned over the windowsill, squinting down at me. 

            “I’ll grab you some clothes and then I’ll meet you down-”

            “We have to go now.” I interrupted. 

            “Suka, you aren’t making any sense.”  He thought for a moment.  “Were you leaving?”  A look of hurt crossed his face and I tried to not let it get to me.  “You were leaving,” he breathed, leaning away from the window.

            “Mason you have to listen to me.”

            “You didn’t even say goodbye.”

            “Mason you don’t understand, Ahote is-” Something tipped over in the house, a board creaked.  I froze.  Mason didn’t seem to hear it, but instead just stared at me in wounded confusion.

            “Mason, get out of that house.”  I left my spot by the window, running around the house and back to the front door, trying to find a way in.  Ahote had gotten in somehow, and now it was my turn. 

            I ran into the garage, something in the house tipped over with a crash.  The door to the house was open slightly, busted in.  Ahote was going to kill him, I could smell it on him.  I had to get in there.

            I sprinted through the open door, breaking out into the kitchen of the house.  Everything was quiet. 

            “Mason,” I called softly.  He had to be here somewhere, he was just at the window.  I hunkered down, turning the corner and grabbing a hold of the staircase railing.

            “Mason,” I called out again, looking up the stairs and at the hall.  It didn’t appear that his bedroom door was open.

            I started up the stairs as quietly as I could manage.  Ahote’s scent grew stronger with each step.

            I swallowed past the lump in my throat as I reached the top of the stairs and turned towards Mason’s door.  Deep breaths Suka, he’s okay, you’re overreacting, that’s all.  I grabbed onto the door handle and turned it ever so slowly, leaning into the door so it would open as quietly as possible.