Every Were Gets A Mate

Chapter 6

The thought of my mind being damaged sent shivers through my body. I sat in shock for a while before I moved over to the armchair. The remnants of my dinner on the desk were making me ill. The guard returned about a half hour later to take the tray away and asked if I required anything else. I didn't and was left alone again. More time passed as I sat in the armchair, deep in thought.

My twenty-four hours was slowly dwindling down. I didn't really know how strong my will was. It had never been tested. I had no desire to find out. I knew that being in a pack gave a were strength. Lone wolves were weaker because they lacked the link to support them. The longer a were was without a pack, the weaker their will became. A very strong willed wolf, especially an alpha, could command a lone were by forcing their will on them mentally. It was a battle I didn't look forward to.

The house became much quieter as it got later. I decided to investigate my windows. To my surprise, they were not sealed. I pushed up the first one and touched the delicate screen before looking out and down. I saw a guard looking up at me from the lawn. I pushed the screen out of the window, letting it fall outward and clatter to the ground, thirty feet below. The guard frowned at me and kept watching. My hands on the windowsill, I leaned out, took a deep breath, and looked up at the star-filled sky.

I just need some fresh air. Nothing to worry about.

He couldn't hear my thoughts, but they helped me give off the vibe I was going for. Hearing footsteps below, I looked down. The guard was walking away, going around the house, probably continuing his patrol. I stared down at the ground as I thought about my chances of jumping without either getting hurt or being detected. Injury would be easier to avoid if I shifted first.

As for detection, I needed more information. How many guards were patrolling and how often did they pass along this side of the house? I had to wait for that knowledge, so I did so. The minutes ticked by slowly, but I kept myself calm, concentrating on the quiet night outside the window, letting its peace fill my mind and soul. I got chilled and put my jacket back on.

Ten minutes later, I heard footsteps below and off to my right. It took the guard another minute to come into view. The alpha residence was huge. He glanced up at me, saw I was still there just hanging out in the window, and continued on. I waited until the same man had passed twice more. The timing between them was growing, and I guessed that he had hurried to check on me the first time. He was relaxing now. As he slowly ambled away the third time, I listened to his receding footsteps and shifted fully. Not only did that change my features and heighten my senses, it strengthened my bones and muscles.

I listened for the guard to turn the corner. His footsteps faded beyond my hearing, so I turned the lights out and waited three more minutes. I heard no one else out there. I decided to jump. My adrenaline spiked as I used the chair to climb up onto the windowsill. I crouched down within the open window with my hands at the top. It went against my instincts to jump from such a height, so I had to force myself to do it. Internally, I counted to three and flung myself forward.

The cold air rushed up at me, stinging my eyes and whipping my ponytail up and back. It all seemed to be happening in slow motion. Fear and panic wanted to enter my mind, but I refused them. I concentrated as much as possible on being silent and remaining in my crouch so as not to injure my legs. Not only would it hurt, but it would alert Colton that something was wrong.

I landed on my feet and hands, bouncing on the grass and soft earth as the kinetic energy was expended. My senses took in the drops of dew on each blade of grass, the scents of grass, dirt, water, and the forest nearby, the cold of the air on my bare skin, the warmth of my clothes, and every movement my body made. There was not a twinge of pain.