The Alpha's Little Thief (hiatus)

Chapter Eleven

Nov, 28th 2020

Chapter Eleven

"So how did you end up in the forest then? Alpha Hawthorne usually tells us when there's a potential new member." Loren asked, joining our conversation.

"The guards may have brought me in. And I may have been in the middle of an escape attempt." I grinned bashfully at them.

"No way, that's true? I thought for sure Ray was lying when he said he saw you in cuffs. I couldn't ask any of the patrol that night, cus of course, they have their stupid gag order," Angel rolled her eyes. "The one night I switched my patrol shift and something interesting actually happened!" I'm surprised when her hands are suddenly on my shoulders and she faced me with a mischievous look on her face, "so what did you do?"

I hesitated, not sure if I wanted gossip about me to spread through the pack. But then I decided to be honest with her, hoping I could get some answers to my other unanswered questions for her. "Do you know Mr. Holt?"

"Mr. Holt? Uh, no I don't think so. Do you mean Holden? We have someone with that last name in the pack." I searched her eyes, trying to see if she showed any of the little facial ticks people couldn't control when they were lying.

"No, he wasn't a werewolf. At least I don't think so. Hawthorne's men caught me at his office. Though I'm not a hundred percent sure why."

"Maybe they just happened upon your scent on pack grounds," Loren mused.

"Maybe," I responded, but I didn't think so. We were hours away from the main pack area, and werewolves tended to avoid heavily populated areas. I think they were somehow connected to Mr. Holt. Another mystery for me to unveil.

The fight between Tristan and Leo ended, the latter the winner. Tristan did have a disadvantage, fighting two wolves back to back, so I'm not sure who really was the stronger male. Angel got ready to go next, pulling her long blonde hair up and out of her face into a ponytail, when we got interrupted by Peter, the Beta.

"Shift change is about to happen, you guys should probably head to your stations." He said it casually, but it was clear that there wasn't an option other than to listen to him. I made to go with them when his gaze stopped me. "Alpha Hawthorne requested that you go back to the house now before it gets dark." He acted as if the sun setting was a natural reason for me to be ordered to be cooped up. I debated giving him trouble but decided I'd act like I was obedient in the hopes that it would lead to less surveillance. He looked like he could see right through me and my intentions, I didn't need anyone to be suspicious of me. I simply nodded at him and moved towards the front of the house, waving goodbye to the group when they hollered their au revoirs.

I walked slowly, giving Peter ample time to head back to wherever he came from. Once I got to the door, I threw my hair over my right shoulder and cast a glance behind me as inconspicuously as possible. He was gone.

I backed away from the door on the balls of my feet, not sure if Hawthorne's enhanced hearing heard my approaching footsteps. Once I made it to the tree line, I checked my surroundings one last time before turning and sprinting into the woods. My inner compass led me to the west and I was careful to avoid every stick on the ground to not give away my location. Angel said there were guards surrounding the prison and I planned on getting in and out without detection. I concentrated to shift the hearing in my ears to that of a wolf, a skill only Alphas and Betas had in their human form.

I heard the rustling of the leaves from the slight breeze, the rhythmic thumping of a rabbit's heart and the flutter of a bird's wings a mile east. I adjusted my path to stay downwind at the first detection of werewolf scent. I predicted there were at least eight in the forest, but I couldn't be sure, valuing anonymity through distance rather than get any closer to know more. I took a short break, wiping the sweat from my brow and wishing for the soothing relief of a cool brook or river. I wasn't tired from my run, it was the distance from Hawthorne, and the hours spent apart that affected me.