Forbidden Hope: A Werewolf Wars Prequel Novella (11 page)

Marcus rested a hand on her arm, rubbing small circles around her elbow in an effort to soothe her.

The shortwave radio cackled again. Emily flinched. He was so close. She buried her face in her hands. Someone gave her shoulder a gentle squeeze. Her body trembled. The only cover they had was the small shed. If the guard took a few more steps, they would be found. There was no way they could take on all of Emmett’s men. And she already knew what he was capable of. If he could beat her with no remorse, then he would kill them just as easily.

The man laughed a few feet from them and jabbered into his walkie-talkie.

“We should go back,” Emily whispered as hot tears streamed down her cheeks. “If they catch us, they’ll kill you.” Her freedom wasn’t worth their lives.

“Shhh,” Marcus soothed, pulling her closer. He placed a kiss to her forehead and cupped her chin with his hands. “We know what we’re getting into, come on.” He slid his hand down her arm and grasped her hand.

Emily nodded, wiping tears away with the back of her hand.
Pull yourself together!
The longer they stood here, the more likely they were to be caught. She wasn’t going to let that happen. Inhaling sharply she took a steadying breath. They sprinted to the tree line. She took the lead, setting a grueling pace. Within a few moments, the tree line enveloped them. Her chest heaved from their run and her limbs shook with fear. They were so close to freedom.

She slung her bag to the ground and yanked her top over her head. Once nude, she neatly stuffed her clothing into her bag for the shift back. Nudity was nothing new to them. It was a part of the transition process. While they could shift clothed, the transformation would destroy their garments. 

Emily inhaled sharply and closed her eyes, forcing her body to relax. Her breathing evened and she focused on her wolf, imaging her snout and golden eyes. She winced as the transformation began. Her jawbone popped, elongating. Next, she envisioned her paws and torso. She dropped to the ground as her back arched up, contorting as the bones snapped and realigned.

The rest of the shift happened in a blur. Emily opened her eyes, peering into the darkness with her golden predatory irises. The woods were alive with wildlife. Crickets chirped around them and fireflies lit up the woods.

She stepped into her messenger bag and turned to her family, watching as they quickly stretched, acclimating to their new form. Marcus’ white and grey coat stood out in the darkness. Her and Vincent’s reddish brown coats blended in more, while Devon’s jet-black fur made him nearly invisible.

The wolves took a brief moment to stretch and acclimate to their new forms. They stepped into their messenger bags, settling them across their bodies, and charged off at a speedy pace.

As werewolves, they moved effortlessly through the forest. They moved with an agility and speed that no human could ever match. 

Within a matter of minutes, they cleared the vast distance separating them from the highway. In the safety of the trees, they stretched and started changing back into their human form.

Emily knelt down next to her messenger bag and quickly pulled her clothes back on. The highway was only a few feet away—freedom was within her grasp. Tears welled in her eyes, out of fear of being caught as well as the unknown. But there was also a thrill of excitement that soared through her. She was no longer a prisoner.

“Were we followed?” Emily asked, brown strands of hair blowing across her face as she looked around nervously. They’d come too far to be caught now.

“We’re going to be fine, Em,” Devon assured her. “But we should keep moving.” He motioned them forward to a black sedan.

“Come on, Em,” Marcus said, gently pulling her arm and guiding her into the backseat before sliding in next to her. 

Devon climbed in the driver’s seat and Vincent slid in beside him. Starting the car, Devon eased them onto the freeway and away from Guymon. 

She was finally free. But a part of her wondered how long that would last.

“Father will come after us,” Emily whispered. “I can’t stand the idea of anything happening to any of you.”

“He won’t hurt us, Em,” Devon promised.

“Relax, Em. We’re safe. Look around you. You’re free,” Marcus pointed out the window.

Emily took a shaky breath in and looked out the window as they zoomed down the road. A smile spread across her face. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d been in a car—the last time she’d left her home.

“There’s the smile I love,” Marcus grinned, pulling her closer.

Emily burrowed into his shoulder. “I love you,” she murmured. Sighing deeply, she relaxed against the man she loved. They could finally be together. Finally get married and have children. Contented with this idea for her new life, Emily closed her eyes and continued to envision their future.