Page 30 of Alpha's Hidden Gem

I reach through the bars, carefully maneuvering the hook towards the key. It takes several tries, my hands slick with sweat, but finally, I feel the hook catch. Slowly, painstakingly, I lift the key from its perch and guide it towards the cage. Every second feels like an eternity, and I swear I can hear my own heartbeat echoing through the room.

The key slides into the lock, and I hold my breath as I turn it. Please work, please work. A click, and the door swings open. I nearly sob with relief as I step out of the cage, my legs wobbly from days of confinement. Freedom has never tasted so sweet.

But I don't have time to celebrate. I need to move fast, before the guards return. I think back to my observations over the past days, mentally mapping out the layout of the house. The back door, that's my target. If I can make it there undetected... Well, let's just say I'll worry about what comes next when I get there.

I creep through the house, my senses on high alert. Every creak of the floorboards, every distant voice, sends a jolt of fear through me. I press myself against the wall, edging along as silently as possible. I feel as if I’m trapped in a spine-chilling game of hide and seek with the entire world.

As I round a corner, I hear footsteps approaching.

Shit.

I dart into a nearby room, quietly closing the door behind me. Through the crack, I watch as a werewolf passes by, his footsteps heavy on the worn floorboards. My heart is in my throat, my pulse roaring in my ears. That was too close. I can't afford any more close calls. I need to be more careful, more alert.

Suddenly, a woman's voice behind me shatters the stillness.

"Wait! Please, don't leave me here!"

I spin around, my heart leaping into my throat. In the shadows of the dimly lit room, I see a figure huddled in the corner, her wrists bound with silver ropes. As I step closer, recognition dawns on me. It's Elena, the woman I saw at the café with Axel. What the hell is she doing here?

"Elena?" I whisper, confusion and surprise warring within me. "What are you doing here?"

Her eyes widen as she takes in my appearance. "Lila? They got you too?" Her voice is hoarse, tinged with fear and exhaustion.

I nod, glancing nervously at the door. "We need to get out of here. Can you walk?"

Elena struggles to her feet, wincing as the ropes dig into her skin. "I think so. But how? This place is crawling with those... those things."

I hesitate, my mind racing. Being in this situation is reminiscent of those intense movie moments, where the hero must make a quick, decisive action. Do I stick to the plan, or do I risk everything to save someone else? Initially, my plan was to escape by myself, to locate Axel and enlist assistance. But now, faced with Elena's pleading eyes, I know I can't leave her behind.

"We'll find a way," I say, my voice filled with more confidence than I feel. "Together."

I kneel beside her, examining the ropes that bind her wrists. They're tight, the knots complex, but I refuse to let that deter me. With fumbling fingers, I begin to work at the knots, my brow furrowed in concentration. Who knew those macramé classes I took would come in handy in a life-or-death situation?

As I work, Elena fills me in on what she knows. "I overheard them talking," she whispers, her voice barely audible. "They're planning something big, Lila. Something to do with Axel."

My heart clenches at the mention of Axel. "Do you know what they want with us?" I ask, my fingers still working at the ropes.

Elena shakes her head. "I'm not sure. But I think... I think we're bait. They want to lure Axel here."

A chill runs down my spine at her words. Bait. The thought of Axel walking into a trap, of being used against him, fills me with a sickening dread.

With Elena's bonds undone, we carefully make our way through the house, our hearts pounding in our chests. Every creak of the floorboards sends a jolt of fear through me, and I find myself holding my breath as we navigate the dimly lit corridors.

This is insane, I think to myself, my mind still reeling from the revelation of werewolves. How is this even possible? How did I end up in the middle of some supernatural nightmare?

But there's no time to dwell on the impossibility of it all. We need to focus on getting out of here alive.

"The back door," I whisper to Elena, my voice barely audible. "If we can make it there, we might have a chance."

She nods, her eyes wide with fear and determination. "Lead the way."

We creep through the house, pressing ourselves against the walls and ducking into rooms whenever we hear footsteps approaching.

As we near the back of the house, Elena grabs my arm. "Wait," she hisses, pulling me into a side room. "There's something you need to know about werewolves."

I stare at her, my heart hammering in my chest. "What do you mean? How do you know about them?"

She hesitates, as if weighing her words carefully. "I... I've had dealings with them before. But that's not important right now. What you need to understand is that they're dangerous, Lila. More dangerous than you can imagine."

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