Page 31 of Alpha's Hidden Gem

I shake my head, still struggling to wrap my mind around the concept. "This is insane. Werewolves aren't real. They can't be."

"I know it's hard to believe," Elena says, her voice tinged with sympathy. "But you've seen them with your own eyes. You know it's true."

I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. She's right. As much as I want to deny it, I can't ignore what I've witnessed. "Okay," I say, my voice shaking slightly. "So what do we do?"

"We get out of here," Elena replies, her jaw set with determination. "And then we figure out our next move."

We make our way to the back door, our hearts in our throats. As I reach for the handle, I pause, looking back at Elena. "Thankyou," she whispers, her voice thick with emotion. "For helping me."

I give her a tight smile. "We're in this together now."

With that, we slip out the door and into the night. The cool air hits my face, and I take a gulping breath, savoring the taste of freedom. But we're not out of the woods yet. We need to put as much distance between us and this hellhole as possible.

We run across an open field, our feet pounding against the damp grass. In the distance, I spot a barn, its silhouette dark against the starry sky. "There," I gasp, pointing. "We can hide there, catch our breath."

Elena nods, and we make a beeline for the barn. As we slip inside, the musty smell of hay and old wood envelops us. We collapse against a wall, our chests heaving with exertion.

"What now?" I ask, my voice sounding small in the cavernous space.

Elena shakes her head. "I don't know. But we need a plan. We can't just run blindly into the night."

As we sit there, trying to catch our breath and gather our thoughts, we hear a commotion from the direction of the house.Shouts, the sound of breaking glass. And then we see it - smoke, billowing into the night sky.

"The barn," I whisper, my eyes wide. "It's on fire."

The acrid smell of smoke hits me before I see the flames. My heart races as I realize we're trapped. It only takes a few minutes for the barn to fill with smoke.

"Elena!" I call out, coughing as smoke fills my lungs. Somehow she's on the other side of the barn, separated from me by a wall of fire. I hear her voice, muffled by the roaring flames.

"Lila, stay where you are! I'm coming to get you!" Suddenly, I hear a strange sound, like bones cracking. Through the flames, I catch glimpses of Elena's body contorting, changing. I stumble back, my mind reeling.

"Elena?" I gasp, recognizing her eyes in this impossible creature. The wolf nods. Before I can process what's happening, a loud crack echoes above us.

Suddenly, there's a tremendous cracking sound from above. I look up just in time to see a large section of the roof breaking off, sending a shower of burning debris raining down on me. Elena leaps, knocking me to the ground and shielding me with her body. I feel the heat of the flames, hear the sizzle as embers land on Elena's fur.

"Elena!" I cry out, terrified for her. She whimpers in pain but doesn't move, still protecting me.

Through the new hole in the roof, I can see the night sky, stars twinkling indifferently above our desperate situation. It's a cruel reminder of the world beyond this burning building, a world I might never see again.

The flames are closing in now, leaving us with barely any space. The heat is unbearable, the smoke so thick I can barely see Elena right in front of me.

This is it; this is how it ends.

Trapped in a burning building, surrounded by monsters, with my only ally being a werewolf I barely know.

But then, just as I'm about to give up hope, I hear something. A sound that cuts through the roar of the flames and the howls of the werewolves outside. It's a howl, but different from the others. Deeper, more powerful, filled with a rage that makes even the fire seem tame in comparison.

Elena's ears perk up, and she lets out a small whine. She knows that howl, I realize. And suddenly, I do too.

It's Axel. He's here.

A surge of hope rushes through me, giving me a second wind. "Axel!" I scream, my voice hoarse from the smoke. "Axel, we're in here!"

The sounds of fighting erupt outside, vicious snarls and yelps of pain. The werewolves that were surrounding us are now engaged in battle, their attention diverted. This might be our only chance.

"Elena," I cough, patting her singed fur. "We have to move. Now."

She shifts back to human form, her face streaked with soot and determination. "You're right," she says, her voice raw. "Can you walk?"

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