Page 17 of Wolf Forgotten

I was losing my mind.

Sitting in the quiet, besides the humming of the computers in the far room, was only making things worse. Something needed to happen. I could sit and wait like a sitting duck or give my captors a reason to come check on me. I'd rather be prepared for their arrival instead of caught off guard.

“Help!” I screamed with a hoarse squeak.Crap.

I took the chain closest to the door and started hitting the metal bars. My plan was to attempt to hit the person if they opened the door. I continued hitting the bars, the metal on metal sending shards of pain through my head.

I heard feet on the floor above. It sounded like hardwood and they were running. Whoever it was either didn't want me being loud in case the neighbors heard or cared about what was going on.

I quickly dropped to the ground, curling onto my side, facing away from the door with my weapon in my right hand. I dug in the pocket of the sweats for the key and held it in my left hand.

I wasn't sure how I was going to escape, but I was not one to give up. I was numb to just how much shit I was in and was in survival mode.

I clutched my stomach and moaned as if I had the worst cramps in the world. I wasn’t sure how smart these people were, but they had to have some shred of humanity left in them since they had left me food and clothing.

The lock slid from its place and the door leading down into the basement was wrenched open. Footsteps pounded down the stairs. I kept my eyes clenched shut, not sure if I’d be able to go through with attacking someone if I had to watch them approach.

I moaned again and adjusted my grip on the chain. I hoped it looked like I was clutching my stomach in utter agony.

“Fuck.” Recognition briefly fluttered in my mind but was swept away as I heard him unlocking the door.

I cried out, really putting on a show that I was a helpless female in debilitating pain. It was possible a career in acting was in my future. He stepped over me, and I opened my eyes, his black boots staring back at me.

Holy shit, I was going to try this escape thing, consequences be damned.

As he squatted down in front of me, I sprang up, pushing him back. Rage filled me, and I swung the end of the chain at him, not even aiming for anything in particular. Everything was a blur in my rage.

The cuff hit him in the stomach, and he grunted like it hadn't hurt him at all. My eyes snapped to his face and my breath left me.

No. Not you.

A deep feeling of betrayal coursed through my system that I couldn't explain. Cole was nothing to me, I barely knew him, but the fact that he was the one that had me locked up hurt my soul.

Cole’s eyes flickered with annoyance as he blocked another swing of the chain. I was failing miserably but wasn’t willing to give up, especially now that I knew he was one of my captors.

He snatched the chain and ripped it from my hands, letting it fall to the ground. “I’m not going to hurt you, Ivy.”

I let out a strangled half laugh, half cry and darted for the door. He was inhumanly fast as he blocked the exit. I managed to stop before running into him.

“I want to go home.” My chin trembled, and I tried with all my might to keep the tears that welled in my eyes from spilling over.

“You are home.” His voice held a finality to it that made the last surge of adrenaline pump through my bloodstream.

With a cry, I lunged at him with the key and scratched him across the cheek. I don’t think it did much damage, but he stumbled back in shock, and I darted past him to the stairs.

I bypassed the sandwich, noticing he hadn't even stepped on it. I heard mumbled words from behind me as I climbed the stairs as fast as I could on weak legs. The oversized sweatpants were not helping.

Just as I reached the top of the stairs, I heard a grunt and a long string of curses. I looked back to see him shaking his foot at the bottom of the stairs. I never knew a sandwich could bring me so much joy.

I slammed the door shut and slid the bolt into the place, hoping it bought me time. Cole was muscular and pissed off now. He could probably kick the door down with no problem.

I was in a cream-colored hallway that had deep brown hardwood floors running its length. The setting didn't exactly exude kidnapper, but what did? I quickly decided the direction of all the light was my best bet; there were windows that way.

As I entered the living room at the end of the hall, the sound of the basement door smashing hit my ears and made my stomach drop. He was going to kill me. I knew it.

There were massive windows overlooking an expanse of trees. This was an expensive home, one that I would have totally been drooling over had it not been for a psychopath chasing me. I was like a magnet to them.

I skidded on the shiny floor as I turned and booked it to one of the doors leading outside. It was on the other side of the kitchen, which was massive and shiny too.

---