Page 7 of A Secret Baby By the Alpha

There was no way I would be able to move Jenny tonight. She was exhausted, and so was I. It would be best if we both got a little bit of sleep. I could wake us both up early and make a break for it. Colson was sure to be on the lookout tonight, but I doubted he expected us to sneak out before sunrise.

Before laying down next to Jenny, I propped a chair underneath the doorknob. It wouldn’t stop a shifter from breaking in, but it would give me a few seconds of warning.

I left my shoes on and settled into the bed, trying my best to quiet my mind. I was going to need as much energy aspossible if we were going to escape. I listened to the steady sound of Jenny’s breathing, and finally, after what seemed like hours, I managed to fall asleep.

***

It felt like I had just closed my eyes when they shot open again. The sky outside was still dark, and Jenny was gently stirring beside me.

“Mom?” she asked sleepily.

“Shh, honey,” I replied quietly. “I’m right here. We need to be quiet. Do you remember where we are?”

Her eyes opened fully, and she looked around in confusion before nodding. “Yes,” she whispered.

“It’s still night, and I doubt anyone is expecting us to be awake for a while yet. There will still be regular guards around Alpha Colson’s territory,” I warned her. “Do you think you’re up for an escape? We’ll need to be fast and quiet.”

Her face belied a mixture of fierceness and trepidation. I knew I was asking too much of her, but I didn’t see another option. I refused to sit around and wait for Colson to fail me again.

Jenny nodded firmly, so I grabbed her shoes and began to lace them up for her. Quietly, we got out of bed and tiptoed to the front door. As slowly as possible, I withdrew the deadbolt from the lock and unlatched the front door. We paused to listen for sounds from the other bedroom, but all was quiet.

I nodded at Jenny, letting her know it was okay to step outside. I pulled the door closed behind me, and we tiptoed down the front steps, making our way out of town.

No one was outside at this hour, except a few guards roving the edges of town. They weren’t being particularly watchful, and Jenny and I were able to slip out unnoticed.

“No one is following us,” I told her quietly. “We still need to be careful, but we can try to move a bit faster now.”

She followed me as I ran in a crouch. Just as I began to let my guard down, we found ourselves surrounded by a group of men, headed up by the last person I wanted to see. The alpha Colson had referred to as Desmond.

“I told him you weren’t to be trusted,” he said.

“Not sure what you mean by that,” I said, deciding it was best if I played dumb. “Jenny and I were just out for a walk.”

Desmond laughed, but there was no joy in the sound. I wondered if he even felt things like happiness or if he truly was a sociopath.

“Ah, yes. A nice stroll through the middle of nowhere at five in the morning.” He took a few more steps toward us. “Where are you headed on this walk?”

“I hadn’t decided yet,” I hedged.

“Are you having a nice time, Jenny?” he asked, turning his attention to my daughter.

I pulled her close to my side, letting her know that I was with her.Don’t show fear, I thought, desperately wishing I could communicate with her telepathically. I had met men like Desmond before. They liked the hunt, but what they liked best of all was the terror on the faces of their prey. If he saw a target, he would take it.

“Yes, thank you,” Jenny responded politely.

I knew she hadn’t heard my internal monologue, but she had responded to him as if she knew exactly what I was thinking. Desmond cocked his head to the side inquisitively. It was clear he had expected his tactic to work on a little girl and was surprised when it didn’t.

“Your mother has taught you well,” he said to her. “What other tricks has she taught you? I wonder… was she lying when she told us that you can’t transform?”

Jenny shook her head.

“No?” he said, his voice lilting up at the end as if he doubted what Jenny said. He took another deliberate step toward her and continued. “I’ve heard stories of other little wolves who took a long time to change. Do you know what finally got them to do it?”

Jenny shook her head once more, and I could tell that her fearless resolve was beginning to falter.

You can do this, Jenny,I thought.Stay strong.

“Being chased by other wolves. I think we should play a little game. What do you say, boys?” he asked, turning to his companions. “Should we see if the little rabbit can turn into a wolf?”

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