Page 1 of Dream Girl
Chapter One
Grace
Darkness swirled around me, chest pounding, sweat dripping down my back, as I fled as if my life depended on it.
Keep going, just keep going.
I tripped, hands stinging as I hit the ground. Every inch of me screamed to give up and just curl into a ball on the ground.
No. Stopping wasn’t an option.
Picking myself up, I continued to run, pain clouding my head.
There’s some light. Just a little further…
I looked around, a frown tugging at my lips. Where was I going again? None of this looked familiar.
Fatigue coated me. Each step was like running through quicksand. Did I have to keep moving?
No. No stopping. I had to keep going; I had to get…
But they were going to catch…
Who? What? Why? My head pounded, as my thoughts vanished like words off a dry-erase board. I paused, rubbing my head.
A lamppost illuminated a couple of benches through the trees. Maybe I could take a little break and compose my thoughts.
I ran to the park bench. My body collapsed onto it, exhausted. Something nagged in the darkest reaches of my memory. But I couldn’t find it in myself to get up and keep moving.
Instead, I curled up on the bench. I’d rest for a moment, and that would make everything better.
“Hey there, why are you sleeping by yourself?” someone said, voice so loud I winced inwardly.
“Do you need a warm place to sleep? I’ll give it to you,” a different male voice jeered.
My eyes opened, head pounding. Four young guys that I’d never seen before crowded me. Where was I? I rubbed my head and hit a sore spot.Ow.Beyond the four guys were trees, green space, and playground toys. It wasn’t quite daylight, though the lamp above me had gone out, and I shivered from the cold.
Why was I on a bench? Had my roommate kicked me out again so her boyfriend could stay over?
Wait, did I even have a roommate? I didn’t recognize this park.
The blue maxi dress I wore had a tag, making me reach up and scratch it as I shivered again. Snow dusted the ground. No, I wasn’t dressed for the weather.
Snow?
“Are you going to say anything?” The first one poked me with his finger. “Don’t you want to come with us?”
“Leave me alone,” I snapped, not in the mood for this, swatting away his hand. How dare he touch me?
“Guys, knock it off, something’s wrong,” another said. “Look at her bruises.”
Bruises. Had I fallen? My memories felt sluggish. Maybe I was hungover. Adrenaline shot through me as I got a flicker of something. Running. Fear.
“Did you piss off your alpha, Sweetheart? I’ll give you some place to go.” One got into my space, leering.
“Get away from me.” I fumbled for pepper spray or keys. But I had no purse, no pockets.
Alpha. What? I frowned. I ached. They all smelled weird; not like body odor, more like I was in a candle shop–or a middle school hallway.
