Page 3 of Alpha's Rise

The quiet overtook them as she thought about what he’d just said. “Do I have to do anything today?”

“No, but the longer you wait, the more likely the decision will be taken from you.”

She knew what he said was the truth. Plus, she was no fool. Now that she was aware of the big secret, higher-ups would be told. They would decide for her. Regardless of her feelings about it, something told her that this was the journey she needed to go on. Yes, she was hesitant, but anyone in their right mind would feel this way.

Romi did not know what would happen at the end of this. No matter which decision she made, her life would change in ways she never imagined. Was she ready to sprout hair and grow fangs? Was there any other decision for her to make? Taking a deep breath, she nodded.

“Okay, I’m in. Let’s talk.”

Two

Present Day

Desperation kept her going. Her time was running out. Romi had finally ditched her car a few days ago and began hiking through the woods, following the trail that Layla and her godson Christopher had taken.

When Layla showed up at Romi’s doorstep a few weeks ago and told her what she’d seen, time seemed to stop. After her time in the military, Romi knew all about the evil lurking in the world. She felt it was her duty to protect Layla and Christopher. They were more than just people she knew, or friends she’d connected with. They were her family. Layla was her sister, and that meant Romi would do whatever it took to protect her.

Layla wasn’t ready for the things lurking in the dark, and little Christopher was so innocent. They had no clue what type of creatures and other beings walked around on two legs. The monsters hid in plain sight, and from the moment Romi had accepted the Master Sergeant’s offer, it had opened her eyes to the dark underbelly of the world.

That was also the moment she’d made the commitment to protecting Layla and Christopher, even if they didn’t realize it. Nothing was going to harm them on Romi’s watch. Even if she had to show her true nature and risk losing the only people she cared about in this world. No matter what she came up against, nothing would stop Romi from doing whatever it took to make sure they were safe.

Just thinking about everything she’d witnessed all those years ago, Romi couldn’t help but shake her head. Not with regret, but with some level of shock and amazement.

Humans who could shift into animals.

Humans who could shift into… other things.

An entire military unit full of bloodthirsty shifters willing to topple governments for the good of their country. That shit was unlike anything she could have dreamed of, and her imagination was damn wild.

Looking around, she noticed the sun had gone down. Romi had been walking for hours, but she wasn’t tired in the traditional sense. Yes, she still needed the rest, but it was different for her now. With her eyes and ears focused on the trees and other foliage surrounding her, Romi decided now was a good time to take a break.

At that exact moment, her stomach grumbled with hunger. She dropped the heavy backpack on the ground and bent over to pull out the dried food stored inside. It wasn’t the best tasting, but it would serve its purpose for the night.

Pulling out a thin blanket, Romi spread it out on the rough ground before sitting down. She knew this situation wasn’t common, but it was the only option she had right now. When she finally caught up with Layla and Christopher, Romi would first make sure they were safe and sound. Then she was going to sleep for two days.

Thinking back over this journey, she felt the darkness chasing her, riding on her back like an albatross. Although Layla and Christopher had a few days’ head start, she knew there was a shadow closing in on them. She could feel it in her bones. Her friend… her sister, was in danger.

Romi knew she had to go faster. She had to stay in front of the evil chasing them. Layla and Christopher were family. If something happened to them, she’d lose her shit, and that’s not something the world was ready for.

The military had recreated her into something unique, a weapon that they did not know how to control. To save Layla and Christopher, she would unleash everything inside of her and kill anyone who hurt them.

Those two meant everything to her. From the first moment Romi met Layla, they had been the best of friends. She recalled the memories of them as children, and she could admit that between the two of them, she had been the wild child. Layla was the more reserved of the two, but no matter how different they were, they still clicked right away. No one expected them to grow so close, but they defied the odds.

Eating some of the jerky to fight off the hunger pains, Romi put the rest away to save for the morning. “I’m coming, Layla. Just hold on.”

When Romi called Layla a few days ago with the code for ‘The shit’s hit the fan. Take cover. Run. Hide,’ it took everything inside to not run to Layla and Christopher as fast as she could. When she and Christopher went on the run a few weeks, we needed a way to communicate quickly if danger was near.

She had to make sure she didn’t lead the people in their direction. They’d done everything possible to keep Layla off the grid, but when Romi got home after being out for a few hours, she knew they’d discovered the connection between them. Romi’s house was trashed. Drawers were pulled out, and her clothes were all over the place. Personal pictures of her, Layla and little Christopher were torn out of their frames and thrown over the floor.

They’d been looking for any information they could find about where Layla may have gone. Didn’t they fucking know she had her small son by her side? Did they even care? Just for that, Romi wanted to rip their fucking throats out. Yet the more reasonable side of her knew the best thing to do was get to Layla as quickly as possible, so that’s what the hell she was going to do.

Romi focused on thinking about Layla’s face so she could reconnect with her path. She was close. Romi could feel her, even if the connection was a bit wobbly. That simply meant she still had some miles to go.

Romi pulled out a rolled-up shirt to place under her head after putting the food and other loose things back in her pack. Satisfied, she laid down on the forest ground with her eyes closed and tried to get a few hours of sleep.

***

The next morning, she rose as soon as the first rays of sun came across the horizon. Sleeping on the ground should have been uncomfortable, but it wasn’t. Not for Romi. After her time in the military, she became used to not feeling much pain—at least not like a normal person. The pebbles and rocks on the ground did nothing to her. She was able to sleep like a baby the entire night.

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