Tonight I would run—or die trying.
Chapter Seven
I turned away a little too quickly and then slowed my steps so it wouldn’t look like I was running away from Jordan. No doubt he could hear the way my heart pounded and smell the desire between my thighs. At this point, I think he was enjoying the anticipation, knowing tomorrow we'd be mated once and for all.
I opened the back door, not sparing a glance for the multitude of guards surrounding the house, and when it was firmly shut behind me, I sagged against it. I banged my head against the door, as hard as I dared, and Mira appeared in the doorway of the kitchen.
“Dinner with Jordan again?” she asked.
“I hate him,” I said, although that wasn’t completely true. I wanted him, and I hated myself even more for wanting him to touch me more, to kiss me, to claim me as his own. I shuddered, still feeling the ghost of his fingers on my hips grabbing me in a way that only one person had before. “We have to get out tonight. It’s our last chance.”
"I'm ready," Mira said, her eyes flashing with determination.
I looked outside at the moon lighting up the sky over the backyard. The only good thing about it being the night before the full moon was that my powers should be stronger. Since I still didn’t fully know how to use them, that would be important.
"We'll wait two hours and then go, so they'll think we're asleep," I said. "You have your bag packed?”
"Mostly. I'll go finish up now."
She headed out of the kitchen, and I pushed away from the door and followed her up the stairs. Luckily, Mira had brought two backpacks with her from the Pisces pack, which meant I could shove the little toiletries kit from the bathroom in, as well as some food and clothes. Just enough for a few days. I hoped we wouldn’t need more than that.
My heart continued pounding as I picked up the backpack I’d already started packing this morning, knowing tonight would be the time I’d use it. Now I closed the blinds in my room and finished up, then changed my clothes. I'd worn a black sheath dress for my dinner with Jordan, but I put on jeans and a t-shirt for my escape. Then I turned off my light and waited, sitting in the dark, going over my proposed escape route in my head a hundred times, wishing I had more info to make a better plan, wishing Kaden would just come save me, wishing I'd never gotten myself in this situation in the first place. I squeezed my eyes shut and pulled myself away from my dark thoughts. This was the lot I'd drawn in life, and the only person who could save me was myself.
When it was time, I grabbed my bag and knocked on Mira's door. Her bedroom had a balcony that I thought we could use to get onto the roof, since escaping on ground level wasn't an option with all the guards on patrol. They still might see us climb up, of course, but I prayed luck would be on our side tonight.
“Are you sure about this?” I whispered. “This is your last chance to stay.”
She gripped her bag tighter. “No way. I'm not staying without you. This isn’t my pack, and these aren’t my people. You’re my people, Ayla."
"What about Aiden?" I asked.
She hesitated, but then squared her shoulders. "He would want me to do this. And I doubt the Pisces alpha would let him be hurt—Aiden is his nephew."
I hugged Mira briefly, overwhelmed by her loyalty to me. Mira had been a constant in my life, and I was so glad she was going to come with me tonight. “Thank you,” I whispered. "Once we're back with the Ophiuchus pack, we'll get Aiden out of there, and they'll protect both of you. Now let’s go. The sooner we can get out, the more time we’ll have before someone comes looking for us.”
If this was successful, no one would think to start looking for us until tomorrow, when they noticed the house was empty. For now, they'd think we were sleeping, with the house quiet and dark. Or so I hoped.
Mira nodded and opened the sliding door to the balcony. She peered outside and hissed out a breath. “Crap. They’re in wolf form."
That was unusual. They were normally in human form as they patrolled, but maybe they were being especially vigilant tonight with the ceremony tomorrow. Shit. We still had to try though. It was our only chance.
Mira slid out onto the balcony first, watching carefully. I waited inside, antsy and thrumming with energy. Finally, there seemed to be a break in the wolves milling around the first floor, pacing circles around the entirety of the house. Mira crouched down and leaped, grabbing onto the roof above her, using her shifter strength to propel her higher. I watched her struggle to lift herself up, and went out to give her a boost. She tumbled onto the roof, making a lot more noise than I'd hoped, and immediately ducked down out of sight.