Countdown To Escape

As I stood by the window, the paper calendar on my wall rustled in the wind and I looked over at the marked-off days. Only six more days to go until I could finally be free. I tightened my jacket around me and gazed outside, where the sky was a gloomy shade of gray, and the clouds looked ominous, as if a tornado might be on its way. Late spring weather was notoriously unpredictable.

Part of me hoped that the storm would hit my mother's dilapidated trailer and allow me to escape permanently. However, I knew that it wouldn't be that easy. The pack's magic kept the worst weather at bay and also prevented us from causing ourselves harm. Unfortunately, it didn't stop other pack members from hurting me.

I could have tried to provoke Ray and his cronies to take more drastic action, but that would have meant risking my life. Killing another pack member was punishable by death, but I doubted anyone would shed a tear for me. And the next alpha would likely dispose of the "broken wolf" without a second thought.

I shut the window, not wanting the rain to ruin my few possessions. My duffel bag, which had been packed for three months, sat next to my makeshift desk. I was counting down the hours until the magic would release me from this prison.

On the first full moon after my nineteenth birthday, I was supposed to undergo a transformation and gain the power to escape the magical barrier that surrounded our town. Although I knew I wouldn't shift, I hoped the magic would dissipate, allowing me to flee the misery of my existence.

For my pack, the barrier was a godsend, shielding us from feral wolves who preyed on other shifters for sport, humans who would exterminate us without question, and most importantly, witches. However, the spell kept me bound in captivity, away from the freedom that I craved. Although witches and their magic terrified me, I would prefer to risk my life amongst humans and feral shifters rather than endure my current living conditions. Damn the magic and damn the witches; they were the root cause of my anguish.

They were the reason I remained trapped in a town where I experienced daily abuse, and my mother numbed her pain with whatever pills she could get her hands on. I didn't even know who my father was, but I was convinced he was a despicable person, similar to my maternal grandfather, who had enraged a witch, resulting in a curse that plagued our family. We were practically human, with a dormant wolf shifter gene, and I wished my mother had fled before I was born to live life as a human. Instead, she stayed behind, pining for the man who impregnated her. He never returned, and I was trapped in this wretched place.

"Elisa, did you remember to buy cigarettes at the store?" my mother bellowed.

"Mom, the cigarettes are on the table," I responded, handing over the pack to her. Even though it disgusted me and drained my wallet, it kept her satisfied and off my back. As long as there were cigarettes on the table and food in the fridge, she didn't pry into my personal life. I paid for everything using my earnings from my part-time job at the pack grocery store. The job wasn't glamorous, but it was helping me stash away funds for my escape from this hellhole.

I glanced at myself in the mirror, cautiously touching the bruises from my latest black eye. It was a present from the male who would one day become the pack alpha, Ray Davies. If he had only treated me with indifference, I might have stayed put. 

Instead, his daily reminders that I was not wanted reinforced my decision to leave. It was only a matter of time before he took things too far, and I intended to be long gone before that happened. Surprisingly, I realized I didn't want to die after all; my will to survive was barely holding on. Giving up and surrendering would be easier, but the memory of my mother's life kept me motivated. I refused to become like her.

I contemplated applying some concealer to hide my injury, but it wouldn't make much of a difference. My classmates' wounds had already healed, but since I didn't possess the wolf within me, I healed like a human. The bruises made my green eyes appear even more vivid, a trait I inherited from my father.

The majority of the pack had either brown or amber eyes, which made my green ones stand out even more, along with my red hair - there was no way for me to blend in. I quickly pulled my hair into a low ponytail and slung my backpack over my shoulder. 

Only six more days of school, work, and listening to my mother's exaggerated moaning through the thin walls of her bedroom. It was not something a kid should have to endure, but I didn't judge how she earned her money, I just didn't want to hear it.

I cast one final glance at my packed bag before leaving my room. The only thought that kept me going was the idea of leaving. With my head held high, I reminded myself that I was almost there. I had come this far, and I could make it through six more days.

When I arrived at Wolf Bay Community College, students were mingling on the grass. Glaring at the building, which was right next door to Wolf Bay High School, I remembered how when I was a small child, they expanded the school requirement, making all of us take at least one semester of college while waiting for our first full moon. 

Most kids who grew up here dropped out as soon as they had their first shift, settling for a mundane job in town. Very few left because we all knew that being a wolf without a pack was challenging. However, I wasn't worried since I would never turn into a wolf, and being alone would be better than staying here.

The date was May 24th, and with only a few weeks left until summer break, I knew I wouldn't be sticking around to finish the school year. My birthday had just passed, which meant that in six days, on the next full moon, I'd finally be able to shift and leave this place for good. I was so close, I could practically taste my freedom.

But as I approached the school's entrance, my heart sank as I saw a group of guys waiting for me. Ray and his crew were there, despite the fact that most of them had already gone through their first shift. Ray, who was set to become the next alpha, had stayed enrolled in school after his first shift last month. It didn't matter if he had any real skills besides being able to throw people around - he had the power to do whatever he wanted and nobody would question him.

I quickly changed direction and headed for the side of the building, knowing there were other doors I could use. I wasn't in the mood to get beaten up today. It wasn't that I was weak, but there was no way I could win against three guys as a non-shifted chick.

I slipped through the side door and walked down the tiled hallway. The kids I'd known my entire life glanced at me and then quickly looked away. It was how it always was for me. When I was younger, it had hurt that I was so alone. But now, I was grateful for their indifference. It was better than being noticed and becoming a target.

As I settled into my Calculus class seat, relief flooded through me that I hadn't been hit with another black eye. Six more days to go. Professor Ortiz began writing on the whiteboard while the other four students frantically took notes. Though math wasn't my passion, I excelled at it, unlike Ray. I felt a twinge of guilt over scheduling my classes based on his dislikes. But at this point, I was merely focused on surviving until my departure, knowing that I wouldn't receive credit for the course anyway.

Once the lecture started, I became fully immersed, the numbers acting as a temporary reprieve from my worries. The next two classes were a blur as I maintained a low profile, avoiding drawing attention to myself. Staying invisible and keeping to myself were skills I had mastered over time, essential for making it this far.

During lunch, the hallways were teeming with students, and I kept my head down to steer clear of trouble. A sudden jolt rocked me as someone collided with me, shoving me aside. My heart sank as I lifted my head to see Ray's amber eyes fixed on me, a wicked grin on his lips. His grip tightened around my bicep as he taunted me, "Where have you been hiding, little wolf? I waited for you at the front door, but you didn't show up. Thought you might be skipping."

"Why should I give someone else the opportunity to beat me up? You know we're exclusive." Skipping school was worse than attending for me. Even though Ray and his friends might use me as a punching bag, the torment of being absent was far more unbearable. I attempted to skip a few times in high school, but the pain wasn't worth it.

Ray shoved me into the women's bathroom, causing two girls standing by the sinks to scream. "Get out, now," he growled.

"I don't understand why you waste your time with her," Tenny, a tall blonde a few months older than me, said. Every girl in school desired Ray. After all, he was going to be the next alpha. Even without the promise of power, his good looks would gain him plenty of attention. He was over six feet tall with solid muscle, wavy black hair, piercing amber eyes, and a strong masculine jaw. He was like a walking dream. Luckily, his attractiveness was wasted on me. He was an awkward kid, and by the time he resembled a Greek god, I knew what type of person he was.

"Ditch the loser, Ty," Tenny stated in a seductive tone. "We haven't had a tumble in my back seat in a while."

"I said, out," Ray repeated.

"She probably doesn't even know what you like," Tenny whined.

"What exactly do you think he's doing with me?" I asked. "Because I promise you, if he put his dick anywhere near me, I'd bite it off."

Ray's hand connected with my face, slapping me so hard that I nearly fell. The pain made my eyes water, but I clenched my jaw and held my breath rather than cry out. I learned long ago that reacting only made things worse.

Tenny let out a chuckle and made a suggestive remark. "If you're not satisfied with her, you know where to find me for a real wolf."

"Get out," Ray repeated sternly. The girls exited the bathroom and I managed to break free from Ray's grip. "What do you want?" I asked him.

Ray replied with a venomous tone, "You don't belong here. My father should have banished you and your promiscuous mother the moment your grandfather associated with that witch. Or even better, he should have left you to die in the caves."

My heart sank as he mentioned the caves, which were located on the south side of the town's borders. It was the most brutal punishment in our pack, where offenders were locked up without any provisions and often resorted to cannibalism. Although it had been enforced only once during my lifetime, the fear of it lingered on. Ray had never mentioned it before, though he had cautioned me about my presence in the past. Ever since his first shift, he had been emotionally unstable, and I was grateful that he was not the alpha yet.

"Don't worry, I'll be gone soon, and you won't have to deal with me again," I retorted with a glare.

Before I could react, Ray grabbed my throat and slammed me against the wall. My head hit the wall with a loud crack, and I prayed that I hadn't sustained another concussion. The pain blurred my vision, and I winced involuntarily.

After his first shift, he became faster and stronger than before. When we were younger, I could stand up to him. But as we grew up, he fed off his wolf's energy and I couldn't keep up. I couldn't tell if the beatings had become more severe or if he had just become stronger.

In elementary school, he teased me, but by middle school, things turned physical. Recently, his hatred towards me had intensified, and I didn't know why. Beating me up had become a sport for him, a way to show off to his friends.

It suddenly dawned on me that we were alone, with no witnesses. My heart raced, and for the first time, I was genuinely afraid. This wasn't just a game anymore.

"Let me go," I demanded.

"As I said before, you have no business being here, little wolf." He tightened his grip, making it difficult for me to breathe. 

My vision became hazy, and darkness encroached around the edges. For a moment, I considered giving up, but a flicker of anger pushed me forward. I wasn't ready to go yet.

Ignoring the potential for revenge, I delivered a swift kick to Ray's groin. He released me, groaning and clutching himself. I quickly dodged him and sprinted towards the door, gasping for air as I ran. The hallway was deserted, with no sign of Ray's friends. It seemed like he didn't want any witnesses to what had just happened. 

However, if he hadn't planned on killing me before, he probably did now. I had inadvertently put myself in even greater danger. Damn it. Making it through the next six days was going to be even more challenging than I had anticipated.