Chapter 15: Cutting All Ties

“What…mean…how…she be here?” I couldn’t catch all of Dante’s question to Callen. 

“SHE TOLD ME SHE WANTED TO GO TO UT FOR COLLEGE!” 

FUCK! I forgot I told Callen my college plans. He will be looking for me everywhere around here now.

“Well, maybe she hasn’t made it here yet. Maybe you got here faster than she could?” Dante must be closer to the door now because I can hear him trying to reason with Callen. 

“I’m staying here until we find her!” Callen declares with a growl.

That didn’t settle well for Dante because he immediately let out a loud growl, “THIS IS MY TERRITORY! You are a GUEST HERE, need I remind you! You are welcome to stay a night or two, but beyond that, you will have to trust my security detail and wolves to do a deeper search of the pack territory. IF YOUR Luna is here, she WILL turn up Callen! I will GLADLY hand over your Luna IF she ever turns up in MY territory!” 

I can’t listen to this any further. I HAVE to get out of here. I feel my grip starting to slip and I know I have to risk it and try to slide past this balcony without them hearing or smelling me. Hopefully, Dante’s scent all over me from last night masks my scent enough that they don’t smell me. 

I use the last of my upper body strength to slowly and quietly reach for the edge of the second-floor balcony ledge, press my back against the bricks, and shimmy as quietly as I can until I am just at eye level with the second floor. I see Dante pass the balcony door inside and I immediately duck to hide behind the balcony stone railing. 

I hear a distinct growl from Callen, “...carrying…pup…Dante! …sure of that…left her! …scent could have…now.”

I didn’t catch all of Callen’s panicked whines and grumblings as I was trying to focus on not falling and hitting my ass on the ground as I was desperate to try and remain quiet and out of sight. 

“...she-wolf’s scent is still much more distinct than that of the disgusting scent of a rogue or the scent of a wolf from another pack. She WILL be found if she is here, Callen.” Dante assures Callen. 

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO LOOK FOR HER NOW!?” Callen growls loudly.

“Fuck Callen! I just woke up! I’ll send my patrol out to look! I’ll tell them to start on the borders since most likely if she is trying to hide, she’s in the woods on the borders somewhere,” Dante grumbles. 

At that moment, I knew my time was limited. If I don’t make a run for it now, I won’t get another chance. I drop the last couple of feet to the ground and duck behind a bush lining the brick wall. My heart is beating so loud, I swear everyone can hear it thumping out of my chest. I try to make as little noise as possible as I get to the edge of the packhouse closest to the woods that surround it.

‘Okay, Bree. This is as far as I can get on my own. We need to shift from here to make it to the woods. I won’t make it through the clearing in my human form and you know that.’ I try to reason with her to coax her back forward to shift.

I wait a few minutes for her to come back and I get nothing. 

I get the message, my hussy of a wolf isn’t going to be of help at the moment. So, since I’m going to have to make this run across the meadow to the woods in human form apparently, I am going to have to run faster than I’ve ever run in my life. I take a deep breath and inhale the scents in the air to see what kind of threats are around.

I picked up the scent of two wolves in the area. They must be on patrol. I survey the area to see if I can see them somewhere. I catch one by the front gates going into the guard shack. Okay, he isn’t as big of a threat. I will just dig under the fence somewhere in the woods and get around that. Where is this other one though? Every move I made in the shrubs against the packhouse is another risk of exposure, but I can’t risk one wolf scenting me or seeing me and catching me. I can tell by the scent it isn’t one of Callen’s. It’s definitely one of Dante’s wolves. I decided to sit and wait a little longer. The wolf is bound to eventually show himself as he makes his rounds around the property.

Eventually, the other wolf shows himself as I catch him patrolling towards the back of the house. I wait for him to disappear to the back before I make my mad dash to the woods. My heart is pounding so loud, I swear everyone can hear me bolting to the woods. I am so panicked in my run that tears start trailing down my face. I am running for my life, quite literally, because if these wolves catch me, it’s game over and I’m back in the clutches of Callen. 

Just as I reach the treeline, I hear screams from the packhouse. Dante must have discovered I am now missing and sent his men to search the property.

‘BREE I NEED YOU NOW!’ I scream at her and she lunges forward at that moment and we shift. 

Now with Bree in control, she bolts into the woods and we keep plowing through the bushes and shrubbery until we see a fence up ahead. We are so close to getting off this property! We reach a corner of the fence and immediately start digging under to try and shimmy ourselves under the fence to our escape. 

About halfway through our digging, something massive slams into us and pins us to the ground.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” The wolf snarls before commanding me to shift. He isn’t a gamma or higher because I don’t shift and Bree won’t follow the command of a wolf below her rank. 

“Shift or I alert the alpha of your presence NOW!” That does it! I shift and as I shift so does the wolf.

I look up at the wolf and gasp, “CHARLEY?” 

“Celeste? What are you doing on my alpha’s property?!” Charley realizes it’s me and we both look at each other with panic.

“I’ll explain everything to you later Charley, but right now, I need to get home! Please don’t tell him about me! Please!” I beg him.

He looks around and goes to the hole I was trying to dig under the fence, “C`mon! We don’t have much time!” He begins to help me dig and we both shift back to our wolves to dig quicker. 

Just as the hole widens enough that Bree and I can crawl under, we hear someone call out to Charley.

“Hurry Celeste! Get as far away from here as you can! There’s a shack out by the lake that no one really knows about anymore. Hide there and when I’m off my shift, I’ll come to find you there! HURRY!” He shouts as he stands and starts shoving dirt back into the hole as I get my paws free on the other side and take off. 

His instructions weren’t lost on me. Bree and I kept running until we reached the lake on the edge of town. Luckily there are tons of lakes in the area, but this lake is closest to the packhouse and I immediately see the shack Charley was referring to and make my way to it. 

Inside, I see a cot, a water basin with a mirror, a small wood-burning stove, and a fireplace. This must be a hunter’s cabin. It’s too basic and the dust, dirt, and debris in here suggest no one has been here in a few decades. 

When I shifted my clothes were shredded, but, luckily, I had my clutch purse already wrapped around me like a crossbody purse so when I shifted, I didn’t lose it, my money or my phone! 

I sit on the cot after I shut the door and push a cabinet in front of it to secure myself inside. I grab my clutch and pull my phone out to start reading my messages. I have a TON of messages from several people. 

I start with the most obvious - Joan. I heard Callen say he spoke with her so I know what her text messages probably say, but I have to know she’s okay.

Joan: MAYDAY MAYDAY! Your time is up! Callen knows you’re gone!

Joan: He knows where you are Celeste! I had to tell him! I’m sorry! He threatened my parents if I didn’t tell him what he wanted to know.

Joan: Please tell me you are okay?

Joan: I’m sorry Celeste! 

I can tell she feels bad. My heart aches for everyone back home. What have I done? The guilt hits my heart and gut and I immediately feel sick. I cup my mouth, run to the basin sink, and throw up. 

I wipe my mouth, but before responding to her, I check my other messages.

Mom: I understand why you left. I don’t blame you. Your father and I love you. Be smart and protect yourself. Please reach out to us when you get somewhere you know you are safe. We will always love you - our daughter - Celeste.

After reading that, a wall I had put up in my heart from the hurt and anger of knowing my parents knew everything Callen did to me comes crashing down and I fall to the ground and cry. They knew and did nothing then, but now, they are giving me their blessing to run. They do love me, they just couldn’t step in the business of another alpha’s, even if it did have to do with their daughter, due to rank. At that moment, I just want to curl up and still be home, in my warm bed with my mom and dad hugging me. I miss everyone back home and wish so badly I was still back there and that Alpha Callen had never walked into my life!

Emi: Where did you go, Celeste? I thought we were best friends!? How could you not tell us!

Terry: Girl! What did you do? You had it made!

Emi: Joan, did you know about this?

Terry: She must have her reasons for not telling anyone. 

Emi: Celeste, we love you and we got your back! Be safe, but bitch you better call us when you get to where you’re going so we know you are alive!

Terry: Yeah Celeste, text back an emoji if nothing else so we know you are safe!

I get up and go lay on the cot, curl up, and hug my knees. I’m freezing in here without clothes and apparently the only thing left in here is a tiny blanket on the cot. I use it to cover myself up, but it isn’t much. I’m scared to start a fire in the wood-burning stove/fireplace because I don’t want the smoke to signal my location to anyone. Eventually, I’ll need to go find clothes and make my way back to Charley’s place but he said he would find me here when it was safe so who knows how long that will be. 

Satan: I’m coming to pick you up in an hour. Be ready for me when we get there little one.

Satan: I expect an answer when I text you little one!

Satan: I didn’t know you enjoyed your punishments so much. Be ready for another punishment like the last one when I get there if you don’t plan to answer me in the next five minutes!

Satan: WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU CELESTE?

Satan: DON’T MAKE ME TRACK YOUR PHONE!

Satan: YOU LEFT THE PACK! DON'T TELL ME YOU'RE RUNNING FROM ME? I do enjoy a good chase, game on little one.

Satan: Oh and I found you. I’m coming for you little one. If you thought that punishment was going to be bad when I got to your parents, just wait till I find you now!

OH FUCK! He’s tracking my phone! I have to get rid of this phone soon! That must be what really led him to Dante’s packhouse! FUCK!

I quickly decide to text Joan back before I disconnect the phone.

Me: I’m okay…for now. I know it isn’t your fault. I don’t blame you for anything! Thank you for everything you tried to do for me! Please let C know I’m safe and the view is beautiful and peaceful here.

Joan: OMG! CELESTE! I’m so glad you finally replied! I will. I love you girl! Stay safe!

Me: I will try. I have to disconnect my phone. Callen is using it to track me right now. I can’t risk him finding me further. He’s in the pack already.

Joan: Reach out to me when you know it’s safe again! I’ll tell C.

With that, I pop the sim card out of my phone, put it in my mouth, and bite down on it to crack it into a few pieces. After it’s cracked, I take it and bend it back and forth a few times until I know without a doubt, the sim card is destroyed and then I walk out to the lake and throw it in. Without that, they can’t track my phone. No service, no signal, no tracking. Problem solved. 

As the day progresses, it slowly turns to night and that’s when I get the idea that I’m going to be spending the night here. I’m not sure how long one shift is for the wolves on patrol, but considering both Callen and Dante are now looking for me, they just don’t know they’re looking for the same girl, my guess is Charley won’t be coming for me tonight. Rather than lighting that fire my body oh so desperately needs for warmth, I opt to shift to my wolf form so Bree can keep me warm. The only reason she won’t shift is if Callen is in the area. Since we are far enough away from him, she doesn’t mind and actually is happy about it. I haven’t let her out much these days since I’m constantly working at the club and trying to stay hidden. Tomorrow morning, I can let her go hunt for breakfast too!

I drift to the back of Bree’s mind as I fade into a deep sleep.