Chapter 3 Escape

  Finding the street isn't hard, but deciding which way to go is. I have no idea what state I'm in. I have no idea how big this "Alpha" guy's "territory" is. Plus, I really can't trust anyone I see driving.

   After a few minutes of thinking I decide to follow the road heading left along the treeline. The area seems to be pretty rural, so maybe I can use that to my advantage. If I see a car coming I can hide in the trees or drop to my stomach in the tall grass. The grey dress I am wearing shouldn't draw too much attention. 

    As I walk my feet almost immediately begin to give me issues, but I push the pain to the back of my mind by picturing Amber dead on the kitchen counter....ready to be carved up for breakfast.

   A sob breaks through my lips as I picture her eyes staring off at nothing. If only I hadn't overheated that furnace. Maybe just maybe, she would still be alive. Not only did I kill all those girls in the basement with us, but my actions also caused other Amber to die.

     After walking and crying for some time, three buildings pop up on the horizon, and I decide to head in their direction. Maybe just maybe, I can steal a car or something. As I get closer and the forest changes to empty pasture, I am able to see what the buildings are. Two barns and an older-looking house. I can work with this. For some reason, my mind is pretty confident the werewolves wouldn't own a place like this.

  I creep closer to the barns while keeping my eyes peeled for any movement. Luckily I don't spot anyone, but I do hear faint neighing coming from the barn closest to me. I open the door timidly before darting inside. The warm scent of horses immediately makes me smile.

   I am more comfortable on horseback than I am behind a steering wheel any day. My father spent thousands on my equestrian lessons. My brother never really picked up the skill, but I sure did.

   I quickly locate the tackle room and grab a set of reigns with a bit attached to it. I need a horse built for speed, but my hopes aren't too high for anything special. If I'm lucky, they have a barrel racer hidden in this barn. I check the stalls quickly before locating a slick enough-looking gelding.

  I enter his stall cautiously, but he doesn't act spooked in the slightest.

  "Hey there, big guy," I coo at the gentle giant while getting the bit in his mouth.

  "Mind if we go for a run," I whisper as I pat his neck.

  I throw my leg up and over while using the horse's mane to help hoist me. He only sidesteps a little as I get into position.

  "Good boy," I whisper while patting his neck.

   I gently tap him with my bruised and bleeding heels, and we are on our way.

  After at least two hours of riding, I finally find what I'm looking for...a town. I forgo stopping at a random business. I need a police station, which I locate easily after briefly trotting down the main road.

  I dismount and tie the reigns to the handicap sign before rushing in.

LUCIEN POV

   I shove my favorite female off my chest as I wake up to the smell of smoke. Rage immediately begins to bubble in my liquor-filled stomach. The Human!

  I roar as I run towards my bedroom door and fling it open. Smoke instantly hits my face, and I bolt for the stairs. I should have known she would be harder to control than the typical trash we purchase. Especially since she already killed Lucifer and destroyed the black market house, she was being held at.

  "Where is she," I roar as soon as I make it to the bottom of the stairs.

   My beta spins around and drops his head.

  "Millie thought she went out the front....but after about five minutes, smoke and a small explosion went off in the basement. Her scent is barely catchable past the smoke, Alpha....plus the slave just took a shower," he explains, and I feel my eyes begin to glow yellow with rage.

  I turn my glare towards the lower female named Millie, who had kitchen duty this morning, and she whimpers.

   "I didn't think to follow her immediately, Alpha. I thought the male slaves would catch her in the front yard.....she lit the entire basement on fire. Clothes and linens are destroyed. Seeing this morning's meal was too much for the new slave," Millie whispers as I slowly approach her.

   I reach my hand out and wrap it around Millie's neck before lifting her pathetic body into the air. My Beta twitches but refrains from intervening. Only he is aware of the relationship this particular slave has with me...all the other pack members know her as the human who managed to kill my younger brother.

   "You let the human trash who killed Lucifer.....escape," I growl, and she manages to whimper again even though my hand is cutting off her airway.

    "Alpha, I can track her," my third in command says as he steps forward to save Millie's hide.

  I briefly debate on snapping Millie's neck anyway. My weak, pathetic mate has escaped. But I dont want my pack getting suspicious... I decide to release Millie. She falls to the floor in a heap while gasping for air.

  "Let me make myself perfectly clear. This slave is mine to torture. She killed Lucifer. If she isn't back within these walls before night falls, I'm snapping everyone's neck," I snarl, and my gathered pack members flinch before running in different directions.

  I stomp towards the kitchen and smile when I see what made my little mate run.

  "Save the female's head," I order the working humans before heading back to my room.

  I need to appear unbothered with Amber's disappearance. I need to focus on all the reasons why I should hate her. Which isn't difficult; I despise the little cunt.....If her father had only agreed to my initial offer, Lucifer would be alive. But no Senator Gavens had to turn me down....had to deny me what is mine. The idiot! He knows about my kind; he is aware of what a wolf will do to get his mate. Especially an Alpha. Although I do understand his reasons for not believing me. A human mate is extremely rare and frowned upon. Humans are weak and undesirable as mates. Plus, her age is comical.

   But while human laws frown on relationships with minors, our natural wolf biology doesn't care. As soon as a female is of breeding age, our instincts pair us. And since 98% of the time, our matches are other wolves; we generally have nothing to worry about, unlike in my case.

  Finding out the little sophomore human was my mate was nerve-racking, to say the least....but finding out her father refused to inform her of my species existence and refused to allow me around her at all pushed me past my breaking point.

  I had ordered the human flesh dealer to kidnap her....even paid double to keep her untouched. And how does the little bitch repay me? She blows up the entire house and kills my brother, who decided to go retrieve her early as an early birthday surprise for me.

   Now she has lit my packhouse on fire and fled. My kind never wastes a good meal, so of course, we would cook the human flesh. Any human, wolf, or other animal that die is consumed. I smirk as I think about the mental pain I am about to inflict on her....for Lucifer.

  I get to my room and growl.

  "Jolene. LEAVE," I order the black-haired beauty I called to keep me company last night to prevent me from going to my mate.

  She jumps in response to my harsh tone, but I dont feel a shred of guilt.

  "What's wrong, Alpha? Did she harm someone else," Jolene asks, and my eyes begin to glow at the mention of my mate from her lips.

  "No. I just want you out. I'm no longer drunk and no longer need your company," I growl, and Jolene's mouth pops open in response to my cruel tone.

  Her eyes water, but she stands up with her chin raised anyways. She puffs her perfect chest out, but my eyes don't stray from her face. I have seen her body numerous times; I even considered mating her....but now she does nothing for me. Neither do the other females I have bedded. Now my mind is consumed with a little human-mouse that barely comes to my chest.

  "Get out," I repeat after Jolene stands there naked for longer than necessary.

  "Alpha, I don't understand...You've never treated me like this," Jolene whines, and I snap my growing teeth in her direction.

  She yelps and bolts from my room with her head down.

  I immediately lock the door behind her and head for my cellphone. I doubt my third will be able to track my mate's scent, and that means I need to start playing hardball. The money and power that come with being a supernatural can't be ignored by the human government. And since Amber's action directly caused Lucifer's death, I can now demand quite a bit from the agency that handles keeping us a secret.

"Agent Tran," I say as soon as the receptionist answers.

  She immediately transfers me, and I drum my fingers against my desk while I wait for the tiny male human to answer. I hate dealing with him, but his cowardice will be beneficial in the situation.

  "Morning, this is Tran," he answers, and I can't help the sneer that pulls at my mouth.

"Agent Tran, this is Alpha Lucien Bishop... There has been an incident involving a human minor and my brother," I growl, and I can sense the weak man's fear through the phone as I wait for him to answer.

  After almost a minute of silence, he finally manages to find his tongue.

  "I'm sorry to hear that. What can my agency do to help get this issue resolved," he asks in a voice meant to sound nothing but accommodating.

   "You can have her returned to me, immediately and I will consider the matter closed," I answer, and I hear him stumble a bit.

   "Now, Alpha Bishop, there are strict laws my government follows when it comes to minors," Agent Tran says, and I growl.

  "The minor in question caused the death of my brother Agent Tran, so unless you want my pack members tearing through South Carolina... I would suggest you return her to my custody. Senator Gavens and I have already spoken to each other about his daughter......And considering she is my mate, I am in my right to claim her. Claim her and punish her by Werewolf Law.....a law my father helped write. Do not push me, Tran. I expect her returned by tomorrow night. If my pack members have to retrieve her, there will be casualties," I snap before hanging up the call.

   There, I gave him her Father's name and laid down a pretty heavy threat. Amber should be returned quickly, and her punishment for her crimes will commence as planned.

  "Lookout, pet," I growl before heading to shower Jolene's scent from my flesh.