RULE 76: DON'T TRY TO GET BACK IN. EVER.

✷ C H A P T E R    E I G H T ✷

Cross the forest line. Memphis will meet you there.

The note was written in a shaky font, almost illegible. Instantly, I furrowed my eyebrows. The message was vague, and I had trouble seeing it as a key to get out of here. I didn't know where the forest line was.

I was doomed.

Without a second thought, I quickly — and quietly — curled the paper up, placing it in one of my pockets. I didn't want anyone finding it; I couldn't afford for anyone to find it. While it didn't mean much to me, I wasn't sure if it would mean a lot to Theo.

Regretting not getting a closer look out the window this morning, I asked: "So, do you just shift in the wide open?"

"No," he responded, still pulling me behind him.

"Where do you shift, then?"

He turned around, eyes narrowed at me, "Why?"

"Where I come from in... Boston, your kind is not... so common. I was just curious, I didn't know if, you know, I should just expect to see naked people walking everywhere," I said innocently, holding my breath as I made up a pretty convincing lie.

Not that I would constitute it as a real lie. I mean, I was curious if Werewolves walked around naked since they wore no clothes in their shifted forms, but I wasn't curious enough to ask. I just wanted to know if there was forestry around that would protect them from peering eyes.

It didn't seem like he was taking my bate. Instead, it looked like he was getting a little suspicious of me, growling as a response. While it was not ideal, a little suspicion — hopefully — wouldn't destroy all my chances of getting out of here. I just needed to endure a little longer. Once I found out where the forest line was, I could escape.

I could almost taste freedom on the tip of my tongue; it was so close, a burst of excitement shot through me, causing my toes to curl up in anticipation.

"There are some privacy trees behind the house to provide some protection since the forest doesn't begin for almost a mile after that. You won't be seeing any naked males, especially when you're still unmarked and unmated," his voice came out stern, as he continued to lead me out of the dungeons.

Relaxing at his words, I was now one step closer to gaining my freedom. Natasha's note was not looking so pointless, after all.

Quickly, Theo escorted me back up to the room I woke up in. He told me to freshen up and then left the room. This time he locked it on his way out. I quietly tried to see if it would budge open, but it was firm and unrelenting.

Panic had started to set in. I was all alone in a strange room, with nothing of my own, deserted from my home.

Cross the forest line.

I contemplated waiting a little while for my escape. Maybe it would be too obvious if I tried to leave so soon. Maybe it would shorten my odds, but then again, Theo could come in any second, crushing my hopes of escape.

Without much thought, I ran over to the window that rested beside the bed. While I couldn't open it earlier, maybe — with new determination — I could now. It was wishful thinking, but the window was my only option. Mustering up enough strength, I tried to pry the window open, but it remained glued shut.

My heart rate accelerated, and I looked around frantically. What was I going to do now? What could I even do?

Doubt plagued my mind, as I could tell by the sun's positioning it was early afternoon. Time was slipping through my fingers like sand.

My eyes landed on the lamp that was resting on the nightstand. Inhaling deeply, I took the lamp and smashed it through the window — it took a couple of blows. Once the window was smashed to pieces, I realized I had earned myself a couple of scratches along the way.

Blood was starting to trickle down my hand, and, for a split second, I thought about staying. There was a tug at my heart, telling me not to go.

Was I brave enough for this?

My mind faltered, and it felt like there were a million tiny insects running underneath my skin. I would never do something like this in the Borderlands. I had to keep reminding myself that I was no longer there; the person I was here should not reflect that.

With a shaky breath, I made sure the windowsill was free from broken glass, holstered myself up, and jumped without a second thought.

THUD!

I don't know how long I was in the air, but it couldn't have been too long. I landed ungracefully, bracing my fall on my right hand. Pain radiated off of my wrist, and I held it tight to my chest, blood dripping on my clothes and the pristine grass.

A small price to pay.

Stumbling to my feet, I took a look at my surroundings. No one seemed to be around, which I was thankful for. My eyes searched for forestry and quickly saw the privacy trees poking out in the distance. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought those trees were the forest. I mean, it looked like whoever owned this land had planted their own personal forest.

Instantly, I dashed towards them. They looked like the trees from the Borderlands, big, sturdy, and towering. Home.

I broke out into a goofy grin, as I clutched my arm to my chest while running. I was actually managing to get away. My bare feet pounded into the grass, but my stance was slowing me down, so I threw down my wrist, ready to embrace the pain as I ran for the trees.

My wrist throbbed, silent tears forming in my eyes, but I kept running. The trees kept getting closer and closer, hope filling up my lungs with each step. I could only hope this was the forest Natasha was referring to. If it wasn't, I didn't quite know what I would do.

As I almost reached the forest, a loud roar caused me to turn around. Near where I had jumped out, stood Theo.

Oh no.

However much I wanted to, I couldn't pull my eyes away from him, as his beast surfaced. He let out another howl, this one more low and painful. His body, without hesitation, started to slowly crack and pop into his beastly form.

I could hear the ear-shattering bending and breaking of bones, but I couldn't will myself to look away. Eventually and quite smoothly, a ginormous, black wolf stood where Theo once was, teeth barring. He was angry — because of me — and I didn't want to have to deal with his wrath.

Breaking out of my trance, I whirled around and kept running. I could hear the hard thuds of Theo's paws behind me. He was fast — unnaturally fast. I wouldn't doubt that he could easily catch up to me.

Building up as much energy as I could, I ran with all my strength, finally busting through the privacy tree line, eyes on the lookout for Memphis. Scanning the area, it didn't look like Memphis was anywhere to be found. He must have been further down, then.

Not being able to fully process that I could have just sealed my death, I continued running, darting through trees and jumping over tree branches. My feet were beginning to get scraped up, and the pain in my wrist was intensifying.

Where was he?

The distance between Theo and I was closing in.

The predator was about to capture his prey, again.

Run, I screamed to myself, as my feet throbbed with each step.

Running with no direction, I hadn't noticed that I had broken through a different patch of trees. My mind was so wrapped up in not getting caught I hadn't realized that I was no longer being towered over by trees.

I was in a field that was wildly overgrown. Near the end of the field was a two-way road, the rest of the road was bordered by a forest.

I had made it.

Next to the road, pulled over, was a car. Could it be Memphis?

"Memphis?" I hollered, out of breath.

The window rolled down. "Sage!"

Memphis.

My body almost collapsed in relief. I was at the final stretch. All I had to do was get to the car and then I would be safe. Tears sprang in the corners of my eyes, and I couldn't wait to be reunited with Pa, Gran, Pop, Auntie, and Uncle.

"Hurry up!" I could hear the roar of the engine, as I hobbled my way over to the car.

I barely managed to throw myself into the passenger's seat. A wolf lunged for me, but my lead was too great. The car door greeted the strange wolf in the face.

"Go!" I yelled at Memphis, as the car started to move.

Slumping back in the seat, I let out a sigh of relief. I was going home. I was actually going home, where I could put this terrible birthday experience behind me.

"How long were you waiting there?" I asked, panting.

"Twelve hours," Memphis laughed. "You got yourself in quite the predicament, didn't you, Sage?"

"It's not my fault!" I exclaimed, looking out the window at the gang of Werewolves trailing us. "Where's Si? How are Natasha and Gracie getting out?"

"All your questions will be answered soon."