Never Goodbye, A Werewolf Romance - (Book 1-The Mist Series)

Chapter 23 Escape Plan

Chapter 23

Escape Plan

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Jada

Weak! Pitiful! I was all that because they had raised me that way? I was to be used as bait, a mere distraction in their elaborate scheme. The woman whom I had always believed to be my mother turned out to be a part of the conspiracy, and the man I thought was my father was revealed to be nothing more than a vicious tyrant. It suddenly made sense why they never showed me any love... because there was none to give. I was a ploy, a weapon of self-loathing sap, someone they could use to infiltrate the Mist clan!

I stumbled backwards, my whole body trembling, as I moved away from the cabin and landed in a patch of prickly weeds. I had to get away. I had to leave this nightmare.

Anna turned to me with sad eyes. She reached over and pulled me into her arms. “Jada, I didn’t know,” Anna mouthed. “I honestly didn’t know...”

“What was that? Desmond snarled, his voice taking on a feral tone that made my inside turn to water. “We have company!”

“Spies!” My false father roared. “After them!”

They had heard us. Anna and I fell away from each other. I wanted to scream, but my throat was too tight.

“We need to get away from here!” Anna whispered as she clasped my hand and pulled me to my feet. The unmistakable fear was palpable in her eyes, mirroring the unease in my chest. “Quick!”

“Find them!” Father demanded. “And destroy them! No witnesses! And bring me their tongues...”

Tongues! My body failed me as I tried to follow Anna into the shadows. I tripped over my feet and fell into her, knocking her to the ground. My false father had jars full of his enemies’ tongues down in his cellar. He displayed them proudly on multiple shelves. He had taken me down to see them on numerous occasions. That was a sight I was never going to forget.

“Anna,” I cried, helping her back to her feet.

Footsteps were growing nearer. My heart was suddenly in my throat. I had to get away. I had to escape the Celestial Moon clan and warn the Mist clan! I had to be stronger than I was raised to be! But the tears and the crippling fear made functioning difficult.

In a flash, Anna was moving again, towing me behind her. She refused to stop, even as the packhouse came into view.

Howls echoed around us. There was no doubt they had caught our scent. It was all part and parcel of the werewolf world. And false father’s warriors were battle-trained. They would know that I had been there even if I ran to my room and pretended to be asleep.

At the side of the packhouse, beside one of its evil eyes, Anna spun me around and pushed my back against the wall. Her eyes were alive. I half expected her wolf to awaken in the moment and take control. “Listen to me, Jada. You can’t stay here. Even with all this dirt, they would have our scent by now, which puts you in great danger... it puts us both in danger!”

“W-what am I going to do?” I sobbed, wiping tears and dirt from my eyes. “If these people are not my family... Then who am I? What am I going to do? Where do I go?”

Anna shook me. “Listen, this is not just about you…” She stopped talking as the howls closed around us. “I lied before… I am a part of a rebellion—the Celestial Resistance. We are against your dad … My entire family is. But I don’t have enough time to tell you any more about it right now!”

Before I could reply, a tan wolf appeared behind Anna. I opened my mouth to scream, but she covered my mouth with her hand. “It’s my mum, Lillianna… I mind-linked her.”

I nodded, and she removed her hand. “Why is your mum here?”

“My dad is throwing the others off the scent… but it won’t last.” She pulled me away from the wall and walked me to the wolf. “So, mum will take you to a hideout… I can’t tell you much more than that, but you must trust me.”

“I do trust you... But what about you?” I sniffled, grabbing her hands. “I can’t leave you here!”

Lillianna’s wolf lowered herself to the ground and whimpered. It was a fear she understood.

“I will meet you there.” Anna helped me onto the back of her mother’s wolf. “Shushila, Mum’s wolf will protect you… Trust her as you do me.”

Tears continued to fall. I wrapped my arms around Shushila’s neck. She stood, and I closed my eyes. My world had crashed down around me. My parents were not my parents. I was not their Alpha blood! What was I? Who was I?

I swayed as Shushila steadied herself and tightened my hold on her. I was scared beyond anything I had ever been. I was afraid for my life, Anna’s, and the life of the entire Mist Clan Alpha family.

“I will find you, Jada,” Anna called after me. “I love you, sister…”

“I love you too, sister.” I sobbed, opening my eyes again. Everything flew past me in a blur as Shushila ran. I could feel each step and each muscle move beneath me.

Why me? Why was I chosen for this? What did I do to deserve this?

I glanced over my shoulders as the packhouse faded into a faceless black shadow. I would do anything to have my wolf at that moment. I would run and never stop. I would never look back at the Celestial Moon clan again. I sniffled back the sob. They had raised me to be a meek person I was on purpose. I had to make a change. I was not a nasty Hugh, and I was not born weak. I was still Alpha blood... They had made me that way... but I was not born that way! As the realisation sunk in, a strange sensation radiated from my chest. I no longer felt the urge to cry. I sat up straight and let the air dry my tears. I was not born weak! I was not born a Hugh! I was born as the Mist clan’s Alpha daughter!