Visions of Wolves

A plan in motion

I got dressed and packed everything I had into the small bag I had salvaged from the attack on our picnic. I threw in some snacks from the fridge and a bottle of water.

I then pushed it through the bedroom window so that it landed in the bushes outside before I headed to Alex’s office. The door was slightly ajar, so I let myself in and went through the drawers in his desk until I found a pen and paper.

I’m not running away, I just need time to think. 

We can talk when I’ve had time to catch my breath. 

Teal

I signed it off with my number. My phone was cracked and the signal was bad around here, but I’d be able to answer if I needed to. 

I left the note against the lamp on his desk and headed to the front door. At the door two guards stopped me to ask where I was going. After I explained that I was going to help John with his deliveries and pick-ups today, they warned me not too be too long and then let me pass. 

Before heading to the warehouse I went and grabbed my bag from outside the bedroom window. John was happy to see me and let me help him load his truck again. I told him I was all alone today and desperate for something to do. I felt bad using him this way, but I was growing desperate.

I helped him load the truck but made sure there was space at the back for me to easily climb in. I hid my bag amongst the boxes and helped John tie everything down. When I could see we were nearly done, I told him I needed to head back and said my goodbyes. 

When he wasn’t looking, I quickly climbed into the back of his pickup, underneath some empty boxes that I had placed there and covered my self with tarp. 

It was uncomfortable. I was in the foetal position without much space to move. I lay there for quite sometime before I felt John start up the truck and drive off. 

Dam. This was actually working. But the guilt of leaving everyone, of leaving Alex made me start to hyperventilate. I lay there trying to take deep breaths and calm my nerves. I really hoped Alex wouldn’t be too mad. I did want him, the thought of leaving him was making me second guess this decision. But it was too late, out the gap in the tarp I could see that we had left the village and were now heading through the forest that lay across the village perimeter. 

Why am I so heartbroken? I’ve just met the guy. I need to pull it together. At least I left my number for him. Once I’ve had time to clear my head maybe we could date, like normal people. Well, normal humans, and see where it goes. 

After some time I opened the map on my phone so I could track where we were. We were headed in the right direction of the Flower Moon Hotel but I doubted that’s where John was going. I really hoped he would stop beforehand. After what felt like hours the truck slow down and came to a stop. My back and legs were killing me. I was so sore from being in the same position for such a long time. 

Through the tarp I couldn’t see much. It looked like we were still on the highway with nothing really around us. John however was walking towards a nearby tree. Maybe he needed to pee? Now would be my chance.

I checked my phone, if I got out now it would be a 3 hour walk to the hotel. But what choice did I have? I slowly wormed my way to the edge of the truck and quickly jumped out with my bag while John was behind the tree. 

As he headed back to the truck I snuck around, making sure I was always out of sight. He got in, started the truck and began to drive off. As he did I quickly crawled into the grass on the side of the road and rested against a tree.

I stayed there for a while, stretching out my back and legs and enjoying a few of the snacks I’d brought with.

Eventually I decided it was time to make tracks. It was early afternoon so it should still be light by the time I reached Flower Moon Hotel. I know it’s the first place everyone will look for me, but hopefully if I get there before they realise I’m gone I can get a taxi to the airport and head straight home. Just the thought of getting on a plane without seeing Alex again made me want to cry. What was he doing to me?

Two hours in and I was sobbing. My legs hurt, my back hurt and my heart hurt. The guilt was creeping up on me. It was taking twice as long as I thought but I knew I had to keep going. 

I finally got to the driveway of the hotel and felt a new burst of energy hit me. I ran down to the entrance of the hotel but was cut short by a woman’s scream. Oh no. That’s Mabel! I threw my bag into the nearby bushes and ran round the side of the hotel so I could look through the kitchen window.

I crouched under the window and slowly stood up to take a look. I could hear Mabel screaming, pots and pans were clambering all over the kitchen. I finally managed to get a good look and saw two rogues, the same ones from the picnic, trying to grab her. She hit one over the head with a pan and he fell to the floor but the other grabbed her by the arms and swung her around to hold her against the table. He had her two hands in his one hand the other hand was lifting her skirt. I had to do something.

I ran round to the back door of the kitchen. I searched the garden for anything I could use as a weapon and settled on a shovel. I snuck in through the back door, they didn’t even hear me over their own shouting. Without thinking twice I lifted the shovel and hit the rogue holding Mabel down as hard as I could across the head.

He fell to the ground and she spun round to look at me, tears streaming down her red face. Just then the rogue that she had hit with the pan stood up and started shouting at us. He ran towards me, but Mabel grabbed the shovel from hands and spun around just in time to hit him across the head. He fell and she jumped over him to grab a jar of herbs off her kitchen counter.

“Here, quickly, put this in their mouths.” She grabbed a handful of the dried herbs and shoved the jar into my hands. I stood there shellshocked. She forcefully fed one rogue the herbs and then grabbed more out the jar while I just stood there holding them. She did the same with the other rogue. 

She then ran over to the broom cupboards and came back with some rope. She took a knife from the drawer and cut two long pieces.

“Help me get there hands together,” she said walking over to the one body and tried to roll his big muscular figure over.

“TEAL!” She shouted, shaking me out my trance. 

I ran over and helped her get him on his stomach. I held his wrists together while she expertly tied them with the rope. We then repeated the process with the other rogue. 

She stood hovering over the one that had her pinned to the table, kicked him twice in the ribs before storming out the kitchen and calling me to follow. 

In the lounge she picked up her phone and starting dialling. She gave whoever answered a quick rundown of what happened and begged them to get here quickly. I heard her mention my name but I was too focused on the bodies on the floor in the kitchen to pay attention to what she said. 

She came over, rubbed my arm reassuringly and then lead me to the sofa.

“Don’t worry, that’s wolfsbane. When they eventually wakeup they’ll be too weak to get out of the ropes or even stand really. It’s poisonous for shifters.”

I spun around to look at her “do you know much about them?”

“Yes honey. I do. You haven’t even scratched the surface of this world yet,” she said giving me a tight squeeze. “You saved my life today Teal. Thank you.”

With those words I broke down and so did she. We cried until it became so ridiculous we laughed. Our noses were running, eyes were red. We sat there in silence, chuckling from time to time at the sheer craziness of it all. 

Just then we heard noises outside. I shot up, but she reassured me it was fine. She had called backup. I could just make out the front door from where I was sitting. Mabel went over and opened it, letting in Jay, Adam and Ally. 

The guilt washed over me again, followed by excitement at the thought that Alex might walk in next. Instead it was another two guards I didn’t recognise. I stayed in the lounge while Mabel showed them to the kitchen and they dragged the rogues out. Mabel came to sit with me with Ally in tow.

“Teal! What were you thinking? You can’t just run off like that, you have no idea how dangerous that was!” Ally reprimanded me. 

“I think I have a pretty good idea.” I said sarcastically nodding to the door the rogues had just been dragged out of. 

Jay and Adam entered the room reprimanding me as well. They all came to sit in the lounge and I was just about to fight my case when I felt him enter the room. I had my back to the door but I already knew he was here. I went into a cold sweat. Jay, Ally and Adam stood momentarily, giving him a nod and then sat back down.

“Start from the top. What happened?” I heard Alex’s low, sultry voice bellow from behind me. He was angry. 

I didn’t turn around, instead I just watched Mabel tell us how the rogues broke in and attacked her. I couldn’t hear a word she said, all my concentration was focused on the adrenaline pumping through my veins.

“Well I’m glad you’re alright. That you’re both alright.” He spoke through clenched teeth.

“Jay is going to stay with you tonight, with two other guards. We’ll keep a patrol for a couple weeks too. For now I think it’s time to head back.” With that he placed a firm grip on my shoulder that made me jump.

“I’m going to stay here with Mab…” I barely recognised my own voice, my nerves were getting the better of me.

“No” he cut me off. “It’s time to go.” As he spoke Mabel looked at him, then to me and then back to him. She knew. In fact in that moment it was clear the whole room knew. The secret was out. There was something between us.

“Fine, but I need to collect my things from upstairs.” I threw his hand off my shoulder and ran to the staircase before he could say otherwise. I got to my room and packed my suitcase as quickly as I could.

When I was done I found Ally waiting at my door. Clearly I needed to be watched from now on. I said goodbye to Mabel and headed outside with Ally. She walked me over to a sports car and opened the door for me to get in. She put my bags in another car before she climbed in and drove off.

Out of nowhere Alex appeared, got into the driver’s seat and we headed back to the village in silence.