~ Chapter Eleven ~

He looked more beautiful in the moonlight, with darker hair and black-looking eyes moving around the space for any sign of me. I knew I should have been running into his arms but the thing was, he wasn't *alone*. In fact, he had practically the entire army who'd entered the house with him. That was a lot of very scary wolves who were muscular, scarred, and looking mean - all while searching for me.

To think that even my safe place was safe was stupid, I supposed. Even without Dimitri knowing about it, someone would have found me at some point. If it was Roger, I would have been killed; if it was anyone else, I had a chance of survival. It was slim but it was something.

I had to stop focusing on the 'if's. Dimitri was right there in front of me *free*. Why wasn't I rushing over to him? Gushing over the fact that I could finally feel him, his body, his hands on me?

Perhaps I was just too careful, too scientific.

When he called for me again, I slid out from behind the table and knocked a chair. The loud screech attracted the entire group's attention, though only one person started to move for me. I rushed down the wooden steps onto the gravel path, then stopped, so he did, too. He took one look at me and turned soft. His eyes were begging, almost.

"I will not hurt you, you know I won't," he muttered, watching me carefully.

I looked across the warriors surrounding him. "You're escaping," I replied. "You're leaving."

"I'm less than welcome here and neither are you." He paused. "Come with me."

"Huh?"

"Come... with... me."

I supposed I should have expected this, but for some reason, I'd presumed that I would be on my own from then on, that not only was my entire life changing, but likely ruined. And yet here Dimitri was, offering me a lifeline.

"Okay."

He stared at me for a moment in surprise, then the corner of his mouth twisted up. The moment just felt right. I hurried toward him and he met me halfway, reaching out for me in a way he never had before. His strong arms, which were only slightly less toned than from the very first day he'd showed up, wrapped around me in the best hug I'd ever had.

He smelt great, I felt safe, and his warmth was an amazing contrast to the chilling shiver going down my spine.

My wolf took in her dose of his scent, which she chastised me for depriving her of all this time. I would have apologised if I wasn't so totally infatuated by the man in front of me.

He began to lean away after a moment, putting me at arm's length. I examined him from so close, still slightly disbelieving that this had finally happened, that he was here, free, and waiting for me to return home with him.

"Are my pack..." I couldn't get my question completely out without feeling the weight of everything crushing me.

Dimitri gave me a firm look. "Not all of them."

I thought about Connor, how he was most likely to be one of the fallen. Though I didn't want to leave Valerie here unguarded with her children - if Dimitri had spared them, I realised I would have to, and that re-entering the house after I'd been cut off would have been the most dangerous thing I'd ever done. After all, we were whispering. That meant those inside weren't friendly.

"Roger?" I asked.

"Alive," Dimitri growled, glaring back at a female warrior with bloodied clothing. She glared back at him for a moment, then looked passively at me. I was confused but decided not to ask. Dima took my hand, capturing my attention anyway. His skin felt so hot compared to mine, and incredibly, irresitably rough. "Are you prepared to leave this place?"

I scoffed accidentally. "I've been kicked out. I don't have much choice anyway."

"Then let's go... Taylor, give me that."

A middle aged man stepped out of the crowd of wolves watching us and passed a large backpack to Dimitri, barely daring to look at me. I noticed it was the same for most, as they kept their eyes straight ahead or toward their alpha. It was like they were scared to lay their eyes on me. I supposed it was out of respect.

Dimitri dumped the backpack at our feet. "We're travelling as wolves," he told me, "but you can stay human if you want to."

I looked down into the empty backpack. "I could shift." Although I hadn't done it in such a long time.

"Go behind the gazebo, put your clothes in this." He nudged the backpack toward me. I picked it up but hesitated. "What?" he asked, reading me like a book, like he knew I wasn't so sure I wanted all of these strangers to see me as a wolf when not even my close friends had... my close friend, singular.

"It's nothing."

I rushed behind the gazebo without giving him the chance to ask more, and undressed hastily. I felt incredibly exposed for just a couple of seconds, then I burst into my wolf. My body immediately ached with the unfamiliar feeling of bones cracking, my eyes stung from the adjustment of how I looked through them, my fur itched. But I also felt freed. I could run anywhere like this; my stamina would be so much better.

When I came out from the gazebo, everyone else were wolves. It wasn't difficult to find Dimitri as he waited for me ahead of them, sitting tall, his head held high. I examined the wolves who had crashed into the house not too long ago as I walked. They were so strong-looking, so impressive. He was a good alpha, that much was for sure.

My dark colours helped me to blend with the ground when we started moving. A wolf I thought might have been Jess led the pack, running so quickly that it was difficult to keep up, with a semi-circle of wolves running around me and Dimitri, who kept close to my side to guide me through the woods I'd never had the chance to explore. I was completely out of my element but, for a few moments, I allowed myself to *love* that.

Because I was free from Roger, from the pack, from the oppressive life I'd been forced to live for so long.

I only wished I could save those who felt the same way, too.

/////

My night from there consisted of camping whilst still a wolf, curled up to Dimitri as if we were still human, and a lot of running. I didn't know how much ground we'd covered but it felt like a lot, and I was tired still in the morning. But we had to keep going as Jess, who spoke aloud instead of through the mindlink everyone else used, was certain we could be tracked down by the smoke of our campfire.

So we were running again, but took more breaks this time.

I never shifted out of my wolf, not to eat or drink, not even when I'd slept.

Our journey came to an end when we came across a mountain range divided in the centre. It looked completely inconspicuous, but it was the entrance to a private woods that surrounded three large houses. Each was made of grey bricks, with thickly-framed black-painted windows; each one was absolutely gorgeous. This was no average pack grounds.

"Erika." Jess spoke prominently from behind me, causing me to turn to her. She'd shifted and clutched just a jacket to hide herself. Dimitri kept walking next to a wolf I hadn't met yet. "I'd just like to point everything out to you while you can't ask me any questions about any of it."

If I were human, I would have smiled at her.

Jess pointed out each building and explained its use for the pack. "That works essentially as a storage warehouse; its got all of our weaponry, medical equipment, and pretty much anything you'll ever need, so go there if you're looking for something. A couple of Omegas also live there. That house is for everyone who isn't very close to our Alpha. Take..." She pointed at a young-looking wolf heading for the very house she'd mentioned. "... Danny, for example. He's sort of just a pack warrior. But then that house - the last one - is for everyone who *is* close; like me."

I nodded at her.

"Of course, you'll be in Dimitri's room. As he's neglected to wait for you, I'll take you there." I followed Jess past the rest of the wolves into the important pack member house, which she told me they called the 'Emporer's Palace' as a joke, in comparison to 'Storage' and the 'Peasant Factory'. The atmosphere surrounding me was already so different to everything I'd grown used to, but I liked the change.

Maybe life under Dimitri could be just as good as it had seemed when I was under Roger's rule.

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