The runaways

Greg’s POV

I paced back and forth across the small hotel room, the floor creaking slightly beneath my boots.

The dim light from the single bedside lamp cast long shadows on the walls, flickering slightly as if reflecting the turmoil inside me.

Every step felt heavy, each one filled with the weight of everything I’d just thrown away.

Anna sat quietly on the edge of the bed, her eyes following me, concern etched into her beautiful features. The hum of the air conditioner was the only sound in the room apart from my pacing, but it did little to calm the storm raging within me.

Anna watched me, her brow furrowed as she tried to find the right words. "Greg," she began softly, her voice filled with worry and something else—something like hope. "It’s going to be okay. We’ll figure this out. You’re not alone in this."

I stopped, running my hands through my hair in frustration. "How can you say that?" I said, my voice edged with a sharpness that wasn’t meant for her but for the impossible situation we were in. "I’ve rebelled against my own blood, against my entire kingdom. I’m not just an outcast now; I’m a traitor. I’ve turned my back on everything I was supposed to protect."

She got up from the bed and walked over to me, placing a gentle hand on my arm. "You didn’t turn your back on anything. You made a choice. A choice that was right for you, for us. We’ll get through this, I promise."

I let out a bitter laugh, pulling away and looking out the small window, the city lights glowing faintly in the distance. "I’m about to be hunted, Anna. My brother’s not going to stop until he finds us. He’ll never forgive me for this. For him, it’s not just about betrayal—it’s personal. He wants blood."

Anna took a deep breath, her gaze intense and unwavering. "So what if he does? We’ll be ready. I’m not letting anyone take you from me, Greg. Not your brother, not anyone. We’ll fight if we have to."

I turned back to her, my eyes meeting hers. The determination in her voice was almost startling. It reminded me why I’d fallen for her in the first place—she was fierce, unyielding, and willing to stand beside me no matter the odds. But it also scared me, because I knew what was coming for us. "You don’t understand, Anna. This isn’t just some petty fight. I’ve seen what Cole is capable of. He’s relentless, ruthless. He’ll do whatever it takes to make an example out of us."

She stepped closer, her fingers tracing the edge of my jaw before lifting my chin so I’d look at her. "Then let him come. We’ll face him together. I’m not afraid of him, and you shouldn’t be either."

I shook my head, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I’m not afraid of him, Anna. I’m afraid of losing you. Of what they’ll do to you because of me. I could go back, try to fix this, but... I can’t just leave you."

Anna’s eyes softened, and she wrapped her arms around my waist, pulling me close. "You’re not losing me, Greg. We’re in this together, no matter what. You go back, we both go back. You fight, we both fight. You run, then so do I. You’re not alone anymore."

I looked down at her, feeling the warmth of her body against mine. "I don’t want you to get hurt because of me."

She smiled softly, a bittersweet expression that tugged at my heart. "I’ve been hurt before, Greg. I can take care of myself. But what I can’t take is watching you give up. We’ve come too far to turn back now. We’ll figure out our next move, and we’ll be ready for whatever comes."

I pulled her closer, our foreheads touching as we both closed our eyes, taking comfort in the moment.

She kissed me softly, her lips gentle and reassuring. "I could never give up on you, Greg. You’re the only reason I’m still fighting."

We stood there for what felt like forever, wrapped in each other’s arms as the weight of the world pressed down on us. Eventually, we moved to the bed, laying side by side, staring up at the ceiling as if the answers to our problems could be found somewhere in the cracks and shadows above.

"We need a plan," I said finally, breaking the silence. "Cole’s going to come after us. We can’t just keep running. We need to figure out a way to fight back."

Anna nodded, her fingers tracing patterns on the sheets between us. "We need allies. People who aren’t loyal to Cole, who might have a reason to stand against him. Maybe some of the packs he’s crossed. There has to be someone out there who’s willing to take a stand."

I nodded, considering her words. "The rogues," I said thoughtfully. "Some of them might be looking for revenge after what Cole did. If we can find a way to unite them, to turn their anger into something useful... they could be our key."

Anna looked at me, a spark of hope flickering in her eyes. "It’s funny how he had hired me to make sure I tell him if you go for the rogues and here you are doing that exact thing. We’d have to be careful. Rogues are unpredictable, and they don’t trust easily. But if we can convince them... maybe we stand a chance."

I turned on my side to face her, running a hand through her hair. "I can’t promise that any of this will work. I can’t even promise that we’ll make it through this alive. But I promise that I’ll do everything I can to protect you. To protect us."

Anna reached out, her hand resting on my cheek as she smiled softly. "And I’ll be right beside you every step of the way. We’re in this together, remember?"

We shared another kiss before settling back against the pillows. The fear and uncertainty were still there, but so was a newfound sense of determination. Whatever happened next, we would face it as one.

As the night wore on, we talked about everything—her childhood stories, tales of fox and wolf clans that had once been allies, and dreams of what could have been in another life. It was easy to get lost in her voice, to let it drown out the chaos outside our little bubble.

But when the sun began to rise, reality came crashing back. There was no more hiding, no more pretending that everything would be okay. We were fugitives now, hunted by my own blood, but we weren’t defeated. Not yet.

"We’ll figure it out," I said one last time, squeezing her hand as we stared at the first rays of dawn breaking through the window. "No matter what it takes."

Anna squeezed back, her grip firm and reassuring. "Together," she whispered, and for the first time in a long while, I believed it.

That was until a loud knock on the door had our hearts beating faster than anything.