-Alex

We reach a house in the woods. We ran all through the night. We reach our destination at dawn. The sun barely makes it's way into the horizon.

We shift back and Russell leads us into the small house. We are all quiet.

The three of us are now rogues. No pack. No going back. Do they know what they just committed themselves to?

Russell starts a fire as I join Addison on the couch. The house is small and built out of logs. There is a stone fireplace in the middle of the room and a dusty couch. I glance around and see a small kitchen area, most likely empty of any food.

There is another door I assume leads to a bedroom. Who owns this house?

"Thank you." I finally speak, breaking the silence. Addison grabs my hand in her own.

"I wasn't going to leave you to die." She breathes out.

"You didn't have to do this for me, really. Now we are all condemned to be on the run." I choke out. I am the reason they just lost their futures.

"You're basically family now." Russell speaks finally, turning away from the now blazing fire. He smiles warmly at me.

We all curl up on the couch. Russell falls deep into sleep and I just gaze into the flames, deep in thought.

Now I am free. Yes, the Silvermoon pack will search for us. For a while maybe, but they won't look forever.

I escaped death, and I am surrounded by my friends.

"Where are we going to go now?" I whisper to Addi, careful not to wake the sleeping man next to her. She has been staring at the fire too, unable to sleep.

"I haven't thought that far yet. Russell had told me about this place, he owns it. He used it to escape Kai once. But it is still close to the Silvermoon pack. I do not doubt they will find us here eventually." She whispers back. She is obviously just as worried as I am.

If they find us, I will be executed and they will have to live their lives out in prison. I can't let that happen. We need a sanctuary. Somewhere out of Tyler's reach. We need protection far away.

"Liam" I breathe out.

I am free now, and Tyler would never dare send his search party near a vampire's house. Not to mention it is a few days walk from here. I was only able to reach it by car when Liam dropped me off.

"No" Addison warns. "You told me on the way here that you ended things with him."

"Yes, because I didn't want to escape prison! Magically disappearing from my cell in the middle of the night screams Liam. But if we go to him now, he can keep us safe, he can lead Tyler's men away." I counter.

But then he is still burdened with me. Do I really want to do that to him? How will he keep us all hidden.

"He saved my life, but he still kidnapped me after." She says, her gaze breaking from the crackling fire and meeting mine.

This was true. What he did then was wrong. But he had shown me on the rooftop that he meant well. Would he even want to see me?

"But Tyler and his men would never suspect it. They would think I went there if I was alone, but with you and Russell, they wont even think to look there."

"Liam and Russell don't get along." She says scrunching up her nose.

"That's the whole point. Addison I think Liam really cared about me." My eyes drop to the blanket in between my hands.

Liam had cared about me and I pushed him away. I chose to return to Tyler again and again, and then I had chose death. Did he even know if I was alive?

"Liam isn't good for you." She scolds me, "He kidnapped you and kept you from Tyler."

"Then Tyler cheated." I grit out.

"But to be with a vampire?" She tilts her head. The idea seems crazy to her.

"Addi, I am a vampire." I reason with her.

Why am I defending him?

She sigh through her nose. "We should try and get some sleep." she says finally as she curls up next to Russell, who lets out a soft snore.

I close my eyes and drift off to sleep.

~~~~

Chopping firewood was not easy. We had left the house and journeyed further away from the pack. Finally finding a clearing it was time to set up a camp.

On the way, we had caught a few rabbits to feast on for dinner. My mind still found itself thinking about Liam.

Last we talked, he left me alone in the cell by my own demand. I had told him to forget about me, that I had to face the consequences of my actions.

Staring at the fire, my stomach growls at the meet slowly turning on a stick.

Russell had skinned the rabbits and impaled them with sticks he found. He now holds them over the flames, scalding the meat for our dinner. I had also gotten my hands on some berries for us to munch on.

Something inside me craved more. Not food, but blood. I cursed at myself for the terrible thoughts. But after feeding on that girl in the alley, I wanted more.

I could tell it was taking a toll on me too, I felt weaker, and my skin was paler.

"I still think we should seek out Liam." I state to the wind, chowing down on the poor bunny.

"Ain't no way we're bowing down to that prick." Russell growls.

"She still has feelings for him." Addison brings Russell up to speed.

He looks at me, eyes searching inside mine.

"You know he caused all of this." He gestures to the forest around him.

"No, Kai did. Kai killed mine and Addison's pack. I did the rest. I killed Cleo." The words are hard to chew. I was to blame as well.

Russell shakes his head.

"Liam and I don't get along very well."

"For reasons you've never disclosed." I narrow my eyes at him. He holds his hands up in a shrug.

"Some things are better left in the past." Then he lets out a sigh, "regardless, unless he offers me a two story house with a white picket fence, no strings attached, then I will never go to the likes of him."

"He's just not the one, honey." Addison finishes.

I feel like a teenager talking to their parents. Addison doesn't understand. She found Russell.

"Who are you to say that though? Russell isn't your mate and you still love him." I argue.

Her eyes drop. I was right. She and Russell loved each other without a mate bond. And their love was strong.

We finish our meals in silence. The rabbit was delicious to our under fed stomachs. But I craved more.

Laying on a blanket, I could only focus on my need for more.

How was I going to survive without blood? Don't vampires like die? But is it different since I am not only a vampire but a wolf?

Sleep overtakes me eventually.

I am on a chase, chasing the girl from the alleyway, eyes dark with bloodlust. I need her blood. She runs from me, some how she is faster than my vampire speed. She runs down the never-ending alleyway.

The hunger is deadly. I feel weak. I need to feed.

She jumps into the wall and disappears before my eyes. What?

I go and place my hand on the cold brick. The wall is solid. Where did she go? I hear her scream behind me and I whip around to meet her fearful eyes.

"There you are." I say, my voice sounds foreign, dangerous. I lunge for her but she holds a bat in her hands and swings it swiftly to smack me in the face.

I wake up with a jump. The embers of the fire burn still. Around me Addison and Russell are cuddled together fast asleep. I brush myself off for a moment.

The dream haunts me. What if I become a bloodthirsty monster?

I hear a rustling in the distance, chilling me to the bone.

Have Tyler's men found me? I stand to my feet, on full alert.

There is another rustle. I debate waking Russell up but vote against it.

Whoever it is, I can take them on my own.

I feel my eyes glow electric blue, my wolf ready to come out.

I stalk away from the campsite towards the rustling. I swear if it is another bunny, I will lose it. Slow steps lead me to the rustling in a bush and then I swat at it.

Nothing. The forest grows silent, only the whispering wind blows by. I peer around a tree and see someone. Their back faces me and I cannot make out who it is.

Whoever they are, they wear a jacket, with the hood on their head. I run over and flip them around, shoving them into a nearby tree. Woah, that felt empowering.

They hit the tree roughly and I get a moment to gasp at who it is.

The haunted smirk grazes his lips ever so slightly.

"Hello, Little wolf."

~~~~~~