Chapter 29

I stumbled through the city’s pulsing veins, my bare feet throbbing in time with the distant sirens. The sharp edges of the concrete jungle bit into my soles, drawing blood with every unsteady step. I clutched the tattered remnants of my dress, the once-elegant fabric now stained with the grime of my escape. The mask, a flimsy barrier against the onslaught of alpha pheromones, pressed against my face, its edges cutting into my skin with every breath I took.

The city was alive, a racket of sounds and smells that threatened to drown me. Each inhale was a battle, the scent of alphas clawing at my senses, stoking the fire that simmered just beneath my skin. My heat spikes were a relentless tide, each wave more powerful than the last, crashing against my resolve and leaving me trembling in their wake.

I ducked into an alleyway, pressing myself against the cold brick wall. The space was narrow, enclosed, a brief respite from the chaos. I bit down on my palm, the sharp sting a welcome distraction from the heat that coiled in my abdomen, tightening like a vice. My whines were muffled by the flesh between my teeth, the metallic taste of blood mixing with the faint hint of coconut and vanilla that lingered on my tongue.

The cramps were unbearable, a white-hot poker twisting in my gut. I slid down the wall until I was huddled on the ground, my body wracked with shivers despite the heat that blazed within. I had to remain silent, to not draw attention to myself. The last thing I needed was an alpha mistaking my distress for an invitation.

I don’t know how long I stayed there, lost in the battle against my own biology. Time seemed to stretch and warp, each second an eternity of pain and longing. The spikes were coming faster now, a clear sign that my heat was imminent. I had to find somewhere safe, somewhere I could surrender to the inevitable without the fear of being claimed against my will.

With great effort, I pushed myself to my feet, leaning heavily on the wall for support. I emerged from the alleyway, my eyes scanning the bustling street for any sign of danger. The world around me blurred at the edges, my vision swimming with unshed tears. I couldn’t afford to break down, not now.

I moved forward, one shaky step at a time, my focus narrowed to the simple act of survival. The city was a maze, but I would find my way through it. I had to. My very existence depended on it.

I ran as if the hounds of hell were nipping at my heels, the relentless pounding of my heart echoing in my ears. The city’s streets offered no comfort, each shadowed corner a potential trap.

A feral alpha appeared from the gloom like a specter, his eyes wild with the hunt. I could see the primal instinct taking hold, the thin veneer of civilization stripped away to reveal the beast beneath. My breath came in ragged gasps as I pushed my body to its limits, the heat spikes fueling my desperation.

Up ahead, I caught sight of a mall, its neon signs illuminating the encroaching darkness. With a final burst of adrenaline, I dashed across the street, narrowly avoiding the onslaught of traffic. The alpha was close behind, his snarls sending icy tendrils of fear down my spine.

I burst through the doors of a public restroom, slamming and locking the door behind me. My chest heaved as I leaned against the cool metal, the sound of my own heartbeat deafening in the silence. The alpha’s snarling was muffled now, a distant storm that threatened to break at any moment.

I could hear him outside the door, his growls of frustration reverberating through the air. He paced back and forth, the heavy thud of his footsteps a grim reminder of the danger that lurked just beyond my sanctuary. I clapped a hand over my mouth, stifling the sobs that threatened to escape my lips. I couldn’t afford to give away my location, not when I was so close to safety.

The alpha’s rage was palpable, his fists pounding against the door in a fit of animalistic fury. I flinched with each impact, my body trembling with a mixture of fear and exhaustion. But then, as suddenly as he had appeared, the snarls and growls began to recede. The alpha let out one final roar of frustration before his footsteps faded into the night.

I remained frozen, my breath caught in my throat as I listened for any sign of his return. Minutes ticked by, each one stretching into an eternity of suspense. A profound silence engulfed me, serving as a bittersweet reminder of my lonely existence in a world that seemed relentless in its attempts to break me.

With trembling hands, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the burner phone I had managed to keep hidden during my flight. My fingers danced across the screen, typing out a desperate plea for help to the only number I knew, begging with every fiber of my being that she answered this time.

“I’m trapped,” I wrote, my words a mere whisper in the vast emptiness of the restroom. “Please, I need you.”

I hit send and waited, the weight of uncertainty pressing down on me like a physical force. The phone felt like a lifeline, a tenuous connection to a world beyond the terrifying reality that surrounded me. I clung to it, the cold plastic of the burner phone seeming to grow warmer in my grasp, as if infused with the desperate hope coursing through my veins.

My gaze fixed on the screen, my heart pounding in my chest, dreading the silence that lingered, suffocating the room. I prayed for a miracle, a sign that I wasn’t alone in my struggle, that somewhere out there, someone was coming for me.