Escape Artist

Anna

I woke up to the light sound of someone snoring. Making sure I'm covered, I found Jamie's friend sitting in a chair at the end of my bed. "What happened?" He woke up with a start looking around the room. Finally relaxing, he wiped his face off from stress and exhaustion. "I don't know know how to explain this without scaring you…But I need you to know that I will never hurt you" His face showed no glimmer of hesitation of the declaration he made. Bracing myself, he continued.

"Who you are now is going to change. Jaimie and I will be real with you every step of the way…I need you to sit back and be in control. Whatever you do, do not run" I sat up straighter as he was becoming more sterned. Leaning against the headboard of the bed, I waited. "What is it" He moved to the middle of the room at the end of the bed.

Slowly the man before me began to twist and turn in a way I thought was not humanly possible. The cracks and snaps made my skin crawl and my stomach churn. His arms would bend on their own like they were snapped in half then reform themselves. But he wasn't human. First, they were hands, then they were paws, the same with his feet. Till finally, his whole body changed from man to wolf. In height, he was at least the same size as me or slightly taller. He was black as midnight, shiny the sun glimmered off of him. He was beautiful but horrifying at the same time.

I scuffled closer the head, trying to get far away as possible. "Don't…Don't come closer" I could barely breathe. It was like I was punched in the gut—so many questions. I turned around, covering my mouth, ready to throw my breakfast on the floor. As I turned my head away, I heard a whimpering whine. I looked at the wolf again to find him on his belly, ears flat. He looks sad and desperate at the same time.

"Will you hurt me?" in answer, he whimpered some more and covered his and shook his head like he was saying. I giggled a little, finding it funny. "Okay, that was cute" I reached out my hand to see what he would do. Turning the other way, anticipating him to take my hand off instead, I felt something wet and rough touching my hand. Turning back to him, I found him licking my hand. "Heh…you aint to bad…Obviously, there is more for you to tell me…Come find me when you change back, or can you do that now?"

The wolf stood back and instantly changed to a human again. Instead, he was naked. "Yeah, not something I was prepared to see so early in the morning" He chuckled. "Sorry, no way I could tell you."

"Glad you didn't run" I felt a little guilty because I really did want to but felt trapped in the end till I realized he was okay. "Umm yeah…I couldn't" I looked him straight in the eye seeing a glimmer of sadness. Voiding all emotion off his face, he was back to being stern and authoritative. " There is still a lot you don't know. For example, the only reason you're allowed in this room, let alone in my bed, is because you're my mate" He was watching, waiting for my reaction. "You. re what sorry?" I turned myself the other way. "Where are my clothes?" Felt like forever till there was a set of clothes handed to me by the same maid as before. "I'm not going to get dressed in front of you. I don't know who you are still, let alone what your name is." I turned to give him a hard glare waiting for him to try or say something.

Once he had left the room, I jumped off the bed and quickly got dressed as soon as I could. Searching the room, I tried to find a way out. The window with the balcony was too high. I would break at least one bone. Desperate to get away from here, I tied the bedsheets together along with the curtains. Giving me enough length where I could jump, landing on my feet without hurting myself.

Working as fast as I could, I bound it all together. Throwing it over the edge. It was either do or die. Laughing at my own antic, I began to climb down the building. Scuffling my way down the sheets, I jumped, landing with a roll or two before I grounded myself. Standing up, I brushed the dirt off me and ran. I pumped my legs as hard as I could. Running without looking back.

In the distance, I heard the howls one after the other I began to lose count. I pumped my legs harder, not giving up. I was determined to get away, no matter what. I heard the growls before I saw them. Four large, medium-sized wolves behind me. I turned my arms and legs, moving as fast as I can. Winding through the tree and bushes trying to get away as much as I could. But they were still right behind me. My breathing was becoming hard and sharp in my chest.

It didn't take long till their teeth were snapping at my ankles. I wasn't giving up, not now, not ever. No one can hold me down and keep me, prisoner, ever again! I stopped in my track as I heard a loud guttural growl. Making my body shake to my core. Turning around finding he was standing there over the other four growlings and biting. They ran off whining with their tails between their legs. Not hanging around for long, I turned back around and bolted.

My collar was pulled from behind me, making me land flat on my ass and back. Dragging me from behind, the large black wolf growled as I fought to getaway. Hitting him on the snout, he dropped quickly as a sack of potatoes. I scrambled to get away to no avail. He was on top of me, growling into my ear. Once again, he grabbed me from the collar to signal me to stand. He nudges me from behind to walk back to the house. Growling a warning now and then when I thought of escaping. He made me walk all the way back to the house till we were inside his room once again. Locked up where I didn't want to be.

"I don't know who you think you are, but I will never be tied down."