Alyssa was already speeding down the road as quickly as her shitty snow tires would allow her when she saw the wolf emerge from the forest, then dart down the snow-covered hill and into the middle of the road.
There was no way he could catch her now. He might have speed as a wolf, but he wouldn’t be able to get into the car, and as a human, he couldn’t catch the vehicle.
She was safe.
For now.
In the rearview mirror, she watched him pacing the slick pavement. He released a long, lonely howl before running back into the woods.
God, she’d screwed up this time.
With her naked butt sitting on the cold cushion, Alyssa reached for her sweater and did her best to pull it over her head as she drove. She swerved twice on the icy road, but with Drew no longer in sight, she slowed the car and drove more to the conditions. She could do nothing about the pounding of her heart. That continued, steady and strong, making her feel alive and very much in trouble.
In her haste, all she’d grabbed from beneath the tree was her sweater and the one boot which held her car keys. Until the heater kicked on, the sweater was better than nothing and would at least somewhat cover her as she went into her apartment.
What had she been thinking? She didn’t know this area well enough to change forms and go running. But it had been so long since the last time she’d shifted that her skin had practically been crawling. Add in the way Drew had affected her, making her heart race and her body yearn for freedom, touch, and feel; she’d been downright desperate for a run. She’d needed a chance to escape, to feel the wind in her fur and give herself time to think.
But now it was all ruined. Her hope that this could be a permanent home, her dream of being taken seriously in the art world, was over.
He would find her. She was sure of it. He knew her scent and, worse, her landlady. The only way to avoid him was to flee the town as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, between tying up loose ends and packing her meager possessions, she likely wouldn’t see Mount Woodridge in the rearview mirror until it was light out. Hopefully, it would be enough time.
Tears welled in her eyes as she rolled into town. She’d felt a connection here. The people were friendly, and Zelda had taken her under her wing. Having jumped from foster home to foster home, she lacked a sense of continuity and security, but she’d felt those things here. She’d fallen into a pattern, smiled more, and had made a few more acquaintances than usual. No longer did she feel alone.
This town had settled in her soul, and even after one short month, she would miss it.
A sense of belonging wasn’t the only thing driving her desire to stay. She'd come across another shifter for the first time in her life. Drew had changed forms right in front of her eyes. It was magnificent and shocking and breathtaking. But dangerous too.
He was a gorgeous man and a lethal beast. She’d felt his power and instinctively wanted to show her submission, but God, he could kill her with a single blow, and she’d trespassed on his property.
Did her presence threaten his way of life? The other wolves with him, had they been shifters too? Was there a pack?
She’d read of such things, but they were fictional accounts. Werewolves didn’t exist in real life. Except they did. She was one but never had she seen another.
Though she’d had to have come from somewhere, after a decade of thinking she might be truly alone, this discovery was earth-shattering.
She had so many questions and wanted to know the truth about what she was, but what if he didn’t give her a chance to explain herself? What if he acted first, and her last sight was a blur of sharp teeth before he snapped her neck?
It was safest for her and him if she just left.
Leaving this place would hurt, and severing the connection she felt to Drew would undoubtedly be painful, but at least it made sense now. He was like her, which was why she’d been drawn to him. Why else would she have felt so attracted to him? He’d lured her in.
Parking the car, Alyssa swallowed as another thought struck her. What if he had already known what she was? Was that something he could smell? Had he already found her out and just didn’t realize it?
After a quick glance around the area, Alyssa dashed toward the building in only her sweater, clutching her one boot. Once she was safe in her apartment, she rushed through a hot shower in an attempt to chase away the chill that had settled into her soul. Then she packed.
She would pack everything. The money from last night’s show could be wired to her and would go a long way to helping her find a new place to settle. After packing her clothing and bathroom items, she headed for the kitchen and passed by her paintings collection. She’d been prolific since she arrived at Mount Woodridge. She couldn’t fit all those canvases in her car with her belongings, which meant rather than a quick phone call to Zelda, she’d have to stop by the gallery hoping to unload them there.
Hands on her hips, Alyssa considered her half-packed apartment and sighed. After the gallery, she’d hit the grocery store for a few supplies. She would have to return to her apartment for her stuff, but after that, she was gone.
She glanced at the door, half-expecting Drew to come barging through it.
It remained closed.
She exhaled. A few short hours and she’d be gone.
Run. Escape. Flee. It was her life’s motto and the best shot at surviving, despite her heart’s desire to stay.