Chapter 10

Zain looked at the restaurant again. Hopefully, the waitress was chatty enough that he could get enough air out of her tire. He almost felt bad. Changing it in this snow was going to suck. Shaking his hand that was half frozen, he stood up and looked at the door across the street again. “That’s going to have to do.” He hefted his bag onto his back and took off running between two smaller buildings. When he reached the lot, they’d cut through, he veered and ran along the very edge of the building.

He stopped at the corner and hoped he was right about the buildings being close enough that she wouldn’t be able to see him. “Had to be a wolf.” He blew out a quick breath and started running again. He almost stopped when he remembered his gun. Damn. Not that he’d have used it to shoot someone. It was intended more for a bluff if he needed it. Later, when he wasn’t running for his life, he’d have to figure out how she knew what she did. It had to be that wolf prisoner. Who was the traitor? It wasn’t Barack, that much he knew.

Looking at a map would have been a good idea before he started out like this, he thought about fifteen minutes later. He was honestly shocked that she’d agreed to go get the coffee. It had been the only thing he could think of. Climbing out the bathroom window had also popped into his head, but he needed his bag. It had everything in it. The first break he took from his energetic run, he was getting the keys and list and putting them in his run pack. If he could make it to one of the cars or houses, he could hide out for a few days until she headed the wrong way. He couldn’t go to Chicago, but that was the direction she was going to think he went. He hoped.

His wolf was more than happy with the run. Of course, it wasn’t him hauling the bag and trying to run in frozen boots. He had one of the backpacks that could be adjusted for an animal to wear, but as he’d never tried it, he decided now wasn’t the time to do it.

His lungs were burning as he ran up a hill. When he’d made a beeline across the field to go up and over it, the incline had looked slight from a distance. It wasn’t. His footing slipped every third step, and he came close to face-planting a few times.

By the time he reached the top, he was out of breath. Dropping to his knees, he looked over his shoulder. He could barely see the little town from here. A gust of wind hit him hard enough that he fell sideways. Blowing snow was good for his getaway, but this outing was going to suck. Shoving to his feet, he headed to the trees about thirty feet away. He needed to check the map and figure out where was the closest he could head to.

Squatting down, he took off his pack and set it beside him. His wolf was prancing inside him. “Give me a break. I can’t run for days on two feet.” He shook his head and opened his bag to get the map out. Grabbing the small notebook and bundle of keys, he stuffed them into his run pack before he forgot.

Turning the map, he looked in the direction the town was and then ran his numb finger over the laminate. “Okay. I bolted in this direction.” He stabbed the map at his approximate location and then scowled at it. “It felt like I went a lot further.” Pulling the notebook back out, he flipped through it until he reached the area he was in. Glancing back and forth between the two, he found the closest location. No car, but there was a safe house that would have heat and hot water. He wanted a hot shower so bad.

Tucking the notebook and map into his run pack. He zipped it up and then closed his coat over top of it. Closing his backpack. He stood up. “It’s going to be a long day.” He mumbled. He was going to have to go down the other side of this hill and circle around that way, so she didn’t find him.

He hadn’t gotten ten feet when he swore and stopped. Taking off his backpack, he pulled out one of the phones and turned it on. “I need to give Illias a heads up.” Stabbing the screen, he dialed the number for the voicemail. It rang three times, like always, before it clicked. “Illias. I don’t know how, but they’re still getting information. Some woman knew my name, Calum’s name, about the factory—I got away from her. I’ll call again when I’m somewhere safe.” He hung up and looked at the phone. Turning it off, he put it in the outside pocket and not with the other three. The rule was to rotate which phone you used, so no one could track you. Illias’ plan, so Zain trusted it would work.

After he put the backpack back on, he stood there and looked down the hill. Down had to be easier, right? He hoped so. He worked out regularly, but a smooth gym surface didn’t prepare you for jogging in knee-deep snow.

His wolf nudged him. “I’m working on it.” He huffed out a breath and started walking.