100. Freedom

100. Freedom
Cindy

Emery tied her hair back after it had gotten loose. Cerberus swatted the dirt off his arms. “Did you get that?” Emery asked. “Or do we have to show you a second time?”

I shook my head. “I don’t need to be shown twice.

Cerberus and I stood on opposite sides of each other. My hands formed into fists, guarding my face.

”You say you don’t but I’m going to walk you through it anyway.” Emery folded her arms. She circled us in slow, measured steps. “A wolf’s weakness doesn’t change just because we house a human counterpart. What you really need to go far is-”

I breathed harshly, hiding a sturdy stick behind my arm. He stood over me. I didn’t dare stare for long at his twisted expression of joy. 

“That didn’t take very long, now did it?” He taunted.

I knew just how dangerous this idea was, but it might be the best chance of me gaining enough time to find a cover.

He stood over me on all fours, his drool dripping on my neck. His arms were on either side of my body. There was no way for me to escape like this. I was caged. 

I grabbed his head and screamed into his left ear. His wolf yelled out in pain. “Mother fucker!” He screamed. 

All wolves in the wild were sensitive to loud sounds, a side effect of having great hearing. When he turned back to me, his face had fully transformed into that of his wolf’s.

“You’re going to regret that, little girl!” Roger growled. 

I stabbed a stick into the same ear I screamed into and made a run for it.

I could hear his frustrated howls in the background. This was my last chance. Shit, I really did it now. 

But what was I supposed to do? Stay still like some kind of lifeless doll while he carried me back to his cage? It was either this or nothing.

A glimmer of hope made its appearance in the form of a familiar view. It’s the chairman’s house. Looks like I wasn’t as far away from civilization as I thought I was. Despite it all, I managed to smile. I’ll get through the gate, get help from a neighbor, then I’ll finally be free. 

The hair on the back of my neck rose. That feeling came back again. Was I brave enough to look back?

Not brave, but foolish enough to.

Roger bolted after me like a wolf on a mission. The broken branches didn’t seem to penetrate his fur. There was only one word that could be used to describe the look in his eyes.

KILL.

I was getting tired. After all, I hadn’t eaten for hours. 

But freedom was so close I could taste it! If he catches me, I’ll be dead.

My legs carried me as quickly as they could. The house was now in full view. Come on, come on! I ran for the gate. I saw something there that made my mind go blank.

Roger was close by. I could see his shadow, and it wasn’t far from mine. 

“So close to hearing your bones crack,” he said. He launched for me.

I jumped right into Reiss’ arms.

He spun me around and held me close to his chest. 

“It’s okay, babe.” He kissed the top of my head. “You’re safe with us.”

He kissed the top of my head. I didn’t thank him or say a thing at all. I just started bawling.

Roger Bryce didn’t get to me. Instead, Glen came up from behind and forced him to the ground, pinning his paws behind his back. Roger was strong for a wolf, that’s for sure, but he could not compare to a future alpha’s strength. He tried to fight it, or perhaps it was his wolf resisting. I held onto Reiss’ blood-stained shirt like I owed my mate my life. In many ways, I did. I owed him so much that I’ll never be able to repay him.

Antonio lowered himself to one knee. Roger growled, snapping at him with fangs dripping with saliva. 

He reached up, curled his fingers around his sunglasses, and removed them entirely. His eyes glowed such a bright green that I could see the rays of light from where I stood. 

The growling, vicious, and homicidal chairman mellowed down into a simple man without a piece of clothing on him. Glen had his eyelids shut the entire time. 

Roger’s expression was blank. Then slowly, the corners of his lips turned upwards. Soft whispered words came out of his mouth.

“They are so… beautiful. Where have you been all my life?” 

Roger attempted to get up but Glen kept him in place. Antonio tapped Glen’s hand to let him know it was alright. He could let Roger go. So he didn’t.

The man didn’t run away. He got to his feet and stared at Antonio as if he were a god. 

“Will you do anything I ask?” Antonio said. Roger nodded his head like a hungry dog desperate for a piece of steak.

“Anything! I love you! Whatever you need, I’ll do it for you.” He lifted his arms into the air. Glen stood at the ready, just in case Roger wanted to pull a move. “Do you want the sky? I’ll give you the sky! I have sixteen girls left in stock. You can have any of them! If I play my cards right, I can take over the city for you? You’re my soulmate, anything you want is what I desire.”

“Is that so?”

“That’s right!”

“How do I know you’re not lying to me?”

“How could I ever lie to you? What kind of man would that make me? My life is your life! How could you…” What’s this? Roger was actually crying. “How could you think I would behave so selfishly as to lie to you?”

“Alright, I’ll believe you.” 

Antonio spread his right palm open. In the center, a small, miniature spec developed into a slender knife. “Then prove to me that you love me. Take this, and remove yourself from this plane.”

Roger looked at the blade, then looked back at him. I gasped and buried my head further into Reiss’ chest. Reiss rests his hand against the back of my head.

“Don’t watch,” Reiss said. “It will be over soon. Within a month, you’ll forget that he even existed.” 

“How, how did you know where I was?”

“Antonio used your hairpin to perform something called a ‘mark of Cain’ spell. Thanks to him, we were able to find you, no matter where you were in the world. Do you remember when he performed the first part of the spell with you?”

I did recall that he made me repeat some words while he was helping Reiss prepare for war. My forehead felt hot afterward. When I asked him what it was, he said it was a simple spell for protection. I nodded. “I do.”

Roger didn’t seem to be in his right mind to gauge the danger at all. A foolish smile sat on his face as he took the knife.

“Would this make you happy?”

“Tremendously happy.” Antonio looked down at him with a cold smile. “Only those who are obedient and willing deserve my affection.”

That seemed to be enough for him. Roger pointed the tip of the blade to the center of his chest. “Thank you for giving me this opportunity.” With happiness in his eyes, he pushed it deep into his flesh. 

The chairman pulled it out and performed the same action a second time. Blood spilled out of his wounds faster than he could replenish it. Antonio kept his eyes on him the entire time. 

He eventually lost the ability to stand after too much blood was lost. Roger lay on his side, still holding the weapon. Dark blood soaked into the grass. 

Blood spattered from his mouth. His eyes turned sideways, pointed towards Antonio. That foolish grin never left his face.

“It feels… so painful,” he stuttered out. “But it feels so right. I can die happy, knowing that I died looking at your face for the last time.”

Antonio didn’t reply. 

We stayed in place, watching as Roger’s body twitched in a desperate plea for life. Eventually, it stopped twitching.

Roger Bryce, the chairman everyone had once feared, was dead. And he died in a way he never expected.

Antonio placed his glasses back on the bridge of his nose. He left the body there. Glen did the same, but not without spitting on him.

I pulled away from Reiss. He stared at my face, brushing the tears away.

“See?” He said. “I keep my promises.”

I just cried more. I was so grateful for him, for all of them. Antonio held me from behind. His strong torso pressed against my back. Glen transformed into a wolf and started licking all the little wounds that I had ignored while escaping.

“I want to stay with you guys for the rest of my life,” I sobbed. “Please don’t leave me ever again.”

Glen returned to his human form and joined the hug. His dark hair brushed my forehead.

“We’ll never let you out of our sight for as long as we will,” he said.

I sank into their hold, their love. For the first time in my life, I trusted someone with my entire being.

Not just someone, but three handsome and courageous men.