Chapter 55

Zora POV

"Put this on," Gabriel ordered.

I glanced at the black lace dress. The bodice was sure to expose my nipples to the world.

"Uh…"

"As much as I enjoy seeing you naked I can't take you out looking like that."

"Where are you taking me? Home?"

"If you're a good girl I might," he grinned.

I frowned. He was never taking me home. My only option was to run away. I couldn't imagine how Dash felt. Did Cassidy even care? She sounded like I was a traitor at the hospital. Oh Zelda, we just found each other.

What did everyone think? If they thought I just decided to skip town then I was screwed.

"Hurry up, mate. I don't like to be late at parties." He tossed the dress at me.

He left the room for me to get dressed.

This party was my chance to escape. Now that I had information on the Pandora I had to get it to Alpha Gunner so he could make sure no one found it. I changed into the dress and exited the bedroom for the first time since I got there.

Bodyguards lingered in the living room. I stared at the front door. It beckoned me to walk through it. The bodyguards stared at me with a dare in their eyes. They challenged me to try to run.

I had to be smart, not irrational. Besides, I was barefoot. I wouldn't get far.

"There she is," Gabriel said as he emerged from the kitchen.

Rachel appeared by his side. She crossed her arms and frowned at me. She had no reason to be mad at me. I didn't want her man. Honestly, I didn't know what she wanted because I thought she wanted my man first.

"Ready to go?" Gabriel asked.

I nodded.

"You can't go without shoes, Kitten."

I frowned and he chuckled.

He pulled out a pair of black stilettoes and dangled them in front of his face.

"May I have the honour of putting them on you?" he offered.

"I can manage," I ground out.

He tugged me forward forcing me to inhale his scent.

"It wasn't a request. I want to feel your legs."

"Ugh, you're going to be late. It's going to draw attention, Gabriel," Rachel snapped.

"You're not coming so you don't have to worry, Rachel."

Rachel fumed and her face turned red.

"You're being so unfair, Gabriel," Rachel stomped her foot. She marched past us and stormed upstairs.

Meanwhile, Gabriel grabbed my arm and led me to the kitchen where he sat me down on a stool.

"I don't need you to put on my shoes!" I protested.

"Too bad."

He shoved my foot into the shoe in the most unceremonious manner.

"You won't be able to run in these, Zora. We're meeting an important man who will help me get the truth out of you."

"How?"

"He's got his ways…"

"I told you the truth. I know nothing about the Pandora!"

"That's not good enough! My Father searched for this damn thing, now I've wasted years of my life searching. You're the closest I've come. I won't let you slip away! Understand?" He blasted violently his veins popped out of his neck.

"Do you understand?" he yelled.

I looked away. He could yell all he wanted to.

He grabbed my arm and dragged me out of the kitchen. I promised myself I wasn't returning to this house.

***

Gabriel and I sat in silence during the ride to the party. He looked like he'd fallen asleep but I didn't believe that. I quietly looked around the car for something I could later use however, the car was spotless. There wasn't even a sign that the vehicle had been used before.

The car ground to a halt before I could consider ripping out metal from the seats.

"You're going to stick close to me aren't you, Zora?" Gabriel opened his eyes and smirked.

"Has anyone ever told you how annoying you are?"

He smirked brighter. "A couple of times but I think it adds to my appeal."

He took my hand, opened the door and yanked me out. My heart dropped to my stomach when I saw the party venue. It was a two-story house with rickety wood keeping it in the air. The top half looked like it had fallen victim to a fire while the bottom part looked like the face of a demon staring at you.

There were hundreds of cars parked outside but just a few people lingering outside the property.

"What kind of party is this?" I hissed.

"Parties where people get what they want. The fun happens in the basement."

How was I going to escape now? Gabriel took me downstairs. No one directly stared at him in the eyes. However, they looked at me as if I was trash. Gabriel tightened his grip on my hand. I didn't know whether it was protective or he didn't want me to get away.

We moved to the middle of a dance floor that was packed with people. The 'I need to go to the toilet' stunt rarely works. Gabriel will just go with me.

"I want a drink," I yelled over the music.

He laughed. "You don't want anything in that bar sweetheart."

"I've barely had anything to drink all day," I protested.

"You might need a drink before Phoenix gets started with you."

Excuse me? I thought. My blood ran cold. I looked at the unfamiliar faces for help but they all swayed senselessly to the loud slow music. A girl with silk black hair and black lipstick danced with her eyes closed. She had a clear cup in her hand. Before Gabriel and I moved along I snatched her cup from her hand.

"Hey!" she yelled.

I had to think fast.

I threw the drink on Gabriel's face.

"Cheater!" I screamed.

Gabriel yelled and rubbed his eyes. "Zora!"

"What?" the girl whose drink I stole questioned me.

"Yeah… he cheated on me with my… sister! He's such a pig."

"Bastard!" A blonde girl behind Gabriel yelled and slammed her bag into his back.

Good, I thought, backing up slowly.

"Back off!" Gabriel growled.

"You scumbag! You're disgusting," my new ally yelled at Gabriel.

She drew attention from the other girls on the dance floor and they all focused their claws on him.

This was better than I hoped.

They swarmed Gabriel, yanking his hair and clothes and dumping alcohol on him. I breathed a sigh of relief as I waded through the bodies of dancing people to get to the exit.

Once I was out I ran as fast as my feet could carry me. I made it onto the road. I had no idea where I was but I kept running. My ankles burned but I was almost free. Now I needed this freedom to be permanent.

A wolf barked and goosebumps formed all over my body. I looked over my shoulder and an Alpha wolf was hot on my heels.

"No, no. He got out so quickly."

I ran off the road, hoping to get lost in the trees but my heels sunk into the dirt and I tripped. I struggled to take them off!

The wolf raced towards me. He was in front of me in three quick thrusts of his four legs.

I fell backwards as his glowing eyes paralyzed me for a second.

I sat up. I knew those eyes.

"Dash?"

He came closer and sneezed into my hair.

"Ugh, that is you."

He gestured at his back a few times.

"Whoa? You want me to get on your back?"

He sniffled and gestured at his back again.

There was no time for me to worry about falling off. Gabriel would be hot on my trail soon. Another wolf howl cut into the night. When Dash zoomed into the forest I knew it wasn't Kaleb or Gunner.

Gabriel was after us.