Series: Werewolves of Wall Street Series by Renee Rose
Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 78974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78974 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 395(@200wpm)___ 316(@250wpm)___ 263(@300wpm)
Strength, my wolf whispers. Liora has the strength of a mother. The Warden didn't beat it out of her.
Shift, Liora signals the young women, her hand drawing the shape of a wolf’s snout in front of her face. Oriana immediately strips out of the skimpy garment and calls her wolf. Four of the acolytes follow suit, but one sniffles and shakes her head, trembling.
OK, Liora signs. She must have been teaching them sign language, so they could communicate silently. I wish she’d taught it to me growing up, but I’m picking it up fast. She puts her arm around the girl who’s having trouble changing into her wolf, comforting her.
She signs to the rest of them to go, or maybe to follow, her two index fingers making an arc toward Noah.
He beckons to them and leads the five female wolves back into the bathhouse.
I bring up the rear, hovering behind Liora and the young girl she’s helping. Tingles run down my arms, like mini lightning bolts of adrenaline. I want to run, or fight, or scream, but I make myself hold back and focus on Liora’s murmurs to the frightened girl.
“It’ll be okay. My son is here. He’s here to save you.”
“What about the Warden?” the girl warbles.
“Shhh, child, it’ll be all right. Fate has another plan for you.”
I hope she’s right. I have a hard knot in the pit of my belly. The scent of ritual incense clogs my nose, reminding me of all the times I stood with Oma overseeing a rite. It makes me want to puke.
Ahead of me in the gloom, Noah has gathered all the young wolves around him at the bathhouse door. He leans forward enough, so the moonlight gilds his hair. Then he signals us to wait while he scouts ahead.
I crouch with the others in the bathhouse, gritting my teeth. Pressure builds along my sides, like a psychic vise threatening to clamp me and keep me still.
The three guards that Noah took out are in the bathhouse, tied and gagged. He must have taken the time to do that when I was inside, watching Liora deal with Vera. They’re starting to rouse and tug on their binds.
Oriana moves from the door as if to sniff one, but Liora waves a hand to get her attention and signals her to stop. The white-gray wolf backs away.
The frightened girl still in human form whimpers, and two of the guards grunt and start wriggling. I wish I had Liora’s rock, but I don’t know if I’d be brave enough to use it.
Run, my wolf shrieks. It’s not like her, she’s usually so calm. I’m usually the one freaking out.
Please, I pray. Please help. I don’t know who I’m praying to. Not the Grandmothers, whom I’ve turned my back on. Maybe Fate? Please. Get us out of here. But most of all, keep him safe. I need him to be okay.
It feels like a century passes before Noah returns. He signals us to follow his lead, and we do, gratefully. We run from the bathhouse into the woods.
I can’t hear anything the forest is unnaturally still. But then–ahead, there are shouts and the sounds of boots stomping in a rhythmic march.
Aiden’s been alerted, and he’s called up the troops.
I can tell by the tension in Noah’s shoulders that our escape route is blocked. Any minute, guards will return to the bathhouse, and they’ll find their buddies tied up, and know something’s up.
An image flashes into my mind–a memory from the time Noah first came for me. The tunnel, I sign to Noah.
The tunnel connected to the Tower. We can go to the Tower and sneak out the tunnel the way I first escaped. We’re closer to it than any other escape route. It’s not ideal–there’ll be guards at the Tower that we’ll have to deal with, and if we make it off Adalwulf land, we’ll have to continue south on foot, but it’s a better plan than trying to go back north the way we came, risking coming across tons of enforcers the whole way. Even if we did get to the ravine and cave, I bet that area and any area near where Sully is setting off fireworks is now crawling with guards.
Whatever we decide, we need to do it now. We can’t wait here, or we’ll be caught. We have to move.
Noah nods and changes directions. The female wolves follow him, running silently. Liora holds the frightened girl’s hand as they both run. The Tower rises above us, a dark shape spotlighted by the almost full moon.
I speed up to catch up with Noah. It feels so good to run flat out, heart and arms pumping, beside my mate, that I look over and smile at him despite the tense circumstances. He meets my gaze, and his lips curl up. We’re going to make it.