Escaping the Alpha Who Kept Me Wolfless for Years

The night air crackled with tension as I pressed myself against the cold wall of the infirmary. Trace's diversion had worked—chaos erupted at the pack borders, screams and howls piercing the darkness. The steady stream of explosions provided perfect cover for my escape.

"Now," I whispered to my wolf, feeling her stir within me despite the wolfsbane still coursing through my veins.

I slipped into the hallway, my legs trembling with effort. The nurse at the station looked up, her eyes widening in shock at seeing me upright.

"Luna Madison? You shouldn't be—"

I didn't let her finish. My hand shot out, catching her at the base of her skull with a sharp tap. She crumpled to the floor, unconscious but still breathing.

"Sorry," I murmured, stepping over her body. "But I can't be here anymore."

The medical storage room was locked, but years of watching Dr. Thorne enter the combination paid off. My fingers shook as I punched in the numbers: 0-8-1-5. The door clicked open.

Inside, rows of medications lined the shelves. I grabbed what I needed—my medical records, a bottle of high-proof alcohol, and a syringe filled with sedative. The cadaver Trace had arranged to be delivered lay on a gurney in the corner, a young female rogue with dark hair—close enough to pass for me in the chaos.

"Thank you," I whispered to the unknown wolf. "May the Moon Goddess grant you peace."

I dragged her toward my bed, each movement sending waves of agony through my poisoned body. My wolf howled in protest, fighting against the toxins.

*Stay with me,* I pleaded. *Just a little longer.*

With trembling hands, I swapped our hospital bands and arranged her features to resemble mine as best I could in the dim light. Then I unscrewed the cap from the alcohol bottle and began pouring it across the floor, the sharp smell making my eyes water.

"Goodbye, Luna Madison," I whispered, striking a match.

The flame caught instantly, racing along the alcohol trail. I backed away, watching as fire consumed the infirmary. Smoke billowed toward the ceiling as I climbed into the ventilation shaft, my body screaming in protest.

The explosion came just as I sealed the grate behind me. The force knocked me forward, metal cutting into my palms. Blood dripped onto my face as I crawled through the narrow passage, the heat pressing against my back.

*Shift,* my wolf urged. *We need to run.*

"I can't," I gasped. "Too weak."

*Try,* she insisted. *Or we die here.*

I closed my eyes, summoning every ounce of strength. Pain tore through me as my bones began to crack and reform. Only partially—my body caught between human and wolf—but enough to give me the strength I needed.

With a final push, I burst from the vent into the cool night air. The infirmary blazed behind me, flames reaching toward the sky. I staggered forward on four trembling legs, each step bringing me closer to the boundary line where Trace waited.

The forest loomed ahead, dark and promising. I pushed harder, my lungs burning, the taste of freedom mingling with ash and blood on my tongue.

Then I saw him—a massive dark gray wolf standing at the edge of the trees. Trace. His amber eyes found mine across the distance, and something in me broke.

I collapsed, my partial shift reverting as exhaustion claimed me. The last thing I saw was Trace running toward me, his powerful form blurring through my tears.

"Got you," he murmured, his arms catching me before I hit the ground. His voice was rough with emotion as he cradled me against his chest. "I've got you now."

I felt the gentle press of his lips against my forehead, his large hand carefully brushing hair from my face. Through half-lidded eyes, I saw his expression shift from fierce warrior to heartbroken protector.

"You're so small," he whispered, his voice breaking. "What have they done to you?"

"Saved me," I managed to say before darkness claimed me.

When I woke again, we were moving. The steady thrum of helicopter blades filled my ears as I blinked up at Trace's concerned face.

"We're almost out of their territory," he said, his thumb tracing circles on my palm. "Hold on just a little longer."

I turned my head to look out the window. Below us, the Obsidian Shadow Pack lands grew smaller, the burning infirmary a dwindling point of light.

"Goodbye," I whispered to my old life—to the weak, poisoned girl I'd been forced to become.

Trace's arm tightened around me as we soared into the night sky. Ahead lay Italy, the Ironclaw Lycans, and a future I never dared imagine.

Behind us, flames consumed everything I'd once known.