19

Thoughtfully, I kept walking up and down and thought highly concentrated about the possibilities I had just been given...

Keno wouldn't be there to stop me from doing anything stupid...nor would Jamal. Basically, I had free rein and when I became aware of this fact, I ran to the closet in a flash, put on dark sweatpants from Keno and a thick, red jacket and ran out of this room as fast as I could out and down the stairs.

The anticipation put a big grin on my face that was hard to tame as I headed for the front door and threw it open with verve and panache.

The rain pelted incessantly on the meadow in front of me. The wind whipped my face and made my long black hair dance playfully in it while I ran resolutely across the meadow, ignoring everyone standing around.

"Aria?" someone spoke to me from the side and when I turned my face to the side, I recognized Aymo, who was standing in the rain wearing only short shorts and eyeing me with irritation.

"Aymo!", I nodded with a grin and still walked straight ahead to direct my gaze to the goal again.

"Wait!" he said from behind me and suddenly grabbed my arm, which made me pull away from him, wiping the rain off my face and glaring at him angrily.

"Don't ever touch me again," I warned him and noticed from his confused expression alone that he didn't know how to deal with this situation. He wasn't an alpha like Keno, and he wasn't a mean guy like Jamal. Aymo was more of a playful, humorous boy. At least that's how it seemed to me...

"Sorry," he mumbled awkwardly, then gave me an apologetic look. "Keno sent me a link to take care of you."

"I'm only too happy to relieve you of this task, because I'm going to go now," I grinned confidently and watched as all facial features slipped away and he, although he was so brown, suddenly looked very pale.

"You can't do that!" he raised his voice and ran past me to put himself between me and the gate. "Keno will kill me!"

"He won't," I replied and wanted to pass him, but he blocked my way again, which made me incredibly angry. "Aymo! If you don't go, I'll kill you!" I warned through gritted teeth and got ready to transform at any time, but luckily for him and mine, he stepped aside, slightly startled by my expression.

"Then at least let me accompany you so that I can be sure that nothing will happen to you," he begged and I rolled my eyes but nodded in agreement. It would certainly be easier to get out of here with him and besides, I could transform at any time and run away. This time no branch would stop me.

Together we ran towards the guards and while Aymo was talking to them, I looked around behind me again at this small place in the middle of nowhere and immediately noticed the twinkling eyes of the men on me. Their eyes pulled me out of their clothes... their bodies seemed tense... and when Aymo suddenly touched my shoulder I jumped violently, but calmed down quickly.

"Let's go."

I nodded to him with a sinking feeling in my stomach, watched the two guards as they opened the high gate and then followed Aymo with slow steps into the dense forest.

"Why do you actually want to leave?" he started a conversation and while I listened to the rain bouncing off the trees, I drew this fresh air deep into my lungs and then turned my gaze to him.

"Because I wasn't even allowed to say goodbye," I explained to him wistfully and he immediately stopped and eyed me critically.

"You take the risk of being attacked by vampires or raped by wolves just to say goodbye?"

His eyes seemed completely confused and yes, when you think about it, my plan really wasn't that good, but Gloria meant everything in this world to me... Just the thought of her dying of worry made me want to keep going to walk the forest.

"Yes, because there are people who are certainly worried about me."

"People?" he asked, even more confused and apparently having trouble keeping up with me. He probably just didn't want to get any further away from this strange village.

"Yes, humans... I live among them and they are really loving," I replied, stopping to glance at him briefly. "Aymo. Apparently you've never been free and I think it would really be better if you went back."

"No," he protested immediately, stepping beside me to look up at the gray sky that was barely visible through the dense trees. "If anything happens to you, Keno will kill me. If I'm home and you're gone, Keno will kill me. If-"

"My goodness," I interrupted him, rolling my eyes and then looked at him seriously. "As if he would kill someone!"

"He's already killed pack wolves for less, so yeah, I'd certainly bless that if I lost his mate."

Slightly shocked by his statement, I avoided his gaze and looked around the woods, my mind bouncing over and over again as to why keno could be so cruel. Even I hadn't killed any of my kind, even if they tried to tag or rape me. I always just beat them to flight...

"All the better that I can get away from him," I replied blankly to Aymo and then we continued through the rainy forest, only to stop at a clearing hours later.

Sure, we could have transformed, but then it would be a lot easier for Keno to spot my scent and Aymo could communicate with him via thought. So, as a wolf, my escape would probably be over before I could even take a few more steps.

"Don't we want to go back?"

Aymo leaned against a tree and looked around. He's probably never been so far away from home, but he didn't want it any other way.

"No!" I snapped back at him, looking over at him until I suddenly froze and noticed a strange smell.

"What's that?" Aymo said, as he must have noticed the same disgusting scent and stepped close to my side to look around in panic, just like me.

"A Vampire!"