FATED ESCAPE

a battered truck at the gas station. Or at least, that was what it lo

ves the gas pump back in its slot and str

e truck he's filling, I get my fi

ght, if not build, as Shane. This shifter is more heavily musc

g I know all too well because before I knew what my life would

r's heavy muscles and the narrow-eyed steel-gray

ph

. I barely notice. This brawny, shaved haired, alpha takes anoth

use to trap me here. Maybe if I was an ordinary shifter, then I wouldn't b

eason I stayed clear-well clear of any

. Some have been so aggressive, they've imploded and they exist only in shifter memory n

ng the way the Raleighs did. It's the reason why shifter history is full

g, so I ran away from home. My father found me right away. On the long walk home, he to

olen away to another pack and forced to bear child after child w

ied to run

greedy way they studied me when he wasn't looking. It wasn't h

ll, the shifter packs in the states. Or at least I t

ly worthless to him. There was a reason his father pushed hi

ut Bree, once his father learned who or rather what I was, ther

anding back his new position as alpha, a position that would revert to the o

eading toward me from across the road. Some

less tall, less muscled, and overall, less threatening. The bet

tand why until I realize I've backed out into the road, and

d, my

I freeze instead of running. Sheer terror floods my body that I can't think of anything other

not make any mistakes, mine and my baby's life is going to end in

hard. It's j

e way. I hear tires squealing, and the gust of wind that tells me how clo

sharp and overly loud cracks. And then the pain hits, telling me I br

blurry, like that moment just before you drift off to sleep. As i

stare on my face. I get the sense someone is

doesn't get any clearer-i

til I'd do anything, give anything to escape it. I blink again, feeling

Or maybe I don't open my eyes at all because in t

's no

ng from a few fe

gaze on a solid dark woo

d. We need to find out why she's here and return her. I doubt he

, I know it must be the alpha shifter from the gas station. Clearly, he must not have guessed

to, and not th

ntage of my alone time to examine the room. I'm guessing

'm awake and come looking for answers to their quest

ues me in that I'm in a guy's room. Probably the betas'. God, I hope it's the beta and

not paying attention to the duffel and the way she sprinted away from

lier, and the one I'm guessing is

of sh

this unlucky, I th

s room filled with dark wood furnishings, and the lowe

in a sharp breath at the searing agony

one-again I'm guessing the beta-has heavily bandaged

side to keep my leg straight. That's when I

The slightest movement has my eyes watering, so I lie ba

eral places, that much is clear. Just how long it's going to take me to

being run over by a semi, and being tackled out of the way. But someone bandaged my leg, and remo

d, but when? How mu

is." A voice says from

and thud to the floor. Crying out, my world goes hazy with pai

s, is gently picking me up and depositing me back int

hat the

d I lean away from him, even as he's backing up wi

or you to rest a

y? Is that it?" My voice