Escaping Wildfire

Gema

The guards pulled us off our knees as several vehicles pulled into the drive.

My father walked over to us, still a bit breathless from being punched.

“Que has hecho?” (What have you done?) My mother turned to him with a mixture of fear and anger on her face.

Before I could hear his answer, they started taking us to separate vehicles. Annie and her boys in one, my parents and Rodrigo in another, and me, Jasmine and Jade together.

They sat us all in the back seat of an SUV. Both girls were now covered in their father’s blood as they continued to sob. I could see a large bruise was already forming on Jasmine's face from where she was slapped. Jasmine looked up at me through her tear-stained eyes as she held onto Jade. “Where do you think they’re taking us?”

“I don’t know, but I can’t imagine it’s anywhere good.” More tears fell from her eyes, and my own eyes watered as I reached out to hold her. She sobbed in my arms as we waited to see what fate held for us.

After a few minutes of watching the warriors scramble around our pack, two female warriors got into the front seats, and we were off. “It’s a long drive, so if you don’t stop with the blubbering back there, then I’ll have to stop you myself.” The one driving said to us.

“Come on, they’re just kids. I’m sure you still remember what it was like to lose our mom and dad.”

“And I used that to become stronger, not to be a crying mess.”

The guard in the passenger seat sighed, clearly done with the conversation. As I looked more closely at the two women, I realized they had similar features. They must be sisters, I thought.

Jasmine continued to cry but let her tears fall silently as she was trying to soothe Jade who eventually caught her breath enough to stop sobbing so loudly.

It felt like we’d been on the road for an eternity. The two women hadn’t said another word since their first exchange, and we had kept quiet in the back. Jade eventually fell asleep from the exhaustion of crying, and Jasmine and I continued to huddle close to each other gaining some comfort, even if only false comfort, from each other’s proximity.

I hadn’t realized I’d fallen asleep until I was woken up by the sound of slamming doors. “Welcome home, ladies.” Our driver said sarcastically as she got out of the vehicle and opened the back door for us to get out. My body ached, and I stretched out my sore muscles from having been curled up with Jasmine and Jade the whole trip.

I looked at our surroundings and saw a large house surrounded by buildings. It was dark, so I couldn’t make out much, but it looked similar to the setup at Harvest Moon, so I was left to assume this was the Wildfire packhouse.

One of our captors grabbed onto my arm and practically dragged me into the house with how roughly she pulled me. Jasmine and Jade were given similar treatment. I looked around to see if I could find my parents, but the cars they had been put in were nowhere in sight. I wished I had my wolf already so that I could at least try to mind-link them.

Once inside, we were led up the stairs and down a hallway with doors along both sides. “These are your new rooms, go to sleep, and you’ll get breakfast in the morning. Don’t even think about escaping. You will be caught, and you will be punished for even trying to run.” With that, she opened the door and practically threw me into the room. I heard the lock turn on the door and confirmed the door was locked when I tried the knob.

I went over to the window, but it was sealed shut, and we were about three stories up if I counted the floors correctly as they dragged me up the stairs. Outside the window it was pitch black, so I figured I must be facing the back of the packhouse or a forest as the front had a few floodlights. I wondered if I’d be able to see anything if I already had my wolf and better night vision, but I guess it didn’t really matter at this point, no one was coming to save me tonight.

I lay down on the bed and tears escaped my eyes in big droplets. I’d cried a little on the way up, but I wanted to keep it together for Jasmine and Jade. Now that I was completely alone, I let myself drown in my tears.

I wondered how Noah, Cristian, and Jordan were doing. They were worried when they called, I can only imagine how much more worried they were now. I suddenly remembered that they hadn’t taken my phone from me. I reached into my pocket, suddenly scared they might have taken it while I was asleep or that it fell out of my pocket while sitting in the car. Luck was on my side, and I was glad I’d gone for the smaller phone model as it fit better in my tiny back pockets. Unfortunately, I celebrated too soon, as I pulled out the phone just to find it dead.

I went around the bed and slid the phone behind the headboard. I’d have to find a better hiding spot, but that should work for now. Maybe I’d be let out and could find a charger somewhere. Wishful thinking.

I looked around the room and rummaged through the drawers. I found some clothes and toiletries, but not much else. The clothes all appeared to be in my size and also new as the tags were still on them. Had they prepared this room specifically for me? I wondered as I wandered into the bathroom. I flicked on the light just to come face-to-face with my disheveled self. My hair looked a bit matted from my nap in the car, and I had blood stains on my shirt, most likely from hugging Jasmine.

I hope they put Jasmine and Jade together, but I highly doubt they would be so kind. I looked down at my arms and noticed they too had remnants of blood. Alpha Henry and Luna Christina were really dead. I started to sob at the realization. My tears flowed freely as I realized they had never really stopped once I started crying earlier.

I looked at the shower and the fluffy pink towel hanging beside it. Everything about this room was neat and feminine, clean...elegant even. It was alarmingly unassuming, and the exact opposite of how I felt. Being in this room felt like the calm before a storm because I knew whatever was waiting for me in the morning would be just as bad as what had already happened that day.

I was woken by a knock at the door. I heard a key turn before a girl about my age walked in with a tray of food.

“Hello, My name is Nora, and I’ve been sent up to bring you food and make sure you found the clothes that were left for you.”

“Will they be letting me out of this room soon?”

“I’m sorry, Miss, but I don’t know. Alpha Marek just told me to bring you food.” She looked down at the floor.

“Do you know where my parents are or where the other girls I came in with are?”

“I just delivered food to the other two girls, they are both in the room across from yours.” It was a relief to know Jasmine and Jade were together, even if I couldn’t see them. “As for anyone else, I’ve only seen the three of you and two little boys that are down the hall.”

She set the tray down on a coffee table beside a loveseat. “I’m sorry I can’t be of more help, but I can help you get showered and changed if you like. I noticed you were still in the clothes you came in. Your friends were too, but it might help you feel more comfortable if you got changed.”

“I don’t want to be comfortable here! Your pack ripped me away from my home and killed my Alpha! The only thing I want is to go back home with my family!”

Nora looked down at the floor again. “I’m sorry, I understand. This must be difficult for you. I’ll let you eat and come back later for the tray.” She seemed to cower as she spoke.

“No, I’m sorry. I know it’s not your fault. Thank you for trying to help.”

She nodded and turned to walk out, but paused as if contemplating something. She turned and looked up at me. “If it’s any consolation, we’re not all like the Alpha and warriors you’ve met so far…some of us are as much a prisoner in this pack as you are.” With those words, she quickly walked out.

I walked over to the food and saw that she’d brought me a simple meal of chicken strips and a salad. At least it was something I liked. For a moment, I wondered if they’d tampered with my food in any way, but the delicious smell made my stomach clench. I hadn’t eaten since lunchtime yesterday, and I was certain it must be about lunchtime now as the sun was high in the sky.

I looked down at my hands and clothes. I’d been reluctant to change out of my dirty clothes because it was all I had of home. I felt like putting on the new clothes they’d left in the drawers meant me accepting my fate here at Wildfire. I’d washed as much blood as I could off my hands and arms without showering last night, but I’d still had a restless sleep, waking up every so often and looking down at my hands to make sure there was no blood and that I was still safe…or as safe as I could be locked up in this room.

I ate as much as I could because I didn’t know when they would feed me again, and then I sat by the window looking out. Now that it was daytime, I could see that my room looked out towards a training field. I could see a group of warriors training in smaller groups. Their mixture of dark and brightly colored workout clothes, makes them look out of place. From a place like Wildfire, I’d expect more dark colors and soldiers training in unison than the normal-looking crowd outside.

I heard a knock, and Nora let herself in. “Hello, again. I’ve come for the tray. I’ve been told to let you know that there is a TV room on this floor that you and your friends can go to, but I’ll be back to help you get ready for dinner. Alpha Marek has requested your presence.”

“Just mine?”

“Yes, Miss.” Nora looked down at the floor again, obviously uncomfortable with the topic of conversation. I felt panic rise in me as I thought about what Alpha Marek might want with me.

“Would you like me to show you to the TV room?”

“Yes, please.” I had nothing better to do in this room, so I might as well go there.

She led me to the end of the hallway and opened a door for me to enter before leaving again.

I was relieved to find Jasmine, Jade, and the boys in there. I quickly rushed over and hugged Jasmine. “You’re okay!” She exclaimed.

“You, too.” I pulled back to see her face and saw that a light purple mark had formed on her cheek. “How long have you been here?”

“Just a few minutes.” She pulled me with her to sit down. “The boys said they took your parents to the cells.”

“What?!” I covered my mouth with my hand in shock.

“When we got here, they drove us to a different building and had Mom get out. Then, they took Beta Tomas and your mom and led all three of them into the building. Dad was still knocked out, so they carried him inside.” Felix filled in for me.

“I asked the guy driving us where they were taking them, and he said they were getting locked up in the cells,” Miles added. “Then they drove us up here and put us in a room.”

“What do you think they want with us?” It was Jade who spoke up this time.

“I’m not sure, but the girl who brought my food said Alpha Marek wants to have dinner with me tonight…that she’d come by to help me get ready later.”

Jasmine reached out to grab my hand. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes said it all, and even through her pain and suffering these past 24 hours, she had enough emotions left in her to feel scared for me.