Heather

I threw the covers off, gasping for breath. Sweat covered my body, thanks to some half-remembered nightmare still fading from my thoughts.

Where was I?

Right, hospital, for my shoulder. Because Brent had hurt me at the party. I moved it slowly, but it didn’t even twinge. That was a good sign.

I hopped out of bed and the ties to my hospital gown got caught in the IV stand next to the bed. Thankfully it wasn’t hooked up to my arm. I grabbed the tie, and managed to somehow ram my elbow into the hard wall. Tingles exploded up my arm. I rubbed my funny bone as I glanced around. The room was excessively closet-like.

I backed up to take in the room, and fell on top of a springy metal box. Sighing, I turned around to kick the obstacle, but stopped before I made contact.

What the hell. Why was there a cage in my room?

I squatted down to take a closer look.

There wasn’t a bowl or food in there like a normal dog kennel, but it was big enough for a large dog. Maybe a Great Dane or a Mastiff. But the cage was spotless inside. I reached out to open it without thinking. The metal bars of the cage were cold on my bare hand, and I pulled my hand away. I hadn’t gotten a vision, but something much worse.

I remembered huddling in the cage. Shaking. Pain. And I remembered needles. Lots and lots of drug-filled needles.

It was way past time for me to get the hell out of here.

I wasn’t going to get far in a hospital gown. I needed something less conspicuous. I frantically searched the wall of cabinets opposite the bed. Anything would do.

I hit the jackpot in a bottom cupboard. A fit-and-flare black cotton dress was neatly folded in the cabinet, along with my favorite worn-in boots and a pair of gloves.

I didn’t have time to wonder how my stuff got in there or how I’d gotten to wherever the hell I was. If someone had caged me up like an animal, I wasn’t sticking around long enough to ask questions.

I pulled on my clothes and ran to the door. The knob wouldn’t move. I jiggled it, twisting one way then the other.

Locked. I was so screwed.

High heels click-clacked down the hallway toward the door.

I needed another way out. A tiny window let light in beside the bed, but it didn’t look like it’d open.

The footsteps were getting louder. I was running out of time and options.

I grabbed the IV stand and smashed it through the window, shattering the glass.

The person coming down the hall was running now.

I didn’t look down as I pushed myself onto the windowsill, careful to avoid the glass edges.

The door flew open and a tall, thin woman in a lab coat ran through the doorway. "Heather! Wait—"

Before I could think better of it, I threw myself out the window.

Three stories up.

Shit. Shit. Shit.

I screamed the most girly scream ever as I flipped through the air. My breath ripped from my lungs as I thunked down on the ground. On my feet.

What the...

I didn’t have time to question my luck. I brushed myself off and scanned my surroundings. A courtyard full of kids my age stood frozen, staring at me. Some were wearing backpacks. Others carried books in their hands.

One girl stopped with an apple halfway to her mouth. She looked at me like I’d lost my mind. Little did she know, I never really had it to begin with.

This had to be St. Francis’s.

I hoped I hadn’t flashed anyone.

Forest encircled the buildings. I picked a direction and prayed it was the right one.

I gave a demure wave. "No time to stop and chat. Things to do. Places to escape from." I took off running. Something howled, and I glanced behind me.

What the hell? A blond wolf was chasing me.

My day really couldn’t get any better.

I pushed my legs to move faster. My lungs burned, but I kept going.

The forest teased me, only a few yards ahead and I’d hopefully disappear through the brush and trees. Out-running a wolf seemed like a long shot at best, but if I managed to get away from it and find the creek, then I probably could get to my house.

Maybe. I’d figure out the rest when I got home.

I hit the tree line, and another wolf howled. I looked back. It was the white and gray one, along with the blond-ish one from earlier. They were right behind me.

Sweat dripped down my face, but I wouldn’t give up. I zigzagged through the woods hoping that would buy me some ground.

"Heather! Stop!" Mr. Langdon yelled from behind me.

He yelled something to someone in a language I couldn’t understand. There was more howling.

I didn’t look back. Adrenaline pumped through my veins.

And then something slammed into me from the side. 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

I hit the ground hard, rolling a few times before crashing to a stop against a tree. I gasped for air, but somebody was weighing me down. Hot breath brushed my face, and the person lifted up enough so that I could see his face.

Oh my God. Why the hell had a naked guy tackled me? "Move, you perv."

I focused on his warm brown eyes. They were laughing at me. "Do you believe in love at first sight? Or should I tackle you again?"

"Spare me the tired pick-up line. Where are your clothes!"

A big cloth fell over us.

"Mr. Matthews. Off Miss Jones. Now," Mr. Langdon said.

The guy winked at me, and hopped up. "Caught her," he said as he pulled on a robe before I could see more than I needed to.

The wolf had disappeared, and some naked guy had appeared.

Goosebumps ran up my arms. There was no way what I was thinking could actually be right.

He reached down to help me, but I ignored it, getting up on my own.

The lady in the lab coat stood behind Mr. Langdon. Her high heels didn’t slow her down too much. Impressive, but I still didn’t trust her. I took a step back. She wasn’t getting near me again. No way in hell.

The gray and white wolf stood behind them. He growled at the blue-eyed guy and then turned around and ran back to the buildings.

Weird.

Mr. Langdon inched toward me. "Why are you afraid, Heather?"

I was trying to be more angry than scared, but somehow I was venturing into full-on terrified-mode. "I don’t know. Maybe because someone put me in a cage and stuck me with an assload of needles!"

"Heather—" Lab Coat woman said, but Mr. Langdon cut her off.

"You were in the cage because you were feral."

Brown Eyes let out a low whistle. "Impressive."

"Thank you for your help, Mr. Matthews." Mr. Langdon kept his eyes on me as he spoke to Brown Eyes. "You can go back to campus now."

"Anytime. I love catching pretty ladies." He winked. The air grew heavy and shimmered with heat. Blue Eyes’ arms and legs morphed as he got down on all fours. His face changed too fast for me to follow.

The robe slid off as he moved. And then, instead of looking at a guy, I stood in front of a blond-colored wolf.

Someone cursed as the world faded to gray.