Kiss Of The Alpha : A YA Paranormal Romance Chapter 24

Heather

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

Where was I?

Right, hospital, for my shoulder. Because Brent had hurt 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 sohow 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 tal 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 tal bars of the cage were cold on my bare hand, and I pulled my hand away. I hadn’t gotten a vision, but sothing much worse.

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

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

I wasn’t going to get far in a hospital gown. I needed sothing 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 ti to wonder how my stuff got in there or how I’d gotten to wherever the hell I was. If soone had caged 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 ti 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 scread 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 ti to question my luck. I brushed myself off and scanned my surroundings. A courtyard full of kids my age stood frozen, staring at . So were wearing backpacks. Others carried books in their hands.

One girl stopped with an apple halfway to her mouth. She looked at 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 ti to stop and chat. Things to do. Places to escape from." I took off running. Sothing howled, and I glanced behind .

What the hell? A blond wolf was chasing .

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 , only a few yards ahead and I’d hopefully disappear through the brush and trees. Out-running a wolf seed 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 ho.

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 .

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

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

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

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

And then sothing slamd into from the side.

I hit the ground hard, rolling a few tis before crashing to a stop against a tree. I gasped for air, but sobody was weighing 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 ? "Move, you perv."

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

"Spare 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 , 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 so 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 , 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 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 . "Why are you afraid, Heather?"

I was trying to be more angry than scared, but sohow I was venturing into full-on terrified-mode. "I don’t know. Maybe because soone put in a cage and stuck 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 as he spoke to Brown Eyes. "You can go back to campus now."

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

Soone cursed as the world faded to gray.