female wolf down the hall to the back of the building. The other three wolves trailed behind them. In the last room was a key -coded door with a small exterior window. They walked by five large cages. One of the males growled and sniffed at the bars. Norris looked out the window to see a small, dark alleyway. Miss Scott jumped up and looked out the window with him, her front paws resting on the ledge.
“Al l right, if I can get the door open, we’re going to go up the alley and try to find a car to steal. You’ll have to stay hidden as much as possible. Wolves wandering the streets of Aberdeen would attract a huge amount of attention. If anything happens, you need to run and hide. If these fanatical doctors catch you, they will experiment on you. Trust me, they have no morals where that is concerned.”
Miss Scott jumped down. Norris watched as she went from wolf to wolf, staring deeply into their eyes. When she returned to his side, Norris slid the card through the slot and punched in the code Nurse Campbell had used on the other door. With a click, the lock disengaged. Norris pushed the door open.
Before stepping into the alley, he looked left and right. Then, he held the door open for the four wolves, who quickly followed him outside. The door closed, and Norris heard the lock reengage. They were out.
They all started creeping down the alley, trying to stay in shadows. The smell of garbage filled the air. Norris’ stomach knotted, and he accidently kicked a can. The sound reverberated in the quiet. The wolves moved easily in the dark and soon outdistanced Norris. Only Miss Scott stayed close to his side.
They ’d made it halfway to the street when the door to the lab opened behind them. Norris looked over his shoulder to see the two men who kidnapped him and brought him to the lab. One of them reached into his jacket and pulled out a gun.
“Run!” Norris yelled.
A blast sounded. A chunk of stone flew off the wall next to Norris’ head. He ran. Several more shots were fired. One hit a large dumpster as Norris ran by it. Just as he made it to the end of the alley, a large dark sedan pulled up. Norris’ gut clenched. All four windows opened.
“Quick, get in,” Pierre said from the driver’s seat.
Norris reached for the door handle. One by one, the four wolves jumped through the window and into the back seat. Another bullet hit the fender of the car. Norris jumped into the front seat and slammed the door. Pierre hit the gas. Another volley of shots was fired. Norris felt a burning sensation in his neck. “Esme, I love you …”
§
“NO!” Esme screamed. Her eyes flew open, and she sat up in the front seat of the car.
“Brenda!” Granger yelled, also waking up in the back seat.
“What the hell is happening?” Jared demanded , his hands clenched on the wheel. They were only about fifteen minutes from Aberdeen. He could see city lights ahead.
“They are trying to escape the lab,” Esme explained.
“Shots fired.” Granger grabbed the front seat.
“Wait, Pierre is there … I can see him through Brenda’s eyes,” Esme said.
Pierre? Jared clenched his teeth. He was going to kill that guy. What was he doing in Aberdeen?
“He’s trying to help,” Granger said. “More shots fired. Everyone is in Pierre’s car. He is pulling away. Wait. Norris is hit … He said he loves you, Esme.”
“No, please God, no. Don’t take him away from me …”
Jared looked in the rearview mirror at Granger. Granger shook his head. “Norris is dead.” Granger’s telepathic message swept into Jared’s thoughts.
Esme began to sob. Her body shook as tears streamed down her face. She curled up, burying her face in her hands. “No, not Norris. Oh God, why …”
“Esme, mon coeur . I’m so sorry.” Jared reached and took her hand. With his telepathy, he surrounded her with warmth and reassurance.
“I’m all alone …”
“No, bébé. You have me and the members of our pack. Norris gave
“Al l right, if I can get the door open, we’re going to go up the alley and try to find a car to steal. You’ll have to stay hidden as much as possible. Wolves wandering the streets of Aberdeen would attract a huge amount of attention. If anything happens, you need to run and hide. If these fanatical doctors catch you, they will experiment on you. Trust me, they have no morals where that is concerned.”
Miss Scott jumped down. Norris watched as she went from wolf to wolf, staring deeply into their eyes. When she returned to his side, Norris slid the card through the slot and punched in the code Nurse Campbell had used on the other door. With a click, the lock disengaged. Norris pushed the door open.
Before stepping into the alley, he looked left and right. Then, he held the door open for the four wolves, who quickly followed him outside. The door closed, and Norris heard the lock reengage. They were out.
They all started creeping down the alley, trying to stay in shadows. The smell of garbage filled the air. Norris’ stomach knotted, and he accidently kicked a can. The sound reverberated in the quiet. The wolves moved easily in the dark and soon outdistanced Norris. Only Miss Scott stayed close to his side.
They ’d made it halfway to the street when the door to the lab opened behind them. Norris looked over his shoulder to see the two men who kidnapped him and brought him to the lab. One of them reached into his jacket and pulled out a gun.
“Run!” Norris yelled.
A blast sounded. A chunk of stone flew off the wall next to Norris’ head. He ran. Several more shots were fired. One hit a large dumpster as Norris ran by it. Just as he made it to the end of the alley, a large dark sedan pulled up. Norris’ gut clenched. All four windows opened.
“Quick, get in,” Pierre said from the driver’s seat.
Norris reached for the door handle. One by one, the four wolves jumped through the window and into the back seat. Another bullet hit the fender of the car. Norris jumped into the front seat and slammed the door. Pierre hit the gas. Another volley of shots was fired. Norris felt a burning sensation in his neck. “Esme, I love you …”
§
“NO!” Esme screamed. Her eyes flew open, and she sat up in the front seat of the car.
“Brenda!” Granger yelled, also waking up in the back seat.
“What the hell is happening?” Jared demanded , his hands clenched on the wheel. They were only about fifteen minutes from Aberdeen. He could see city lights ahead.
“They are trying to escape the lab,” Esme explained.
“Shots fired.” Granger grabbed the front seat.
“Wait, Pierre is there … I can see him through Brenda’s eyes,” Esme said.
Pierre? Jared clenched his teeth. He was going to kill that guy. What was he doing in Aberdeen?
“He’s trying to help,” Granger said. “More shots fired. Everyone is in Pierre’s car. He is pulling away. Wait. Norris is hit … He said he loves you, Esme.”
“No, please God, no. Don’t take him away from me …”
Jared looked in the rearview mirror at Granger. Granger shook his head. “Norris is dead.” Granger’s telepathic message swept into Jared’s thoughts.
Esme began to sob. Her body shook as tears streamed down her face. She curled up, burying her face in her hands. “No, not Norris. Oh God, why …”
“Esme, mon coeur . I’m so sorry.” Jared reached and took her hand. With his telepathy, he surrounded her with warmth and reassurance.
“I’m all alone …”
“No, bébé. You have me and the members of our pack. Norris gave
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