The Defiant Alpha (West Coast Wolves #2) - Susi Hawke Page 0,6

it to slip off, then shifted. The same way I had for Twelve, Fourteen waited for the working housekeeper to snatch up the fabric and set it on the bench outside before he followed in my footsteps.

Different conversations in my mind were like separate channels on the televisions we’d seen in old movies Teacher showed us but never experienced for ourselves. Each week, we obeyed every rule, did every chore, followed every lesson and basically walked on eggshells so we could earn our beloved weekend movie reward.

Using our classroom projector, Teacher would play an approved film of his choosing and we’d get to lose ourselves in another world for two hours. It was the best part of our life here. Like with anything good, we lose it if he knew we liked it, so we had to pretend to be unaffected and treat each movie like a lesson we’d be tested on later.

My brain snapped back to the moment at hand. It was time to focus. My brothers were excitedly chattering on one channel in my mind while Alex encouraged me on another. Since giving proper attention to both at the same time wasn’t possible, I focused on steadying myself and preparing for departure.

I cleared my mind and put one paw in front of the other until we made it to the small growth of bushes and trees directly across from the old barn where we lived. It was not merely at the foot of the hill, but the sole place on our approved path where my escape would work.

Heart racing now, everything in me torn between needing a hug from one of my brothers and tearing off at a run before it was time, I had to remind myself to be cool. Left legs forward. Now the right. Keep it together. You've got this.

Seven interrupted my pep talk, the stress in his tone quickly grabbing my attention. "Thirteen, I'm stepping out of the tree zone now and pulling the shadows together. The yard will be dark for a few seconds as Fourteen emerges. Tell him to wait until Four projects the fake you. Slip out beside him into the deepest of the shadows and make a run for it."

I didn't bother reminding him I already knew the plan, since I was literally the one who came up with it. Sarcasm had its place, but not when we were all keyed up. “Got it, Seven. I know you can't look back, but Four has been projecting my holographic twin since we entered the bushes. Make sure you let him know later I give him credit for keeping the hologram perfectly in line behind Twelve. I need to talk to Fourteen now, but until we meet again, remember I love you. Tell everyone to stay safe until I get back with help. We don't know how long it will take, and everything will fall apart when they realize I'm gone.”

The plan was for a pack of barking dogs—again, courtesy of Four's gift to project images and distort sound—to interrupt the walk. While the dogs ran through the yard barking, my brothers would break formation, and Four would allow my hologram to fade. Everything would go down fast, probably before I even cleared the top of the hill. We hoped the distraction would delay the discovery of my disappearance and provide an excuse my brothers could use to feign ignorance. With any luck, Teacher would think I'd freaked out and ran off in terror. And while they were hunting on the east side of the property where they'd think I'd gone, I'd be headed west.

After a quick check-in with Fourteen, who reminded me to pay attention to the world around me and try not to get caught, I merged into the shadows Seven had gathered, while Fourteen followed my fake self along the path. To make sure no one was gazing my way, I hazarded a quick glance at the guardians before taking off at a run.

"Holy shit, is that you, Thirteen? Your dark fur is blending in great. Lucky some clouds drifted overhead or something. I swear the hill down there wasn't so shadowed a few minutes ago." Alex's jubilant voice bounced through my head.

"Yes, this is me. Where are… never mind, I see you. I think. Are you the gray wolf waiting by the tree?" Please, let it be him. Anyone else, and I was done before I'd really gotten started.

Laughter echoed in my mind. "Of course it's me—who else