Page 14 of Under A New Moon

Galen

Galen slowly woke up, the light basking over his face. He couldn’t remember ever waking up to this issue before. He always remembered to shut his blinds at the house. He'd only ever forgot maybe once or twice.

He forced his eyes open, taking in the surrounding space around him. He wasn’t at home. He was in the motel still. The shaded lamp was next to his side of the bed, the crappy tv on the other side of the room, and the bathroom door was open showing the semi-decent bathroom.

Everything from last night came crashing back to him. The running and the chasing. The scent of other wolves after him and the confusion that was wrapped up in a neat bow. What the fuck happened?

He pushed himself up, looking at Darla. They had agreed to split up at first sun up, and the sun was getting up. He was a little surprised to see her still fast asleep curled in a ball next to him. The sheets were half over her, and she was hugging the pillow tightly.

He watched her, taking in her relaxed expression and content nature even when she was stuck in a random motel in the dead ass of the unknown where she was still soundly asleep like a child.

He thought about all the conversations they had in the diner, and all the times he spoke to her about the most random of things. He felt so relaxed around her, and he thought out of everyone he could trust her. She was just another person that he could freely talk to without worrying about a fallback. Unfortunately, he had made a mistake in thinking this.

That image had been split into two the second he caught her face under the moonlight. Yet, however, he didn't feel hatred towards her. He felt undermined, but he wasn’t angry at her like he would have thought.

He thought back to last night, and he once more felt like someone was watching him. He thought it was the pack, just wanting to keep a close eye on him, but he was starting to question that thought. Why would they be coming after him? He's been rogue for years now.

He had never done anything that would catch their attention. He hadn’t moved or changed jobs. He had a boring basic life to stay out of their way, yet here he was in a terrible situation.

He felt a shiver run down his spine and he felt that they were still watching, monitoring his every move. He hated it. He hated feeling like someone was waiting for him to screw up just to point it out and fuck his life up more.

Darla groaned, and her eyes slowly opened. She blinked, looking around confused, and after a moment, her eyes flickered towards Galen.

"It's morning." She spoke up softly, and her eyes took in the open space, "We're alive."

Galen tilted his head, almost a little perplexed at her comment, "Did you expect us to die?"

She swallowed, "I didn't know what to think. You're kind was coming after us."

Galen didn't like how she had said it, and it got under his skin, but he was too tired to argue with her. There was no point, she clearly had her opinions on one thing, and he had another. She was a peace worker, and he was a rogue wolf. This was where their story ended.

"As you've said, it's morning." He turned, looking around the room. Were their cameras? What was giving him this feeling that they were still being watched?

Darla noticed the shift in his face and pushed herself off the bed. "What's wrong? You look worried."

He wanted to tell her he was, but he didn't know how. All of a sudden, the glass of the window shattered, and they both jumped back.

His eyes, however, noticed the object that landed and bounced three times closer to them with each one. His eyes locked on the shape, and he grabbed Darla's arm without a second to spare.

Smoke started to fill the space, and he pulled her towards the door. They both quickly covered their noses and mouths as the smoke grenade filled the room quickly.

Darla, however, turned them in the hallway, "This way." She yelled as more smoke started seeping into the hallway. Galen wondered if he could trust her. She was trying to kill him yesterday, and now she was trying to save him?

Was she just trying to force him in the wrong direction? Would she try another killing attempt on his life? Either way, he doesn’t have many options. He followed behind her.

They made it down the hallway and slipped out the back room. They both coughed, trying to clear their throats with the fresh air. Galen froze as he heard people talking down the sidewalk, "I want them dead."

The words made him pause, and he pushed Darla down in the other direction.

"Wait." Darla stiffened, and her eyes were staring at the people slipping past the ally. Her eyes widened, and he looked between them quickly, yet making sure they didn't see them. He scowled, "What?"

Her face shifted into distress, and she grabbed his arm, pulling him farther down the alley.

"What is it?" He asked once they were three blocks away, leaning on the wall of a warehouse. She looked up at him, her face slightly paler, and her eyes were going red. She was on the verge of tears, but he didn't understand why.

She took a deep breath in, and her voice shook, "Those are my people. Those are PEACEworkers." She shook her head, "And they are coming after us."

Twelve

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