Page 79 of Alpha Queen
Her wolf made a worrying sound, but wanted freedom as much as River did.
River punched the glass, and it cracked. She prodded it, and the glass crunched but didn't break.
She took a breath and punched it again, not as hard. The glass cracked again, and one of the pieces fell to the grass below.
Yes!
She wiggled the glass shard by shard and placed them on the table until she'd cleared as much as possible. She reached through the hole and felt for the handle on the other side, only to discover it took a key on both sides.
She swallowed a scream. Tears washed her eyes. The broken door would be discovered. And when it was... who knew what Titan would do. She had to make it happen now. There was no other option.
She looked around and her gaze lit on a stack of quart-sized cans of paint. That. She could use that.
Quickly, River walked to the stack and counted the cans. Twelve cans. She didn't know if it would be enough, but what choice did she have? She had to try.
In groups of three, she moved the cans from the middle of the room to the vent in the corner. She crawled through the vent hole and then carried the cans to the wall below the small window. She stacked them in two columns, and they rose over two and a half feet off the floor. It might just be enough.
She stepped up with one foot on each stack of cans. They wobbled but didn't fall. When she straightened, she stood torso-high to the window. Rewrapping her hand, she punched glass once again. Struggling to hold back her impatience, as well as her wolf's pestering, the window shattered, and the cool night air rushed in, carrying the fragrance of trees, flowers, and earth. Smells so vibrant they nearly overwhelmed her after weeks of recycled air.
River paused, listening for any reaction to the noise, but everything stayed silent. Her wolf urged her to move. River dropped the rag and, with trembling arms, hoisted herself up to the narrow opening. Her muscles screamed in protest. The window frame scraped against her sides as she squeezed through, her breath coming in short, painful gasps. Small shards of glass scraped her skin, and she swallowed a yelp of pain as the odor of blood hit her nose.
Dammit! Someone was going to smell that. She has to move.
River shimmied faster, trying to pull herself through the window. For one terrifying moment, she thought she might be stuck, as her hips wedged in the frame. Panic flared, but she forced it down, twisting to find a better angle. With a final shove, she tumbled out onto the damp earth below, landing awkwardly in a tangle of limbs.
Pain shot through her shoulder, but River bit back the pain. She lay still for several seconds, the cool grass caressing her cheek, feeling impossibly luxurious. The night air filled her lungs, sweet and clean. Above her, stars glittered, and the full moon bathed everything in silver light.
Freedom. So close. She was so close.
River crawled toward a dense cluster of bushes, her movements slow and deliberate. Her wolf, though weak, was fully alert now, sensing both danger and opportunity. Once concealed among the foliage, River took stock of her surroundings.
The house, or rather, compound, rose three stories. Its cream stone facade gleamed pale in the moonlight. High walls surrounded the property, topped with what appeared to be security cameras and motion sensors.
Dark figures patrolled the grounds. River's heart sank as she counted one, two, five, guards moving with military precision along predetermined routes. Each carried weapons, not standard firearms, but what looked like automatic rifles.
River shrank deeper into the bushes as two guards passed nearby, their voices carrying in the still night air.
"...doubling the patrols on the east side," one said, his voice low but distinct.
"Waste of manpower," the other replied with a snort. "If those royal pricks find this place, a few extra guards won't make a difference."
River's pulse quickened. Ares and Apollo.
The first guard glanced around. "Don't let Titan hear you talking like that. Besides, they're getting closer. That house in the city was compromised."
"How close?"
"Close enough that Kane's pulled in everyone from the satellite locations.
"Titan's got us all on high alert.” The first guard moved closer to River's hiding spot.
The second guard spat on the ground. "Just because of her? All this for one female? That's why he's keeping her locked up tight? Breeding stock?"
"Watch your mouth," the first guard growled. "That's our future, Luna, you're talking about."
"Luna? Ha! You've seen how she looks at him. That woman would sooner cut his dick off than bear his pups."
The first guard glanced around. "She's an Omega, and she's mated to the twins. That makes her the High Luna. Whether or not she accepts Titan, she is still a crap ton higher up than you or me. So be respectful."
