Page 5 of Healed in the Alpha's Embrace
Finally, on Wednesday night, Sam replied. The butterflies in my stomach went from fluttering to flying. He’d outlined the plan with precision, each step serving as a bridge across the abyss.
Pack a small bag for you and Ro and hide it.Nothing George will miss. We can buy whatever you need when we get you here.
Friday morning, do your magic with the cameras. If you can make it look like they’re still working, that would be great. Call me as soon as his car leaves the house.
Wait for the guards to make their last pass at the back of the house before shift change and go.
I’ve studied online satellite images of George’s compound. Once you leave the house, keep going until you reach the fence, then turn left and keep going. I’ll be waiting foryou at the gate.
I’m so proud of you, sweetheart.
See you both soon.
Sam
Smiling,I powered off the phone and stashed it back in the tampon box, confident George would never think to search there.
Distracted with thoughts of what to pack and what to leave behind, I returned to the bedroom. George asked me something, but I didn’t hear it, and the next thing I knew, he slapped me across the face. It didn’t matter that he’d marked me again because I knew that would be the last time he’d ever put his hands on me. I just had to make it through tomorrow morning, then I’d never have to lay eyes on the fucker again.
Then, the moment arrived. The rumble of the garage door echoed through the house, a signal etched into my bones. Moving to the window, I peered through the glass.
The car rolled down the driveway, George at the wheel, unaware that he was driving away from us for the last time. I kept my gaze on the taillights as they grew smaller and smaller until finally disappearing from sight.
I snatched the phone from its hiding place, my fingers trembling. No time to second-guess, no time for fear. I dialed Sam’s number, pressing the cold device against my bruised cheek.
“Sam, it’s Zoey. He’s gone,” I whispered.
“Good. Listen carefully,” Sam said, his tone urgent but controlled. “Get Roland ready, but stay quiet.”
“Okay,” I said, moving swiftly towards my son’s door.
“Did you disable the cameras like we discussed?”
“Yes, about an hour ago, I logged into the system and accessed the cameras. The guards are watching a looped recording, which should give Ro and me time to slip away undetected,” I assured him.
“Have you got a bag packed? Take it, leave everything else. Just take yourselves and the essentials.”
I nodded, though he couldn’t see. “I remember.” I didn’t want anything from this place. All I wanted was my son and our freedom.
“Once you’re both ready, go. Don’t run out of the house—grab a soccer ball or something. Just try to be as calm as possible. Make it look like a normal day’s stroll in the garden with Ro.”
“Got it,” I said, clutching the phone as if it were my only connection to the world.
“I’m waiting for you in a blue Chevrolet at the edge of the estate. Even if the guards see the plates, they’re fake. You’ll be safe once you get there.”
“Thank you,” I said, relief and angst mingling within me.
“Focus. Be quick, be silent. You can do this.”
“Okay,” I said, ending the call.
With trembling hands, I carefully retrieved two backpacks from the back of a shelf in my dimly lit closet, taking extra care not to knock over any stray items. One backpack for Roland, one for me. Mine was stuffed with underwear, a change of clothes, a few cherished photos, Ro’s birth and schooling certificates, documents we’d need for our new life, and the small amount of cash I had. Every second counted. My mind raced through the security team’s schedule, rehearsing the narrow window of opportunity. Not for the first time, I wished I’d been able to pack more in advance, but I couldn’t afford to let George suspect anything.
I entered Ro’s bedroom and gently shook my son awake.
“Mommy?” he mumbled in a drowsy whisper.
“Shh, we need to hurry, sweetie,” I replied, quickly filling the second bag with his clothes, the sound of the zipper echoing in the room. His green eyes, so much like his father’s yet filled with a warmth George could never claim, met mine. They held questions that couldn’t be answered now, not when every tick of the clock gnawed at the edges of my mind.
