Chapter 72 No Escaping

• Lyla’s pov I had been in this hellhole for what felt like an eternity, though I knew it hadn't been more than a few days. I’d tried to escape countless times, but every effort had been in vain. They took me to another room, a much bigger one than the first place they kept me. We were over twenty of us, chained and confined to a space. All the while that I was there, I couldn’t help but think of Lorenzo, I knew that he must be so worried. He must have searched the whole pack for me with no lead of where I had been taken to. The people who held me here weren’t just ordinary criminals. No, they were hunters—vicious men and women who captured wolves like me and sold them off to the highest bidder. From the way they spoke it was obvious that they didn’t know who I was, but they knew what I was. And to them, I was just another commodity. I had learned their ways quickly. They kept us in chains, isolated from one another, and separated us by our abilities—wolves with power, wolves with none. It was cruel, but it wasn’t the worst thing that had happened to me. No, the worst thing wasn’t the chains or the constant hunger or the isolation. The worst thing was the thought that Lorenzo —had no idea where I was. I prayed that he would come for me. I prayed that he'd come and save me. But with each passing day, the feeling that he didn’t even know where I was, that he might never know, washed over me. Is this my fate? To die like a common criminal again? “No!” I shook my head visibly. “No!” The words came louder this time. I was trying to figure out an escape route. It wasn’t until I I overheard one of the hunters talking on the phone that I started to piece things together. Then I heard it. A low voice, muffled, coming from the hallway. At first, I thought it was nothing more than the usual chatter between the guards, but then I caught a word that made my heart stop. “Shadow Pack.” The voice grew clearer as the conversation continued, though the words were still indistinct. I pressed my ear to the wall, straining to hear. The man’s voice was gruff, rough from years of use. I could tell he was speaking to someone on the phone, likely their employer or someone in charge of their operations. “We’ve got another shipment coming in,” he said. “Twelve more wolves. Special ones. They’ll be worth the wait, especially the one we found in the outskirts of the Crimson pack, very aggressive. The Shadow Pack will pay handsomely for them. We’ll make a good profit.” My blood ran cold. I didn’t know exactly what they were talking about, but the mention of my pack sent a cold shiver down my body. The Shadow Pack? What could Jason be up to this time? if they were willing to pay for wolves like me, then Jason was preparing for something. Something dangerous. But why? I pressed my forehead against the cold stone wall, my mind racing. What was Jason up to? Why was he gathering warriors? I didn’t have answers, only questions. The older seemed like they had accepted their fate, they seemed more relaxed, like they didn’t want to run. Maybe because we had all tried several times but it didn’t work out, I guess they were already tired. They had given up. But not me. I couldn’t dare give up. The hunters outside were still talking, but I couldn’t focus on their words. I had to know more. I had to get out of here. if they were actually going to sell us to the Shadow pack, then it only meant more danger for me. I couldn’t afford to let Jason see me, not like this. Not now. I had tried escaping so many times before, but each time, I was caught. The hunters were relentless, and their traps were well-laid. They knew what I was capable of, and they knew how to keep me trapped. But I couldn’t let that stop me. I couldn’t let it defeat me. This time would be different. I waited for the guards to finish their rounds, counting the seconds until I heard the sound of footsteps fading away. The silence that followed was both deafening and promising. I knew this was my chance. I slipped out of the small cot and moved toward the window. It was narrow, just wide enough for me to slip through if I could break the bars. But I didn’t have any tools—nothing to help me. My only option was to use my strength. I took a deep breath, focused on the bars, and shifted. My wolf was always there, just beneath the surface, waiting for the right moment to come forward. My transformation was quick, instinctual, and when it was complete, I was no longer a human with a desperate hope of escaping. I was a wolf, powerful and agile, capable of anything. I turned to the bars, my sharp claws extending as I dug into the cold metal. The bars groaned under the pressure, bending just enough to give me a sliver of space. But then I heard footsteps. The guards were coming back early. Panic surged through me, but I didn’t freeze. I had no choice. I shoved the bars aside with a strength I didn’t know I still had and squeezed through the gap. My body barely fit, but it was enough. I dropped to the ground outside and shifted back to human form, silently running toward the thick woods that lay beyond the small compound. I knew they’d notice my escape soon, but I couldn’t stop now. I had to get to Lorenzo. I had to find out what Jason was planning before it was too late. And the time was now!