"You know we have to stop meeting like this Annie." Beth said as she moved closer to the trio.
"You know me I just can't resist getting injured in some way. Can you braid my hair to get it out of the way please?" Annabelle asked referring to waist long dark brown hair.
"Of course. French style. It always looks the best on you." Beth said moving to sit down on a rock behind Annabelle.
"You know you never did tell me why you did attack Aden." Amara said looking at Annabelle.
"I don't think now is the time for that." Annabelle said looking at Helen.
"You know something. Don't you Annie?" Helen asked.
Annabelle locked her green eyes with her aunt's blue. A pained look over came her face at the topic that she was about to bring up.
"You might want to sit down for what I'm about to tell you. It's not an easy topic to bring up." Annabelle said to Helen.
"Now you're starting to scare me, Annabelle." Helen said as she sat on her knees in front of her niece.
"Amara can you hand me my bag please there are somethings in there that I need." Annabelle said as she carefully turned her head being mindful of the strands that Beth still had.
Amara looked at her quizzically but did as she asked retrieving the bag, she left by the small creek that flowed through the little clearing.
"What is so important about your bag?" Beth asked as she finished braiding Annabelle's hair.
"It's not the bag that is important but what is in it that is." Annie said cryptically listening to the sounds around them. It was dead quite no birds singing or wildlife moving. That was never a good sign that meant that danger was near Annabelle was tens and looking around.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Helen asked watching Annabelle's face.
"Quiet. Tell me what do you hear?" Annabelle said as she turned to look at her aunt.
"Nothing." Amara said as she had stopped moving listening to.
"Amara come over quickly. I don't like this one bit." Helen said slightly panicked. Which caused her to move quicker. It was about the time that she moved that they heard it. Sounds coming from inside the cave where it was blocked off.
"Alpha their scent disappears here" A voice said on the other side of the bolder that blocked the entrance to the cave.
Nobody moved or made a sound. Time almost seamed to stand still. Annabelle had slipped on a purple mid-thigh skirt wrap with a split down the right side and a black tank top. She carefully stood putting her weight on her injured leg.
'I didn't feel them coming. We are surrounded.' Amara said they had formed their own bound.
'There is no way that we are getting out of this alive or without injuries. Is there a way out of here?' Helen said as she looked around for a way out of the clearing.
'No not without going back through the cave some of the drop offs turn into tunnels that lead out at least five mile south of here. We will never make it that far. I'm sorry that I got you into this. All of you.' Annabelle said as she looked at her aunt and then at Amara and Beth.
'Stop that now. You have saved my life on several different times. Not only do I trust you I consider you family. All three of you. If it weren't for you and Amara, I would be dead. My family is gone, and you are the only ones that I have left. I will make sure that you do find your mate if it's the last thing I do.' Beth said as she stared Annabelle with a hard expression.
"I want the thing moved! Now!" The voice of Aden snapped them out of their conversation.
"That can only be moved from the outside now. We need to move in a better position. They will all come charging in at once if they get it down." Annabelle whispered as they listened to the sounds that were now coming from the cave as the remainder of the pack tried to get the huge bolder out of the way.
"If we can make it to the woods then we have a chance. Beth, can you take care of our bags make it look like we were never here." Amara whispered looking at her. Beth nodded her head and with a simple waved her hand and everything vanished even the smell of Annabelle's blood.
"There is a crack in the wall on the other side hidden if we can make it there then we will be in good shape." Amare stated lowly.
"Beth, can you get us out of here once we put some distance between us and the pack." Annabelle asked.
"Why do I feel like I'm being left out of something important here." Helen stated with her arms crossed unamused.
"Beth is not only part dragon but also a witch too on her mother's side. We are not the only ones that the hunter will track down to kill." Annabelle said as she slowly started moving to the hidden slip. Everyone could tell that she was hurt by her limp.
"Oh. How long do we have until they break through?" Helen asked as she moved up beside her niece so Annabelle could use her as a crutch.
"Not long. I laced very little magic into the stone so we could have more time." Beth said as she carefully pulled back the vines covering the wall.
"Good. I hope they cause a cave in that kills them. The Basterds don't even know who they follow." Annabelle said as she squeezed in through the crack. She was soon followed by the others. When Helen came through last Annabelle motioned for everyone to be quiet. She peeked around the corner to see her eyes taking one the traditional wolf golden color. Not a few moments later there was a loud boom that signaled the boulder had given way. Amara quietly slipped around Annabelle to see that the rest of the pack had moved into the clearing and was searching around for them.
'Okay they are in the clearing it won't take them long to figure out that we are not there.' Amara said.
'There is a tunnel not far from where we are. We need to move now before they catch us.' Annabelle said as she looked to the right of the stalagmite that had a small carving in it that looked natural.
'Beth how long can you cover our scent from them? This is a tunnel that leads out close to the river. It will be easier if we all go together so we don't get caught.' Annabelle asked as she carefully sat on the ground at the entrance of the hole.
'I can do this for another three minutes. I agree lets go together.' Beth said as she moved closer to Annabelle along with Amara and Helen.
"Sir, they are not here. It seems that we missed them." Came the voice of Dylan.
'We move now.' Helen said as she signaled for everyone to move. As one they slide down the tunnel together.
It was only a few seconds before they hit the water with a splash. If felt like knifes were being drove into them. It took very little time for them to break the surface of the water.
"Holy shit this is really cold." Annabelle gasped as she swam to the bank of the river.
"No kidding. Where did you park your car Aunt Helen?" Amara asked as she joined Annabelle who was now sitting on the bank of the river waiting for the others. Helen moved to the riverbank with Beth right behind her.
"It's not to far. I will check your wound again when we get somewhere safer." Helen said as she helps Annabelle up to her feet.
"I will be happy when I'm warm again and not shivering my ass off. The muscle spasms hurt my knee." Annabelle said as she used Helen as a crutch.
"I think that we all will. Helen won't the car be watched to see if we all show up?" Amara asked.
"It's a strong possibility that it will be." Helen said as they walked slowly toward the car.
"It might be wise if you go get the car and meet us somewhere else so not to rise suspicion." Beth said as she moved to help support Annabelle's other side with Amara behind her.
"Annabelle you're not looking so well." Amara said as she was getting a good look at her.
Helen stopped to get a better look at Annabelle. She looked into Annabelle's eyes and saw that her pupils were dilated, and her breathing was hard.
"Help me sit her down. There is something more going on with her wound and I don't like it." Helen said as she stopped everyone to sit Annabelle down.
Amara and Beth carefully helped Helen sat Annabelle down. Once down Helen unwrapped Annabelle's leg. The sight was not pretty there was black veins that ran around the knee.
"Blood poisoning. This is not good. Not good at all." Helen said as she studied it.
"Are you sure?" Amara said looking too.
"Yes, use your nose Amara. What dose it tell you?" Helen asked.
Amara lifted her nose around Annabelle's knee. Who now had leaned into Beth very heavily.
"It smells like death." Amara said looking at Helen.
"Yes and she has a fever to. If we stay here she will get worse a lot faster we are to exposed out here." Helen said.
"I agree we need to make for the car. There are one thing that can save her and lets hope we can find him in time." Beth said.
"And what's that?" Annabelle said.
"The blood from you're mate. That pretty much fixes everything." Beth said.
Annabelle started laughing heartily and carefully sat up.
"Well, there is a slight problem with that one Beth." Annabelle said as she panted from the effort of sitting up.
'And why's that sweetheart?" Helen asked as she pushed some hair behind her ear.
" He's not on this plane of existence." Annabelle said sadly as she looked out into the forest.
It was quiet for a few minutes before howls broke into the distance.
"We need to move. We can't stay here. They will find us if we do." Annabelle said as she carefully stood on her legs.
"You are weak and injured we will not get very far." Amara said as she watched Annabelle sway on her feet.
"I may be but I'm not done yet. I will shift so we can move quicker." Annabelle said as she started to remove her clothes and hand them over to Beth.
It only took a matter of seconds for her to change forms.
"Well that certainly helped. How long can she hold this form Helen?" Beth asked as she tucked away Annie's clothes.
"Not long it's a good thing the car is not that far. Let's move the pack is still hunting us." Helen said as she started to walk in the direction of car and the girls followed behind with a hurried pace.