Territory Read Online Free PDF Page B

he’s not upset with you, just with the Colorado packs. Honestly, it’s unheard of. I mean centuries ago, sure changing humans was allowed, but not now, not for the past two hundred years.” Chloe shook her head looking to Dell.
    Kya stood, drawing everyone’s attention to her, “I’d…like to go now, if it’s alright?”
    To her surprise, both Chloe and Dell looked to Briggs. He stood motionless.
    Dell stood and spoke, “I’m afraid with this new revelation things have changed. My pack and I will be traveling to Colorado. It’d be much appreciated if you’d accompany us.”
    Kya’s mouth fell open. “No! I-I can’t go back! I won’t!” Kya backed towards the door, her fear turning to anger at the prospect of having to face Theron. “Do you have any idea what they’ll do to me?”
    “My pack will protect you. I swear it.” Dell’s oath was ignored as Kya backed into the door. She reached behind her and spoke over the clicking of the knob she turned it.
    “They’ll kill your pack, all of you, and they’ll do worse to me. I can’t go back. I’d rather die than ever go back!” Kya shoved the door open before dashing through and slamming it behind her as she sprinted down the hall to the kitchen.
    In the kitchen, she was overjoyed to discover the back door left unlocked. She threw the door open and ran from the house, shifting mid-stride. She was small for a wolf, but she’d been underfed for the better part of the past four years. Her long fur was pitch black, which was rare for a northwestern wolf, most were gray or brown, some were even white, but an all black wolf was extremely rare.
    Kya didn’t stop to look back. She sprinted until her lungs burned and her legs ached and then she kept going. Deep into the Montana mountains, Kya ran hoping Chloe was a true friend and had talked Briggs and Dell into letting her go.

Chapter 5
    Exhausted and unable to go any further, Kya ducked under a thick pine and curled her body into a tight ball, waiting. She listened for hours waiting for the sound of approaching footfall, but none came. She knew she was too small and weak to outrun Briggs or even Chloe for that matter, but she’d relied on the fact that she’d not wronged any of them in any manner, and the fact that they truly didn’t need her for their run-in with the Colorado packs also gave her some solace.
    Convinced she hadn’t been followed, Kya slowly allowed her rigid frame to relax. Her tense muscles whined as she tried to stretch. She hadn’t given her body the opportunity to heal from the strenuous night of the full moon when she fought her body’s natural urge to shift. Now, with only the steak meal Chloe had prepared as her sole source of energy Kya was bushed.
    Her belly growled and she considered hunting, but quickly discarded the thought. The last thing she needed was to be caught out in the open again.
    The wind picked up and fluffy little snowflakes began to waft to earth as Kya licked her still healing ankle and wrist then rolled to her side, arms and legs extended out from her as she opted to hide under the tree until sunrise.
    Her sleep was restless. Her ears pricked and her head would snap up at the slightest sound. She woke more than five times during the long night certain she’d been found only to curse the many deer that populated the mountain.
    Closer to dawn Kya woke to the sound of a truck somewhere in the distance. She rose and stretched wearily, wincing at her stiff muscles. God what I’d give for a bubble bath, hot meal, and a warm bed.
    As she crawled out from under the tree, she was surprised to see an inch of snow blanketing the mountainside. She sniffed at it then licked a few flakes from the top of her paws.
    Turning, she opted to stay her course and leave Montana by route of the path furthest from Dell’s compound. Walking along, waiting to fully wake up before she bounded up the mountain side, she froze in place as the wind swirled around her and she caught the