Cold Moon Rising: A New Adult Paranormal Romance (Cry Wolf) by Sarah Makela Page B

shook as I struggled to get the key into the ignition. Any fine motor skills I possessed were nearly impossible, yet alone trying to start the car with just enough force. The car could be temperamental on the best of days. I didn’t know what I would do if it failed to start. Thankfully, I didn’t have to find out. The engine gave a throaty roar as it came to life.
    In the distance, radio static came to life from one of the walkie talkies. Someone was first asking in normal tone to report, until escalating to full scale yelling over the radio. Apparently someone from the base was impatient in knowing what was going on. I forced my right hand to move, trying to shift from park, but the hand didn’t have enough strength in it.
    Outside, one of the guards in the tree line stood slowly, rubbing at his eyes. Damn it! He must’ve woken up from the chatter on the radios. I should have thought about bending their rifles into useless junk when I had the chance.
    The gear finally hit home, and the car lurched forward. I put my foot on the pedal. Each moment behind the wheel took concentration, an effort to keep the car from sliding into a ditch or swerve into the opposite lane. My muscles wanted only to relax.
    A bang resounded from the door, followed by another. Darts. I had to get down the road before they managed to break a window and stick me with another.
    As I steered it out to the main road, I felt a pang of pain on my left arm, but I couldn’t afford to pay it any attention. When we made it a safe distance, I needed to call my brother. There was no way around it. If he didn’t come help us, we—
    I didn’t want to think about the possibilities of what might happen if Shane didn’t head out to help. While I knew he was probably indulging in his own sex-crazed wolf run with his latest fling, I needed his help. He’d always been there for me before. I had to believe that he’d be there for me now.
    The gas station was now firmly behind us, and I glanced over at Kelly who was slumped into the seat. The dart still stuck out of her side through my black t-shirt covering her torso. Any other time, I would’ve removed it, but right now, I was too afraid of flopping onto her lap and sending the car careening off the road.
    The thought of burning myself with the cigarette lighter to stay awake slipped into my head. While the thought was tempting, I couldn’t risk an accident. Besides, the idea of doing that to myself felt wrong and made my wolf growl.
    Distracted, I had slowly slipped to the other lane, and the correction I was forced to make caused Kelly’s head to droop in an uncomfortable manner. I could kick myself, but that was for later. Right now, I needed my full attention on the road.
    My eyelids grew heavier, and I clenched my fist on the wheel. The turnoff for the highway was just ahead. Signs pointed to it in the distance. If I didn’t pull over now and call Shane, I might not be able to later.
    When we were safely on the side of the road, I reached for my phone in the center console where I’d dropped it before heading to the research lab. Knowing I was going to be caught by them, I hadn’t wanted them to confiscate my belongings. However, it hadn’t allowed me to reach out sooner.
    I fumbled with my phone, nearly dropping it a few times. Finally, I managed to dial Shane’s number. It rang and rang and rang. My heart pounded in my chest. This could not be happening to me. I hung up and tried again, hoping against hope that he just hadn’t heard the phone the first time.
    No luck.
    “Shane, I need your help. They’re after us. These men... they’re studying us—” The roar of a jeep speeding toward us filled the rearview mirror. Panicking, I dropped the phone. “Shit!” Tires screeched behind us, and I punched the gas pedal.
    Not now, not like this.

AUTHOR’S NOTE
     
     
    Thank you for reading Cold Moon Rising ! This story came together abruptly when I saw a fun call for submission from an