Chapter 254 - Not Being Locked
«Women are so complicated, aren\'t they?» Luciano chuckled. «She\'s like this now, but I\'ll talk to her and solve it. She will listen, eventually.»
It was that word, eventually, that scared the others. Still, they had no reason nor motive to doubt the Alpha. They continued talking about defences and countermeasures. All while Renato had an odd feeling.
He observed the door where Lucretia had passed a few minutes before with unrest in his heart.
It was new: that brat couldn\'t ever move anything in his heart. But he was worried about her reaction all of a sudden. As if it regarded him in any way.
He shook his head and focused back on the meeting.
Meanwhile, Lucretia reached her room and packed a bag. She collected clothes for two days and enough cash, other than her credit card. She knew her brother would instantly locate her if she used it, but it was better than having no money when she needed it. It would also mean she could have a ride back home if things went out of control.
She had to move fast before the others finished their meeting. She had sent a message to her friends, but no one was willing to come with her.
«You bastards,» she whined while getting out on tiptoe. «It\'s not even that dangerous out there for us!»
They all had found an excuse to stay home. Moreover, it was going to rain soon.
The water would cover her traces, true, but it would also make the outing a cold, uncomfortable experience.
«Just you see when you\'re locked inside,» she continued, walking in between the houses in search of inspiration. She could sneak out and take the public transport until her traces were lost.
But alone, it wasn\'t as tempting. It was not about the fear something could happen because it was not the case. It just sounded boring.
Walking and walking, she reached Renato\'s parents\' house.
She observed the door and wondered whether she could just knock. She hadn\'t been inside before, not even when Amanda had invited her over for tea, once and totally against her will.
Still, all of a sudden, she was willing to drink tea with that weirdo. Maybe just to feel Renato\'s scent in a place he found familiar.
He hadn\'t defended her back there. Oh, nothing new. Still, she hoped he would convince Luciano not to lock her up. He had done it a couple of times before. She would ask him nicely, and he would talk with Luciano; in the end, she would have her way, flying in the sky from happiness because Renato was the one helping her. He was also the only one who could make her brother accept reason.
After a split second of consideration, she took her phone out and called Amanda. She had saved her number, for some reason. She didn\'t know herself why... Maybe, just because she was Renato\'s sister, even if she was weak like an outcast.
Lucretia didn\'t receive any answer, and she almost smashed the phone on the ground. Yet, at the last moment, the door of the house opened.
«What are you doing here?» Amanda asked.
«I want to go out. Do you want to come with me?»
«Out? And where are your friends?»
«They\'re scared of outside,» Lucretia whined, rolling her eyes.
«Is there a reason to be afraid, though?»
«No, they just don\'t want to go without their parents\' permission. Weaklings.»
«So, you came looking for me because no one else is around.»
«Do you want to come or not?»
«I\'m not that attracted to going out with this weather, Lucretia.»
«Oh, just do what you want!» she yelled, turning on her feet. Yet, before she could run away, Amanda\'s voice stopped her.
«How long?»
«Two days will suffice.»
«Wait for me here,» Amanda said before disappearing behind the door once again.
She returned a few minutes later with a backpack.
«Does your brother know you\'re going out? Oh, does my brother know as well?» Amanda said. «Where is he?»
«I\'m going alone today.»
«Oh, I see. Are we fleeing together, then?»
«Don\'t make fun of me,» Lucretia said.
«Hey, you are the one among us who is desperate. I didn\'t call you here to run away together. What do you call me, usually? Outcast, wasn\'t it? Yet none of your friends wants to follow you, Lucretia. It means that: either your plan is bullshit, or your friends aren\'t as close friends, all things considered.»
«Don\'t make me regret calling you,» Lucretia spat out while moving the first few steps.
«I don\'t care. If you ever regret it, just tell me. I\'ll turn on my steps and come back home. I have a home, after all... And I haven\'t argued with my family. It\'ll be fine for me.»
«How do you know?»
«What else could make you abandon your safe place without a bodyguard to carry your bags? It\'s pretty evident what happened.»
«I\'m not running away forever. Just a couple of days.»
«A lot of things can happen meanwhile... Let\'s go so that you vent a little, and we can come back earlier.»
«I\'m not doing it to vent!»
«No? Oh, sure... If you say so.»
The two girls walked away while the rumbling of thunder resounded in the distance. A storm was approaching, and rain started falling as soon as they had boarded a random bus. It covered their traces, melting their scents with the ground and making them disappear.
No wolf could follow them in that situation, and the bus was fast enough and crowded. It would cut any link they had left.
The world was waiting for them and, no matter how much they were denying it in one way or another, they were both excited.