Read My Werewolf Boyfriend :: The Masquerade of Shadows(1/2)

The flickering neon light of the laboratory reflected off Ava Lee’s switchblade as she adjusted the final details of her disguise. Her face now mirrored Professor Carter Professor’s stern features perfectly, down to the faint scar above his left eyebrow.

She straightened the lab coat, her fingers brushing against the hidden smoke bomb in her pocket.

“Professor Carter,” a guard greeted her with a curt nod as she entered the Thomas family estate.

“I’m here to inspect the experiment’s progress,” Ava replied, her voice mimicking Professor Carter’s gravelly tone flawlessly.

The lab was cold, sterile, and dimly lit. Emma Brown sat hunched in a corner, her eyes darting suspiciously as Ava approached.

“You’re not here to run more tests, are you?” Emma’s voice was laced with defiance.

“Not exactly,” Ava whispered, leaning closer. “I’m here to get you out.”

Emma’s eyes widened, but before she could respond, Ava pressed a finger to her lips. “Trust me,” she murmured, slipping a small key into Emma’s hand.

The moment the guard turned his back, Ava activated the smoke bomb. Thick gray clouds filled the room, and the alarm blared, echoing through the manor.

“What the hell is going on?” a guard shouted, his voice muffled by the chaos.

“Stay calm!” Ava barked, her voice carrying authority. “It’s just a malfunction!”

She grabbed Emma’s arm, pulling her toward the exit. “Follow me, and don’t look back,” Ava instructed, her tone sharp but reassuring.

As they slipped through the back door, the crisp night air hit them like a slap. The distant sound of guards shouting and footsteps pounding on the marble floors faded into the background.

“Who are you?” Emma panted, struggling to keep up.

“A friend,” Ava replied, her eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of pursuit.

They reached the edge of the estate, where the dense woods loomed like a dark sanctuary. Ava paused, glancing back at the manor. The alarm’s red glow illuminated the sky, casting eerie shadows across the manicured lawns.

“We’re not out of the woods yet,” Ava muttered, her grip tightening on Emma’s wrist.

“Literally,” Emma quipped, her sarcasm cutting through the tension.

Ava shot her a half-smile. “Save the jokes for when we’re safe.”

As they disappeared into the trees, the faint sound of a helicopter echoed in the distance. Ava’s heart raced. The Thomas family wasn’t going to let them go so easily.

“Keep moving,” she urged, her voice low but urgent.

“Where are we even going?” Emma whispered, her breath ragged.

“Somewhere they won’t find us,” Ava replied, her mind already calculating their next move.

The woods seemed endless, the moonlight barely piercing the thick canopy. Ava’s thoughts raced. They were running out of time.

Suddenly, a twig snapped behind them. Ava froze, her hand instinctively reaching for her switchblade.

“Did you hear that?” Emma whispered, her voice trembling.

“Stay close,” Ava murmured, her eyes narrowing as she scanned the darkness.

The hunt was far from over.

The flickering neon light from the security cameras reflected off Henry Thomas’s polished boots as he strode through the dimly lit corridor of the manor.

His sharp eyes scanned the monitors, each screen a mosaic of shadows and movement. Something was off—the air felt too still, too quiet. His jaw tightened as he turned to his lieutenant, a burly man with a scar running down his cheek.

“Where’s Emma?” Henry demanded, his voice low but cutting.

The lieutenant hesitated, his eyes darting to the screens. “She was in the east wing, sir. But the cameras went dark ten minutes ago.”

Henry’s fist slammed against the console, the sound echoing through the room. “Find her. Now！”

Meanwhile, deep within the dense woods surrounding the manor, Ava moved like a shadow, her breaths shallow but steady. Emma clung to her hand, her small fingers trembling. The sound of barking dogs and distant shouts carried through the trees, growing louder with every passing second.

“We can’t outrun them,” Emma whispered, her voice barely audible over the rustling leaves.

Ava glanced down at her, her amber eyes glowing faintly in the moonlight. “We don’t have to outrun them. We just have to outsmart them.” She knelt, her fingers brushing the forest floor. “Stay close to me, no matter what happens.”

The sound of snapping twigs and heavy boots grew closer. Ava’s heart pounded, but her expression remained calm. She closed her eyes, focusing on the primal energy coursing through her veins. With a sharp intake of breath, her body began to shift—bones cracking, muscles stretching, fur sprouting from her skin. In moments, a massive gray wolf stood where Ava had been, her golden eyes locked on the approaching figures.

“There!” one of Henry’s men shouted, his rifle raised. “It’s her!”

Ava snarled, her teeth bared as she lunged forward. The first shot missed, the bullet embedding itself in a tree as she darted to the side. She moved with predatory precision, her wolf form a blur of motion. With a swipe of her paw, she knocked the rifle from the man’s hands, sending it skidding across the forest floor.

“Fall back!” another man yelled, his voice tinged with panic. “She’s too fast!”

Ava didn’t give them time to regroup. She circled them, her growls echoing through the trees as she herded them away from Emma. Her mind raced, calculating every move. She needed to buy time, to lead them deeper into the woods where the terrain would work in her favor.

“You think you can outrun us, mutt?” one of the men taunted, his voice shaky despite his bravado.

Ava’s lips curled into a wolfish grin. She didn’t respond—she didn’t need to. With a sudden burst of speed, she disappeared into the shadows, leaving the men scrambling to follow.