Beyond the Pack’s Law: My stepsister or nobody else

Hayley’s POV

I barely managed to keep up with Aiden as we dashed through the dimly lit streets, gasping for breath.

Ahead, he pointed out a place resembling an abandoned warehouse, which would serve as our hiding spot.

Is it really safe there? I asked nervously, glancing back down the alley we had just come from since it appeared to be alive with shadows and every sound hit like a hammering heart.

“Best we can do,” he said with determination drawn on his face before urging me on.

The warehouse loomed over us-a dismal structure that seemed like it had not been used for several decades now. With rusted hinges creaking at every move Aiden made, we really entered inside, where darkness engulfed.

“Stay close,” Aiden whispered, tugging my clothing deeper into the uncertain blackness.

We crept through large, hollow rooms, making minimal noise with each step. Dust filled the air while rotten odours grabbed hold of our noses. I focused on trying to breathe normally as my ears listened for anything moving behind us.

“Here,” Aiden said, showing me some crates mounted on scattered machines. This is where we can hide ourselves from prying eyes.

This time, I could feel how cold metal pressed against us when we were crouching down. There was no denying that my heart was racing in my chest while adrenaline rushed through me uncontrollably.

“Do you think they’ll find us?” I asked in a voice barely audible.

Aiden’s eyes roamed around in the dark. “Not if we remain quiet.”

We stayed quiet, even though time felt slow. There were sounds from afar, but nothing showed that they were coming after us. However, I still had uneasiness in the back of my head.

“Aiden, what if-” I began, but he wouldn’t let me finish.

“Shh,” he whispered urgently. “Listen.”

I held my breath and strained myself to hear. Footsteps! Slow and deliberate, they are approaching closer to us. My heart is leaping into my throat.

“They’re here,” Aiden mouthed, eyes wide open.

We pushed ourselves deeper into the shadows, trying not to be seen by anyone around us. Then footsteps became louder, echoing throughout this warehouse, reminding us of how dangerous our circumstances were.

“Check over there,” said one voice, causing chills to run down my spine.

Aiden’s grip on me tightened, and then I could see how tense his face was. We needed to remain hidden and stay silent.

Footsteps stopped just a few inches from our place of hiding, where I could see some shape through the gaps in the crates, while my heart pounded so loudly as though it were going to burst out.

“Nothing here,” said one voice before footsteps began going away.

Slowly, I breathed out, relieved, but only for a moment.

“Wait,” another voice called out. “I think it was something.”

My heart stopped. The footsteps returned, closer this time. I could see the beam of a flashlight sweeping across the crates, inching closer to us.

“Aiden,” I whispered, panic rising in my chest.

“Stay calm,” he whispered back, his eyes locked on mine. “We’ll get through this.”

The flashlight beam stopped, and I could hear the sound of someone moving closer. I closed my eyes, praying they would move on.

“Over here!” the voice called out, and I felt a surge of terror.

Aiden grabbed my hand, and we bolted from our hiding spot. The element of surprise was on our side, and we managed to knock the flashlight from the person’s hand, plunging the warehouse back into darkness.

“Run!” Aiden shouted, pulling me along.

We dashed through the maze of crates and machinery, hearing the sound of our pursuers close behind. My legs burned, but I pushed on, fuelled by sheer desperation.

“This way!” Aiden called, leading us to a metal staircase.

We scrambled up the steps, the clanging of our footsteps echoing through the warehouse. At the top, Aiden pushed open a door, and we found ourselves on a rickety catwalk.

“Keep moving,” he urged, as we raced across the catwalk.

Our weight was causing the catwalk to sway, and the shouts of our pursuers could be heard from below. Another staircase leading down was discovered at the end of the catwalk.

“Go, go!” Aiden yelled out as we began to descend the stairs.

Like a thieving ghost, we ran through the night. There was a dim light up ahead-an exit.

“There!” I shouted at the light.

We made for the exit fast enough that it sounded as if our followers were getting farther away from us. Striking through the door put us in an alley where cool night air met our faces.

“Come on,” said Aiden as he pulled me along with him.

Through the alley, we ran away from the warehouse, creating as much distance as possible, until finally we were forced to slow down, gasping for breath. Leaning against the cold brick wall, my hands lay on my knees while I tried to catch my breath. Aiden was next to me, trying to observe if anyone else had trailed us, his chest raising heavily up and down.

“Did we get rid of them?” I whispered so quietly that even my own ears barely heard it.

“I think we did.”. His gaze was still fixed on the dark sides of this alley. “But we shall not stay here for too long; let’s go.”.

Head nod and everything else, but one thing has been bothering me since last night. And I needed answers.

“Aiden, can I ask you something?” He asked, still concentrating on our environment, “What is it?”

“Last night, when I saw you with that girl…” I hesitated to say it out loud, though it might sound like an accusation. “Who was she?”

Aiden stiffened and narrowed his eyes as he turned to me. “Hayley, this isn’t the time.”

I interrupted him in a soft voice, though insistently, saying, “Please, I need to know.”

He sighed before running one hand through his hair repeatedly, getting irritated as if trying to calm down. “She is part of my mission, so don’t worry yourself too much about it.”

“Part of your mission?” I repeated feeling confused but at the same time frustrated. “What do you mean by that?”

“It means,” he said quietly with a tense tone, “that you shouldn’t be asking questions right now. Hayley, our lives are in danger.”

I urged, my eyes desperately searching for him, “But why don’t you just say it to me? I thought we were together in this.”

“We are,” he replied, with a slight softening of his tone. “But there are some things you don’t know. Things you don’t need to know.”

Tears started stinging my eyes, but I blinked them back. You just seem to be keeping things from me.

He looked at me gently, putting his hand on my face, and said, “Hayley, I need you to trust me.” Can you do that?

Nodding slowly made me swallow hard, Bryan. I trust you, Aiden; I simply don’t want to be left in the dark after all.

That’s what I thought,” he said softly. But there’s a promise that once it’s done, everything will be put on the table. The only thing left is staying alive for now.

A deep breath made all my emotions start calming down inside of me.

Fine.

He said, “We have to move fast,” as his thumb brushed against my cheek lightly.

But before we moved, Aiden sipped forward and pressed his lips against mine, completely unanticipated yet somehow managing to melt into his embrace, allowing any remaining tension caused by these last few days to spill away, albeit just temporarily. His warm, firm mouth felt so good within mine; it felt like there was nothing else more intense than anything else he might feel or ever wanted during such an occasion’s desperate moment that only one could have ever experienced through that miserable time frame without even thinking about what happened since it all began until now.

There was no air in our lungs as we broke the embrace after a long while, both of us gasping for breath. Aiden had closed his eyes and rested his forehead against mine; he whispered,

“I’m sorry,” followed by, “I just… needed it.”

For a different reason, my heart raced, but I smiled softly. “Me too.”

We stood there for some time, oblivious to what was happening around us. However, the footfalls of people brought us back down to earth.

Aiden said as he took my hand, “Let’s go; we have to keep going.”

We moved through the dark alleys quietly, trying to increase the distance between us and those pursuing us. The city was a labyrinth full of dark corners and hidden paths; Aiden seemed like he knew right where he was going.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“What’s our destination?” My voice remained low.

“There is a safe house just a few blocks from here,” he said. “We can chill out there for some time.”

“How did you find out about this?” I asked, letting my curiosity overtake me.

“It’s part of the network,” he stated plainly. “Some sort of place we can use whenever we are in danger.”

Nodding in agreement, I didn’t press for any more information. It was evident that it wouldn’t hurt to dig too much into his life like before. Aiden had his secrets, but I trusted him all the same. It was he who brought us all the way here, and I thought he would save us also. We came to the safe house, which was just an ordinary house in the area. Aiden led me through a side entrance; he quickly looked around and unlocked it.

The interior, though simple, was enough for living. The living room was small; there was also a kitchen and two bedrooms available here, which showed that this place was destined only for short periods of time instead of long ones.

“Make yourself comfortable,” said Aiden, locking it behind us.

“I’ll check the periphery and see if we are safe here.”

I sat on an old couch, shaking my head, as my mind was still filled with thoughts on what had just happened-the chase, questions asked, then forgetting them all at one point by that kiss. That was too much.

Aiden came back looking relaxed. “All clear for now.”

“Good,” I said, my voice strengthening again. It should take us somewhere meaningful, anyway.

“We need to talk.”

“Hayley, there’s no time for…”

“Now, Aiden, it’s important.”

He took a deep breath before giving an answer too hard for him: “What do you have?”

“Something didn’t sound right when they mentioned my family.”

His eyebrows went down, displaying confusion across his face. “What do you mean?”

“Rachel isn’t really my mom.”

Aiden stared at her as though she had just been slapped across the face. “What? How did you come by this information?”

“I found some documents,” I said, slightly shivering with fearfulness in my voice. “All sorts of things, like birth records or even adoption papers.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” He asked, gazing into me intently.

“You’re not someone I can trust,” I said. “And then everything happened too quickly.”

“You can trust me, Hayley; trust me,” he told me anyway.

“But now I know,” I said softly. “This changes everything.”

He leaned closer, asking, “How so?”

“There’s more,” I continued. “The documents mention a man called Robert. He might be my biological father.”

Aiden’s eyes widened. “Robert? Do you even know who he is?”

“No,” I replied, feeling a lump in my throat, “but I must find out.”

“Okay,” he nodded. “We will figure it out together.”

“But what if it is a trap?” Fear laced into my voice as I questioned him. “What if this all forms part of some greater plan?”

“We’ll be careful,” Aiden reassured me. “One step at a time.”

“Honestly! I don’t get why Rachel never said anything,” I said, my voice quaking. “Why keep it secret?”

“Maybe she was protecting you,” Aiden offered. “Or maybe she really didn’t have the complete picture.”

“Maybe,” I said, wiping a tear off my cheek. “But there’s something else I can’t seem to shake off about it.”As Aiden concurred, “could be,” but we can’t tell till we go deeper. “Like I told you.”

“Do you really want to assist me?” I stammered, seeking his help, as if sending a signal to him.

Aiden took hold of my hand and said, “Hayley,” holding on tight. “I’m here for you always.”

“Thanks.” Relief washed over me as I spoke softly.

“We will get through this together,” he asserted stronger than ever before. In collective silence, I added those two words: “together.”

“Okay,” Aiden stated while standing up. “We need to catch some sleep now so that we can start answering our questions tomorrow.”

In affirmation, I was beside him, yet I still answered,

“But Aiden?”

“Yeah?”

“I really appreciate everything that you did.”

He beamed, then held onto my palm in a firm grip, making me know that he meant it:

“Anytime, Hayley, my dearest. Anytime.”