by Amy Richie
He didn’t flinch—that’s how unimpressive my anger was. “No, we sit here and wait for my brothers to come.”
“We’ll all be dead by the time they get here.”
“They run fast.”
“So do the wolves.”
“If we stick together, we’ll be fine.”
“No one is stupid enough to stay here.” Except you. “The wolves have already attacked once, just staying here is asking them to do it again.”
“Running around out there without even a plan wasn’t so smart either.”
“That’s what I was saying. Next time, we’ll…”
“No,” his hand shot out to stop right in front of my face.
I shoved it angrily away. “No?”
“There is no next time.”
Miranda pulled tight on my leg, making me flinch. I didn’t know if she had done it on accident or on purpose to try and tell me to be quiet. I glanced down at her, but she was concentrating on the task.
“I still say it’s more dangerous just to sit around and wait for them to attack again.”
“It doesn’t really matter what you think,” he exclaimed, “you’ll do as you’re told and stay put.”
“I don’t know who you think you are,” I would have stood up so I could yell at him better if my leg didn’t hurt so bad. As it was, I had to settle for glaring up at him.
“I’m the man who is trying to keep you alive! Why are you making that so difficult?”
“I don’t remember asking for a bodyguard!”
“And I didn’t ask to come out to the woods and babysit. Guess we don’t always get what we want, huh?”
“Ugh!” I jerked my leg in agitation and a jolt of pain shot through it, cooling my anger more than counting to ten backwards could have done.
“You’re all set,” Miranda announced. She wiped it clean again with the rag and then taped a large white bandage over top.
“Umm… Thanks.”
She smiled wide. “It really wasn’t too bad. If you could try to stay off of it today, it would be a lot better.”
“I don’t see how that will be possible. We’re being hunted by wolves.”
She flinched away from my harsh words. “If any of us will get out of here, it will be you.”
“You will, too,” I assured her. “Paris is going to help you.”
“She has her own set of bodyguards,” Owen spoke up, coming close to join our small, tense group. He smiled down at Miranda.
“The Letrells are coming,” Paris spoke to Owen. He nodded, but didn’t look convinced. “And you,” he pointed to me as I if I were a small child, “are not to go anywhere without my permission.” Owen gave me a sympathetic smile, which only fueled my anger.
“I don’t need your permission to go anywhere,” I tried to keep my voice calm, but my temper was rising.
“Look what happened to you last time you tried doing things your way.” He gestured angrily to my still throbbing leg.
“I’m still alive.” It wasn’t that bad. Once we got past the wolves, I would heal back up. I might have scars in a few places, but at least I would get a nice hotel room.
“Not for long if you don’t start listening to me and do as you’re told.”
“I’m not your pet.”
“Never said you were.”
“Then, stop treating me like one.”
“You are a pet,” Owen spoke up again, “but don’t you belong to the sisters?”
“Exactly,” I latched onto the one who agreed with me even if he didn’t have all the facts, “which is why I will stick with them.”
“Paris is right, though,” Gloria deflated my anger.
“What?”
“The wolves attacked us,” she pointed out.
“The attacked Lexi,” Melody agreed—kind of.
“Not wolves,” I almost spit the word. “It was one wolf. He’s been after us since we came to the valley.”
Paris’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“The white wolf,” I looked to Gloria for confirmation, “he wants me.”
“They are looking for mates,” Gloria said quietly.
“They killed Vanessa.”
“She was weak.”
“Lexi isn’t.”
“The white wolf,” I repeated, “it’s always him, and I don’t think he’s just going to give up.”
“We can’t just sit here!” Owen’s face had turned an alarming shade of red with his fury.
“What do you suggest we do?” Paris’s eyes were wide with his own anger, but he seemed less enthusiastic to go running through the woods after a crazy pack of wolves.
“I still say we run,” Gloria intercepted.
“That didn’t go over quite so well,” Owen pointed out smoothly.
“Are you saying we should fight them?” She shook her head.
“Not all of them.” His head turned to address Paris. “We need to go after the white wolf. If he really does want Lexi, then she is right. He won’t give up.”
“My brothers will be here by morning.”
“She’ll be gone by then.”
Gone? As in dead or just with the wolves? Either one would be bad. “I agree with Owen.” My opinion wouldn’t matter, but I still voiced it. “We should go after him.” Before he came back for me.
Chapter 20
Paris stared at me with his mouth hanging slightly open. “We?”
“Yeah,” I nodded quickly.
“You’re not going anywhere.”
Of course he would say that. The wolf was after me, though. It only made sense that I be with them, that way they could find him. He would be wherever I was.
“I could help.”
“You would be in the way. You can’t fight a wolf.”
“No, but I could help you find him.”
His eyes narrowed. “We’ll find him. You’ll stay here.”
Paris and Owen walked off, heads close together as they discussed their plans to hunt down the white wolf. I still had a hard time standing, so Melody put her hands under my arms and pulled me to my feet.
I almost fell right back down when I put my weight on the leg, but Melody was still there, ready to catch me in case I did actually go down. Gloria and Liza watched us, but made no move to help.
“You should have just stayed on the ground,” Liza taunted. “Paris already said you aren’t allowed to go anywhere.”
“We can’t just stay here.” I tried to whisper, but Liza didn’t care.
“You’ll have to… until Paris tells you that you’re allowed to leave.”
“Or until I’m carted off by a monster wolf.”
“Hmm,” Liza brought one finger to her lips, “which do you prefer, a vampire boyfriend or a werewolf boyfriend?”
If it was a choice between Paris and the huge white wolf, I had no trouble choosing one. She was being mean, though, so I responded with a dark scowl. “Paris is just being overbearing. I’m sure you understand that, Liza. Damien Letrell used to be your boyfriend.”
“My boyfriend?”
I kept my eyes wide, pretending innocence. “I’m sure he was the same way. Trying to order you around and make you do things you didn’t want to do.”
“He controls us because he created us,” Melody explained, just when Liza was ready to tear into me.
“You must have succumbed to him at some point, though.” I don’t know what I was thinking, antagonizing her when I had no way of running away.
“So, you pick Paris,” she raised one eyebrow suggestively.
“Neither.”
She chuckled without humor. “We should have never come here.”
I didn’t want to agree with Liza, so I just stayed quiet. It was the same thing I had been thinking since we got here, though. If Paris was going after the white wolf, we would have a chance to run for it again. This time, we would have a better chance of getting away since the wolves would be preoccupied.
“Why is he always trying to
boss me around?” I crossed my arms angrily. “He barely even knows me.”
“He’s a male,” Gloria replied as if that explained everything. “And he’s a Letrell.”
“They think they own everything.” Melody ducked away from me so I was forced to walk on my own. I hobbled forward a few steps.
“They don’t own me. I’m no one’s pet—and don’t plan to be.”
“You’re a human,” Liza scoffed. “Just as bad as a pet.”
“Oh, be fair,” Melody came to my defense, “she’s better than a pet. All they do is run around in a panic.”
“Anyways,” Gloria said firmly, “he will tell you what to do as long as you’re around him. That’s how they are. Might as well get over it.”
“Then we need to just get away from him.”
“How are we supposed to do that? He’s watching us now.”
“Him and Owen are going after the white wolf,” I lowered my voice even more. Paris was nowhere near us, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he could hear me. “When he does, we’ll go.”
Gloria regarded me with curious eyes. I wasn’t sure I understood what was happening either. Two days ago, I wouldn’t have even voiced my opinion. Now, I was practically telling them what to do. I expected her to tell me what a bad idea it was, so I was surprised when she agreed with me.
“That’s not a bad idea.”
“The wolves would be less likely to come after us if Owen and Paris were chasing them,” Liza echoed my earlier thoughts.
“It could work.”
Our planning session was interrupted, though, by Paris. His appearance was so quiet and sudden that I had to wonder how long he had been standing there and what all he had overheard. Judging by his lowered eyebrows, it was probably too much.
“What are you talking about?” he asked calmly. Too calmly.
“Escape plans.” Gloria knew that he had already heard us.
“You three will come with us,” he announced. He didn’t point us out or anything, but it was a fair assumption that he wasn’t talking about me. “Addison will also be joining us.”
They were leaving us unguarded? Miranda came to stand next to me, along with Addison and Owen. The sisters backed away from the circle, but stayed close enough to hear what was being said. Miranda and I looked at each other, fear dominant in her eyes.
“You two will stay here,” Owen spoke in a low voice, his eyes resting on Miranda.
“Of course,” she nodded, looking back at him.
“We won’t be gone long,” he promised, “just stay with Lexi.”
Stay with Lexi? What was I supposed to do if a wolf came? I would rather be in the hunting party. I was careful to not let my feelings out on my face too clearly.
“We’re going after the white wolf.”
“Isn’t that dangerous?”
His lips turned up into a half smile. “It’s more dangerous to sit here and wait for it to come back for Lexi.”
“Why does it want her?”
It was Paris who answered this time. “Lexi is strong and resilient. She would fit in well in their world; better than most humans.”
Liza snorted at his diluted compliment. At least it sounded like a compliment. The way his eyes shone and the way he stared at me made me think so, but why would he think it was nice to say I would make a perfect wolf mate?
“When will you leave?” Miranda asked.
“Soon. Now.” He tilted his head back so he could see the sky. “Hopefully we can find them resting somewhere.”
She nodded. “Maybe you can rest as well, young one,” Addison suggested softly.
“I can help,” I tried again, but a glare was the only response. I rolled my eyes. It would be too hard to stomp out my frustrations, I had to settle for a loud sigh, which also got no reply.
“We’ll go by the river first,” Paris continued as if Miranda and I weren’t there. “That was where they lost Lexi the last time, so they might be waiting there.”
“They can’t be that stupid.”
“It’s as good a place to start looking as any. They’ll recognize the sisters’ scent as well. That will help.”
I stalked away, unable to hear any more of their plans. It was ridiculous that he wouldn’t let me help. True, I might not be as strong as they were, but I could still help. I could be used as I diversion or bait. It didn’t much matter what I said, though, he wouldn’t listen to reason.
My leg was feeling better the more weight I put on it. I was limping worse than the hotel girl, Savannah, but at least I could still walk. Soon enough, I would be able to run, too. No permanent damage done. As long as I didn’t turn into a wolf.
I got to the entrance of the broken up nest and ducked inside. There was nowhere else to go since I was limited to the camp. I walked to the hole the wolves had created and traced my hand along the crumbled rock.
The wolves were strong, much stronger than I ever gave them credit for. I knew their teeth were a threat, but they had broken through a rock wall. I was impressed despite myself.
The forest loomed out beyond the hole, going on and on for miles. I shuddered and swallowed back any fear I had. I was just irritated that they wouldn’t let me go with them out there, now I was scared just looking at it?
I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. I made my way slowly back to the dying fire, but I wasn’t sure where to go from there. I turned again and paced back to the entrance of the nest. My leg was starting to hurt. I knew I would have to sit down soon.
I was waiting for the others to leave first, though. I glanced over at them still huddled together a few feet from the fire on the other side of camp. I turned again.
“Hey,” Melody rushed up to join me in my slow pacing.
“I thought you were leaving with the others.”
“They’re still talking.”
“Yeah?”
“Listen, Lexi,” she stopped in front of me, forcing me to stop with her, “I came over to talk to you.”
My eyes narrowed. “What about?”
“The wolves.”
“What… what about them?”
“They,” she glanced back at Gloria who was still talking to the others, “they are leaving you unguarded.”
I had the same thought earlier. It didn’t make me feel much better to hear Melody say it, too. “We’ll be ok. There are other vampires here. Besides, you guys are chasing them away.”
“There is more than just the one pack.” Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips. “And the vamps will leave you in less than one of your heartbeats.”
“What are you saying?” My heart was speeding up uncomfortably.
“I’m just saying that you need to be careful.” She took one of my hands in hers.
“I’ll be careful,” I promised.
“I mean,” she squeezed my hand, “if the wolves come here—you just run.”
“Where to?”
“Just run, Lex. Get out of here if you need to. Hesitate and…you might die.”
“I don’t think they’ll kill me, Melody.”
“And if you get captured.” Her eyes widened again.
“What?”
“You still have that knife Gloria gave you?”
I moved my ankle slightly and felt the hard metal there. I hadn’t even thought of the knife before when the wolves had surrounded me. “I still have it,” I confirmed.
“What are you doing, Melody?” Gloria asked coldly, silently joining us.
“I was just telling Lexi to be careful.”
“She already knows to be careful.”
I wanted to ask if they would be coming back. I had a sudden urge to hold onto Melody and not let her leave. If they were planning to just keep going, they would come back for Melody first. But would they come back for me? I couldn’t do that, though. Of course I couldn’t.
And what did Melody expect me to do if I was captured? I hadn’t been lying to Paris before, I knew I couldn’t fight a werewolf. Not even with a s
mall knife tucked into my boot. What else would I be able to do?
“I’ll be fine here,” I tried to smile, but I was still too worried.
“Stay with Miranda.”
It was the same advice Owen had given Miranda. It made sense when he said it, but why was Gloria telling me that? I wasn’t planning to leave her side if I could help it, but Gloria wouldn’t have told me that. She would have told me to run—just like Melody did.
It was Paris, I realized suddenly. He had told them to make me stay with Miranda. Melody was the only one who hadn’t listened to him? Even more confusing.
The group by the fire had separated. Owen was talking to Miranda by the fire. I couldn’t see Paris anywhere. “You almost ready?” he asked suddenly. I jumped, not expecting him to be so close to us.
“Yes.” Gloria’s answer was automatic and spoke for all three of them.
“Let’s go.” His gaze lingered on me briefly, but moved away before I could say anything.
I swallowed over the thick knot that formed in my throat. I should have been going with them. It felt wrong for me to stay here. I wouldn’t have stopped them, but a tiny shudder of apprehensive nerves ran up my spine and down my arms.
I had been left on my own a bunch of times before, but this was different. This was so much different than any situation we had ever been in. Why was I the only one who thought this was a bad idea—us separating?
I walked behind them to the edge of the camp, where Owen and Addison joined up. “Miranda is by the fire,” Addison said in her soft way.
“Sit tight until we get back,” Paris ordered again, one last time before they left.
“What choice do I have?”
“None,” he confirmed.
The sisters darted away first, not even stopping to look back at me. Owen and Addison followed, leaving me there alone with Paris.
He took a step towards me, his hands hanging at his sides. “I know you don’t understand, but I’m doing what I can to keep you safe. As safe as I possibly can.”
“The wolves want me. You won’t be able to keep me safe.”
“I will.” His lips clamped tight on his declaration. “Just…don’t put yourself in unnecessary danger.”
“Why would I?”
