“It’s going to stay that way,” I argue back.
“Then keep talking to me,” she insists, but her breathing is slowing down, which is a good sign but seems dependent on distraction.
I take a moment, maneuvering us over a log, trying to think of what to say. Then I realize it doesn’t matter. “Velvet helped me find you.”
Despite the dark, I see her face turn toward mine in my peripheral vision. “She did?”
“Yes.” I nod, recalling the moment I broke the barrier of the woods and heard the howling. “She was howling, and I wasn’t sure it was her, but I followed it. Whether it was her, or you were about to become some random wolf’s dinner, I knew I needed to get to it, and then I saw her. She ran off before I got to you, but I saw her. I know it was her.” I shake my head at the phenomenon.
Molly swallows hard and takes a breath. “I think she woke me up. I hit my head when I fell,” she explains. “And I think I felt her when I was out. Something wet nudged me a couple of times, and I think it was her. She woke me.”
I take a quick look at her before angling us through the trees. “You hit your head? Molly, Jesus…” My heart starts working overtime, and it’s not because I’m carrying her.
Eerie lights glow up ahead, which turn out to be police lights shining through the break in the trees. I hustle us the last few yards, and once we’re in the clearing, I set Molly down to take a look at her head. The reds and blues are way up at the accessroad, but I can still see that they’re there. I didn’t bring my flashlight with me, but I’m determined to focus on her. “What side of your head?” I ask.
“Wolf, I’m okay now. Can we please just get home?”
“Not on your life. You’re getting checked out,” I inform her, though the organ in my chest definitely relaxes a little at the wordsweandhome.
“Wolf?” Forest’s voice calls from a distance, close to the police cruisers.
“I’ve got her!” I yell back before crouching by Molly again. “Does your head still hurt?” I ask, trying to get a good look at her.
“Yeah, it still aches, but?—”
She doesn’t finish as I pull her to me. “I’m so sorry,” I say into the top of her wet hair.
“For what?”
“I’m so sorry this happened. And I’m sorry for the rest of it, for everything else. I’ll tell you everything you want to know just please keep being my wife.” The words spill in a desperate ramble until my voice gets drowned out by Hawk’s approaching engine.
“That’s good.” Molly sighs but still speaks loudly to be heard over the ATV. “Because after getting chased, shot at, and knocked unconscious, the fact I don’t know your favorite color is really gnawing at me.”
“The smartass is back. That’s a good sign.” I chuckle.
Hawk dismounts his machine and comes over to crouch by Molly. “Felt like causing some trouble for us tonight, huh?” he asks with an easy smile.
“Well yeah, I was bored,” she volleys. “And I thought, what’s a good way to fuck up my brother-in-law’s night?”
“Joke’s on you—I was bored too,” he fires back as he and I both take one of her arms to help her stand.
When Molly is safe on the back of Hawk’s quad, I tell her, “Hold on tight but not too tight,” quirking my eyebrow.
“You’re sexy when you’re possessive.” She winks, and the lights highlight a cut above her eye.
I’m cataloging every ding and dent to fuel my rage fire against the two assholes we have in custody.
Hawk keeps his speed to a steady roll, not going too fast, just getting Molly over to the ambulance parked near the police cruisers. It doesn’t take me long to catch up, and after helping her off the quad, I’m ready to help her limp the few feet to the ambulance door when she stops us.
Turning in the direction of the sheriff’s cruiser, she ambles over, still limping slightly but clearly not giving a shit about it. The back seat door is still open, and she looks down into it, a fire raging in her hazel eyes.
“Stay thefuckaway from my land!” she screams at Riley, whose head is bowed toward his lap. The coward can’t even look at her.
“Molly.” I reach a hand out, trying to coax her away. With the cut on her head, I don’t think it’s a good idea for her to get her heart rate up, though I don’t blame her.
“You hear me?” she demands, screaming at him through clenched teeth. “Say it!”
Riley nods weakly.
