Page 8 of Unravel Me

"I tried using Damien's energy to strengthen my own abilities, hoping it would help, but I still had no idea what I was supposed to do with the excess of it. Then I found myself staring at the map… drawn back to the same place over and over again, always to this one particular spot. It seemed more important than anywhere else. The problem is, it isn't even a settlement. It's a forest near a small town called Rainbow Springs."

"I don't understand," I whisper, staring at the sea of green.

"Neither do I," Storm admits reluctantly. The helpless look in his eyes tells me he's done everything he could, and this is all he has left to give me.

"Every time I'd look at your picture and then at the map, I'd end up focusing on this exact spot. I don't know who lives there. Rainbow Springs is known as a tourist town, and the forests around it are full of upscale vacation cabins for wealthy people. For a while I thought maybe your fated mate might be staying there, but… I don't think anyone actually lives there year-round. It's just a wooded area. I don't have anything else for you, Jared. I'm sorry."

I stare at the patch of map beneath Storm's finger, swallowing against the disappointment rising deep inside me.

"There's… nothing there. How is that possible? You don't have anything else? I'm supposed to just drive there blind?"

"I don't know what you're supposed to do, Jared. But you've been waiting long enough that I felt I owed you a report on… let's call them my findings. I know someone who used to work as a detective deputy, my cousin Veyron. He could go there and find out who lives in the area, ask around—"

"No." I cut him off because something is rising inside me, a kind of wild determination. "If anyone's going there, it'll be me."

Storm looks almost uneasy.

"It would be safer if—"

"No. I'm going."

Wow… did I really just say that? I decided already?

What the hell is happening to me, this weird purple guy showed up with a map on a tablet and claims this random patch of forest keeps pulling at him whenever he thinks about me. What exactly am I supposed to make of that? Dammit, I’m crazy!

Storm also seems caught off guard by how quickly I answered.

"Listen. I don't know if this is really the best time for you to be thinking about a trip when, well…" He cocks his head meaningfully. "I think you know something's getting close."

Fuck. I always forget purple alphas have even a better sense of smell than regular alphas.

"I've still got a few days."

"I'd say fewer than that."

"I've still got a few days!" I repeat firmly, as though I can force reality to obey me. "I want to go see that place."

I catch him rolling his eyes ever so slightly, but he reins himself in.

"But that's western North Carolina. It's at least a twelve-hour drive from here if you’re pushing it. Think this through carefully. I don't want your life on my conscience if you end up in some damn situation. Please… at least consider taking Veyron with you."

"I've already made my decision." My voice is uncharacteristically firm. It's as if something inside me responded, something stubborn and convinced it's right, and I simply follow its lead.

Storm watches me for a long moment, and I can see it in him: disbelief, and even bewilderment.

The cautious part of me agrees with him; this isn't much to go on, it's all incredibly vague… but the other part has already made up its mind.

Finally, he sighs and says, "Well, Damien would approve of your decision. I was convinced I wasted those two months. But this just kept coming back, over and over again, and that stubborn persistence is exactly why I'm not going to stop you now. Damian really thinks there's something more to it. He doesn't believe it's a coincidence."

Suddenly, the keypad by the front door beeps.

The sound pulls me out of this strange, stubborn trance, almost bordering on fixation. I jerk my head up and glance toward the entrance.

The door opens, and Alex walks in.

"Phew…" I breathe out.

The moment he sees Storm, his expression changes. First surprise, then outright shock. But almost immediately, I catch a flash of hope in his eyes. I can't help thinking he's been feeling the same way these past two months. I've stayed here longer than I should have, and he’s a loner. He'd probably like to have his home back to himself again.