Page 123 of Red

Stark’s arms wrap around me, and I sink into his body as much as possible, letting the tingling sensation fill me and lull me into a sleep. It’ll be okay if this is my life.

“We’ve found the red wolf,” Stark announces.

You have?

He moves back a few feet. It’s you . . . You killed all those people, and now—

Stark disappears, and Darwin comes out of the forest, a huge brown wolf. He growls.

No, I love you. I wouldn’t hurt anyone.

My body shakes and I keep myself from turning. They don’t know for sure.

You lied.

Darwin launches at me.

A scream wakes me, and I open my eyes to the darkness. My cheeks and pillow are soaked.

“What’s wrong?” Stark reaches past me and turns on the bedside lamp.

“Nothing. A bad dream.”

He cups my cheek. “Do you remember it?” His fingers tingle my scalp as he starts to stroke my hair. Red? His thoughts are no longer blocked.

“No, it’s a blur.”

His angle shifts, and I realize he isn’t listening. Fuck.

I reach over and switch off the light. The second I do, he lays flat on the bed, but he doesn’t pull me in.

“Let’s go back to sleep,” I suggest.

“I’m going to get some air.” He leans and kisses my forehead. He saw my roots . . . There’s no way he didn’t.

I roll over and hear him open a dresser drawer, then the door clicks shut behind him.

Chapter 36

No. No. No. I slide up out of bed, dig through a drawer and throw on one of Stark’s oversized T-shirts, which falls to my knees. The entire house is dark as I check the rest of the rooms and pull open the glass to the back deck. My legs fire in heat. He took off. What if he’s going to get the Elders?

I take a seat on the worn wooden steps. I guess I’ll wait. Maybe he went for a run.

I watch the sun rise as the sky turns pink and fades to blue. Spring air fills my nose, and birds chirp away in the trees.

The door slides open behind me, and I twist to see Jocko coming out.

“Where’s Stark? We were supposed to go together this morning.” He’s dressed in a light-green shirt and black joggers.

“He left early. I’m sure he’ll meet you wherever you were going.”

“Know why?”

“No.” I rub my swollen eyes.

“Aloka, he’s like family, so now you are too. If I need to beat his head in for being an idiot, you tell me, okay?”

“Family? Why do you stay?” I ask.