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“My father is in the hospital,” I reply, shoving clothes into my bag. “I need to go home.”
“Wait, how do you know this?” Soren asks before his eyes dart to the bed where my phone sits.
Grabbing it, I hold it up. “She called me.”
“I didn’t even know you had a phone, that is the first time I’ve seen it.” I chew my lip nervously and he pinches his brow in frustration letting out a heavy sigh.
“So your mother called you?” he asks and I know I’ve fucked up, considering he thinks I don’t speak with her. I just hope he doesn’t push for more answers.
“I turned it off when I left my ex, I only just turned it back on and saw a heap of recent missed calls from her. When I called her, she said my father is in hospital, and that I have to get there. They aren’t sure he’ll make it.”
“It’s late,” he protests gently. “You shouldn’t be leaving in the middle of the night.”
“I know.” I pause for a moment as doubt creeps in. Part of me wants to stay, to avoid reopening old wounds and facing the past, but the thought of not being there if the worst happens outweighs my fear.
“I can’t just sit here, Soren. I need to see him, to try and make things right; besides, I promised my mother I would come.”
“Come where? I thought they shunned you.”
“It’s my father. I won’t be far, just a few hours away, in Blackwood Pack,” I say, avoiding giving any more details. “I need to do this, Soren.”
“You can’t just go by yourself, Bree!” Soren snaps.
Finding my old car keys, I sigh in relief, glad I won’t have to try to catch a train there. It would take far longer. I turn away, “I have to go; I’m sorry. I promise I’ll be back soon. I’ll call you once I get to the hospital.”
Soren follows me, grabbing my arm. He snatches my car keys, looking at them. “You have a car?” he asks.
“It’s in the barn behind grandma’s old place.”
He shakes his head in disbelief before gritting his teeth. “You are not walking to your grandmother’s place in the middle of the night,” Soren insists, his grip on my arm firm but gentle. “Take one of my cars. Just promise me you’ll call as soon as you get there so I know you’re safe.” He leads me to his garage, where an impressive lineup of about twenty different cars awaits.
“Pick one,” he says, gesturing to the vehicles with a resigned smile, knowing he can’t stop me but wanting to help in the only way he can. I step into the garage, my eyes widening at the sight before me.
The polished marble floors gleam under the soft overhead lights, and the walls are lined with tools and equipment. Each car more expensive than the last, from a stunning red Ferrari to a sleek black Lamborghini and a classic silver Aston Martin. I hesitate, the thought of taking one of these fills me with anxiety. What if I scratch it or, worse, crash it? The cost of even a minor repair on one of these could be astronomical, far beyond anything I could afford.
Yet, the urgency of seeing my father pushes me forward, and I find myself moving toward a more understated but equally elegant electric Audi, figuring it’s the least conspicuous choice and hopefully the least expensive. Sliding into the driver’s seat, I’m enveloped by the smell of fine leather and the subtle hum of the advanced electronics. The interior is immaculate, with every button and screen within easy reach.
Chapter 13
• Aubrey •
“I can’t take one of these. What if I...” Soren starts the car and shuts the door. “Do you have one that is less… expensive? What about an old beater car or something?”
Soren arches a brow at me. “A what?”
“Something more durable?”
Soren chuckles softly. “Your driving can’t be that bad. Besides, I have insurance.” I roll my eyes, but he continues. “You’re not taking whatever heap of junk is parked in your grandmother’s barn. Besides, these all have AirTags in them, so I can track where you are.” The thought of being tracked makes me uncomfortable, a sense of being watched that prickles at the back of my mind.
I understand Soren’s concern, and a part of me is reassured by the idea that someone will know where I am in case anything goes wrong, but it also has me worried that Soren is losing trust in me.
Reluctantly, I nod. “Thank you, Soren. I’ll take good care of it, I promise.” He gives me a reassuring nod, and I put the car in gear, pulling out of the huge garage, swallowing my nerves.
As I pull away from the castle, the sleek Audi glides effortlessly down the driveway, the powerful engine purring beneath me. The road ahead stretches out into the night, illuminated by the car’s headlights. Each mile takes me farther from the life I’ve started to build, but the urgency of seeing my father propels me forward.
Hours pass as I drive, the landscape shifting from the lush greenery of Soren’s territory to the bright city lights and then to the more rugged terrain of my childhood. The familiar roads bring a flood of memories—happy, carefree days intertwined with the painful past I thought I had left behind. I grip the steering wheel tighter, the thought of returning to my old life weighing heavily on my mind.
As I approach Blackwood Pack territory, the entrance feels surreal. The once-vibrant banners that hung proudly now look tattered, reflecting the strife that has plagued my family. My heart races as I navigate the winding roads, leading me to the packhouse—a place filled with echoes of laughter and love now overshadowed by the weight of my family’s fractured bonds.
