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She waved at the door. Making a path. For you. Her stare tried to make it seem like I was an idiot, but the small hitch in her voice caused my eyes to narrow. Okay, fine, I don’t know exactly where she is, but I’m sure she’s fine. She stared at me impatiently. Trying to save you, she reminded me, motioning to the door, growing more nervous as time ticked by.
A scraping sound drew my attention and I glanced up. Someone’s coming, I muttered idly, but her reaction was anything but as she dashed to the door, drawing it closed gently as I watched. She ran to the corner and squeezed into a niche in the rock I hadn’t seen previously. I knew she was there, but the longer I stared the harder it was to see her. My gaze kept skimming the spot where she hid, but I was soon distracted by a large man stomping down the stairs.
His head swung around, and I held my breath as his gaze went right over where Paige hid, exhaling as he squinted at me. “Thought I heard talking,” he barked, his squint daring me to deny it.
“I got lonely,” I said, spreading my hands. “When I get lonely, I talk to myself.” He scoffed at my admission but still I stuck my hand through the bars. “Caleb Bradshaw, member of the Navarre Pack.” He sneered at the sight of my hand and I curled my fingers into my palm. “Take it you’re not a fan.”
“You’re not welcome here,” he grunted and my eyebrows lifted.
“You don’t say.”
“If was up to me, I’d lock you up and throw away the key,” he added and I shook my head as he stared at me through the bars. His nose wrinkled as he sniffed the air. “You smell that?”
I didn’t smell a thing but I wasn’t about to admit that to this meathead. “Well, I wasn’t going to say anything, but yes.” He grunted, as Paige yelped, What are you doing? I ignored her as I went right up to the bars. I motioned for him to come closer and he lumbered forward. “Just between us,” I said confidingly, “You reek. Like a dead rat locked in a box for a month under a hot summer sky.” He growled, his fist flying much faster than I would have anticipated for such a beefy guy and striking me right through the bars. I reeled back, laughing as I spat blood on the ground. “What? Can’t take a joke?”
A glob of spit landed at my feet as he muttered, “I’ll be glad to watch you die.”
“You and everyone else,” I commented. “Sounds like you need a new source of entertainment around here.”
You might be the stupidest man I’ve ever met, Paige spoke up, sounding impressively awed. Strickland is my grandmother’s right hand man.
Now you tell me, I groaned as he waddled up the stairs. You don’t think you could have mentioned that sooner?
I didn’t know you were going to poke the bear! Paige popped up in front of the bars, startling me. She swung the door open and this time I exited. Finally, she sighed in relief. I actually like you.
I paused. What do you do with the ones you don’t like? She pressed her lips together, pretending she hadn’t heard and I shook my head. The pair of you worry me.
Just go home, she pleaded, her gaze darting around the room. Things will go back to normal when you do. I wasn’t sure what to make of her idea of normal but I definitely wasn’t going home. I wasn’t sure where home was anymore. The only thing I was sure of was one little she wolf.
I’m going to find your sister, I replied and Paige’s face fell.
I don’t think that’s a good idea, she protested hastily and my smile turned wolfish.
The best ones never are, I replied with a wink, leaping up the stairs as I left her there, a puzzled expression on her face.
A deep breath at the top of the stairs told me zilch so I dropped the shorts I was holding and shifted, raising my nose as I inhaled, the first rays of sunlight peeking through the trees. Her trail was impossible to miss and I let my wolf take the lead, stretching our legs after the confinement of the cell.
I weaved through the forest, pausing periodically to see if there were any other scents, but strangely hers was the only one. I followed her trail until I came to a fork. Her scent went both ways, with the fresher trail going left and I suspected that was the one I was meant to take.
I eyed it, knowing it was the smarter choice. There was something going on here that I didn’t understand and staying might cost me my life. Dru had made it clear she wanted me gone and at the moment I couldn’t blame her.
