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Chapter Thirteen
Dru
I ran, the pain of the shift no match for the pain in my heart after telling him no, and seeing Paige’s desperation for me to be free. I hadn’t realized how strongly she’d felt until I’d heard her voice, the effort she’d made to speak, but I also couldn’t allow her to carry the burden of our grandmother’s hatred alone.
One of my paws glanced off metal and I heard the snap as the metal teeth locked together. I skidded to a stop, heart pounding at how close I’d come to being caught in one of our own traps. I sat down on my haunches, staring at the rusted jaws, desperate to know what was happening in the clearing between Gran and the dozen shifters that had come for Caleb, but also afraid I wouldn’t be strong enough to tell him no again if he asked.
I’d been surprised when I’d come across the shifters pacing along the border and the lone woman among them. Fear had been my first emotion, followed by relief that maybe Caleb would actually be safe if they’d come to free him. Gran would hesitate to try and attack so many, especially if she didn’t have Paige by her side.
Once I’d assured myself that the scent of the wolf shifters was in fact the same as Caleb, I’d sent a frantic message to Paige, knowing she’d bring Caleb to me. Gran’s arrival had been unexpected even though I should have known better. Her arrival had thrown gasoline on a tense situation, but it was the old wolf who’d surprised me. He’d known her, called her by a nickname, and Gran hadn’t killed him instantly for it.
Finding out we’d once been allies with Caleb’s Pack had been a punch to the gut. Gran had kept so much from us in her effort to ostracize and control us. Maybe if we’d asked for help all those years ago, my grandmother and mother wouldn’t have died and Gran wouldn’t be the acrimonious old woman she was now.
I stared back the way I’d come, broken branches indicating my rush as I’d torn though the forest. A low whine escaped me as I stood and paced. My wolf wanted to go back, recognizing her mate was out there and not understanding why we weren’t fighting for him.
She’ll never see daylight again, the hissed words drifted through my mind once again and I closed my eyes, knowing Gran would do it. She’d cage Paige up like an animal and leave her there to die just to spite me. I’d never been one to toe the line, but once Gran had figured out the one thing I loved more than myself, she’d had me. I would do anything for Paige, a fact Gran was well aware of and it had cost me dearly, but I couldn’t bring myself to regret having Paige’s existence. I would have broken long ago if it hadn’t been for her.
I chuffed, shaking my head, not able to sense Paige’s emotions any longer. A few steps forward and I paused, wolf and human warring over the best course of action. Finally, we settled on watch and wait, my steps eager now as I trotted back to the clearing. It didn’t take me long to reach them, but already they were disappearing, the wolf shifters going back home. Only one concerned me though and I watched him hesitate, his gaze sweeping right over where I hid and I tucked myself further back, afraid he could somehow see me.
“I’ll be back,” the low whisper should have been impossible to hear, but there was no mistaking Caleb’s voice. He turned and in a few strides was gone.
My breath left me in a rush as I tried to decipher the tangle of emotions his leaving caused, there was relief, but also a bone crushing sorrow at watching another person I loved leave me. I rubbed my snout against my paw, the ache in my chest spreading the longer he was gone until it felt like it would consume me.
Dru? Paige’s voice nudged me, reminding me I wasn’t alone, and I struggled to lift my head. Dru, she hesitated, her voice full of apology. I’m sorry I didn’t know.
It’s okay, I murmured, exhaustion tugging at me, but it wasn’t the kind that you could fix with enough sleep. It went deeper and I was afraid I’d never escape it. You’re alright?
There was a long pause before she finally answered with a Yeah, which neither of us believed. Everything had changed and there was no going back to the way it was before Caleb had crashed into our lives. We had to break the stranglehold Gran held over us and the few left in our tiny village. We needed to stop letting our lives drift by us.
