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“We’re almost there.” Knox rubs his hand over my forearm. “Don’t be scared.”
“Stop!” I scream, my voice ripping through the air as pain shoots through me. My muscles spasm, and I release Knox.
I don’t hit the ground.
Spinning around, Knox catches me before my ass hits the gravel. I rip at the collar around my throat, but I can’t get it off. It’s stuck, and the shock only grows in intensity.
“Fuck. Sawyer! Monroe! She has a fucking shock collar on.” Knox kneels beside me and shoves his fingers between the collar and my neck, but it only makes it zap me harder.
I throw myself back, my body convulsing. I can’t do anything except lose myself to the pain.
“Don’t move her. Don’t touch it. You could cause serious damage.” Knox grips my fingers in his, drawing my attention as the shock subsides.
I blink my hazy vision and spot Monroe and Sawyer standing a couple of feet away with blood splashed across their clothes. “I can’t leave. You guys have to go. Don’t get caught.”
“We’re not fucking leaving you. We’ll figure it out.” Monroe stomps forward and kneels beside me. “I don’t care if someone catches me.”
I inhale a couple of deep breaths, my chest heaving. “You have to go. If you’re caught, Lawrence will put you in the herd. Or he’ll kill you. Please, just go. You have to think of something else.”
“We’re strong,” Sawyer argues. “He can’t do shit to us.”
“You don’t understand. He’s worse than Alexander. You haven’t seen the blood collection room. If security gets you, Lawrence will force you to give blood to the donors he uses for gen. pop. blood. Even the strongest can’t escape.” I manage to get to my feet and hold my hands up, stopping anyone from getting closer. “Please, just go. Come back for me.”
Monroe tries to close the space. “Shit. Hayley—”
I shake my head. “Go! Go now! I can’t live with myself if something happens to you. You need a new plan. I’ll be okay. He’s not going to kill me. I can handle any punishment. But I can’t handle something happening to you three.”
A huge spotlight cuts across the ground, nearly illuminating us in its glow.
I screech and raise my hands, trying to draw attention away from Sawyer, Monroe, and Knox. The beam of light stops on me, and I clutch my arms around my body protectively. “I give up!”
“Hayley, be brave. We will be back. You’re absolutely right. We are no use to you otherwise.” Sawyer latches his hands to both Knox and Monroe’s shirts. He forces them to go with him. “We will get you out of here. I swear.”
I can feel the truth in his words.
If only I wouldn’t feel the pain that comes with watching the three of them disappear. The same pain that grows with another shock in the collar.
I drop to my knees and lay on my stomach.
I blackout.
***
A sharp, stinging pain slashes across the backs of my legs, ripping me from unconsciousness. I cry out and arch my back. What the actual fuck? The agony doesn’t subside, and I gasp, trying to get to my feet, but I can’t.
“What did I tell you, Hayley?” Lawrence’s voice snaps at me with a loud crack of a whip.
Pain cuts across my legs again, sending me planting my face to the muddy floor. I sob, my cries echoing around us. This is far worse than anything I have ever experienced. I never expected to be punished in such a savage way.
“Please, master. Don’t hurt her anymore. It takes time for her to heal. If you’re not going to let me give her blood, then show her mercy. She can’t fight if she can’t stand.” Cooper’s familiar voice drifts through the air.
“She also can’t run either.” Lawrence cracks the whip, but instead of hitting me, he lashes the ground a foot away.
I wince and bite my lip, trying to stifle my sob.
“Please. I’m begging you. I’ll return to the herd. Just don’t do this.” A shadow shifts in the corner of my vision, and Cooper comes into view. He’s covered in mud and blood, probably in the same condition as when we first met.
“She needs to learn. And so do you.” Lawrence flicks his wrist and lashes his whip at Cooper.
