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“One of us is going to take him out while you’ve got him distracted,” Luke said.
A knot settled in my stomach. I kept saying this was what I wanted, but hearing the plan finalized to take my dad’s life was more unsettling than I thought it would be.
“He wanted to kill you,” Zoe reminded me.
“He still plans to kill you,” Luke said. “He threw the fight with me. Didn’t even try. He could have tried, but instead, he planned to use you and your death.”
I suddenly felt too hot. I needed some air. “Okay. Do it.” I stood, then without looking back, I walked out of the house.
It was dark outside and Luke’s house was not exactly close to town, but I wasn’t heading to town. I needed to be alone. Fully, totally, completely alone. Heading away from town, I walked right into the woods at the rear of Luke’s house.
It was easier to see in the dark, and I could tell Jasmine’s potion was wearing off. I’d missed some of the perks of keeping my shifter abilities at the forefront. Better night vision, the ability to sense magic, increased strength and speed, better healing… None of those things seemed worth the trade when I was trapped in Copper Springs. After my conversation with Zoe, I was starting to question things.
Or maybe it was easier to dwell on my own choices than to consider what Luke and his friends had asked of me.
The terrain grew steeper and rockier and I had to focus on my footing and surroundings to move forward. It was good, though. It made it harder to think about anything else.
Eventually, I felt like I’d put enough distance between myself and the others. Panting, I stopped and climbed onto a large rock to take a break. In the gaps between the huge pine trees, I could just make out the moon.
My wolf clawed at my chest, the restlessness making me feel anxious and stressed. It hadn’t been too long since I last shifted, but I’d missed out on years of the monthly shifting that most shifters indulged in.
“Sorry,” I whispered to my wolf. Connecting with her had always felt strained. Like I was agreeing to playing the role my father wanted for me. Cutting her off was less about my own fears for myself, and more about my desire to maintain some autonomy of my own life.
How had I let things get this far? I was literally denying who I was so I could avoid conflict or scary change.
I tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear and swallowed hard against the sting of my throat. If I was being honest with myself, I wasn’t even sure if I knew who I was. Not really. I’d been in survival mode for so long under the guise of claiming my power. That wasn’t what Stella’s really was. It was just another form of prison.
Snap.
My heart raced, and my head turned toward the sound. Eyes narrowed, I looked for signs of an animal. There had to be creatures out here, right?
Listening for movement made the hair on my arms stand on edge. There were no sounds. No bugs, no critters scampering. No rustling of tree branches. It was as if the woods themselves were holding their breath.
Fuck. I knew enough about predators to know I was in big trouble. Carefully, I stood and casually began to walk back toward the house. Hopefully, it was one of Luke’s patrol members checking in on me. Maybe it was even Luke himself. Any shifter could have easily outrun me, and if they were good, they could have stayed silent.
I didn’t have any of those skills as a wolf. Even if I could shift, I would be clumsy and loud. Those kinds of things took practice and a finesse that didn’t come naturally to me.
Each time my footfalls made sound, I winced, but I continued forward. Trees surrounded me, enveloping me in a canopy of darkness. Taking deep breaths, I worked to keep myself calm and focused. Suddenly, the scent of pine was replaced by something else. I nearly gagged as decay and death filled my nostrils.
A shiver ran down my spine.
I would have noticed that on the way here if it were a dead animal. This wasn’t right. Nothing about this was right.
Behind me, I could sense a presence. Whatever was after me had caught up. Balling my hands into fists, I prepared to fight, however necessary. A low growl sounded and slowly, I turned.
ChapterSixteen
Morgan
A massive blackwolf growled at me, ears flat, teeth bared. I lifted my hands slowly, showing that I was unarmed. “I’m no threat.”
I could tell this was a shifter. My senses alerted me to that much, but I didn’t know if I was truly in danger. Luke had told me his patrols wouldn’t harm me. Was this a misunderstanding or was this another shifter who broke through their wards?
The wolf snapped its jaws, and I jumped back. “No need for that. I you want to take me in, I’ll go willingly.”
It was taking all my willpower to force myself to remain still. Every urge inside me wanted to flee, to run, but I knew that would initiate the wolf’s attack instinct more than it already was.
Beyond my need to flee was another sensation. The pent-up restless energy of my own wolf. My stomach twisted and pain squeezed around my middle. It was as if something inside me wanted out, but the potion I’d consumed prevented her from breaking free.
