She’s right. She’s right about all of it.
“I’m trapped here!” Her voice breaks on the last word. “I’m trapped on this mountain with a crazy person and no way to call for help and my car won’t move and?—“
She breaks down. Sobs wracking her body, shoulders shaking, all the fight draining out of her at once.
My bear whines. He doesn’t like seeing her cry. He wants to comfort her, hold her, make everything better.
But I’m the reason she’s crying. I’m the monster she’s trapped with.
She turns back to the car, wiping her face with shaking hands. Gets back in. Tries the gas again.
The tires spin uselessly.
“Come on.” She’s begging now, pleading with the car like it can hear her. “Please. Please move. Please?—“
I can’t watch this anymore.
I grab the car door.
“What are you?—“
I rip it off the hinges.
The metal screams as it tears away from the frame. I toss it aside, and it lands somewhere in the snow with a muffled thud.
Imani stares at me, mouth open, eyes wide with terror.
“You...” She can’t seem to form words. “You just...”
I reach in and grab her around the waist.
She finds her voice fast.
“No! Let go of me!” She’s kicking, scratching, fighting with everything she has. “Put me down! You can’t do this! This is kidnapping! This is?—“
I throw her over my shoulder and turn back toward the cabin.
“I will kill you!” She’s pounding on my back with her fists. “I swear to God, Tolin, I will find a way to kill you in your sleep! You psychotic, deranged, car-door-ripping, phone-crushing piece of shit!”
Her nails rake down my arm, drawing blood. My bear purrs.
Our mate has claws.
“Are you even listening to me?” She’s still hitting, still kicking, still fighting. “Put me down! Put me down right now! I’ll scream!”
“There’s no one to hear you.”
“I hate you! I hate you so much! You’re the worst person I’ve ever met in my entire life!”
I keep walking.
The cabin door is still open, snow drifting across the threshold. I carry her inside and kick it shut behind us.
Then Iset her down.
In my chair.
The one I told her never to touch. The one I screamed at her about less than an hour ago.
