My steps don’t slowuntil approaching woods that seem familiar—which is downright impossible since most trees look identical. With the help of the road, I’m able to retrace my steps until reaching their territory, praying to Hecate—who hopefully isn’t pissed at me—to have a pack member stumble upon me.
After a few wrong turns, the cabins’ roofs materialize between the trees, and I dart towards them, only to be met with dead silence.
The caves.Ryder mentioned they’d be going soon, and given that we’re closer to October now, it only makes sense. I take off in their direction, thankful he brought me that one time.
When the large rock face appears, my body is thrilled, because leaving my cloak behind may have been a dumb move. My fingers are so cold I doubt they can bend, and my thighs beneath my dress—once again adhering to Mom’s dress code—rub icily together.
“Carina?” A female voice surfaces from the dark as Holly comes up the path holding a bundle of wood. She scans behind me before asking, “Not that I’m not thrilled to see you, but what are you doing here? Where’s Ryder?”
My heart slams into my chest. “Isn’t he here?”
“He’s been lingering around your town.” There’s no repugnance in her tone, merely a stated fact. “We don’t see him longer than a couple hours.”
No wonder Harlow said his scent was so strong in the area. He’s been hanging around while I’ve been trying—and failing—to move on. He even told me the mate bond is it for him, and I was the bitch who didn’t listen.
“I have to find him.” As I turn, she grips the back of my dress to haul me back.
“Ryder will kill me if you go out alone at this time of night. The fact you made it all the way here without him noticing surprises me. Most of the pack’s already asleep, but I’ll take you to his cave, and then I’ll find Xander, who’s on duty. He’ll bring Ryder home.”
The woods call my name, the need to go hunting for him alone growing, but I trail Holly inside.
Seventy-One
RYDER
Xander’s wolfbursts into the clearing where I’m patrolling and jerks his head for me to follow. After a moment of ignoring him, waiting for him to explain, he huffs, shifts, and says one word. Three syllables that make the Earth finally rotate again.
“Carina.”
Feet jam into the ground as I streak through the forest in half the time I got out there, reaching the caves where Holly lingers as guard by the entrance. “She’s in your cave.”
Damn fucking right she is.
Why is she here? What does this mean? Questions without answers hammer through me, pushing my steps faster as I enter the slope, pass the recreation areas, and through the numerous halls of smaller caves where sleeping pack members rest, to the end, the largest one.
Mine.
Ever since bringing her here, her scent has lingered. This time, it’s stronger and I duck through the entrance to seethatvision come alive. The one dreamed every single night of the past month.
Carina’s curled in my nest, asleep, her hair strewn on a makeshift pile she has formed while another pelt covers her. Asleep isn’t how I pictured our reunion. Pacing forward, I lower beside her and watch her sleep, her breathe. Watch her behere with me.
My wolf rumbles in contentment. He wants to mark her all over, to remind her who owns her.Iwant to mark her for my own reminder.
Whether or not she realizes that by coming here tonight, for whatever her reason, this is it. My wolf is in complete control, and I allow his thoughts and urges to consume mine. He needs to remind her why she’s stuck with us. Why neither he nor I will allow her to leave again.
No matter what bullshit she spouts about the safety and the issue Sloane will eventually pose, she has no reason to escape, and if it requires biting her every single day to remind her, so fucking be it.
She has her own personal monster guarding her now. One who’s off his leash and ready to rip the entire damn planet apart to keep her here and safe.
For now, he anticipates punishing her for her little attempt to be rid of him for good.
For now…he plans.
Seventy-Two
CARINA
“Kamahki.”
