Curious, I dig myself free of my blanket prison and pull myself upright. My head swims with dizziness, and I hold on to the little table next to my bed until it recedes enough for me to walk.
Emmett’s offering is surprisingly homely. A thick bowl of steaming stew, filled with meat and vegetables and with a large hunk of bread next to it. It actually makes my stomach rumble.
When I lean down to pick up the tray, my head lists, my hands shaking and making the tray tip to the side. Biting my lip, I put it down and tug it forward instead until I can close the door.
I’ve got very little appetite, but I do manage a few mouthfuls, forcing myself to drink all of the liquid and eat some of the vegetables in the bowl.
My bladder makes itself known in a sudden demand, so I shuffle back to the door, opening it gingerly and peeking out. There’s a door directly opposite my room and I scuttle over, finding a small but very clean shower, sink and lavatory.
I take a few minutes to clean up, as much good as it can do with this fucking pink monstrosity still on. I swear to god, if this is a repeat of what happened during the Trials and I end up wearing this dress until it’s crawling off me, then I’m going to lose my shit. I avoid glancing in the mirror as I scrub at my hands, my arms, my face.
I don’t need to see what I look like. I’m sure I’m on par with one of the walking dead at this point.
I drag myself back to bed, wincing at the filth on my dress as I climb back in, my eyelids already drooping. I feel exhausted just from that small burst of activity, but at least I’m fed, and sort of clean.
9
LOGAN
Hoisting my bag back onto my shoulder, I hold out a hand for Gray. He pulls himself up, not letting go as he threads our fingers together absent-mindedly, his eyes already scanning the forest.
“Nothing,” he mutters. “Where’s she gone?”
Ahead of us, Tristan’s shoulders tense, but he carries on walking. None of us want to consider why we can’t find any goddamned trace of our Bonded in these fucking woods. If someone was waiting for her at the gate, she might not have even set foot in here.
“She’s here somewhere,” Jax says determinedly. “I can feel it. Can’t you?”
We all shake our heads, but I trust him, so we follow without complaint when he veers off down a path. Tristan shouts after him. “We’ve been down there before!”
“Bite me,” Jax snaps back. “I’m following my fucking instincts, and it’s telling me to go this way.”
I quietly pull on Gray’s hand until we’re following after Jax. We move into single file down the worn path, our boots crunching over the jagged rocks and twigs in our way.
Tristan stomps after us, muttering something under his breath.
“What do we do when we find her?” I ask out loud. It’s the elephant in the corner, has been for the hours we’ve spent traipsing through the woods, looking for any hint of Sienna passing through.
“Pray,” Jax shoots over his shoulder. “Pray to gods that she actually forgives us for abandoning her at our Mating Ceremony.”
“And for everything else,” Gray says quietly.
I nod in agreement. Where the fuck do we even begin making the last few weeks up to her? Fuck. If it wasn’t for us being Soul Bonded, she’d be gone, and we’d never see her again.
My chest squeezes at the thought. Soul Bonded or not, Sienna belongs with us.
We just have to show her. All she’s seen are the worst parts of us.
My heart thumps. I don’t have anything to give her, really. A few pieces of art. But if she forgives us, I’ll spend the rest of our lives making sure she understands exactly how much she’s wanted.
Tristan huffs behind us. “We’re just going around in circles!” he shouts down to Jax. Jax throws up his middle finger in response, carrying on.
We just have tofindher.
10
SIENNA
Idon’t know what makes me jerk awake, my breath see-sawing out of me as I push away yet another dream where I’m taunted by the possibility of what our pack could have been.
