We climb onto the plane, and I nod at Stu, their resident tech genius. I follow Rose through the plane and to the back room, where I place the healer on the bed. The plane starts moving, and I start to turn away. “Where’s Sherese?” Rose asks softly.
I swallow. “She stayed behind.”
I can feel her gaze on me, but I don’t stick around. I head out into the main cabin and sink into a seat next to the window. Jackson sits in front of me, staring out the window. Stu types away on his laptop. Maverick stands in the aisle. “Do we need to go back for the vampire?”
I stare out the window. “No.” He doesn’t move. I turn to look at him. “She made her choice.”
Only then does he turn around. I hear him give the order to take off to the pilot. Only when we’re in the air do I take a breath, but it gets snagged in my lungs. I wonder if it will ever not hurt to breathe again.
On our way to Florida,I send to Bryce.
We’ll meet you there.
I feel good about that for only about thirty seconds, until I realize I’m going to have to face Ava. There's a very real chance she’ll castrate me. I try to rest on the plane, but I can’t. Every time I close my eyes, an image of Sherese forms in my mind. We finally make it to our destination. Maverick carries the healer to our waiting transportation, and I settle in the very back. Memories of traveling with Sherese behind me fill my mind, and I push them away. When we get to the pack house, Maverick carries her inside. She’s stable; at least that’s what Rose said. Now she needs a blood transfusion, rest, fluids, and eventually something to eat.
They all disappear inside, and I sit outside and wait for my pack. I only have to wait about two hours. I stand when the dark SUV approaches the packhouse. I see Bryce behind the wheel and Ava in the front seat. I don’t miss the daggers she’s currently shooting me, and I brace myself for facing her. She’s the first one out of the car. “Where is she?” she demands, striding over to me. Bryce is out of the car a moment later, and I eye him.
“Baby,” he starts.
“Don’t you baby me. He left her there. How could you do that?” She shocks me by shoving me hard in the chest. Actually, it’s not all that surprising. It's Ava. “I will never forgive you.” I catch the quiver in her voice, and I look away. She doesn’t know that I won’t ever forgive myself either. I should have grabbed her and brought her with me. With what hands, I don’t know. Staying quiet seems to make her madder. “What do you have to say for yourself?!” she demands.
“Nothing.” There is nothing I can say to make this entire situation right.
Her eyes shoot daggers at me. “Why?” I shake my head and walk over to the car. “Hunter, please.” The pleading in her voicenearly breaks me. I turn back to her and see the devastation on her face.
I walk over to her. “I don’t have anything I can say that can make this better.” I try to turn away, but her hand is on my arm.
“Please, I just have to know. Is she dead?”
Shock runs through me. “No. No, Ava. She's. Not. Dead.”
A tear runs down her cheek, catching me by surprise. Bryce’s mate never cries. Well, now that she’s pregnant, maybe that’s changed. “Then why did you leave her there?”
Her words gut me.Again. I don’t know what to tell her. I don’t want her to know that her friend turned on her, on all of us. She doesn’t deserve that. I eye Bryce.The truth will break her.
Shock flares in his eyes for a moment. He gives me a searching look and then wraps an arm around his distraught mate. “Give him time, Love.”
“He doesn’t deserve time,” she says against his chest. Bryce doesn’t answer, and I don’t stick around to hear the rest of the conversation. When I open the door, I’m surprised to see Cody, Alicia, and Leo, though it really shouldn't surprise me. Three sets of eyes land on me, but I ignore them all. I nod at Cody to move so I can climb in the back.
“I can sit back there,” he offers.
“I’m good.” He moves, and I climb in beside Leo.
“Welcome back, Hunter,” Alicia says.
I don’t even bother responding. It takes a while for Ava and Bryce to come back to the car. My guess is that they probably talked to Maverick and his people for a little bit. We finally leave the Pensacola Pack and make the drive to the airport. Then there’s the almost five-hour plane ride, followed by another car ride. By the time we get back on the pack land, it’s midnight. Bryce parks at the packhouse, and everyone climbs out. I think a few people ask me questions, but I ignore them all.
I finally leave them all behind and make my way to my house.I'll let you ignore everyone for now. But tomorrow, I need a full report on what went down.
I hear Bryce’s words, but I don’t acknowledge them. I step inside my house and instantly regret it. I smell her. Sure, the top layer is the putrid vampires' scent, but I smell the sweet, subtle hint of healer blood underneath it. I walk past the kitchen, and my eyes land on the couch where we sat and played UNO. I close my eyes a moment, and then make my way to my room. But the room where she stayed catches my eye first. I stop just inside the door, knowing I’m a glutton for punishment. I walk over to her bed and sit on the edge. I shake my head. If only Bryce and the others could see me now. I always thought I was a strong, fierce predator. But my mate’s rejection has made me realize just how weak I am. And because I really am that weak, I lie down on the bed, hoping that the scent will somehow make me sleep. It doesn’t.
The next morning, I’m out the door early. I shift and hand the reins to my wolf, grateful I don’t have to think for the time being. My wolf takes full control, and all my emotions take a backseat to the blessed blankness of wolf survival instincts. Too soon, Bryce reaches out to me.
We need to talk.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Hunter
