“They are identical,” Kole says, tilting his head.
West frowns, his gaze intent on me. “Jo—”
“So probably not the second one then, got it.” I laugh again, the noise sounding hollow.
It doesn’t bother me.
Well, itshouldn’t. It’s not like Mabel and I were actually twins, so it’s ridiculous to feel like I lost something when I never had it to begin with.
It’s been easy to lose myself in my guys, and before that, lose myself in my mission to find her. But now, knowing she’s okay, and not having the heat of their bodies to distract me, my emotions run wild.
Twisting in my seat, I look out the passenger side window, watching the car headlights illuminate the trees as we pass them on the two-lane highway.
Tears sting my eyes, and I curse my omega hormones. I don’t want to seem weak. I don’t want to be this silly little girl who cries at the drop of a hat.
“Jo, do you want to talk about it?” West’s voice is warm and comforting, his hand coming up to rest on my shoulder.
“No,” I shake my head, “I’m fine, really. It’s just—”
Lights flash a moment before our bodies jerk to the side, and my head cracks against the passenger side window, making my ears ring.
I can hear voices shouting, but I have no idea what they’re saying.
An arm flies out against my chest, and I’m tossed the other way, the seatbelt burning as it rubs against my neck.
Blinding pain through my head as I hit the window again.
We’re tumbling.
There’s no noise, only spinning as the world turns upside down, again, and again, and again. Until finally…we stop.
Hayden’s pain and panic twirl with mine in my chest, and the knowledge that my alpha is hurt has me snapping out of my daze.
Ears still ringing, I cling to consciousness as I try to look around the car.
Sam’s head is slumped forward, blood flowing from his temple. “S…Sammy?”
I shake his shoulder, ignoring the pain in my head. “Sammy, wake up!”
Behind me, West groans, and I look back to see all three of them—West, Hayden, and Kole, passed out. Turnip gives a terrified squeak from somewhere in the car, but she doesn’t sound hurt at least.
Motion outside Sam’s destroyed side window catches my eye, and I see four figures approaching us. They aren’t the hurried steps of someone who’s witnessed a terrible accident though. It’s the saunter of a predator who’s caught their prey.
“Sam!” I shake him harder, looking out the window. “We have to get out of here! They found us!” We’re surrounded by trees, we could disappear into the forest if I could just get them all to wake up.
Sam’s eyes blink open, and he blinks at me, dazed. “...Jo?” Then, his eyes shift behind me before widening in panic. Pure terror lines his voice. “Jo!”
Blinding pain takes over, and then…nothing.
thirty-four
Jo
My eyes crack open, fluorescent lights nearly blinding me. I groan, trying to move my hands to cover my eyes, but…I can’t.
“Wha…What?” My eyes strain to focus, but when they do, my stomach drops when I see that I am yet again, strapped to a bed.
My head whips to the side, searching the walls.
