The tunnel curves sharply, and something changes in the air—a freshness, a hint of open space ahead.
“I think we’re almost out,” Kier says, pointing the flashlight in that direction.
“Let’s hope it’s somewhere without helicopters and psychopaths.”
He reaches for me, helping me over a boulder. “Your standards are low. I like that about you.”
I elbow him in the ribs as I drop down. “Keep it up and I’ll leave you down here with your imaginary friends.”
“They’d just tell me how I screwed up with you too.”
“Smart hallucinations.”
He laughs, and I grin, glad the tension between us is broken.
For now.
Chapter
Seventeen
KIER
Three fucking weeks on the road, and I still can’t get that kiss out of my mind.
We emerged from the tunnels miles from where we’d entered, the roar of helicopters nothing but a distant memory. Since then, we’ve kept to the wilderness, avoiding towns and roads, sticking to forest paths and animal trails. The silver restraints still burn against our skin, preventing us from shifting—a constant reminder of our captivity that we haven’t been able to break despite our best efforts.
The journey to Shadowmist territory should have taken two weeks at most. Yet here we are, still trudging through forests and valleys, taking the long way around. Neither of us has pushed to speed up our journey.
We both know why.
The moment we reach Shadowmist, everything changes. Lithia goes back to being Beta, surrounded by pack responsibilities, and I go back to being… what? A nomad? A guest? A strange wolf with no place or purpose?
So we drag our feet. Take detours. Make camp early. Break camp late.
Our excuses range from weather to injuries to exhaustion. All of them are true. None of them are reasons to delay.
She’s been gone from her pack for three months. It’s time to return her to her people.
“We should reach the southern border of Shadowmist territory by tomorrow evening,” Lithia says, dropping an armful of firewood beside our small campsite.
I nod, continuing to clean the rabbit I’ve caught for our dinner. “Good. Your pack will be relieved to see you.”
She makes a noncommittal sound, busying herself with the fire. We’ve fallen into comfortable rhythms over these weeks—I hunt, she builds the fire. I cook, she cleans up. We work together without needing to speak, moving around each other with ease.
“Are you nervous?” I ask, skewering the rabbit on a makeshift spit.
She glances up, firelight dancing across her face. “About?”
“Going home. Facing everything. Telling them about Zella’s plans.”
Her expression darkens at the mention of the traitor’s name. “I’m Beta. It’s my job to report threats.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
She sighs, running a hand through her hair—still pale as moonlight despite the days of travel and dirt. “Of course I’m nervous. I failed them. I failed Kitara.”
Grief flickers across her face before she shuts it behind her trap door of emotions.
