I nod.
“Hurts like a bitch, but we’ve got the antidote back at the bikes. Here…” He tosses a small rucksack over to us. “Put these on if you can.”
Lynx snatches the bag off the ground and quickly divides the clothes between us. It’s not easy, but I manage to work the joggers and t-shirt over my wounds.
As soon as I’m dressed, my gaze shifts to the person beside Flint, and I come to a grinding halt as recognition kicks in. The growl is immediate, rumbling up from my belly as I stare at Tanner Grey. A fuckinghunter. I don’t realise I’m moving forwards until Lynx pulls me back against him, hard.
“Stop.” Something about the way he says it makes me pause enough to glance at him.
“He’s a fuckinghunter.” I hiss the last word, lips curling back over teeth that ache suddenly.
“I know, but he’s on our side this time,” Lynx promises. “He came with us to help get you back.”
Grey holds up his hands and wisely doesn’t come any closer. “I know you don’t trust hunters right now, and I don’t blame you. But I’m not here to cause you trouble, I promise.” His gaze shifts to Lynx. “I’ve called it in. The others’ll be here within the hour. You need to be gone when they do.”
Lynx nods. “What will you tell them?”
Grey shrugs. “Not sure yet, but I’ll make sure none of this comes back on you or your club.”
“You staying here?”
“Yeah. Gonna wait for them.” He glances at me again. “I’m glad you’re alive. I’m sorry for what they did to you.”
I can’t bring myself to thank him, but I incline my head enough for him to see. That’s all he’s getting. He might be nothing like Fox, but they’re both hunters. Someone somewhere had to know what a fucking loose cannon Fox was.
“Come on,” Lynx urges, “it’s a bit of a walk to where we stashed the bikes and we don’t have much time.”
“Take my car.” Grey tosses Lynx the keys and gestures to me. “I don’t think he’ll be up for a bike ride home.”
“What about you?”
“I’ll take one of theirs.” Grey points to the vehicles behind us. “The council don’t know what cars we drive.”
We leave Grey to do whatever it is he has to do before members of the hunter council arrive. I couldn’t give a shit right now. Flint jogs ahead, leaving me and Lynx on our own again.
As we pick our way through the trees, the cuts Fox gave me throb with each step, but I grit my teeth against the pain. At least I’m alive.
Unlike Luke.
I pull Lynx to a stop as it hits me all over again. “Wait.”
He’s dead.
Killed in that fucking fight ring while I get to walk away. I can’t...
Whatever Lynx sees on my face, it’s enough to make him grab my shoulders, eyes flashing. “What’s wrong?”
“There was another shifter. Luke.” My breath catches as I picture him back in the cage before they took him. “He came here with me. Helped me.” I’m hit by a wave of guilt so strong my knees almost give out. “He went first. To the fight ring,” I add, even though understanding’s written all over Lynx’s face. “He never came back.”
“Fuck.” He tugs me in close, one hand on my back, the other in my hair. “I’m so fucking sorry.”
It’s a few minutes later when I ask, “Can you ask Grey if they find his body? I want...” My voice breaks, and I swallow around the sudden thickness. “I want to bury him. And maybe try and find out where he was from in case anyone’s missing him.” It’s an awful fucking thought, but I’d want to know if it was me.
Lynx turns and kisses my temple. “Yeah, of course. I’ll let him know.” He pulls out the phone Flint gave him earlier, messaging Grey, I presume. I don’t ask.
Jet and Beth meet us before we reach the bikes and Grey’s car.
I return Jet’s up-nod, but I’m caught off guard when Beth rushes forward and wraps me up in a hug, and it takes me a second or two to hug her back.
