Page 41 of UNAwere

‘Because it’s been confirmed to us that the Karvers are after you. And they’re capable of following us. They know what you look like. They know what truck we’re driving.’ He growls, tightening his fingers against the steering wheel. ‘We’re going to the next town and changing vehicles. And then I’m training you to fight. To be a wolf.‘

‘I know how to be a wolf,’ I lie.

‘You don’t,’ he growls. ‘You Turn as if it hurts you. You shy away from your primal instincts. Instead of revelling in the taste of my blood, you hung your head in shame.’

I suck in a deep breath, ignoring the stab I feel at his very accurate words. ‘I don’t want you to train me.’

‘You don’t have a choice.’ He says the words so forcefully, it’s like he’s telling the both of us. ‘Alpha’s orders.’

‘I want to speak to Nolan.’

Briggs shakes his head, jaw stiff. ‘We already have.’

‘I want to speak to Nolan,’ I say. ‘Me.‘

He glances at me sidelong, and he looks so petulant I almost laugh.

‘Fine.’

I pull out my phone and dial Nolan’s number. He picks up on the first ring.

‘Sybbie. How are you?’

‘Sore. Annoyed. What’s this about you agreeing to have the Primrose guard train me?’

I hear Briggs huff at how I call him “the Primrose guard”, but at the moment, that’s all he is to me. A giant, grumbling Were with a bad attitude.

‘Warner called me personally and told me what happened. He wants you to be trained, so at least if the Karvers come after you again, you’ll know how to fight them off.’

My heart clenches hearing a familiar voice again. I miss home. I miss normality.

‘I’m not a fighter, Nolan,’ I say weakly.

‘Sometimes you have to be, Sybbie.’

‘So I have no choice?’

He sighs into the phone, and it distorts the speaker slightly. ‘Not this time. I’m sorry.’

‘Give Maevey my love,’ I say and then hang up.

Briggs and I sit in silence. I stare out of the windshield as he drives us along a deserted highway. The sun has gone behind clouds, the early afternoon turning dreary and grey.

I close my eyes. I just want to sleep. I just want to forget.

‘There aren’t any others?’

‘I’m sorry, sir, this is all we have available at such short notice.’

We’re at the car hire place in a town called Greenville. Briggs is leaning against the counter, huffing, and I’m nodding sympathetically at the young human standing opposite us. His badge tells me his name is Parker. And, by the look on his face, I don’t think he expected a big angry Were to come in and growl at him three hours into his shift, just because the only available cars left are bright red, two-seater hatchbacks.

We’d come into Greenville last night, and I’d been able to sleep a full ten hours with how early Briggs had allowed us to sleep. The tension between us hasn’t dropped, and when we woke this morning, we’d sat in silence over our cups of awful motel coffee.

It’s now just after noon, and I’m not usually a spiteful person, but seeing Briggs groaning and cringing has lifted my mood.

‘I’ll drive,’ I say cheerily.

‘No,’ Briggs shoots at me. He turns back to Parker. ‘I work for Alpha Warner. Surely there are cars set aside for alphas?’