Page 57 of Unmasked Prophecy

“Get her sorted,” Wolfe says to Mera, and the two of them hold eye contact for so long, it is borderline uncomfortable.

Mera nods, turning us away and leading me towards my room. She helps me pack a bag, the silence between us deafening as I take only what I need. I can’t help but think of the child growing inside me. I know it changes everything, and I wish I had it in me to remove it from the situation, but I can’t.

Already, I feel something I can’t explain.

A deep connection.

That’s my child.

Which means I am left with only one choice - Ihaveto survive this.

No matter the cost.

13

The night is cool, and I pull my jacket tighter around me, standing in the shadows at the back of the compound. We’re waiting, just as Wolfe said we would. Waiting for the men to get on their bikes and go, waiting for the right moment to make our move. I glance over at Talon, his face unreadable, and I wonder if this is how it’s going to be from now on. Just the two of us, but with so much distance between.

The low rumble of engines echoes in the night, and I see the bikes lining up, one after another. My heart pounds. I know what they’re risking, and I hate that it’s for me. I hate that I’m the reason for all this, the weight of it pressing down on me like I can’t breathe. I don’t know how I’m going to fix this, but I have to try.

Talon’s voice is a low growl, and I barely hear it over the noise. “They’ll take the bait. We move now.”

I nod, trying not to shiver from the chill in the air, or the chill in his words. He heads towards the back fence, and I follow, my feet moving through the darkness, my heart a wild, uneven mess in my chest. I know he said he wouldn’t kill me, but that doesn’t stop the fear from creeping in as we slip away, leaving the noise and the chaos behind.

We reach the fence, and he pulls it open, the gate creaking softly. I look back, just once, to see the bikes roaring out, a blur of metal and noise. Then, they’re gone, and I’m alone with a man who has made it abundantly clear how he feels about me. This should be an absolute blast.

The bushland is thick and dark, and I stumble over roots and rocks as we make our way through the trees. Talon says nothing, the silence between us growing deeper, more oppressive with every step. I want to speak, to explain, to try and make him understand, but I don’t know how. I don’t know if he’ll ever hear me again.

The walk is long, the night stretching out in front of us, endless and cold. I focus on the ground, on putting one foot in front of the other, on not thinking about how goddamned angry I am that nobody is listening to me. They won’t even try to understand. I know what I did, but damn, it was for a child. A damn little girl who can’t fight for herself.

I am going to attempt to make him hear me. “Talon—”

“Don’t,” he cuts me off, his tone flat and hard.

I hold my breath, frustration bubbling. It isn’t worth arguing with him right now, but God knows I want to. I want a fight, a screaming match, a chance to get it all out, but he is refusing to give me that. It’s like he knows I have so much to say, so he’s ensuring I can’t say it.

“You ever done this before?” Talon asks, his voice breaking the silence, unexpected and sharp.

“Done what?”

“Betrayed the only people who gave a shit about you.”

“You know what, fuck you, Talon. You’re not even trying to understand.”

He pauses, turning towards me. “Understand what? That you’re a fuckin’ liar and were willing to let us die for what you needed.”

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