Page 150 of Primal Bonds

The meeting over, the three of them headed up the ladder.

Up in the Factory, the techies were hard at work on the latest smartphone design. Right now, the Factory was just a small test lab in a former grocery in West Baltimore, but someday, it would be a cash cow for the clan. He hoped.

Jace was the engineer in charge of the quartz smartphone project. Adric listened as the lieutenant brought him up to date, and then told everyone to keep up the good work before leaving with Zuri.

Outside, the two of them squinted against the morning sun. Zuri settled a pair of dark sunglasses on his broad nose.

“Luc will find her. You know he’s one of the clan’s best trackers. And it’s Jani, so…”

Adric nodded. They both knew the wolf would die for Marjani in a heartbeat. “But will she let him catch her?”

Zuri moved a big shoulder. “It’s in the gods’ hands now.”

Adric put on his own sunglasses and they set off, Zuri to meet with his security team, Adric to crisscross Baltimore, checking in with the dens scattered across the city to try and calm the gossip.

All he wanted was for the clan to put the Darktime behind them. For the cubs to be safe and well-fed, and the adults able to afford a treat now and then. A stretch of forest for everyone—young and old—to run and play in.

And his sister back to how she’d been before those river fada bastards had gotten hold of her.

Was that too fucking much to ask?

Chapter 6

The journey north took Marjani a week. She remained in her cougar form, traveling mainly at night. At first she followed the Ring Road, staying out of sight of the spotty traffic. The terrain changed from flat plains to arctic highlands, the days slipping by almost unnoticed as they did when she was her cat.

An earth fada alpha was connected to his clan through their quartzes—a magical bond like a mate bond, but weaker. An alpha like Adric could track a clan member through his or her quartz. If Corban were still a member of the Baltimore clan, Adric could’ve used his quartz to find him, but Corban had smashed his quartz and found another, renouncing Adric as his alpha.

Marjani wasn’t alpha, but her quartz hummed a quiet song whenever she turned north, and fell silent if she tried a different direction. That was good enough for her. When the Ring Road veered west, she continued due north.

A steady drizzle alternated with periods of heavy rain. By the third night, she was chilled to the bone, her stomach hollow with hunger. When dawn came, she found a cave and slept huddled near a thermal pool for warmth.

When she awoke, she washed her face and paws in the steaming water. A meal of a few mice barely took the edge off, but she ignored the hunger pangs to set off again.

She only turned on her smartphone once. Adric had tried repeatedly to get in touch with her. She hesitated, and then tapped the off button. He could track her by her quartz, and he’d know if she were seriously injured, or dead.

So he wouldn’t worry. Much.

It still hurt, that last conversation. He’d only just stopped himself from saying she was weak—possibly feral. She’d thought Adric still believed in her, even if no one else did. To learn he didn’t had been a hard blow.

Maybe you are too weak to hold off the cougar.

She shook her head, dislodging the sly voice. But it returned, again and again.

Another night passed. Sometime after midnight, the cat came alert. A plump white sheep had escaped its fence. She swerved toward it, her mouth watering. Already tasting the sheep’s sweet flesh.

No.

Marjani-the-human fought a silent battle with the cat. It wasn’t worth it. She didn’t want to attract attention. She was hungry, yes, but not starving.

The cat pulled up short, snarling at being thwarted. The sheep let out a terrified bleat and galloped off as fast as its sturdy legs could carry it.

Marjani halted, lungs pumping hard and fast. Was this the night she went feral?

Because each time it was harder to say no.

The cougar was a badass with sharp claws and two-inch fangs. No one messed with Marjani when she was in that form.

Yes, the cat whispered. Let me win. I’m strong. Fierce. No one will ever hurt you again.

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