Page 60 of To Hunt A Wolf
“If you didn’t, then who did?” she demands.
Silence rings out across the hangar.
My mother’s sharp gaze cuts to Tripp.
He looks a little nervous as he says, “Levi ordered your extraction. What was I supposed to do?”
Her eyes widen, and she pushes past me, marching toward Levi. I hurry to catch up, not quite sure where this is headed. My mother never quite warmed up to Levi, and now? I’m pretty sure all sorts of retribution are on the table.
“You ordered my extraction?” she demands. “Before I could put an end to that little shitbrick?”
“It was a hasty move, Vicki. One we can’t afford at this stage, you know that.”
“Mom, listen, I—”
“Hasty? Are you kidding me?” She jerks her thumb at me as she goes off. “You broughtherhere and are letting her walk around like she’s one of us, and you’re questioningmydecisions?”
I flinch as if she slapped me.
Us?
Levi doesn’t answer, but his face reddens. I can’t tell if he’s embarrassed or angry, but at this point, it doesn’t even matter. I can barely form words around the brick pressing down on my chest.
“You know about this place?” I ask.
My voice is small. I hate it, but I can’t help it any more than I can help change what they’ve clearly already done behind my back.
“Of course I know,” my mother scoffs like it should be obvious.
I take one look at their faces—Levi, Tripp, even Jadick—and in this moment, itisobvious. They’ve all been working from a master playbook and never bothered to give me a copy. Or even tell me, we were playing a game.
I look away from my mother. From Tripp. And I don’t even attempt to look at Levi. Every face I see is someone else who has or will betray me.
It’s disgusting.
I back away.
“Hey. Wait.”
When Tripp reaches for me, I jerk away from him.
“Mac, don’t be dramatic,” my mother says, and it’s the last thing I hear before I turn and run.
ChapterFourteen
Outside the hangar doors, the land is barren and empty. Far off, the horizon is dotted with purple mountains, but here, there is a valley’s worth of dead grass and dirt for what looks like miles. Overhead, clouds mute the daylight, washing the sky in hazy gray.
I have no idea where I am—or where I’m going—but it’s not enough of a reason to stop. Not after the betrayal of everyone I know waiting behind me. My wolf rises to the surface, carrying me faster over the hardened ground.
I push, pumping my arms, lengthening my strides.
My bones begin to creak, and I’m only a breath away from shifting when I sense someone coming up on my flank. My first instinct is to turn and fight. Even if it’s Levi. Hell, especially if it’s him. But then his scent hits me, and I’m too surprised to do anything but maintain my pace. Out of everyone who might have followed and attempted to coax me back, he is the last one I expected.
He matches me easily, his even strides putting us shoulder to shoulder. Instead of trying to stop me, he continues to run alongside me.
I look over.
Jadick looks back.
