Page 68 of To Hunt A Wolf
“I know that.”
She studies me carefully. “Will you be here in the morning?”
I look away. “Maybe.”
“You still planning on trying to drag Levi back to Blackstone?” she asks wryly, and I realize she knows I’ve been beaten by a mark—for the first time ever.
“Depends on whether he leaves me a choice.”
She looks torn. “I would have preferred to keep you out of this, but what’s done is done. Don’t forget what I said.”
“I won’t.”
“And get some sleep. Whatever they’re planning, it might not involve letting me kill Thiago, but you’ll need all your wits for it, I’m sure.”
She doesn’t wait for my response before letting herself out.
Her warning isn’t concerning.
I have zero doubt Jadick intends to use me. There’s no mistaking the sweetness in his voice. The flirty smile he shoots me when I ask the right question. But I’m using him too.
I intend to survive his family. And I intend to save Kari from them too.
The only real sucker punch my mother gave me has to do with the guy I just rejected back in the hangar for no other reason than wanting to hurt him the way he hurt me once.
His words from earlier ring in my head.“You could try seeing me as something other than the villain of your fucking story.”
What if my mother is right? What if he’s never been the villain at all?
ChapterSixteen
Movement in the doorway startles me out of my spiraling thoughts.
“Tripp,” I say, exhaling at the sight of him.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.” He runs a hand through his hair, expression tight. “Everything okay?”
“Yeah, fine.”
The pause between us is awkwardly full. I want to say something—anything—that will bring back the friendship we once had. But that friendship didn’t include secrets, and now we’re so full of them that I can barely see him at all through all the words left unspoken between us.
“My mom’s in the cafeteria, holding court,” I say. “If you’re looking for her.”
“Actually, I was looking for you.”
“Oh.”
“Well,” he says after a moment, looking everywhere but at me. “I’m sure you’re tired. I can show you where you’ll sleep.”
I start to refuse, to tell him what I told Levi—I’m not staying.
But in the end, I give in and let him lead me back through the maze of beige-colored hallways. The turns are slightly familiar now, and I work on committing them to memory, once and for all. My mother is right. Whatever Jadick is planning, I can’t afford to let my guard down.
The halls are empty of everyone but us. The only other people we pass are two guards stationed at the hangar door, which lets me know it’s the only way out. They don’t make eye contact with me as we pass.
Even walking right beside my former friend, I sense a distance between us that hurts my heart.
Finally, Tripp shows me into a small room.
