Page 88 of To Hunt A Wolf
“They’re not all like that.”
He doesn’t answer.
“I know you don’t like her,” I begin.
“I don’t trust her,” he corrects. “There’s a difference.”
“Is there?”
“It’s not personal. I don’t know her well enough to not like her.”
“Exactly.”
He sighs. “If an entire batch of something is exposed to poison but only two of the three become contaminated, which results do you suspect—the majority or the minority?”
I shove him playfully. “She’s not a science experiment, you nerd.”
But he doesn’t let up with the somber expression. “Exactly. These are people’s lives we’re talking about. And I don’t fuck around with the lives of my friends.”
“Kari’s different,” I say stubbornly. “You don’t know her like I do.”
He doesn’t answer, and I know we’re just going to agree to disagree—again. I might have argued if I didn’t want to be past all this once and for all. To have my friend back.
“Anyway, Jadick’s a dick, but he’s not out here trying to kill us like Thiago is.”
Tripp looks entirely unconvinced as he says, “He’s a Clemons, Mac. They all are.”
ChapterTwenty-One
Tripp walks me back to camp in silence. Deep down, I know he’s only making sure I don’t do something crazy like run off to save Kari alone. But he doesn’t say as much, and I’m grateful. It lets me pretend he’s just here to be my friend instead of a babysitter.
He stops in front of a large tent. “Your mom made up a sleeping bag for you,” he says.
I nod. “Thanks for walking with me.”
“Sure.” He hesitates. “See you tomorrow.”
“See you.”
He doesn’t leave until I climb into the tent and zip it closed.
My mother’s already asleep. She stirs as I climb into the extra sleeping bag.
“You okay?” she mumbles sleepily.
“Fine, Mom.”
She mumbles, “The enemy of my enemy is my friend, Mac. Remember that.”
I hold back a sigh. Even in her sleep, she’s quoting cliches at me like some kind of wise woman.
“Good night, Mom.”
“G’night.”
I listen to the symphony of night insects and do my best to count time as it passes. The longer I lie here, the more resolved I become to my crazy-ass plan. Offering myself in exchange for Kari is possibly the dumbest move I can make. It’s also futile.
Thiago will never go for it.
