Page 27 of Never Tamed
Torin stares at him flatly. “You want a margarita while we’re being hunted?”
“Okay, okay, so much for humor.” Noble stares at me until I retrieve the cell and hold it out to him. “Maybe not Guam. But a vacation does sound great right about now.”
“As lovely as it sounds,” Ren says, folding her arms, “we can’t just run. Running isn’t an option. I’m sure you already…” she pauses. “You did. You talked about it when I was unconscious.”
Her voice holds a definitefuck youto the four of us.
“If we vanish, there will be no protection for our packs. Andras will take them out. Our families. Our people. Running’s not an option,” I reiterate. “Don’t worry, sweetheart. We’re not really running. Noble’s sense of comedic timing is just shit.”
Noble sighs, defeated, and starts dialing the second I toss him the cell. “Relax, guys. It was a joke.” He turns his back and mutters something low to the voice on the other end. When he finally hangs up, his gaze sweeps over all of us. “Okay, cab is on its way. We have five minutes to try and look like a bunch of normal, everyday people. Should be fun.”
With each passing second,the sounds outside grow louder—more voices, more engines, more commotion. Somewhere nearby, a forklift lets out a screeching whine and metal groans as it hauls a container across the yard.
Dax keeps pacing like a caged animal with his gaze darting to the warped door. Torin drums his fingers against his thigh and leans into the wall. The rhythm speeds up with every clang from outside.
I cling to the phone like a lifeline while Noble sits spread-legged on the floor, Ren leaning into his chest with her eyes closed.
My skin is too tight and anxiety makes my insides jumpy. Every second away from my pack has them in danger. I shouldn’t have left them undefended.
Everything that happened, had to happen, but that doesn’t make it easier to handle. Mentally, I’m drowning. Maybe I’d have better luck with clarity if I took a dip in that disgusting water the way Dax did.
Or maybe then I’d end up nervous and soaking wet.
“Did they say how long?” I ask quietly.
Noble doesn’t look up. “Ten minutes. They’re supposed to pull around the side gate, near the access road.”
“Assuming they don’t get spooked by the security guards,” Dax mutters.
“It’s been longer than ten minutes,” Torin adds. “At least fifteen. A service would’ve never—”
Then, a low, shortbeepfrom a vehicle horn hit my ears. The others hear it too because every head whips to the narrow slat in the door. Even Ren sits up.
“That’s them,” Noble says
Both Torin and Ren go to help him stand, despite his protests.
“I’ve got it.” He snaps out the reprimand.
My attention narrows on Torin’s hand and the brief way he presses it to the small of Ren’s back before withdrawing it, like he’s too scared to actually touch her.
Without waiting a second longer, Dax yanks the metal door open just enough for us to slip through. He pokes his head out, sniffs the air, and then glances over his shoulder.
“Clear,” he says. “Follow me.”
I reach for Ren and nudge her forward. “You first, sweetheart.”
Nodding, she hurries to Dax’s side. He wraps an arm around her and together they step out. I know he’ll do whatever he must to protect her. Even ignore my “no killing the workers” rule.
Torin and Noble are out of the container next. I take the rear, making sure we’re still out of eyeshot of any passing workers.
The scents of icy salt air and ripe gasoline smack me in the face. We move fast, low. Luckily, our footsteps across the gravel are masked by the commotion from the shipyard.
The cab’s idling by the chain-link fence, a faded yellow van with a dented front bumper and flickering headlight. When the driver rolls down his window, he looks us over and his thick brows crinkle. It’s clear he’s regretting accepting this fare.
“You Noble?” The driver stares at me.
“Thanks for coming,” the real Noble answers.
