Page 11 of Bones
Mac stared at me hard, then shrugged. Lana just turned her back and climbed into her bedroll next to Raven. The other woman put her arm around Lana’s shoulders while fixing me with a glare. Mac came and took my arm from Griz, his grip painfully tight. He brought me back to the rover and told me to climb in. After I climbed into the backseat and sat, he took my right arm and zip tied my bandaged wrist to the metal bar of the rover. Trey came up and watched him, a frown on his face.
“This really necessary?” Trey asked, low.
“I’m not taking any more chances,” Mac snapped back. “And you aren’t either.”
Pain and guilt flashed across Trey's face, and he didn't argue. I tried to pretend I wasn't paying careful attention. The tension between the two of them pulsed like a live wire. Trey was the weak link, the one who cared just a little too much. If I could use that, maybe I still had a chance. Mac finished tightening the zip tie, tight enough that I couldn't slip my bandaged hand free and strode back toward the fire. The welts on my wrist burned. Trey seemed to hesitate.
“Trey?” I whispered, letting a tremor into my voice.
He moved closer to the rover and looked at me with wary eyes.
“I—”
“What’s up, Bones?”
“I’m sorry. About Exo,” I whispered.
Trey stayed silent, and I had to fight the urge to glance up at his face. I willed my eyes to fill with tears and let them fall. He put a hand on my knee, and I managed to keep from flinching. When I glanced up through the tears, his face had softened.
“It’s not your fault,” he said.
I watched him as the tears continued to fall from my eyes, trying to pick the best course of action.
Careful.I heard Wolf’s stern voice.Don’t overdo it.
The alcohol warming my blood gave me courage, so I started mumbling too quiet for him to hear. His brow furrowed as he tried to make it out. I let out a small sob and kept going. He stepped closer and leaned into the rover, trying to hear me.
“—should have let her shoot me. Why?—”
His fingers snaked around my free wrist, catching my hand that was attempting to pull the knife out of the holster on his belt.
My gaze snapped to his face, fear tightening in my gut. His eyes were sharp, but he lookedamused.
“Like I said, I owe you my life,” he said, refusing to release my wrist, even as I tried to jerk free. “So I’m gonna pretend you weren’t just trying to steal my knife.”
I dropped the act, swearing at him through my teeth. He quirked a half smile and let go of my wrist, stepping back out of reach. I glared at him, wishing again I’d left him to die on the rooftop.
“Night, Bones,” he called as he walked away, leaving me alone in the dark.
* * *
The night was cold and long. I tried to get my hand free for hours, even going so far as to debate dislocating my thumb to see if I could slip out of the zip tie, but I didn't think the angle would work. So instead, I just fucked up the bandage and rubbed even more of the skin on my wrist raw as I jerked against the tie. I didn't dare sleep. Even with a rotating guard, I didn't trust these people. Sure they needed me alive, but I knew far too well what sort of pain could be inflicted without killing.
By the time the sun rose, my teeth were chattering, and my eyelids felt so heavy. When Griz came to cut me free, he noted my bloodied wrist and then glared at me. I glared right back.
“C’mon,” he snapped after he cut through the tie, “climb out.”
My numb and stiff legs gave out on me as I tried to obey. He grabbed my arm, keeping me from falling out on my face, and grumbled to himself. The camp bustled with activity, everyone packing up to leave. Griz stuck me by the dying fire.
“Gimme your wrist.” He glared. “I’ll fix the bandage.”
Too tired to argue, I gave it to him. He re-wrapped the bandage as I shivered. Lana seemed to be ignoring me today. I wished I could do the same, but I didn’t trust her. I kept an eye on her as she helped load up the rovers and nearly jumped out of my skin when someone draped a jacket across my shoulders. Trey didn’t stop to see if I kept it, he just moved past and climbed into the rover to start it. I wanted to throw it at him, but I knew better than to give up the warmth out of spite. So I pulled it on, checking the pockets and scowling when I found them empty.
Too soon, Griz took me by the elbow and brought me back to the rover. I climbed in and found myself sandwiched between Griz and Trey again. I ignored them both.
“On your go, Alpha,” a female voice I realized must be Raven crackled on the radio, and the rovers moved out.
Like the previous day, exhaustion pulled at my eyelids. I fought it as long as I could, but it wasn’t long before I blinked, and the sun jumped to the middle of the sky. I squinted at the unending sea of trees, trying to get my bearings. My shivering had eased, and I was slouched over on?—
