Land of Wolves

Chapter 66

My brain is numb.

I stare out the window, focusing on my every sense so I don't have to listen to my mind. My thoughts scream at me, begging me to listen, but I ignore them.

I only want to hear the quiet whirring of the car engine and the occasional thump as we drive over a pothole on the tattered paved road. The temperature must have spiked these past few days, and the snow that once covered the ground is quickly melting.

I'm surprised the field wasn't muddier.

Although, maybe it was. I look at the brown on my arms, debating whether or not I'd consider the field muddy. I suppose it doesn't matter either way. Mud or no mud. It doesn't make a difference.

My teeth grind together, and I shake my head as I force my thoughts away from the field.

I'm not thinking about that.

Gnawing at the dead skin on my bottom lip, I look back out the window. We're driving through a thick forest of trees. I prefer evergreens, but these trees have no hint of leaves left on them. The branches are bare and sad, and some sag under the weight of the snow still left to melt.

"Evelyn," Bells whispers, grabbing my arm.

She's been trying to capture my attention for a few minutes now. I'm sure she's scared, and she probably hopes to find comfort with me. I'm a human, and she probably assumes I know where we're going and what the wolves plan to do with us when we arrive.

I offer her no comfort.

The window fogs, my breath the culprit, and I furrow my eyebrows before reaching out and wiping it away. The glass squeaks as I rub the condensation away, and I debate doing it again before dropping my hand back to my lap.

My sweatpants are wet, and I peer down at them with a frown. It's hard to see the wetness through the black fabric, and I nervously drag my finger over a wet spot before looking at it.

Red.

My lungs shrivel, and I stare at the red stain on the tip of my finger before dropping my hand back in my lap and looking out the window again.

I'm not thinking about that.

I can't.

I'm unsure how much time passes before I recognize the road we're driving down. We stop for gas at the station I once made a pit stop at after my assassination attempt, and I stare at the small gas pump where Caleb found me.

He was covered in blood then, too, and my mouth grows dry as I recall the look of complete betrayal in his eye that morning. That was the day everything between us shattered, and it's never truly been fixed.

Our driver fills the gas tank, and Bells tries to make frantic escape plans the moment he's out of the car. I continue staring out the window, ignoring her. Adam is a good man, and he'll speak to her soon enough.

He'll explain everything to her.

Our driver makes brief eye contact with me as he climbs back into the car. He looks concerned but doesn't attempt to speak to me as he starts the engine and continues our journey. I assume we're heading back to Caleb's pack lands.

Many more hours pass before I see the first wolf. It's sprinting alongside the car, weaving through trees with ease I'd never be able to manage. I press my nose against the window, watching the wolf for a long moment before searching for more.

They're impossible not to notice when you're looking for them.

I spot at least three, and by the time we're entering Caleb's pack lands, I've counted twelve. Some are smaller with lanky bodies and an odd-looking gait. They must be teenagers.