Thorn (Werewolf) ✔

Chapter Thirty-Eight

"You look awful."

I slam the car door closed and I place the bag beneath my feet. Coan passes me another hat and I tuck my hair into the back of my shirt.

"It's been one day," he says. "What happened?"

"I have to go back."

"Back?" He taps his fingers against the wheel, refusing to move. He keeps his attention on the motel door and he watches Malachi leave. "Who the hell is that?"

"A friend."

"You seem to be making all sorts of friends lately."

"Coan, just drive."

"No, Devon. No. This is insane. I'm taking you somewhere far from here."

"Just take me back to those fucking woods now," I growl. "Or I'll get out and walk there."

He sighs and starts the engine. I press my elbow into the bottom of the window and I rub my head as we enter the highway. There are only a few hours until sundown and I have to find Thorn and talk to him before he transitions—or during.

"When was the last time you ate?"

"I don't remember."

"I thought as much." He throws a packaged sandwich at my lap.

"Thanks."

"Why those woods?" he says. "I can get you more money, lots of it. If you want to fully disappear then I can make it happen."

"It doesn't matter," I say. "It doesn't matter how far I go or if I start my life over. I'll be drawn back to him. I have to go back to him."

"Who? The savage that helped you?"

"His name is Thorn," I whisper. "I can't really describe it but. . . my life didn't really begin until I met him. We're connected."

He sighs. "I know the feeling."

"I know that the reason you never left or ran way is because of me. I don't want you to be trapped, Coan. That town is screwed up but we don't have to bend to them anymore."

"I stayed to protect you and I did a pretty shit job at it. Our lives have been awful but I'm glad that you found someone that healed you."

I smile. "We healed each other."

I tense when I see the familiar palace in the distance. I look across to the giant mountain, my eyes scouring every inch of it even though I cannot see where they are. I don't know how Thorn is going to react to me returning. He might be mad. He might try and convince me to go back. Cole is still a threat but he's a threat that I've faced and survived. My family are on that mountain and I won't rest until they are free.

As much as Sky annoyed me, I miss her. I miss every damn thing about her. I just need to know that she's safe. That they all are.

Coan drives past the palace and heads in the same direction that the carriage travelled on my wedding day. It is clear for around a mile but then we spot several cars turned in the middle of the road. Coan slams on his breaks and checks his mirrors.

"Shit."

Several men dressed in black starts running towards us with guns. Behind us, two more cars pull up. We've been followed.

"Get out. Run."

"Coan, they'll kill you."

"I don't care. Go!"

I stay in the car as he frantically glares at me. I always thought that I'd do anything to never go back to my old life—suicide, accepting Thorn's murderous ways with the hunters, escaping to these damn woods in the first place—but I will not let my brother's life be the price. The King will execute him if I'm seen running from this car.