Chapter 31 #2
“Hey, I’m really sorry about your mother,” I tell him. “Nothing personal. She was trying to murder a human.”
He keeps trudging along beside me, and there’s something sort of comforting about his company. If something bigger and scarier jumped out of the trees and tried to rip my throat out, this thing couldn’t defend me in the slightest, but at least I wouldn’t die alone.
“You remind me of Jim’s old cattle dog. Her name was Princess. She was always on his heels, everywhere he went.”
The wolf cocks his head, peering up at me. I swear he’s following my every word.
“Oh, you don’t want to know what happened to her,” I say glumly. “Trust me.”
One of his ears quirks up.
“Fine. You asked for it. She got mauled by a white coyote. It was such a sad day.” I step over a gnarled tree root. “I should name you after her. How about Prince? Do you want to be Prince?”
My jaw drops when he lets out a little yip.
“Oh my God, you totally understand me, don’t you?”
His tail is wagging now. I wish Uncle Jim were here. He always said I had a way with animals. He did, too. I think he liked them better than people.
My good spirits don’t last much longer, as I can barely see ten feet ahead of me now.
“We’re losing the light,” I say, biting my lip.
I stop to check the map. I’m still several hours from the Dagger. Shit.
The wolf trots beside me as I pick up the pace, but after another hour, there’s no light at all.
I switch on my comm torch, but it’s not strong enough to cast more than a weak glow.
If I keep going in the dark, I could trip and sprain my ankle.
Or fall and smash my head against a rock. I can’t navigate this mountain blind.
Ten more minutes, I decide. I’ll walk ten more minutes and then call it a night—
My foot suddenly catches on a hidden root in the underbrush, and I go flying forward. I almost recover my balance, only to trip on another root and tumble down the hill face forward. I brace the fall with my hands, scraping them against sharp rocks that then proceed to shred the knees of my jeans.
I scream my frustration as blood blossoms on my palms, skin torn from my downhill skid. My knees are bloody, too. I push myself to my feet, my heart beating fast in my chest.
Breathing hard, I glance at Prince, who peers up at me in disapproval.
“Yes,” I grumble at him. “I fell. People fucking fall, Prince.”
After a second, he ambles toward me and nudges the back of my hand with his nose. I don’t know if he’s encouraging me to keep walking or stay put, but continuing is totally out of the question.
“Sorry, buddy. I think it’s time to call it.”
I hate admitting defeat. I hate it. But after hours of denying Adrienne, I finally reach out to her mind.
“Where are you?” she chides. “Ford is threatening to burn down the Dagger because he thinks we did something nefarious to you. And Gray is about to send out a search party.”
“I, ah, decided to camp out tonight.”
It’s a flimsy lie, but it’s better than admitting that Evlynne stranded me on the mountain. That doesn’t inspire competence on my part, and I want to prove myself to Adrienne and the others.
“What do you mean, camp out?”
“I needed to clear my head, so I went for a hike, but it got dark fast. I don’t want to risk hiking back when I can’t see my own feet in front of me. I figured I’d make camp and head back at first light.”
“You’re spending the night on the mountain. Alone.” Adrienne sounds baffled.
“I’ll be fine. I camped out all the time on the ranch, and I’m armed.”
Suspicion creeps into her tone. “What happened at the lagoon? Evlynne said you went there earlier, but that she hasn’t seen you since you two got back.”
“Nothing happened. I decided to take a walk after we returned to the Dagger.” I play it casual. “I have fire supplies, food, water. I know how to rough it. So you can call off the search party and tell Xavier I’ll see him in the morning.”
I don’t give her a chance to object. I cut the link and address my new friend.
“All right, Prince. We need to find some shelter if we’re spending the night out here. And I swear to God if one of your friends tries to murder me during the night and you don’t wake me up to alert me, I’ll skin you alive and wear your pelt as a hat.”
He glares at me. Or at least I think he does. It could just be his face.
I find a secluded thicket that shields me from the back, so I don’t have to worry about anything sneaking up behind me.
I unzip the backpack, but there’s no first-aid kit.
I guess Evlynne didn’t anticipate I’d skin my hands and knees like a damn toddler.
I pour some water from the canteen on my injuries to clean them, but that’s the best I can do.
I pull out the small box that holds the fire supplies—matches, a lighter, and even some kindling. I just need to gather a few logs. Hopefully the fire keeps any other curious predators away so I can stay alive until dawn breaks.
Ten minutes later, I’ve got a small fire burning and I’m eating dried pork and sipping on my canteen. I give the ridgehowler the rest of the pork, and he gobbles it down. I leave my little nook only to relieve myself in the nearby bushes.
I tip my head up to the star-streaked sky, and a sliver of pain slices into me. I wonder where Cross is right now. Did he desert the Command like he said he would the night at the quarry? Or did he go back, brokenhearted, feeling as numb as I felt, knowing there was no way forward for us?
The temptation to reach out is so strong. I fight it at first, until finally, weakness overtakes me.
I open a path and follow Cross’s energy signature. I nudge him, inviting him to talk.
I wait.
And wait.
Tears sting my eyes. “Prickhole,” I mumble under my breath.
Prince tilts his head as if to ask, Who?
“My other Wolf,” I tell him. “We broke up because I wouldn’t run away with him, and now he doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.”
Prince keeps staring at me.
“Fine. You’re right. It’s probably too painful for him to make contact right now. You’re fucking right, okay? Just go to sleep.”
I don’t know who I’m even angry at anymore. Sighing, I nestle inside my nook and curl into a ball. I’m surprised when Prince crawls closer to me. Soon he’s coiled up beside me, pressing against my side.
He keeps me warm all night, which is a very good thing because the fire dies just as I’m drifting off. Surprisingly, I sleep like a log.
I wake up to the light pricking my eyelids. The ridgehowler shifts beside me, snuggled close like we’re old friends. When I move, he lifts his head, and I find that eerie yellow stare on me.
“Morning,” I mumble, rubbing the sleep from my face.
At the sound of my voice, his ears twitch. Then he gets up and lunges forward to stretch his back legs. It’s adorable and makes me smile.
I get up, too, packing my stuff. “Well. We made it.”
In response, Prince goes and pees in a bush.
“Nice,” I tell him. “Classy.”
I stretch my own stiff limbs, then throw my backpack on, tuck the knife at my hip, and start walking. It’s two hours later when I break through a clearing that I actually recognize. We’re almost there.
The young wolf follows me all the way to the edge of the path before stopping in his tracks.
I glance over, frowning. For a moment I think he sensed a predator, but then I see him sniffing the air and realize he smells humans. We’re too close to the Dagger, and he’s no longer my relaxed little buddy as he starts backing away.
I nod in understanding. “Don’t worry, I get it. You have to go. But thank you for the escort.”
He stares at me for a moment, then turns and bounds into the brush.
When I reach the air lock, I square my shoulders like I’m ready to do battle.
I’m covered in dirt, my jeans are shredded from my fall, and I have cuts all over my hands, but I don’t immediately return to my quarters.
I go to the mess hall instead. It’s too early for most people to be awake, but the pilots are always up at dawn to run maneuvers, so I know Evlynne will be there.
Ignoring my aching muscles, I saunter in like I’m coming back from a retreat on Heath’s End. I bury my anger and paste on an innocent smile as I approach their table.
Gray, Evlynne, Luisa, and Henley swivel their heads toward me. Startled.
“Morning, everyone,” I chirp, which makes Gray frown because I don’t typically chirp.
“Rough night?” Evlynne inquires, watching me over the rim of her coffee cup.
“Oh, on the contrary, it was exactly what I needed. Sometimes it’s nice to be alone with one’s thoughts.”
I pull the backpack off and unceremoniously drop it on her breakfast tray. It jolts the entire table, sending coffee spilling across the surface. Luisa quickly mops it up before it pours into her lap.
“Thanks for lending me your pack,” I tell Evlynne. “Came in handy.”
Gray’s lips are twitching now.
“Anyway,” I say with a big, fake smile. “I’m going to grab a coffee and then a shower. Enjoy the rest of your breakfast.”