Chapter 32 Thea
THEA
It’s been weird adapting to this new normal.
Not that anything that’s happened in the last two plus months has been normal.
Reading has its advantages but with it being winter, it’s hard not to feel a bit trapped at the house.
I’ve gone with Ben or Eli or whoever’s turn it is for errands, and Taz, of course, tags along as usual.
That’s helped break up the monotony. Harrison also gave the okay for me to bring Duke on walks unless he says otherwise.
I’m slowly getting Duke to warm up to me.
His love of my reading chair is doing most of the work but I get the feeling he’s not allowed on Parker’s so I must get points for letting him on mine.
I don’t care because a win is a win. It feels like forever ago when Duke tackled me to the ground on my first day at the lodge.
Jake hasn’t said much about the progress of the case against Mark Henderson.
Only that Logan is working on tracking down Connor’s car in order to get evidence of tampering.
I don’t hold out much hope for that since it’s been over a year.
I’m sure that car is scrap metal by now.
But I don’t want to voice that and put it out into the air.
That’s my sad attempt at trying to be positive.
I noticed Ren, Taz, and Harrison are here today.
That’s not common since it’s usually one or two of them at a time.
I’m pulling on my boots when Duke approaches me.
He’s so cute. I guess me getting ready to go outside is the unofficial signal for a walk now, at least if I’m getting ready alone.
He sits patiently as I finish and put my coat on before I grab his leash from the hook near the door.
His patience breaks when he sees it; he stands, wagging his tail, making me smile.
I pet his soft head and scratch his ears as I put it on him.
I know most of the guys walk him without a leash but I’m not confident enough yet if he’ll listen when I call for him.
Gods, I can’t imagine if that happened and I had to tell the guys, especially Micah, I lost their dog.
So the leash it is. It doesn’t seem to bother him much, and thankfully he doesn’t pull on it.
I think I could handle it if he did a little but if he really tried to run off, I definitely wouldn’t be able to hold it.
I follow the same trail I’ve walked before with him.
I don’t know the area well enough to explore and with everything going on, I don’t want to go too far from the house.
The snow crunches under my feet as we walk, Duke sniffing trees here and there.
It’s so silent, like someone turned the volume down on the world.
It’s somehow both comforting and eerie, Duke’s soft huffs every now and then making it the former.
We stop near a tree as Duke marks his territory. I notice this one has a camera posted high up on it. After all my fears of the stalk—no, Mark Henderson—tracking me via technology it’s funny how seeing the camera Taz put up brings me some comfort and sense of safety.
Continuing on our walk, we come upon a spot where it feels like a good point to turn around and start back.
I kind of wish I asked one of the guys to come with.
It’s the middle of the week and half the pack are at work outside the pack house, but Parker, Keelan, and Eli are home working.
I’m sure if I asked any of them to take a break for a quick walk they’d come.
I sigh to myself, maybe next time. Plus, if they’re busy and I want company, I could always drag Taz along, since he just loves being here.
I can’t help the little laugh that escapes me at that thought.
When he accompanied me to the lodge for my shifts, I learned quite a bit about my Aussie tagalong.
“What does my flower find so amusing?” A masculine voice breaks through my thoughts.
I look around but don’t see anything. ‘My flower’ that’s what he calls me. No, I imagined that. The panic is starting to rise but who am I kidding? It’s here already.
Trying to breathe so it doesn’t get worse, I look around frantically.
Duke starts growling in one direction, his black fur standing on end.
I look that way, seeing a man step out from behind a tree.
He’s holding something but I can’t make it out.
He’s keeping that side of his body, angled away from me.
I cannot pass out, so I need to calm the fuck down.
So many thoughts and questions are running through my head but I can’t give any of them an inch.
I need to focus on the threat in front of me.
Duke is pulling on the leash a little. At least he’s here with me.
As the man steps closer, it just confirms it’s him—Mark Henderson, my stalker, the monster who killed Connor.
His smile to anyone else would likely be handsome, but it’s all teeth and makes my skin crawl.
I take an instinctive step back the closer he gets.
“Tsk, tsk. You don’t want to do that. Run and I’ll have no choice but to chase you like my prey.
Though it seems you may enjoy that, so I’ve heard.
” Red-hot rage flows through me. Did he see me and Micah that time after my heat?
I want to claw his eyes out if he did. His right hand raises and I finally see what he’s holding—a gun.
It looks odd but it’s a weapon, nonetheless.
He aims it at me and with his focus on me, my grip on the leash loosens without realizing. Duke seems to be the only reason he’s kept any kind of distance. Before the leash fully falls away from my hand, he’s moving the gun, aiming it at Duke. Horror fills me. No, no, no!
I’m moving before I can think, trying to grab the leash or Duke to pull him back and away out of sight.
It happens so quickly, a shot, not loud like I would have thought.
Then Duke flops over, a dart sticking out of his chest near his neck.
I kneel at where his prone form is, pulling it out of him and making sure he’s breathing. Thank the Gods he is.
“Don’t cry, flower. He’s going to be fine, just a little nap.
Just like you.” His voice is now close behind me.
Much too close. I don’t get the chance to move or react as he puts something over my nose and mouth.
The chemical scent is immediate and the intensity makes my eyes water even more than they already were.
Before the darkness at the edge of my vision claims me, I push down every ounce of love and apology I can down the bonds. I hope they felt it.