Chapter 21

I kept an eye on them as distance shrank them in the mirror.

"They're not following," Bethi said.

I nodded. They didn't need to follow us because they thought they knew where we were headed. Opening the throttle, I merged south onto the interstate.

There were other routes I could take to get to the Compound. Hopefully, by going south, they would think I'd changed my mind. Instead, I meant to circle around.

Bethi leaned forward and rested her forehead on my back. She was tense and understandably upset.

We drove south for several hours then got off at an exit heading east. It was well past midday when her pulse and breathing changed. Both were too rapid. I checked the mirrors and scented the air as we drove through yet another town, but didn't see or smell anything out of the ordinary. When I felt her move around behind me, I wondered if she was just getting restless with the ride.

"Ready to stop?" I asked, turning my head.

"Yes." She nodded her head at a laundromat.

Since we weren't in a rush anymore, I pulled in and cut the engine. As soon as I loosened the bag, Bethi slid off, taking the bag with her. She seemed fidgety. Not exactly nervous, more like anxious to do something.

I watched her closely as we walked into the building. Dryers whirred softly in the background as a few washers sloshed water.

"Can you get change for one load?" she asked.

The steady normal question didn't match the way her hands shook.

"Sure."

While I used the machine to exchange dollars for quarters, she put our clothes into a washer. She glanced at me when I brought the quarters to her. Guilt flashed in her eyes before she turned to purchase powdered detergent from another machine. Moving to the nearby hard plastic chairs, I sat and wondered why she might be feeling guilty. And how was it in her eyes, but not her scent?

She added the detergent and coins to the washer. I didn't miss the slow, deep breath she took as she closed the lid. Her pulse slowed considerably. It usually did that when she was fighting the urge to sleep. Was she trying to hide the fact that she was tired?

When she turned to me, she held out her hand.

"I saw a fast food place a few blocks away. I'll get us something."

I frowned. "I'll go with you."

"No way. We'll lose our stuff. It's two blocks away, and we're in the middle of town." She arched a brow and patted the bag slung over her shoulder. "I have protection and can carry everything with this. Two burgers?"

She looked sincere and her pulse remained steady. I didn't like separating, even though I doubted any of our followers would have tracked us this far. She wiggled her fingers, beckoning for food money.

"Three," I said, reaching into my wallet and handing her a twenty.

She plucked it from my fingers with a grin. "Three's probably a good idea. You may not have fries by the time I walk back."

I smiled and watched her leave. She walked out the door and turned right. I glanced at the timer on the machine. Thirty-five minutes. She should be back by the time the load finished washing.

****

Moving the clothes from the washer to the dryer, I watched the door. She wasn't back. As soon as the dryer started, I went outside and looked up the street to the right. I could see the restaurant several blocks down.

The door to the restaurant opened. I caught a glimpse of Bethi's dark hair before a truck pulled up to the road from a side street, blocking my view. When the truck left, the dark head was entering a drug store two buildings down from the restaurant.

I went inside and checked the time on the dryer—fifteen more minutes—then went back to watching the door. Minutes ticked by slowly, and when the dryer buzzed, I could no longer ignore the growing sense of dread I felt.

Taking the still warm clothes into my arms, I went to the bike. Her scent lingered on the sidewalk, a sweet, sharp flavor that called to me.

After stuffing our things into the saddle bags, I followed her trail. Before I reached the restaurant, it just vanished. Frowning, I kept going. At the restaurant door, I inhaled. There was no trace of Bethi's scent. Whoever I saw leaving the restaurant, it hadn't been Bethi.

Swearing, I jogged back to where her scent had stopped. It mingled with exhaust. Snarling in frustration, I jogged to the bike and started it. Bethi had hitched a ride. I was sure of it. But why?

I pulled away from the curb and followed the exhaust trail out of town, heading north. After this stunt, she'd be lucky if I didn't…I swore again. I wouldn't do a thing to her. I just wanted her back.

"You better be safe," I said, opening the throttle.

****

I lost her scent but picked it up again at a gas station. From there, Bethi had taken off on foot. Déjà vu gripped me as I eyed the road ahead. She really needed to stop doing this. I eased the bike forward, determined to find her.

Driving slowly, I followed her trail along a country road. With each mile, her scent grew stronger, and I knew I was finally getting close.

I'd managed about seven miles when I caught a scent that made my hackles raise. Pulling off the road, I killed the engine and inhaled deeply. I got off the bike and continued to test the air. Bethi had walked the right shoulder. Three mutts had come from the woods on the left.

I paced forward, letting the scents lead me. All four of them had entered the woods to the right.

Stepping off the shoulder, between the trunks of barren trees, I looked for signs of their passing. Paws had churned up fallen leaves and left a few prints in the damp earth. In several more places, I found indents left by Bethi's shoes. They were spaced a considerable distance apart. She'd been running hard. Her fear still lingered in the air. Claw marks scored the bark of the tree to my right, and a greater sense of unease filled me. Unmated males didn't purposely frighten available females. Especially compatible human females. My canines lengthened as did my stride.

She had better be safe.

I tried not to think of what might have happened as I silently ran between the trees. Her scent grew stronger and more terrified in places she'd fallen or touched trees or branches. She had to be close.

Not a moment later, a faint sound reached me, and I slowed to pinpoint it. Ahead, in the direction of her trail. A man's voice. I picked up speed.

As I ran, the indistinct words soon became clear.

"Mercy is for the weak."

Bethi's voice rang in the air. "No. Mercy is for anyone with a big enough vocabulary to—"

Any relief I'd felt hearing her voice died at the sound of something hitting the ground. Fear for her safety pierced me. My heart raced as I caught sight of movement through the trunks and bramble.

Three mutts crouched, barely holding the change between forms. Beyond them, I watched Bethi stand and face them. Red stained the front of her shirt. No, I thought in denial as I crept forward. They wouldn't…

I inhaled, and the scent of her blood enraged me. My vision changed slightly as I allowed my control to slip a little further. They would pay for hurting her, and I would need my claws and teeth to collect my due.

"Stupid." Bethi's voice was strong and sure.

Before the lead mutt could move, I leapt at the one to the left, knocking him into a tree. The second one was on my back immediately. Ignoring him, I sunk my teeth into the man's exposed throat before the shift could fully take him. Blood poured into my mouth, and I twisted away, pulling the flesh. His breath gurgled from the hole I left.

Twisting, I shook the second one off my back.

"Stupid and slow. A bad combination in a fight," Bethi said behind me.

Knowing the last mutt was focused on her, I used the claws of my half transformed hand to open the underbelly of the second wolf. He fell to the ground with a yowl. I felt no remorse. These weren't challengers. They'd hurt Bethi, a potential mate.

When I turned, I saw Bethi holding her knife to her own throat. Her complete calm accentuated the resigned look in her eyes. Bethi's words came back to me. The knife gives me a tiny bit of power over my fate. My world stopped as I realized what she meant to do.

I reached out, sinking my claws into the mutt's back and pulled. Off balance, he fell toward me, and I gripped his throat in between my hands.

Bethi's wide eyes remained focused on the mutt. I turned, putting my back to her so she wouldn't see me break his miserable neck. His limbs twitched then he stilled.

In the silence, I heard more coming.

The drum of feet on the ground as they raced toward us worried me. There were too many. Too many to continue to believe these were challengers. Too many to defeat at one time. Too many to keep from Bethi. But I would try, or I would die.

I tossed the mutt aside and backed toward Bethi, shielding her with the only thing I had, myself.

She set her forehead against my back and slowly inhaled. Her fear and desolation wrapped around me. I wanted to comfort her, to wrap her in my arms, but there wasn't time. The sounds grew louder. Branches snapped. A howl rent the air.

Within the depth of her despair, a new tendril of scent tickled my nose. Affection.

"I will hold the memory of you in my heart forever," she said. Then she straightened away from me. I was torn between wanting her to run and wanting her to stay close. Which was safer? I didn't know. Before I could say anything, the mutts arrived.