Page 16 of Tangled Fates

“Hey, now,” Hudson warned. “For all the shit she puts us through, we can’t deny that she’s doing her best under awful circumstances.”

I sniggered. “What? You’re seriously going to tell me I’m wrong? All she’s seen is people running with her and from her throughout her entire life. Of course, she runs. It’s what she does.”

Dean sighed heavily. “You think she’s coming back?”

“At some point in time, she won’t,” Hudson said flatly.

I shook my head, though. “Nah. I can still feel her in the area. I mean, she’s running like hell. But she’s not gone.”

“Well, I think she’s taken off for good,” Hudson said.

I drew in a deep breath. “We’d probably be better off if she did. We had this all under control until she came along.”

Dean whipped around, standing before us with frustration on his face. “Do you guys not get it?”

Hudson and I looked at one another.

“Seriously,” Dean said, “do you really not understand the pressure she’s under? She’s been dropped into the middle of a pack she wasn’t raised with; she’s figured out that her father was murdered and that her mother most likely fled to L.A. just to keep her away from her father. We’ve told her she’s destined to have three knuckle-headed assholes for husbands all the while running a pack she’s unfamiliar with, and that doesn’t even take into account the fact that her body is reconnecting with everything around her. With the meadow. And the woods. And the aspect of home she’s missed her entire life. But you guys can’t rub two fucking brain cells together for one goddamn second to see why the hell she’s so damn overwhelmed?”

Dean panted for air as I rolled my eyes. “Says the guy that didn’t want to tell her shit in the first place.”

“Hey,” Dean said with a bark as he put his finger in my face, “we all kept our mouths shut on things. That isn’t just on me.”

Hudson leaned into my ear. “I’m willing to blame it on him if you are.”

Dean gnashed his teeth together. “Look, at the end of the day, if she doesn’t want to be here then she won’t be here. We can’t make her stay. Not even with whatever bullshit vision I may have had.”

“So, you think it’s bullshit, too?” I asked.

And when he didn’t respond, Hudson did the talking. “I sure as hell do. Why the fuck am I attached to some girl who’s got two other dudes watching after her? I don’t do this fuckery anymore, remember? The universe should know better than that shit.”

“Anyone feel like reaching out to her?” Dean asked. “Groupthink? Going after her? Anything?”

“You would,” I murmured.

Dean threw his hands into the air. “What? You’re shocked at my question? Are you that stupid? We at least need to figure out if she’s coming back.”

I got right up into that man’s face. “Call me stupid one more time and see what happens.”

“Enough, you two,” Hudson said as his head fell back, “fighting isn’t gonna solve?—”

Dean shoved me in the chest. “Fine. You want to fight? Then, let’s fight.”

I chuckled as he stumbled on his feet. “And here I thought you wanted to reach out to the Runaway Bride.”

Hudson stepped in between the two of us. “Dean, reach out to her. Levi, shut the fuck up.”

And even though I attempted to shove Hudson out of the way, I saw Dean close his eyes out of the corner of my gaze.

Before his voice sounded in my head.

Raven, you’re moving away from our lands too quickly.

We waited for her response on bated breath, but all we got was static.

“Wow, way to go on that one,” I murmured.

“You try, then, if you think you’re so good at it,” Dean spat.

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