Page 5 of Soul Fated

“Nobody gets up at the butt-crack of dawn on a Friday if they don’t have to. What’s going on, Calli?” Her eyes bored into mine.

I wasn’t going to get away with a half-assed excuse this time. “There’s something I need to do.”

“Great. Why don’t we do it together? We could do it on the way.” Evelyn turned back to the driveway.

“On the way to wha…” That’s when I noticed Rowan in the truck. He opened the driver’s side door and stepped out onto the driveway.

“Hey, Callista.” Rowan waved and started toward the stairs.

“You brought the alpha?” I hissed, and Evelyn raised a brow.

“Desperate times.”

I scoffed. “This isn’t desperate. Just because I’m not coming to breakfast?—”

“You haven’t been to anything, Callista. I came this morning to make sure someone hadn’t stolen your phone after murdering you and burying you in the basement!” Evelyn saw the expression on my face and pursed her lips. “Sorry. Way too soon for hyperbole.”

It was too soon. Three weeks ago, I was convinced that would be my fate. My heart softened at the realization that Evelyn and Rowan were why I stood on my porch. My life was a dumpster fire, but at least I still had it.

She leaned against the doorframe with a smirk on her lips, tucking her auburn hair behind her ear. Rowan walked up the steps and stood behind her.

"We have a surprise for you." Evelyn’s voice was chipper.

I swallowed hard, my mind still sluggish after my dream. I clenched my fists as I forced a smile. If I could play along, maybe they’d go away faster. "What kind of surprise?"

Rowan's smile widened, and he exchanged a glance with Evelyn. "We're going camping. Just for the night. We thought getting away and enjoying the fresh air would be fun."

My heart dropped to my knees. Was I still dreaming? I opened my mouth to protest, but the words caught in my throat. I couldn't tell them about the dagger or the dark magic. I couldn’t tell them I had other plans. They’d know I was lying.

"I... I don't know if that's a good idea," I stammered, my voice trembling. "I haven’t been sleeping well.”

Evelyn frowned. “Why not?”

I shrugged, taking a step back in the entryway. “Just bad dreams.”

Evelyn nodded. “I know exactly what you mean. Those images…I can’t get them out of my head either.”

I gritted my teeth. Of course. Evelyn had been in the clearing with Nathan, too. Since she was functional, I should be functional. She’d gone through just as much as I had. “I don’t have a good feeling about leaving the house.”

Evelyn winced. “Callista, you can’t hole up here forever.”

I pulled my sleeve lower over my wrist. “It’s not forever.”

“It feels like it.” She met my eyes, and I knew she wouldn’t leave my porch with a little pushback like she had in the past.

“Where do you want to go?”

Evelyn grinned. “Site 406. At Cotton Creek. Where we used to camp as kids.”

My stomach turned inside out. “Evelyn?—”

“You haven’t been in forever, I asked Blake.” She pushed out her lower lip. “It’ll be fun, Calli. Like old times.”

She was trying so hard. It was heartbreaking. But the image from my dream flared with disturbing detail. It was the same place. How was it possible that I’d seen the park in my dreams, and now they were standing here trying to convince me to go there?

Rowan put a protective arm around her waist. "Jasper and I will both be there."

I shook my head, my heart pounding in my chest. "I can't."

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