Page 22 of Wild Claim

“Getting this piece of shit out of here,” Rory snarled at her.

I winced as he roughly shoved Todd into the backseat. Part of me wanted to tell Rory to be gentler, but I had to be honest with myself. Todd deserved it and a lot more.

“Take him to a doctor,” I said.

Gladys gaped at me. “But... but I brought Todd here for you. He wanted to sweep you off your feet and take you home.”

“Home? This farmhouseismy home. I’m not going anywhere.”

Her eyebrows furrowed. “Dear, he’s your fiancé. Surely you—”

“Ex-fiancé,” I corrected sharply. “And he hasn’t been that for a long time.”

“I just assumed—”

“You assumed wrong,” I cut her off, taking a step towards her. “Now, unless you want to join Todd in dreamland, I suggest driving his sorry butt out of here.Now.”

Gladys’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water. She hurried to the driver’s side before sliding in. The car’s engine roared to life before it sharply drove in reverse. When I saw the taillights fade into the night, I turned back to Rory. But he wasn’t there.

“Rory?”

The forest loomed before me, a wall of inky shadows and rustling leaves. My fingers drifted to my lips, still tingling from his fierce kiss. The memory of his body pressed against mine, hard and unyielding. I took a step towards the treeline. “Rory, where are you?” The words echoed back to me, mocking and hollow.

I closed my eyes and listened, hoping for some answer, some direction. All I heard was the rustling of leaves as the wind whistled through the branches, the chirping of crickets, the howls of coyotes, and the faint echo of a turkey’s gobble.

Chapter Ten

RORY

I turned away fromit all. Away from Mina’s farmhouse, away from her warmth, her smile, her goddamn hope. My feet hammered the dirt, each step carrying me further from what I craved but couldn’t grasp. Asshole. Idiot. Bastard. The words ricocheted in my skull, matching my frenzied pace. I let out a guttural growl, raw and primal, as if I could scare off my own self-loathing.

The woods swallowed me whole, and I charged in like a madman. Twigs snapped against my skin, each sting a welcomedistraction. Anything to numb the fucking ache inside. She deserved better. A piece of shit like me would just ruin her life. Then Mina’s face, all sunshine and softness, hit me like a sucker punch. I tripped, hands clawing at rough bark to keep from eating dirt.

“Fuck!” I slammed my fist into the tree, over and over, until blood slicked my knuckles. The throb in my hand drowned out thoughts of her. I couldn’t go there. Not now. Never.

I pushed deeper into the mountains, ignoring the biting cold. A twig snapped, and I froze, my body tensing on instinct. Just the wind. I pressed on, ducking branches and sidestepping loose rocks. Snow-capped mountains came into view, stark against the night sky.

This was where I belonged. In this godforsaken wasteland, as cold and empty as my own damn soul.

But Mina’s face kept invading my thoughts. Her smile, her eyes... the way she looked at me like I was worth a damn.

I stopped at the edge of a cliff, staring down at the valley. Maple Ridge’s lights glittered far below. Somewhere down there was Mina’s farmhouse. That’s when the truth hit me. I’d left my heart behind, and no amount of distance could change that simple, damning fact.

A howl pierced the night.

The cabin was close. Just a little further. Moonlight broke through the trees, bathing everything in silver.

My skin prickled. “No,” I growled, but it came out as a strangled gobble. Pain ripped through me, bones cracking and reshaping. I fell to my knees, body contorting. Feathers erupted from my skin in a rush. Cursed. Still a goddamn turkey. Mina’s acceptance wasn’t enough. No,Iwasn’t enough. Another twig snapped nearby. My instincts roared with danger. I whirled around and spotted yellow eyes that gleamed in the darkness.

Fuck.

I bolted, wings spread, talons pounding the forest floor. Snarls erupted behind me as the coyotes gave chase. Branches whipped past, leaves a blur. A snap of jaws, too close. I veered left, diving through dense underbrush. Thorns tore at my feathers, but I pushed on. The coyotes’ panting grew louder, hungrier.

A massive log blocked my path. I launched myself skyward, wings thrashing the air. For a split second, I thought I’d made it. Then pain exploded across my back. I spiraled down, face-planting into the forest floor. Leaves and dirt clogged my beak as I sputtered, struggling to right myself. Before I could get my bearings, a weight slammed into me. Razor-sharp teeth snapped shut, barely missing my head. The coyote’s rancid breath washed over me as I stared into its hungry eyes.

“Get away from him, you mangy mutt!”

A branch whooshed through the air, connecting with the coyote’s skull with a sickening crack. The beast yelped and staggered back. I blinked, certain I was hallucinating.

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