Page 118 of The Hunt

“So… I really need to get the hell out of here.”

“Yup.” He frowned, rubbing his jaw. “I need to hide you until I can figure out a proper plan.”

“Can’t you just take me off the island right now?”

“No. All travel from Wildercliff is banned while the Hunt is on.”

“Wait… what? Why?”

“It’s just in case any player happens to get access to a boat and tries to escape the island that way. If travel is banned, it’s instantly noticeable if that happens, and they can be intercepted and brought back in. But if there were boats coming back and forth all the time, it wouldn’t be as noticeable, and someone might actually get away,” he said. “So once the members and players are here, it’s locked down until it’s all over. If I tried to steal a boat to get you out of here, they’d notice immediately and intercept us.”

“Shit.” I swallowed thickly. “That was actually my whole escape plan.”

Rhett frowned. “To leave on a boat?”

“Yes. I remembered the tunnels from when I was a kid, so I was going to look for the clearing where we saw that ritual. From there, I thought I could find the tunnel we came through that night, make it up to the manor, and steal a boat.”

He nodded slowly. “That was smart. You couldn’t have known about the lockdown.”

“Yeah,” I said glumly. “I guess I couldn’t have known any of it, really.”

Something in Rhett’s eyes suddenly shifted. “Ev… do you believe me?” he asked in a low voice. “That I didn’t know the truth about the Hunt?”

“Yes. Of course I believe you. Your reaction…” I trailed off, head shaking. “You couldn’t have faked that. No way.” I paused for another beat, gnawing at the inside of my cheek, before going on. “Iamcurious about something, though.”

“What?”

“Before you knew the truth, you were totally fine with killing people, as long as they were people you viewed as deserving of death,” I said. “Do you think that’ll change now? After all of this?”

His jaw clenched, and he shook his head. “The way I see it, death is the only real justice for some people. Judge me if you want. But I won’t change my mind. I won’t apologize, either.”

“I’m not judging you or demanding any apologies. I was just curious, that’s all.”

“So you don’t think I’m fucking crazy?” he asked, brows knitting. “Most people probably would.”

“Well, maybe I'm crazy too,” I said softly. “Because when you told me you'd kill people for me… that was honestly the sweetest thing I've ever heard.”

Rhett’s fingers curled gently around mine, the blood between them smearing, and he leaned in. “I meant it, Ev. I’ll kill anyone who gets in our way. Anyone who threatens you.”

“I know.”

His free hand cupped my face, thumb wiping away a streak of blood on my cheek, and then he closed the distance between us, lips claiming mine in a kiss that was neither gentle nor restrained. It was raw, desperate, filled with every unspoken word he’d buried deep for so long.

My hands tightened on his jacket, pulling him closer. His touch, his kiss… it wasn’t just a comfort. It was a promise. Apromise that I wasn’t alone in this darkness. A promise that he’d stay in it with me, no matter what came next.

When we finally pulled apart, both of us were breathing hard. Rhett’s forehead rested against mine, his voice low and hoarse. “You’re mine, Everly. Don’t ever forget that.”

A rumble of thunder rolled through the sky before I could reply. I didn’t need to, though. Not really. I knew the look in my eyes already said everything.

He glanced upward. “It’s almost dark, and there’ll be more storms soon. We should go.”

“Where?”

“Up to the Lodge,” he said. He saw the question flickering in my eyes and added, “Wildercliff Manor.”

“You want to take methere?” I said, eyes widening. “Isn’t that where all the Wilders are staying right now?”

“Technically, yeah. But do you remember the part we stayed in when we were kids?”

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