Page 44 of Alpha Scorned

Chapter 14

Selina

“Areyou sure you want to do this?” Becca asked, not looking happy with me at all.

“I am.” I zipped up my black leather jacket and stuffed a few energy bars in my pockets, along with a bottle of water and my phone, though the usually patchy signal seemed to have disappeared altogether. Who knew? It might come back.

“Selina, I’m sure Owen doesn’t want you out wandering the forest alone when he’s hunting the bad guys.”

I had the grace to look a bit guilty. “He doesn’t, but the same goes for him. I don’t want my mate out there alone, either.”

“Godsdamnit, he’s a trained killer, the second most powerful shifter of our species, built like a semi-truck, and more than capable of managing on his own in the wilderness. And he can shift. You can’t. Stay here with Devon and me, please?”

“Becca, I can’t. He doesn’t know this wilderness. It will be far quicker if I show him the way. And I can watch his back.”

“Really? And who's going to watch yours?” she snapped, her hands jammed on her hips. My eye roll was enough to elicit a growl. “Fine! If you’re that set on this insanity, tell me how you’re going to find him.”

I shrugged and smiled. “I know where he’s heading.”

“Honey, he set off nearly eight hours ago, how in the hell are you going to know where he is now?”

My mouth twisted. Becca was right, he could be anywhere. But he was going to turn back in the night as the others slept. I glanced out of the window. It was dark and the moon was illuminating the star peppered sky. Owen wasn’t going to shift until he left the others. They’d be at the first guard hut by now, or at least, nearly there, even in human form. That meant it would be a few hours before he left the others.

My nod was determined. I had plenty of time.

“Because I ultimately know where he’s going to end up,” I told Becca. “And that’s where I’m going.”

She threw her hands in the air. “Gods, you’re so stubborn sometimes.”

I grinned. “You wouldn’t love me the same if I wasn’t.”

Her laugh was light. “I’d love you whatever way you are. But you’re going to be on foot, Sel. That means you’ll be far slower than Owen.”

“I know, but I also know the way, and it’s closer to me than it is to him. Honestly, Becs, I’ll be fine. I might not have my wolf, but I’m not weak.” I strapped a hunting knife to my thigh. She eyed it skeptically.

“Wouldn’t a gun of some kind be a better weapon?”

I zipped up my coat and grabbed her shoulders, leaning in to kiss her cheek. “Probably. But I don’t have one. So this will do.” I patted the knife.

“Owen’s probably got dozens of spare ones in his belongings. You have a key to Shane’s house, why don’t you go and get one?”

“Because I don’t have time to find the key, and I’m not sure how to use those fae weapons they have.” That was definitely something I needed Owen to rectify when we got back. If the bad guys were close, and my son was at risk, I’d learn quickly.

“Fine. But please—be careful.”

I nodded. “I will.”

She sighed. “Okay, well, is your phone fully charged?”

I pulled it from my pocket and checked. “It is. For all the good it will do. The signal’s been shitty lately.”

“Yeah. But having the illusion of being able to contact you makes me feel better.”

I huffed a chuckle. My stomach was writhing with nerves, but no way would I show that to Becca. I’d been out in the wilds plenty over the last few years, but I wasn’t exactly sure what was out there. I also wasn’t one hundred percent sure about leaving my son, but the clinic was closed tomorrow, as was daycare, and I knew Becca would protect my son with her life.

“Owen said his brothers would stop by to check on us when they returned. But don’t answer the door for anyone else. Shane didn’t trust someone in this pack and I’ve no idea who that might be.”

“Don’t worry, I won’t. You just be careful, okay.”

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