Page 28 of Eclipse of the Pack

Maybe everything will be okay.

Well, as okay as it could be. Ivy’s hand was resting by Jon’s leg, so he gently took it in his, rubbing his thumb slowly on her wrist. Ivy turned away from the window and looked at him. They smiled at one another without saying anything.

“It’ll take us a while to reach the city. It might be good for y’all to take a little rest after your… ordeal.” Barry glanced over at Ivy and Jon.

“Yeah, maybe I will,” Jon answered. He was feeling quite tired after all the walking they had done. “Will you be fine,” he whispered to Ivy. She nodded.

“Rest.” She placed her hand on his shoulder briefly. Jon didn’t really need too much convincing. He made himself comfortable and closed his eyes, quickly drifting off to sleep.

35

IVY

Ivy knew she should probably try to rest, but she was so agitated that even just sitting still was hard. She wanted to get up, wanted to move, wanted to do something. She was too scared to sleep and too tired to plan, so she sat in the truck, waiting.

Waiting for what, she didn't know. They just needed to be on the move, and they were doing that. Had she been more awake, she might have seen it coming sooner, but she didn't take much notice of the road work ahead sign.

The trucker shifted gears and followed the detour sign, taking the next exit. Then, there was a flash in the darkness, moonlight glinting off metal in the road as the spike strip deployed. She saw it just a second too late.

"Watch out!" she yelled. But it was useless. There was no way to stop in time. The truck's tires burst, and the driver lost control, and there was the sickening second of weightlessness as the truck rolled before landing on its side and skidding to a stop in a wheat field.

Jon had managed to fall asleep but flailed as the impact woke him, and he groaned, half suspended sideways.

"We have to move," Ivy said.

Ivy looked at the trucker; he was passed out in his seat. She didn't know if he was breathing. She didn't have time to check before she saw the tactical lights on the guns of PEACE agents bobbing in the darkness as they swarmed towards the truck.

This was going to get bloody.

"My seatbelt's stuck," Jon said, jamming the button. Well, it wasn't like Ivy much liked these clothes anyway. She transformed, busting the seams of her clothes, and slashed the seat belt with her claws.

"What are we going to do?" Jon asked.

"I'm going to fight," Ivy answered.

"I can't let you just take them all on by yourself."

"Yes, you will."

"Don't move!"one of the approaching PEACE agents yelled. "We have you—"

His voice was cut off by Ivy's teeth clamping around his throat as she burst from the truck, sending the windshield flying. Muzzle flashes lit up the night like a thousand exploding stars. Tactical lights bobbed through the tall wheat as they searched for their targets. But Ivy seemed to be everywhere all at once.

She was fast, and she knew their tactics. She knew the search patterns they'd use, how they'd try to corner her. And she used it to her advantage. She circled back around the truck, using it as cover until she came face to face with six or seven agents, guns raised, ready to end her life.

Too bad they were too focused on her to realize the armored van barreling towards them wasn't bringing reinforcements. Those agents that didn't go flying from the impact when under the wheels as Jon slammed the breaks and threw open the door.

Ivy smiled. She and her mate worked so well together.

She climbed inside, and Jon sped off.

36

JONATHEN

Jon was still wrestling with having run over several people when they pulled over so they could search the van. Ivy needed new clothes after hers were torn up from transforming.

He knew it was necessary to save his mate, but he'd just likely killed several people, and that wasn't something he thought he'd be getting used to anytime soon. It wasn't something he wanted to get used to, no matter how necessary it might be. He didn't know how Ivy did it.

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