Page 75 of Wolf Heart

I break through the trees into a clearing. The sunlight feels too bright and squint, ready to drop where I stand.

If I stop, they'll catch me. I pick up speed, ignoring them shadowing me.

I don't know where I'm going, but I have to get away from them.

What had I been thinking to trust them? They were in the same position I was in. It was their lives on the line. I was just the scapegoat.

I throw up into the bushes, my chest heaving as I try to get air in my lungs.

I don't know how far I've run, but the sun is low in the sky when Dex catches me, pulling me backward by my hair, holding me tight against his chest. I try to break free, but he's too strong.

“Let me go!" I twist, but my arm is locked between our bodies and I can't get away.

His hold on me doesn't loosen as I struggle in his arms.

"Let me go," I scream.

"You've had your fun now calm down," Dex snarls. "You wanna tumble headfirst into the witches' hands?"

I jerk out of his hold, Aspen blocking my path.

"Fuck you both."

Dex chuckles. "You already have."

My face burns and I want to punch them.

"We're trying to help you," Aspen growls, raking a hand through his blond hair.

"You don't want me," I yell. "You just want the cure."

"We're trying to save your ass." Dex grabs my arm and I yank away from his grip.

“I don’t need you to do that."

"Yes, you do," Aspen says. "We're the only thing standing between you and the pack that wants to kill you and the witches."

“If you don’t want to get hurt, you’ll do what we say," Dex says.

I laugh again, the sound bitter. "You’re going to let the witches do whatever they want to me?"

The muscle in Dex's jaw twitches. "We don't have a choice."

I want to punch him in the throat, but I guess I can't blame them for wanting to hand me over. The witches have the power. Why take the chance?

I glare at them, wishing I could go back to yesterday when we were making love and I didn't know about any of this.

“You’re our mate,” Aspen says, catching my gaze. “We’ll protect you.”

I shake my head because that's not possible. My wolf snarls at him. “What can you do against the witches?” I ask. “What can we do against them?”

They stare at me with their mouths set in a determined line, but their eyes are full of dark emotions that are full of pain and longing.

My heart sinks. The witches will kill me if they have the chance and wolves can do little against magic. Not with the three of us against a whole coven.

Even if Raven shows up to help us, we're still way outnumbered and I can't even shift.

I look away, clearing my throat and trying to ignore how much that hurts that the only reason they agreed to help me find my mom was that they had an ulterior motive.

My legs feel wooden as I take a step away from them.

Both of them follow my movement with their raptor gazes and I hold up a hand.

"Please, don't follow me. I-I need to be alone right now." Before they can argue, I tear away, walking as fast as I can without running. Running will only make them chase me. But I can't stay. Not when I know the truth.

My breaths sting my lungs as I keep moving, glancing over my shoulder, expecting them to come after me. But there's nothing.

Or they just want me to think that? Goosebumps break out across my flesh and the desire to rush back to them floods me. But I can't. I'm better off on my own.

Why is it that when I get close to anyone, it all turns to shit?

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