Page 91 of The Piece You Stole

Why can’t I understand?

“…tortured… I… arm.”

What?

Why is everything so garbled?

I grab at the words and try to force them together in a way that will make sense, but they explode in my hands, and then they’re just gone, and I’m alone in my head.

But I’m not afraid.

I can’t open my eyes, and nothing makes sense, but I’m not afraid.

I feel safe.

Something brushes against the top of my head. It’s a gentle touch, like a whisper or a kiss.

Must be the wind playing with your hair, Saige. That’s all it is.

A wolf growl slices through this safe feeling, shattering my calm and making my heart leap in response.

The playground.

Rylan was bringing me to the playground, and now they’re hunting me.

A harsh curse rings out, and then I’m moving. Fast.

Each step jerks me hard against a male chest, and ithurts.

I’m fighting to wrench my eyelids open when all the movement stops.

I whimper because of the pain when suddenly, it feels like whoever has a hold of me is peering down into my face and it feels like…

No, Saige.

It can’t be.

Don’t even dare to hope. You remember what’s happened every time you’ve done that.

“… shaking.”

What?

Who is talking now?

Why is the world like a puzzle with pieces that don’t fit together?

I slide forward. Panic jolts me.

I’m falling.

Desperately, I grip onto something—anything–with arms that still don’t want to work.

Big mistake.

Agony shears into my mind, and the copper tang of blood fills the air.

A black void stretches its hands out toward me, and I’m oh sogratefulwhen the sweet blackness envelops me and steals the pain away.

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