“The heart I got,” I said, “it belonged to her late mate.”
Val’s eyes widened, her hold on me tighter than before.
“Oh god.”
“And that heart calls out to me,” Ash cut in, making her way toward us.
Fallen took her place in front of me, guarding me as the Alpha slowly made her approach.
“Stand aside,” Ash ordered.
“You aren’t thinking clearly,” Fallen told her, not moving from where she was. “She doesn’t even smell like Dani.”
“But her heart—”
“Belongs to me,” I said, taking a cautious step back.
“Jo, please,” my sister pleaded, hugging her arms around my neck. “Let’s just go.”
This time I didn’t argue, my willingness to defend Fallen lost under my need to protect my sister. Ash clearly wasn’t willing to listen to anything Fallen had to say, so it wasn’t like I’d do any better.
Without waiting for a response, I turned for the mountains and ran as fast I could with my sister hugged close to me. Her weight shifted on my back with every step, the comfort of her embrace soon shadowed by my fear for Fallen’s safety.
She’s a wolf and can handle herself, I insisted, pushing forward when my heart begged me to turn back. It was my
wolf that guided me then, taking me away from danger instead of running right toward it.
A mournful howl broke through the night sky as we neared the boundary. A moment later, the rest of the pack howled back, myself included. It was a sad, chilling howl that sent a shiver down my spine and made Val do the same.
The howl belonged to Ash.
Chapter Sixteen
I should’ve been happy for her. Thrilled. Instead, a surge of panic rolled thro
ugh me, sending me as far away from the manor as I could go without running into the city. At the edge of a bluff, I paused under the trees, my wolf fighting me back whenever I tried to step outside the boundary.
“The city,” Val said in awe, slipping off my back once I’d stopped running. “It looks so different out here.”
I nodded in agreement, admiring the orange glow as it slowly bled into the night. Surrounded by forests on either side, it was a long drive on I-81 to reach the next human settlement. That was the fortunate part when it came to living so close to the mountains. There was more than enough room for the wolves to run, which also explained why so many packs called the northern mountains their home.
Hardly anyone built out here, the winding roads delaying most shipments the city actually received. Having lived here my whole life, it annoyed me whenever I couldn’t find my favorite thing on one of the grocery shelves. However, as a wolf, I appreciated the solitude even more.
“Where do we go from here?” Val asked when I didn’t say anything. “Is it safe for you to go home?” Her eyes were fixed on the city below.
“I’d like to,” I admitted, “but it isn’t that simple.” Just because I wanted to go didn’t mean it was a good idea.
“Because you might shift and hurt someone else.” The twinge of fear I sensed on her made me whimper in response.
“And because of Fallen,” I added, not entirely sure how to explain the mating bond to her.
“You worry about her.” Val forced a small smile when she looked at me again.
“I do.”
“Because of your heart?”
“My wolf as well.” God, why is it so hard to talk to you?