“I’m fine, Mom. I’m safe. Are they looking for me?” she asked, knowing she’d have to keep it short. It was the reason her mom had called her Arlene. She never talked to Arlene for long.
“Yes, yes. You do have to be careful with the lace trains. If you get even the slightest tear in it, it could splinter off into two directions, and then you’ve just got a half dozen runs through it.”
“A half dozen of them in two different directions?”
“That’s right. Just make sure you catch the stitches right. Three up, three down, and then loop back through the middle. You’re cutting it close, though, aren’t you? She has wedding photos tomorrow and you’re just starting it today?”
“One went north and one went south and will circle back. They left today. Is it Trevor and his bunch?”
“Yeah. Okay. That sounds right.”
“Thanks, Mom. I love you.”
“You too. Hopefully, we can catch up more soon. You caught me in the middle of making lunch for my husband and a few of our friends. They’ve got a road trip on for America tomorrow to check on a bike. You know how these boys are about their bikes.”
“Bye, Mom.”
“Bye for now.”
There was just the slightest quiver in her voice as she said those last words and Autumn felt her pain deep in her heart. She knew it was hard for her to lose her child, perhaps forever, but she would make that choice in order for her to be safe, in order for Autumn to have a chance at happiness. She had to fight back my tears as she ended the call and handed the phone back to Malcolm.
“So, I was able to decipher all that about two groups of three and directions. Did you learn anything else?”
“Just that it’s Trevor and his buddies. Dad is at home with some of the pack putting together another group to head south to America tomorrow.”
“Shit. How long were you riding before you wrecked?”
“A little over two days.”
“Without stopping?”
“I stopped a couple of times for gas and to stretch my legs, but nothing more than a fifteen-minute nap or two.”
“Which they’ll have to do too. Alright, so we’re probably safe in the cabin tonight, but we’ll need to get a move on first thing in the morning.”
“A move on to where? I have no bike and a bus ticket will lead them right to me. They’ll be at my final destination before I am with all the stops those things make, plus I’ll have to go through immigration.”
“I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out tonight. I have no more interest in crossing a half dozen angry bear shifters than you do.”
Autumn felt her anxiety growing, threatening to take over as she stood listening to him. It was obvious that he had no clue how to help her either. What had happened between them last night meant nothing in the long term. It was just a tryst, a one-night—or perhaps, a two-night—stand. He could just as easily decide this wasn’t his problem and bail on her come daylight or sooner. She couldn’t blame him if he did, but she also needed a plan if that happened.
What she couldn’t figure out was why they were looking for her. Was it just a matter of pride? She had hurt Trevor’s delicate little feelings and made the family look bad by running away from an intended marriage to him? In her clan, that was enough. The Alphas were headstrong and self-important. You didn’t cross them without consequences. So, of course, he would come after her, but what was the price they intended for her to pay? Would she be dragged back for the marriage or destroyed?
The fact that her father was also building a separate party to come for her made her think it was the former. Surely even he wasn’t so cold that he would actively participate in her destruction. He had always been selfish but she couldn’t imagine that he would see her murdered just for running away from a bad marriage. Still, his reaction to her being attacked had been less than fatherly, so who could say for sure.
The bottom line was that it was in her best interest to get further ahead of them and avoid finding out the answers to her questions. She would stay tonight, get in as much healing as possible, which should be enough to finish closing even the worst of her wounds. First light, she needed to be on her way, on foot if necessary.
From what she could determine from their trips out from the campground, there was a wooded area behind them, and she could make her way through it down to a nearby highway. She could throw her duffle over her back and hike it, hopefully grabbing a ride from someone to avoid any public transport that might reveal her location. She didn’t care where she went, as long as it was further south, closer to America, and she was hardly in any danger from the usual hitchhiker’s worries with her shifting capabilities.