39. Thirty-nine

thirty-nine

Drym and I slept in the clearing where our house would be built. Surrounded by him, warm and safe cuddled on his chest, it was easy to pretend the danger was over. I smiled as I pushed through the door into the common hall.

Halfway to the table, I stumbled to a stop. All six of the ‘fangs gathered at the far end in a loose circle, their muscles stiff with tension. Roul stood in the center, his eyes shut and his hands clenched into tight fists.

The others murmured in low voices. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but it was obvious they were trying to calm and soothe.

I cocked my head in question when Drym glanced back at me.

He shook his head and flicked his nose at me, wordlessly telling me to get out.

I hesitated until Roul opened his eyes, tilted his head back and roared. The amount of pain and anger in that sound made me retreat. They had told him about Isabelle. It was the only thing that made sense. I wondered if it was the right thing to do, but what's done was done.

Seeing me might mean more pain, so I left. My heart broke for him. I understood why Isabelle did what she did, but it would be hard for him not to feel abandoned.

It wasn't long before Drym stepped out and came to where I sat in the SUV the shifters left for us.

"He is lost in the fog."

"The fog?"

Drym looked away and his ears drooped. "In times of high emotion or stress, we enter a state we call the fog. Our focus narrows to a single point, a single objective. Survive, by any means. Nothing else registers."

He sighed. "It makes us unpredictable, uncontrollable, and dangerous to everyone near."

"How long will he be in this fog?"

"I'm not sure, but I would rather you not be here for a while."

I nodded. "Okay, I'll go into town. I think I have a package to pick up, anyway."

He leaned into the car and hugged me. I buried my face in the fur of his neck and inhaled.

"Be careful, Kendal."

"I will."

He released a shuddering exhale and made his way back inside.

The drive into Damruck took me winding through pines and fields freshly plowed, waiting to be planted. I sang along to the latest pop songs at the top of my lungs, feeling better than I had in weeks.

Drym was back safe. The gentle glow of our bond lights seemed to dance along with me. I pulled into a shopping center with a locally owned coffee shop and treated myself to a latte and a decadent chocolate croissant.

My next stop was the post office. When I'd moved out of my apartment, I opened a box since the wyrfang compound didn't have a mailbox yet. I was giddy to find the package notice and grinned like a deranged villain when I took it from the worker.

I opened it and squealed when I was back in the car. My friend had come through for me, big time. They were perfect. I packed them back into the box and decided to make one last stop before I went home.

I walked out of the store balancing the tray of twenty-four cupcakes on my forearm as I dug into my purse for the keys. I hoped the sugary goodness would distract Roul for a second or two.

At the SUV, I set them on the hood and told myself for the umpteenth time I needed a smaller purse.

I didn't see the three men until they surrounded me. I spun to run, but one wrapped an arm around my waist and pushed a cloth over my nose and mouth. A van pulled up, the side door sliding open.

Adrenaline rushed through me and I fought with everything I had, only it wasn't much. My limbs were sluggish, my thoughts slow, and my eyes lost focus.

I remember the sharp pain of my shin hitting the edge of the van's door just before I sank into darkness.