We are up quite high, you know.”
“I can see that. I’m sorry,” I stammered. “I just… something caught me off guard. Thank you for catching me. Where’s Naomi?” I scanned the sky. “She should’ve been back by now. It should’ve taken her five minutes. There must’ve been a problem with Ray.”
That was unfair, I scolded my wolf. Hearing Rourke’s voice had overwhelmed me and triggered a new flood of emotion I hadn’t realized had been lingering right under the surface, waiting for just the right moment to erupt and swallow me whole. My wolf lifted her muzzle, curling her lips, showing me her teeth—almost a snarl, but more like a warning. I get it. I might be actively suppressing my emotions, but it’s only to protect myself so I don’t go insane. It’s a human coping mechanism, and I happen to need it. You can’t expect me to think like you do this quickly. She chomped her muzzle down twice, her eyes flecked with violet. Okay, but ask yourself this—what if we’re too late? The thought of losing Rourke forever sent emotional needles prickling through me, causing me actual, physical pain.
I rubbed my arms.
My wolf turned her back on me, her fur bristling. Fine. You don’t want to talk about it. But maybe my not dwelling on it has some merit. It will be devastating enough to see him hurt. Selene will not go easy on him. My wolf slowly turned to look at me and a scene shot into my mind, clear and bright like a movie playing out in front of me. Two children. A boy and a girl. One blond, like her father, one dark like his mother.
A child ran toward me, his arms open.
What are you doing? I cried out in my mind. Stop!
I was too horrified to shut her down; instead I watched as I stepped into the frame, happy and laughing as the child raced toward me. I bent down to embrace him, and right as he bounded into my grasp the images evaporated before me, leaving total grief in its wake. Shocking, awful misery pounded against my heart, threatening to suffocate me completely. That was totally uncalled for! I yelled, rage churning inside me. What can you possibly gain by torturing me with something like that? My wolf shifted her head to the side. She quieted completely, as if she was waiting for me. It took me a minute, but then I understood. She wasn’t trying to hurt me. She was showing me something. What happens if this doesn’t become a reality? What are you trying to tell me? She lay down and rested her head on her paws and whined. You have to tell—
“Jess,” Tyler called, charging around the corner. “Naomi and Eamon have vanished.”
20
“What do you mean vanished? How do you know?” My fingers traced to my temples and I pressed hard. We are not done here, I told my wolf. Her eyes were already closed on the subject. I actually wasn’t sure if there were words for what she has just tried to show me. The sense of loss still flowing through me was unfathomable. I knew without a doubt if my children were never born, something would change or be broken. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to find out what that something was, because whatever it was it was big and horrible.
“I know she’s gone because I just found Ray,” my brother informed me. “I climbed straight up from here. There’s a shallow butte at the top. He’s there and pissed as hell at being left. Naomi never showed. No packs, no supplies. She’s disappeared.”
“Well, she wouldn’t desert us—just like James wouldn’t leave the Pack without a damn good reason,” I said. “Something must be wrong.”
“No shit. This whole situation is wrong.”
“Tyler—”
“We don’t have time to argue about the merits of a vampire’s loyalty; we need to move. I’m done waiting.” His face was set. “And I know you are too.”
He was right. We were out of time. “Did Eamon happen to show either of you the path we need to take?” I asked. “Or give you a directional point before he took off?”
“He pointed to a vague area someplace to the right,” Tyler said. “He also said the entrance was masked to look like something else.”
“Like rocks?” I asked. “Or something completely different?”
“He didn’t specify, but if it was rocks, it wouldn’t look like something else; it would look the same,” Tyler replied. “My guess is it’s