he glanced down, and for the first time noticed her name written at the top of the clipboard he was holding. He flipped through the pages and wanted to howl with victory.
He’d be seeing Mackenzie Sutton very soon.
7
Kenzie’s body shivered, and she looked into the rear-view mirror to check again that no one followed them. A faint sheen of perspiration covered her body. Every inch of her ached, and she struggled to move. The pasty complexion and dark circles swallowing her eyes made her look like death. She gripped the wheel tighter on the SUV she’d acquired and gunned it down the highway.
Shaking her head to clear the fog clouding her vision, a seed of dread took root. In the two-hour drive, her body had secreted an overload of hormones that kept her pumped and on edge. It wasn’t until they had passed Hot Spring Park over an hour ago that her adrenaline ebbed enough for her to realize her condition was worsening.
She was going to become a werewolf. She knew it deep in her bones, and they had to get somewhere safe before it happened. Her gaze shot to the rear-view mirror. Ava took up most of the room in the back seat, and Milly had curled up and fallen asleep against her. If only her sister could talk. She might be able to get some answers. “Ava, can you change back?”
After a moment, Ava whined. Kenzie’s shoulders slumped. Answers would have to wait. “It’s okay.”
Where could they go? She would have to stash them somewhere and alert the authorities. Going back to save Milly’s parents in a facility armed with guards and wolves wasn’t possible. An army needed to swarm that place, and she’d report it on the road well out of Delmac’s reach. When she knew they were safe, she’d figure something out for Milly.
They’d need money. She had a small stash hidden back at her apartment. If she could get her hands on it, they’d have a chance to get away. Ava was with her, and whatever the future held, they’d face it together. First, they needed to gather supplies. Then maybe they could head up the coast and find a nice hidey-hole where no guards or wolves could find them. Her thoughts drifted back to the moments before they left the compound, when two wolves had been chasing them.
She had seen the promise of death in their eyes. They’d barely escaped, and if it wasn’t for Ava protecting them they’d probably be dinner. The outside of the facility had been just as chaotic as underground. Bullets had been flying, wolves chased the guards, and screams rent the air. She shivered at the memory. If she never saw those creatures—both human and animal alike—again, it would be too soon.
Kenzie slowed the vehicle as they approached her neighborhood. Though the chances of anyone making it to their home were slim, it didn’t stop the instinct that screamed for her to be cautious. She did a drive-by twice, and satisfied no one was lying in wait, she parked the car across the street. Turning, she faced her sister. “You wait here with Milly. I’ll go and grab some supplies, and we’ll be out of here in no time.”
Ava looked at her unblinking, and Kenzie gave her a quick nod. “I’ll be back soon.”
She opened the car door and jogged across the street. The crunch of her sneakers pounded on the asphalt. No late-night drunks wandered the roads; no cars sped past. It was almost like the street held its breath. A shiver skated down her spine. Shaking her head, she dashed to their front door. The brown door sat ajar from the invasion. Pushing through, she inched into the room. Her breath fluttered in her chest. She couldn’t tell if it was from the sickness swamping her body or the fallout of too much adrenaline. As much as she wanted to rush into the room, she forced herself to take her time. She scouted the place with her vision.
The place was a mess. Chairs littered the floor, and the moonlight caught the glimmer of broken glass chips scattered across the carpet. Every dark and hidden crevice loomed toward her. She had to pull herself together. Her throat was dry as ash and refused to swallow. She headed to the kitchen, turned on the tap, and cupped the facet, guzzling down the cool liquid. Finishing, she wiped her palms on her jeans and headed to her room. God, she