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Chapter

Thirty-Five

ASHER

Asher was still pacing outside of Sunny’s house, fighting a losing battle with himself and his wolf.

She said she wouldn’t leave.

But that hurt part of him kept telling him that he knew this was going to happen. People like Sunny couldn’t be trapped. And that’s what this town was. A trap. Of course she had run again.

While he tried to rationalize with that side of himself, his wolf was already gone, snarling and ready to run.

His mate had left him again.

He made his way over to the tree line, stripping his clothes off, to let his wolf take over. After a loud, long howl, he was off running in the woods, trying to outrun a painful past and the feelings of abandonment pulling him down.

He gave over to his wolf as his paws propelled him aimlessly through the forest. He wasn’t going to stay here and wait for someone who was just going to leave him again.

He was gone.

Chapter

Thirty-Six

SUNNY

“You saw it?”

“I did. I was in the woods that night. I saw a truck run them off the road. It clipped them, and they managed to get away, but there was another truck waiting for them after the bend. That truck hit them and spun them around, and the other pushed them into the ditch.”

A huff of air left Sunny’s mouth. Emotions swirled in her body. The relief of validation. She was right. They had all been right. But that relief was swallowed up by the grief coming right after. Anger and grief that someone had so fundamentally changed her life that night and taken so much from them.

“I’m sorry, I could have said that better. I’m just so confused.”

“Was it Bradford Wilkes?”

“I don’t know who it was.” He shrugged. A deep crease covered his brow. “I wish I could help you.”

Sunny nodded, taking in the new information. She had known it was something like that. But after having it confirmed, she wasn’t sure what to do with it.

“There was a name on the second truck, though . . .”

Her eyes flew to his. She knew what was coming.

“VenDeer.”

“The coal company,” she said as she closed her eyes and shook her head. “Of course it was.”

He nodded.

“Will you let me take you back to town?” he asked in a soft, soothing voice.

“Will you tell me what you were doing at that store in Charleston?”

“Okay . . . I’ll tell you, but I just need to you keep an open mind.”

She nodded.