Page 57 of Just One Bite

Chapter Forty-Six

Olivia

“Mine,” he whispers in my ear.

“Oh, this is bad,” I say, as Eva and I stare at the envelope that was placed under my door in the night.

It’s pictures of Emma on her trip and a typed note.

Enjoy the swim? In case you get cold feet, Rabbit.

Step lightly. The contents are strewn over the hotel bed but Eva can't see them. They’re pictures of my sister on the culinary club trip.

She’s in bright-Luxxia blue, testing out food at different street markets.

They’re all from different angles where she can’t see. The threat is implied.

"What do they say?"

"They're pictures." I whisper.

"Pictures of what?"

My spine straightens.

"Wait, I was able to tell you? These are pictures of Emma on her trip with the culinary club.

It's a threat. They're implying they know where she is and that I need to stick to the plan.

" I try to conjure the words to tell her about the first file and my mouth wont move.

Weird. "The contents of this envelope aren't bound to the stone for some reason. "

“This place is crazy. We should tell someone. I’ll tell someone.” Eva’s shaking my bed with her fidgeting, so I grab her arm .

“And have them hurt her?”

“We have to do something. Do you really think they would do it?”

“I …” I didn’t know they’d go this far, that anyone would go this far to scare me.

Why would Aster and Barrett risk their status to threaten my sisters and me?

It must be a retaliation to Parker’s article.

But still … “I don’t know. But after The Hunt, I’m going to leave Doxlothia and let everything settle. ”

“What? No way.”

“I don’t have a choice.”

“Well, I’ll come with you.”

“No.”

“But if you go, they win. That’s what they want.” For once, Eva is making sense.

I scroll through my phone and try calling the anonymous number, but it goes straight to a disconnected tone. Still no service.

I don’t understand. I’m missing something.

“Please let me tell someone,” Eva begs.

“Tell Parker about the pictures. Tell him … we have to win this.”

Once I leave the room, I’m not allowed back in. Eva’s going to have to lie low and out of sight for the day. At least Parker’s shirt helped me get some sleep. All of the hunted are isolated from the hunters for the day.

We’re put in the dining hall for breakfast, then again for lunch after we’re shown the layout of the island, the safety measures, how to call for help, and what to expect while we’re there. We all have trackers on our ankles, and there are cameras set up around The Hunting Grounds.

This is a resort, so when the meetings are over, we’re allowed more social time.

The sun is setting by the time we can see the hunters again.

I know Parker is on the other side of the wall at times, which should be impossible, but it’s a feeling. We’re moving around each other all day, and I catch the smallest glimpse of his hair before I’m ushered into a small glass room by one of the pools.

A woman checks me over, makes me sign some liability papers, and asks me one final time if I’d like to back out.

My knee is bouncing since all I can think about is Emma.

I’m about to ask her for a phone so I can contact my sister when she excuses herself for a knock at the door.

I stand by the window overlooking the pool and pillars along the garden, taking in the surrounding trees.

Parker could find me. He’s proven himself capable over and over again. Maybe this can still work. I don’t want to play the game alone, but we could play it … together. I just need to not get caught by another Were. Easier said than done.

I gasp when the door opens seconds later and Zant appears.

“What are you doing?”

“I came to give you a message. Emma’s safe. Gavin’s with her. He got in one of his expensive ass private jets to make sure of it. And I have this for you.” Zant hands me a small vial with silver liquid. “You’ll need this. It should help give you some speed in case Parker needs time to find you.”

“She’s okay, you’re sure?”

“Yeah. You’ve got people in your corner. We’ll figure it out. This is new. I’ve never seen anyone at the council go this far.”

“Thank you for helping. I’m sorry for—”

“You don’t need to apologize. You not trusting anyone in this place is more than warranted …

but I love Parker. I’d do anything for him, so you better fucking run as fast as you can out there.

And expect shit to go wrong. I don’t know what they’re planning, but since you’re always a target, I figured why not give you a little help. ”

“Got it. I will.”

He stuffs his hands in his pockets and turns to leave but stops when he reaches the doorframe.

“I really hope you do care about Parker. I think you do. He thinks you do. He … deserves something good.”

Zant’s always put together but not today. His hair is messy and he’s got stubble on his chin. I wonder if he stayed up talking with Parker.

“Do you really think there’s a chance that Parker and I will be able to be together in peace?”

“Complete the mating bond. The higher up Weres will respect it. Even Barrett and Aster. Once it’s done, it can’t be undone.”

“Okay … tell Parker I’m running to the west.”

“You got it. Good luck.”

Once Zant’s gone, I memorize the map. There are six outposts that the hunted are split up between and shuffled to while all the hunters are let go in the middle of the island.

I sip the potion and hide the empty vial before I board the shuttle.

There’s a waterfall nearby, which means I’m on the opposite side of the island I need to be on. Perfect.

I need to stay positive. Parker is fighting. I need to fight too.

“You will have ten minutes to disperse by yourselves.”

We’re all in athletic wear, shorts, and sneakers. There’s an embroidered logo on the polo T-shirt that matches the souvenir I have in my hotel room. My group is vibrant with excitement and laughter. They’ve waited for this. They want this.

I almost wish Tara and I had the same group, but I use the silence as time to focus on my plan. Just like before a performance, I imagine myself going through the motions, running through the trees and following the river to the north in case I get lost.

It smells of rain, and there’s a thick mist settling around us as the sun fades the sky into lilac.

Our adviser has a walkie talkie and is talking back and forth on the position of the others. It’s an odd modern element in an otherwise completely archaic tradition.

“Okay, everyone line up.” He motions next to a row of bushes.

I note the direction of the lingering sun so I can find the west. I have ten minutes to cover as much ground as possible.

“Remember your safety procedures. This is your last chance to forfeit your run. Any takers?”

The girl next to me giggles. This is my run. My part in the game, and I’m going to play it the best way I know how. There’s a relentless hum in my ears as the potion takes its course. There are no cheats in a game against cheaters.

“Alright. Ready …”

“One.”

I inhale. This is a performance. Another dance.

“Two.”

Then exhale .

“Three.”

At the sound of the whistle, we’re all off, and I’m running faster than I’ve ever moved before. There’s no ache in my muscles as I tear through dirt and dead leaves. The voices of the others diminish in seconds.

The sun fades as I weave through the trees, and the moonlight appears through the clouds.

There’s a lingering soft-purple haze minutes before the night takes over completely, and I stop to catch my breath.

The potion makes me move quickly, but my breath still has trouble catching up with the movement.

The reverberating echo of howling evaporates into the air, and my heart pounds. The hunters are coming. I need to move. Now.

I sprint as fast as I can, dodging trees and broken limbs. Push. Push. Push. I thank my practice for the stamina to run for twenty minutes straight. Anytime I hear someone near, I run the other way. I’d know if it was him and I’m not far enough west.

It’s dark, and I don’t know where I am. There’s no sun to guide me, only my memory of the map and the trust that I’m still moving west. How fast can Weres move?

I stop at the sound of movement. Wet, sloppy kisses. Hurried breaths. In the clearing are a couple, clearly having found their desired mark, so I move on, running as far as my lungs will allow.

I don’t know how long the potion will last.

Something large and dark moves in my peripheral, so I stop. Ten yards away, I spot a silver werewolf with glowing green eyes. They’ve found me.

I go to bolt in the other direction, and my heart stops. There are two others circling me. None of them Parker. It’s so dark I shouldn’t be able to tell, but I can. Safety. Sureness. All of it is far. He isn’t here.

How? How did three of them catch my scent?

Zant’s words echo. Expect things to go wrong.

My smell. It has to be my clothes. There must be something they can smell that they like because I should still smell like Parker. Maybe someone tampered with my clothes.

Removing it in one swipe, I throw it toward the werewolves behind me, then bolt in the only opening I see. It works. They’re drawn to that scent.

I run till my ankles chafe and my already bruised toenails feel like they’re going to fall off. I dart between the trees, stopping only when the noise ceases .

Without Zant’s potion, I’d have never made it past them.

Parker. Please, come on. Where are you?

Stripping off my bottoms, I stare at the tree above.

I need to move my scent around. Decoys. I need decoys.

My fingers snap the bark as I climb branch by branch to place my shorts, then drop back down into the dirt.

My whole body aches, and I stumble into the dirt. I have to find the river to the north.

Sprinkling rain cools my hot cheek. I swipe it, along with the sweat, and wipe it on my camisole . Definitely a good choice for underwear today. The rain is good and bad. Harder for Parker to find me but easier to hide.

I rush toward the sound of pouring water, but I stop and hold my breath at every snap of a twig. I know it’s close, but the only light is from the moon.

At the bank of the river is a werewolf on four legs stalking back and forth. Waiting and sniffing the air, trying to find the scent of someone to hunt. Waiting in the cover of the trees for them to move on, I take off a shoe and place it on a piece of wood, then send it down the river.

My foot snaps a branch, and I hold my breath.

The werewolf’s glowing red and silver eyes stare back at me. Run.

I run toward the rocks and the embankment, anywhere not out in the open. There’s a cave covered by a fallen tree. I don’t have time to think if it’s a good idea. My feet slip in the mud, so I grip the vines on the inside to keep myself upright.

Howling pierces the air, and mud squelches while the ragged breaths follow me. My body moves on its own until I spot a pool with water rushing in from a hole up above, so I throw my last shoe farther into the cave before diving in.

I submerge myself under the water till the last bit of air runs out and my lungs scream. The werewolf is still there. Brawny shoulders of fur and pure instinct.

I place both hands over my mouth as the werewolf steps in close to the water.

I stay completely still, with the waterfall rushing over me.

He sniffs the air, his eyes glow in the dark.

The waterfall is hiding my scent and frantic heartbeat.

I count fifteen seconds before he’s out of sight and moving farther into the cave.

I wait another five before climbing out of the water and bolting out of the cave entrance.

I’m soaked and it’s slowing me down. My feet are bleeding and so are my knees. Parker has to find me.

A crack of thunder runs down my spine, stopping me in my tracks. Lightning streaks across the sky, and the clouds crowd the full moons overhead.

Where are you?