Page 22 of The Wolf

I slowed down after a few minutes. The sun was hanging high in the sky.

Every so often, it would light up a patch of earth like it was lighting my way out.

There were no sounds around me. No feet pounding, giving chase.

Vega wasn't yelling my name and waiting for a response or noise to give away my position.

It was just me and nature. Squirrels chatted and scampered from tree to tree, and birds sang songs to each other from within the canopy. The trees were still; there was no breeze to ruffle leaves or make treetops crack from dancing.

I walked in the direction of the sun, following its beams. And when there was no room for the rays to reach me, I followed the sound of distant water. My bare feet were numb, making walking more sustainable.

As I pushed through a thicket of overgrown bushes and closely knit tree trunks, the water I had been hearing appeared. It was a wide, shallow stream with smooth gray and black rocks jetting up from beneath the surface and ruffles of small waves tumbling over the tops.

I crouched down and splashed the cold water on my face. I wasn't sure which way to go as I looked up and down the stream. Do I follow it downhill? Do I cut across and keep moving the same way I was going?

Where the hell am I going?

Which way was north, south, east, and west?

I had read enough books as a kid to have some idea of how to figure out the cardinal directions.

The sun rises in the east and sets in the west. The sun was overhead now.

Twelve o'clock. I knew that much. Moss grows on the north side of a tree.

I looked around but didn't see any moss.

It wasn't dark enough to see the north star, and I didn't have anything to make my own compass.

Besides, I wasn't even sure which direction would lead me out of that hell hole.

After a short debate, I decided to follow the stream.

The trees might get thicker if I keep going deeper, but the stream might lead to a lake or the ocean.

Then again, there could be a highway right on the other side of the trees, only a few miles away.

There were no guarantees which one would set me free.

I followed the stream. It seemed better to have a landmark I could focus on at all times. A way to keep track of where I was and where I had been. The stream kept me moving in the same direction. I didn't want to run the risk of walking in circles in the trees.

My feet were soggy, and my toes were bright red from the water.

I walked on the bank of the stream, an inch deep in the water, so I didn't leave footprints in the sand for Vega to follow.

There wasn't a doubt in my mind that he would be looking for me now.

It had been a couple of hours since I ran off.

Vega wouldn't be able to resist a hunt like that.

He was probably itching for one. Eager to be on the prowl.

The hunt was what gave him a thrill. He enjoyed the hunt as much, if not more, than the capture.

I could see it in his eyes. The way they darkened when he reminisced over watching me.

The way his mouth twitched with a restrained smirk.

The way his breathing increased just a hair.

The sun was over my right shoulder, slowly disappearing behind the treetops.

It would be dark soon. I dreaded the thought of having to stay in the woods overnight.

I had no supplies. I stopped moving and stood still.

The water rushed over my ankles, making trickling noises as it bubbled over the rocks in front of me.

“Did I make the right choice? Is starving or freezing to death a better option than warmth and a full belly with Vega?” I asked out loud.

A rustle in the bushes beside me caused me to jerk. My heart raced, waiting for Vega to spring up and yell, “Gotcha!” But to my relief, it was just a chipmunk taking off in the opposite direction.

I exhaled the breath I was holding in. I had to keep moving. Staying in one place would leave me vulnerable to Vega. I was going to keep moving until the sky was a dusty blue and the sun was almost gone. Then, I would find a place to tuck myself into for the night and start again in the morning.

POP!

A burst of dirt and debris exploded right next to me. I flicked my head in the direction of the sound when I was suddenly blindsided and knocked off my feet. I went tumbling forward into the water. My face smashed against the rocks, and I inhaled a huge gulp of water as I attempted to scream.

Everything happened so fast. I was lifted out of the water and dragged through bushes. A body wrapped mine, yanking me to the ground, and a hand swiftly covered my mouth before I could make a sound.

“Shh,” Vega whispered. “Don't move, and don't say a fucking word.”

I looked up at him, but he wasn't looking at me. He was looking off into the distance. His stare penetrated the trees, his lips thin and stiff. He was barely breathing. I could feel his chest slowly rise and fall against my back.

“What's going on?” I asked.

“Shh,” he demanded. Vega's neck tightened as he swallowed, and his eyes squinted to look deeper. He slowly pulled a gun out from his waist and said, “There you are, motherfucker.”

He lined up his eye with the sight and pulled the trigger. Off in the distance, a man let out a yelp, and then there was silence. Vega scanned the forest for a few more seconds before saying, “We have to move.” He grabbed my arm and pulled me to my feet. “This way.”

He started to move, but I dug my feet into the ground. “Wait a second,” I said as I grabbed his wrist and forced him to stop. “What the hell is going on? Who did you just shoot? Is he dead? Why did he shoot at me?”

“We don't have time for this right now. We need to go.” He yanked me along, taking long strides. “We can talk about it after we're someplace safer.”

It was hard to keep up. My feet stumbled over sticks, and my legs felt weak and shaky, making it feel like I was going to collapse at any moment. Vega seemed to notice my struggle. He quickly swooped me into his arms and carried me.

“Can we talk now?” I asked.

“Poppy, there's no time. I need to get you out of here.”

“You killed whoever that was, didn't you?”

Vega didn't answer.

“What if you killed an innocent person? Maybe he was a hunter and got confused?”

“He was a hunter, alright, but he wasn't hunting for game, Poppy. He was hunting you.”

“Vega—”

“There are people trying to kill you, Poppy. You might not want to believe it, but it's true. I think this should be the nail in the coffin for you to understand that. I don't know how much clearer I need to make it.”

“How do I know you didn't set this up? Maybe this was part of your plan? Take me. Trick me. Save me. Keep me for yourself because I'll think you're some kind of hero.”

Vega let out a half-hearted laugh. “Yeah.

There it is. You got me. You figured out my master plan.

I'm just making an elaborate scheme to get you to fall in love with me. Look at you. A regular Nancy Drew.” He shook his head as his fingers pressed against my skin tightly.

“For someone who is so fucking smart, you're really ignorant.” He was silent for a moment, then said, “Look, I get that this whole thing is hard to comprehend, but I need you to trust me.

If you don't let me do what I'm good at, you will die.”

“I thought you said killing people is what you're good at? When did you expand your talents?”

“This isn't a joke, Poppy. I'm trying to fucking save your life.

The people after you aren't like me. They don't give a shit if you've done nothing to deserve this. But I do. So, let me protect you.” I stared at him, debating his level of honesty.

Trying to feel out the lies and the myths of his motives.

“Enough with the interrogation. We have to keep moving.” Vega kept his eyes straight ahead as he walked us through deep brush with razor-sharp prickers and paper-thick leaves.

We reached a small clearing, blocked by several thick trees and plenty of greenery for coverage. Vega placed me down gently and began to look me over. “Were you hit? Are you okay?”

“I'm fine,” I said, tugging my arms free.

“You sure?”

“Yes, I'm sure.”

He took a broad step back and glanced around. “We can't go back to my place. They know where we are now, and they'll be watching it. We'll have to stay here tonight.”

“Here? But we're in the middle of nowhere.” My eyes wildly scanned the forest around us.

“You seemed pretty okay with spending the night outside when you thought you were alone.”

“That was before someone shot at me. What if whoever did this sends someone else while we're sleeping? Or what if that guy is alive and tries again?”

“You don't need to worry about that guy. He won't,” Vega said sternly as he started to gather the loose wood around us.

“How can you be so sure?” I wrapped my arms around my body as a cool breeze began to pick up.

“Because he won't. And it's going to take a day or two for that piece of shit's boss to realize his man is gone.”

“Who? Who are you talking about? Do you know these people? Who the fuck are you, and how many of you exist?”

“To put it simply, we're all acquainted one way or another. There aren't many of us, but enough that there are options for people who need to get rid of someone.”

“Get rid of someone? You mean kill someone.”

“We need to start a fire to keep you warm,” he said, evading my question. His eyes began to shift around the ground.

Vega walked the perimeter of where we were, gathering sticks and debris for a fire. He dug a small hole with his hands and built a fire. He kept feeding wood into it until it was large enough to spit out some warmth. I sat on the ground beside the flames, holding out my hands to feel the heat.

“Why did you dig a hole for the fire?” I asked.

“It keeps the flames low just in case someone is out there looking for us. But it also helps block the fire from the wind.”

I rubbed my hands over the flames and leaned my face closer. “That makes sense.”

“See, I called it. You're not an outdoor kind of girl.

You're lucky you're stuck out here with me.” He cut some fresh branches off the pine trees and layered them on the ground.

After making a thick forest bed, he sat down and patted the open spot next to him.

“Come sit here. The ground is too cold; you'll never warm up like that.”

I glared at him and spat, “I'm good.” I was a ball of emotions. Anger, sadness, and fear were all swirling around my body. I didn't know which one to grasp and lean into, but anger seemed to be the one that was the loudest.

“You're still shivering.”

“Because you threw me in the water like an asshole. Probably another tactic to make me weaker.”

“Just stop already. I don't know what else I have to do to prove to you that I'm not here to hurt you.”

“You kidnapped me. Or did you forget that part?”

He angled his head and sighed. “No, Poppy, I didn't. The asshole who sent that guy to put a bullet in your head kidnapped you.” Vega pointed out into the dark forest in the direction of the sniper. “I'm not behind any of this.”

“What do you mean? That doesn't make any sense. I woke up in that dungeon at that factory. At the factory you own.”

Vega closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose as he said, “I saved you from that trunk.

I didn't put you in it.” He ran his hands over his head and looked down at the ground.

“I was with Dylan when they grabbed you.

I didn't realize your father had actually hired someone else. I made a stupid mistake and took my eyes off you for five minutes.” His head drooped heavily against his chest. “I should have never taken my eyes off you. None of this would have happened.”

I got up off the ground and went to sit next to him. “You need to tell me everything. I have to know.”

“I can't. I can tell you what I did, but I told you before the answers need to come from you. That's the only way you'll see the truth. You won't believe me if I tell you.”

“Fine. Then tell me what you can. I want to hear it.”

Vega went on to tell me that after he killed Dylan he went to look for me.

He saw the footprints and tracked them to the edge of the road.

Muddy tire prints led away from the gala, so he followed them.

Lucky for him, I came to in the trunk and made enough noise for the other men to pull over and check on me.

When he saw the abandoned car with the trunk lid open, he knew he had found the right vehicle.

Vega said he then went on a hunt of his own.

When he came upon us in the forest, I was already out.

One of the men was carrying me, and the other was making a joke about raping me first and then getting the job done.

Needless to say, Vega and I were the only ones who came out of that forest alive.

“If that's true, why wait so long to tell me?”

“I wanted you to remember on your own. I didn't want you to think that your memories were implanted by me in some way.

You know, like when you think of a memory from when you were a kid.

Do you ever wonder if you're remembering it yourself or are you remembering a story someone told you with faux images your mind created?”

“What if I never remember? What if they never come back?”

“They will.” Vega wrapped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me in. “I know they will.”

“How can you know?” I asked.

“Because nothing is lost forever.”