Chapter 87: Chapter 87

“Damn it, we’re five hours from the hotel and even farther from High Table,” Ethan hissed, quickly scooping a handful of water into our makeshift cart. If it weren’t for the weight of everything weighing on me, this moment might have been even amusing.

We had woken up completely naked, as tends to happen when werewolves revert to their human form. We walked with difficulty through the woods for an hour before finding an actual paved road, with signs of real streets.

Walking through the forest completely naked isn’t something I would do again if I had the option. Half an hour later, we found the only functioning store in this small town. Apart from the faded letters that said “Mini Mart” on the front sign of the parking lot, there was no other indication of what this place might be. I hoped it was a gas station, but I was surprised to see people coming out of the store with carts full of groceries and other items.

We hid behind a small dumpster, trying to ignore the nauseating smell of rotting fruit and decaying meat. I wasn’t sure what Ethan was planning, but I held my breath as he darted out from behind our hiding spot. I stayed where I was, unable to move.

You might call me a coward, but I wasn’t exactly ready to run naked through a parking lot at noon. I had to admit that Ethan, despite his size, was surprisingly stealthy. No one had seen him; everyone was too absorbed in their own little bubbles. Moms were fretting over their little children, while others were engrossed in their cell phones or lost in their own worlds.

Ethan hid behind a minivan covered in motivational stickers. The trunk was open, and next to it was a cart full of groceries. The owner had left her wallet in the store, and in her agitation, she hadn’t even bothered to close the trunk. Ethan hurriedly rummaged through his bags, grabbing two that seemed to suit his needs. He scanned the driver’s area of the vehicle, moving even faster than before.

Part of me wanted to burst out laughing, make so much noise that everyone present would turn to us. There we were, missing a companion and a brother, utterly naked in the middle of nowhere, stealing a woman’s car. It was an absurd situation, one that made laughter bubble up in my chest every time I tried to make sense of it.

“Did anyone see me?” Ethan muttered brusquely, making me jump. I hadn’t seen him run toward me, hiding behind the cars until he was close enough to speak.

“Mm, I think one of the moms saw you,” I replied in a teasing tone. “She nearly fainted, almost lost control of her cart.”

“A mom?” Ethan snorted, a hint of amusement in his eyes. I swallowed saliva as his words made me look down. “In that case, I probably did her a favor.”

Ethan handed me a shirt that must have been at least five sizes too big, but I didn’t complain. It was better than standing naked in broad daylight. Ethan put on an identical shirt and a pair of loose basketball shorts. We were both barefoot and covered in mud; I hoped we wouldn’t be turned away at the entrance.

“I feel bad for stealing from that lady,” I grumbled, following Ethan as we quickly headed towards the entrance of the Mini Mart.

“I knew you’d say that,” Ethan replied, a small smile curving his lips. “I got her license plate number; I’ll make sure to pay her back.”

Fifteen minutes later, we were inside the brightly lit Mini Mart. Ethan looked like a bear pushing a child’s cart as we strolled down the aisles. The Mini Mart seemed to be the town’s main store, the go-to place when you needed just about anything. They had a whole grocery section, along with appliances, clothes, and even some small furniture.

Ethan filled the cart with drinks and small snacks. Even though we wanted to run in our wolf forms, whoever had followed us would be looking for us in the forest now. Even in human form, we had to go unnoticed.

As we realized that the Mini Mart had a clothing section, we returned the items we had taken from the lady. We needed something with a hood, something that would help us blend in.

Ethan looked at me from under his dark lashes and grumbled softly. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“What do you mean?” I scoffed, trying to keep my eyes focused on his face. The Mini Mart didn’t exactly have a wide selection of clothes, and most of what they had was the touristy kind. I chuckled under my breath and burst into laughter when Ethan ended up with a hoodie tied two sizes too small. My laughter quickly turned into surprise and desire when I saw his reaction.

Ethan found a pair of cargo shorts that fit him pretty well. The hoodie was big enough to envelop the massive muscles adorning Ethan’s body, but it didn’t leave much to the imagination. I could see every line of his abs through the thin fabric. The hoodie was in light colors, a mix of blues, purples, and pinks. Surprisingly, Ethan looked good in those soft shades, even with the ruggedness of his gaze and face.

“It’s like you want to devour me right here in the store,” Ethan retorted, playfully smacking my behind as he passed by.

My clothing choice wasn’t much better, but it was limited in terms of sizes. The shorts I was wearing were a few sizes too small and fit more like underwear than anything else. Luckily, the black hood I had on fell low enough to cover my rear.

Ethan complained a bit when he realized the black hood wasn’t his size. I was starting to think he had an aversion to the color.

We had been bantering back and forth since we entered the Mini Mart. I think both of us were trying to ignore the emotions we felt for each other. We were trying to push away that paralyzing panic and fear, replacing them with what we could. We were using each other as a distraction, as an anchor.

There was something neither of us wanted to admit, something we both knew without words. Liam wasn’t dead; we would know if he were. I felt my connection with him like a fishing line, endless in length and stronger than anything I had experienced before. The earth would shake if something happened to one of my twins, I was sure. Liam was very much alive, but we could only hope the same for Aly.

Ethan paid for our purchases with a twenty-dollar bill he took from the stranger’s car. I couldn’t help but feel that the more we tried to go unnoticed, the more boldly we stood out. An elderly couple allowed us to use their phone to make a call. We chose the least suspicious ones when it came to assassin spies and High Table.

I let out a shaky sigh when the twins’ father answered the phone. Ethan and I looked at each other, both recognizing the relief that washed over us.

We would feel the same when we got Liam and Aly back, because we would get them back.

“They’re both fine, Axel and Thomas too,” Ethan sighed, running his fingers through his hair. The action dislodged his hood, making him grumble. “Clearly, you were the target. They probably took Liam and Aly while we were escaping.”

My throat tightened at the thought, and all those uncomfortable and suppressed emotions bubbled to the surface. Guilt, sharp and jagged like an old butcher’s knife, cut through my skin.

“I don’t blame you for that, sweetheart,” Ethan grimaced, pulling me into his arms. He wasn’t one for long, sweet words, but he always gave me what I needed. “We’d do anything for you, but I need you to be strong for Liam and Aly. Someone from High Table is behind this, and we’ll make them pay.”

I allowed myself to weaken for a moment, to immerse myself in the pain that lay beneath my skin. Just for a few seconds, that’s all I would allow. It would be pointless for Liam if I let this break me. Ethan gave me those seconds, holding me tightly. I didn’t cry; I couldn’t when Ethan was giving me the strength of his emotions. The tender love of a beastly man was purer than anything I had felt before.

If we were lucky, we would make it to the High Table meeting by the skin of our teeth. We had already lost time running from the hotel, and we still needed to leave neutral territory. I wouldn’t even allow myself to think too much about it. Ethan and I had enough to worry about without adding hunters and renegades to the mix.

Ethan and I needed to head to the next town. Though it was almost an hour away, Axel had a friend there who would take us to the next hotel, about seven hours away.

I wasn’t anywhere near trusting Axel to that extent, but what other choice did we have? I was willing to do just about anything to get Aly and Liam back.

We took a taxi to the next town, following the directions of Axel’s friend. We pulled into the parking lot of a small hardware store and waited. It turned out that Axel’s friend was the owner of the hardware store.

Ethan and I settled into the back of his truck for a grueling seven hours, growing increasingly stiff and irritable as the sun rose and finally set. The smell of tobacco permeated the interior of the vehicle, but it wasn’t unpleasant. The cigarettes the Axel’s friend smoked had a scent of honey and bourbon.

We traveled discreetly, which made me feel simultaneously free and exposed. Blending in was our best option at the moment, but I missed the security that the three sedans full of guards provided.

While Ethan chatted quietly with Axel’s friend, I closed my eyes and let my mind wander. I maintained a firm grip on the bond that connected Liam and me, waiting, longing for any sign. A movement or a brush through that bond that would inform me, that would clear the poison coursing through my heart.

I felt nothing through the bond, but I wouldn’t let that discourage me. The bond was still there, present and alive. I managed a brief, nightmare-filled nap before finally giving up on sleep.

When night fell completely, Ethan and I were squeezed onto a lumpy motel mattress. The quality didn’t matter, nor did the cigarette smell on the blanket. This place was just a stepping stone, a waiting room until we could find Liam and Aly.

That night, we fell asleep wrapped in each other’s arms, dressed in the cheap clothes from the Mini Mart. When I slept next to the twins, there was no room in my mind or heart for nightmares. My soul seemed to know that something was missing. The nightmares weren’t bold or cruel; they whispered with sharp blades that nipped at my eyes and pierced my heart.

That morning, we survived on stale bagels and some chips from our previous day’s purchase. The motel coffee was dark and somewhat bitter, but it helped counteract the fact that Ethan and I had slept terribly.

Axel, Thomas, and the twins’ parents arrived at the hotel the previous night. A security team from the twins joined us at the motel after a sweep and a meeting. From the motel, we had a four-hour journey ahead of us. Every time I looked at the GPS, I felt a growing nervousness. We would arrive with minutes to spare, minutes! It wasn’t enough time to prepare, to find the right words to negotiate for my life.

It turned out that the hotel we were heading to was the most elegant in the city, standing out like a jewel in the crown. With its curved shape, it rose from the ground like flowing water. The windows gleamed from the outside. Statues were placed around the hotel, giving it a modern ambiance.

When the sedan entered the parking lot, our security team sprung into action. They emerged from nearly every corner of the hotel and its surroundings, giving us a warm welcome as they escorted us into the building.

Ethan and I stepped into the elevator, surrounded by six guards. Just like before, we had an entire floor to ourselves.

Axel, Thomas, and the twins’ parents were in our suite when we arrived. My stomach twisted painfully, and I thought I might vomit the gas station snacks if I had to endure the torment the twins’ parents were feeling.

Imagine my surprise when both their mother and father hugged me and told me how glad they were that I was safe. There were no accusations or reproaches. I knew it was my fault that Aly and Liam were taken; that wasn’t up for discussion. They were looking for me.

“There’ll be time to catch up after this mess is sorted,” the twins’ mother huffed, giving me a quick peck on the cheek. Her eyes softened when she noticed my surprise. “I’m glad you’re safe, Sussan.”

My heart was pounding as I moved from person to person, starting with the twins’ mother. She led me into a room, working out a tangle in my hair and looking into my tired eyes.

“They’ve postponed the meeting for a few hours,” the twins’ mother announced loudly. Her voice echoed in the bathroom, mingling with the sound of the shower water. “The date of this meeting was supposed to be confidential. But the information leaked, along with what you are. Many of the old families have arrived. There may be only five families at the High Table, but they allow witnesses. Useless witnesses, bought by most families, but some honorable ones remain. All the attending families are gathering before the main meeting. They expect both of you to attend.”

“All of this seems rigged from the start,” I murmured as she worked on a particularly stubborn knot.

“It may be, but you might get some clue about Liam’s whereabouts or who has them,” she said in a low voice, her voice as hard as steel and her eyes dark. She was a fierce mother, whose cub had been torn away, almost as relentless as I was.

“We will find them,” I promised, my voice firm and resolute. I let my own anger shine in my eyes, fierce yet controlled. I felt relieved as she changed the subject, but it was hard to let the tension fade from my shoulders. “It was terribly convenient that they voted to postpone the meeting,” she whispered as we passed over a particularly rough patch.

“It was David Zoe who proposed the motion, two other families agreed,” she informed me without bothering to hide the double entendre in her words. “Why? Why did they delay the meeting? I’m sure it wasn’t for my benefit,” I said sarcastically.

“Nicolas Zoe was late,” she informed me, not bothering to hide the double entendre in her words. “Seems he was caught in traffic.”

Coincidences were rare and elusive, especially in this twisted world.