SWNOVELS Chapter 46
Chapter Forty-Six
ΜΙΑ
"Damn it, Corinne!" I hold my chest. "You scared me."
She crosses her arms.
"Going somewhere?"
I don't owe this woman answers, and I definitely don't trust her. She may be Eric's sister, but she's dangerous and ruthless and not beholden to me in any way.
"You do realize," I remind her. "That you tried to kill me last time we met."
"And I recall," she drawls, "who threw the first punch."
Fair.
"Excuse me," I say and attempt to move around her.
She blocks my path.
I made it out of the packhouse and avoided the many many wolves assembled in the square. And through some minor miracle, I've not run into Cam, Eric or my kids. She's wasting time that I don't have to spare.
"Where you going?" she asks.
I shrug. "Nowhere."
She tsks.
I debate turning around and cutting across the other side of our land. It's several miles to the nearest road. And it's not a county road, just a working track between the fields.
"I hope," she says tapping one finger against her chin, "that you aren't thinking of running off somewhere alone. Because that would just be stupid. A girl tied to two Alphas, who could be leveraged against either of them. A female who can't wholly regenerate...out on her own...that's just a danger to everyone-and most of all herself."
I swallow and my throat feels like it's gone bone dry.
"Leaving would be stupid. Reckless even. With Ashley's family having infiltrated this pack, and ours, potential enemies all among us... you wouldn't do something like that, right, Mia?"
I'm not about to lie or explain. "Excuse me."
She whistles like a mountain bluebird.
All at once, several Ravens come running. They close ranks around us.
"Damn it, Corinne. You're making a scene!"
We are behind the giant storage building, but that's not to say someone won't notice or suspect, seeing as how Corinne's crew would definitely garner attention.
"Oh, shut up. I'm doing you a favor."
I sling my bag over my shoulder. "How's that?"
"You want to get out of here, right?" She inclines her head to one of the Ravens. The girl is mid-thirties, blonde and built like a wrestler. "How do you think you're going to manage that? Running away on foot? That won't be easy to track or anything."
She's back to tapping her chin again. "Or maybe you want Ashley's allies or her brother, or any number of rogues or vamps to trail you.... I can't imagine your precious Cameron would let you off these lands."
"Leave him out of it."
She sighs. "Stop the nonsense, will you? I get it. You need to go. I'm trying to help you. Why are you making this so difficult!?!"
As she says it, a large SUV rolls up. The doors unlock and the Ravens start piling in.
"Shotgun!" she calls.
She heads to the car and opens the front door. "What?"
I'm leery. "Why are you helping me?"
"I'm not helping you. I'm helping me."
"Girls trip!" the driver proclaims once I'm in the backseat and buckled in.
"So where are we going?" Corinne asks.
Her eyes are dark like her brother's and so expressive in her face. She's pretty and her strong features are striking. She's actually quite beautiful. But she downplays her looks and I wonder if that is intentional. Because she doesn't want that kind of attention or because she doesn't care about that sort of thing.
"You're not going to tell them-Cam or Eric?"
She snorts. "My brother is Alpha, but he learned long ago not to try to control me."
"That's a bold statement to make-and in front of other packmates."
She glances over the seat at me, at her team. "It's not a secret."
"You do realize," I tell her. "That your brother's ridiculously powerful. Technically, if he wanted to use his Alpha powers, you'd have to obey whatever Eric said."
"Oh, like when he blocked me from tearing your throat out? Yeah...I know."
It takes a second for what she said to sink in. Wait!? Then I didn't really beat her?
Eric...what...froze Corinne so I could gain some advantage?
She laughs.
My face heats.
"Which way are we heading?" the driver asks. "We're coming up on the patrol and if they decide to stop us, we'll need to move fast."
I see the two wolves at the end of the road. They're moving a herd of cattle from one pasture to another. Yes, they're on patrol, but they're also working the land.
"They were chill when our entourages rolled in, after things calmed down. I think the cars were easier to search, and less concerning than how half of us air-dropped. But they might not be so cool, if the alarm about her has already been given."
"Turn south," I say.
"And if they try to stop us?" she asks.
Corinne laughs. "Floor it."
Corinne and the driver turn on the charm. It's like a switch flips and they go from badass warriors to sultry women. The blonde lets her hair down and it's a tumble of sex kitten waves. Corinne just smiles.
But it's a real smile and she bats her eyes a bit.
It transforms her face into some innocent affection.
These women are good.
"These are average pack members," I say. "They have families." I don't know if these women plan to flirt or fight if the patrol stops us. And I don't want anyone hurt because of me. Corinne smiles bigger. I see her reflection in the rearview mirror. "We're driving out of here. I didn't say we were driving over them."
She smiles and waves.
Both wolves share a look, and I'd bet they're letting the Alpha know that a black Escalade is leaving pack territory.
They'll know I've gone.
And they'll come for me.