Thorn (Werewolf) ✔

Chapter Thirty-Nine

THORN

"What's wrong with you?"

I don't look at Kira but I imagine she's just witnessed my strange and spontaneous panting. Every time Devon is in trouble or afraid, I feel it. She was fine after the last time it happened so maybe I should just put my faith in her. Knowing she's at risk and not being able to do anything about it is worse than allowing her to have stayed.

"Nothing."

"Shadow wants to talk to you."

"Really? That's new."

She rolls her eyes and walks away. I follow her. We're a mile from the camp and I've been hiding out because I couldn't deal with Lucias' ranting anymore. Shadow waits for us with a large bag. I hope that's what I think it is.

"Is that the painkiller?" I say, swiping the bag from him. Kira scoffs at my rudeness but I don't care. I look inside, inspecting the dozens of packets of herbs.

"There should be enough for everyone," Shadow says. "If you want my advice, take it tonight."

I squint. "Why would we take it tonight when Cole is attacking tomorrow?"

Shadow sighs and looks away. I'm almost ready to beat it out of him but Kira gets there before me.

"What's wrong?"

"The humans are attacking the mountain tonight. Cole is trying to do a deal with another pack to secure us weapons but he hasn't returned yet." He drops his eyes to the ground. There's more.

"What else?" I say.

"A group brought the siblings back earlier. They were unconscious. Your mate wasn't with them."

That isn't a coincidence. I felt her fear and pain a few moments ago. I knew there was more to it. I rub my chin and I start backtracking because I'm very close to wanting to punch something and he's the only viable victim.

"Has Cole killed her?" Kira whispers.

"I don't know. They said that the last thing that they remember was being at Malese's home and then they woke up on the mountain."

They found Malese? I told Devon not to go looking for her, that it was dangerous. What the hell was she thinking?

"I said that I'd talk to you first. They were worried that you'd react badly."

I flick my eyes up. "Where are they?"

He starts pointing and I start running before he can finish his sentence. They run after me. I swipe some branches out of my way and I charge over to the siblings who are waiting nervously against a tree.

"Thorn," Dominic says. "There was nothing that we could do, we-"

I grab his shirt and I slam his back into the tree. My shoulder pushes back and I clench my hand into a fist.

"Stop!" Sky says. "It wasn't his fault. He tried to convince her not to go in there. It was my fault. Blame me."

Dominic squirms a little, his eyes fearfully staring at my fist that is inches from his face. I let him go, turning to Sky.

"You were supposed to protect her," I say. "You couldn't even keep her safe for a few days!"

"Devon isn't a child, Thorn," Kira says. "She can make her own choices."

"Shut up!" I shout. I take deep breaths, distancing myself from them. "Does Cole have her?"

"We think so," Sky says. "He must have sent us back here. We didn't know that the weapons were to fight against a human army. The entire mountain is panicked. That's how we managed to slip out to come down here. If Cole doesn't have those weapons then that's a good thing. He'll keep Devon alive for leverage. They won't attack if one of their own is being held hostage."