Crescent World

17

The entire ride was filled with tense silence as we traveled to the restaurant. My Pack was on edge and I could tell they kept expecting something to happen and I didn't blame them one bit.

I engaged in Donald and Anna's conversation the best I could to make it seem like nothing was happening. They were talking about Sarah's last birthday, where they went to a mini-golf area where Sarah invited her friends from school and they had a great time there. They mentioned going there for my twenty-second birthday next year and that piqued my interest. It seemed like they were wanting us to be one big, happy family, but it wasn't going to happen. No way.

Brandon and Rikki sat close together the entire ride, holding each other's hands. Her head was resting against his shoulder and while her face was relaxed, I could make out the fear that was swimming in her eyes. At least she had Brandon there. It warmed my heart to see how much they meant to each other and that they were going to stick together.

Perry and Blake kept glancing outside and shifting in their seats, restless. I gave them a warning look, scared they were going to give everything away. I knew that it was killing them to be so close to freedom and not be able to have it.

Fortunately, it looked like the swelling on their necks had gone down. I hoped and prayed that was a sign that they were going to be okay and they'd be able to Shift again. I was still scared about what the marks on their necks were and if it was going to harm them. I desperately wanted to take them to a hospital to have their necks looked at, but I was paranoid that Donald would be able to find us that way. I had no doubt that Donald had connections about finding us and he would find us if we didn't lay low. That made me wonder how he hadn't been able to find me when I'd kept my birth name my whole life. I knew there was something deeper regarding Donald never finding me, but I couldn't afford to think of it right now even though a sick feeling formed in my gut.

My anxiety was skyrocketing as I looked out the window, trying to come up with a plan on how to get us all out of here. I knew that this was our only chance, but I didn't know exactly how we were going to get away.

I closed my eyes and took a shuddering breath. There were so many things that could go wrong and it could end up making things ten times worse, but we had to take this chance. This was the only time all of us would be out in town together and we had to take advantage because we'd probably never have a chance like this ever again. And there was no way I would be leaving here without my Pack. I couldn't leave them behind.

I thought about Eric and winced as the pain attacked my heart again. His smiling face appeared in my mind. I remembered how his face would light up whenever I'd crack a bad joke to make him feel better, how he'd let his guard down whenever he was around me, then the blank and confused expression he had on his face when we saw each other at the arcade. He had absolutely no idea who I was, I could tell. Something had obviously happened and he needed our help.

I was scared about what happened to him. I was worried Donald would find him and kill him, even if he had no memory of what happened to him.

I wished I could go out and find him but we didn't have time. The best we could do was get out of here and pray Eric was going to be okay. Even though my main priority at that moment was to escape, I vowed that I would find Eric one day and make sure he was safe.

I felt like a piece of shit for leaving him, but I didn't know what else to do. I hoped he would forgive me one day. I had a feeling he would understand, but I knew he would be hurt deep down. Guilt attacked me even harder and I forced the thought out of my mind.

We arrived at the restaurant ten minutes later. Blake and Perry practically barrelled out of the van, obviously desperate to get out of there and I didn't blame them. I felt suffocated and wanted out of there.