Covet

Chapter 6

Sarah really took drive as fast as you can to heart. Each turn I would've toppled out of my seat if it weren't for Mal acting as my personal seatbelt.

Mal has stayed silent for most of the car ride beside him asking if I was ok every few minutes. To which, my reply, was a hesitant yes every time. Then, of course, I would ask him if he was ok. His reply was, also, a hesitant yes every time.

I could tell he was formulating a plan, with his head facing forward and brow furrowed in thought. Any plan I could make would pale in comparison to whatever master scheme he would come up with.

And...truth be told, I had no idea what to do. For the few minutes of this bus ride we have left, we could sit and feel out our last moments of normalcy, but it would be over the second we got off this bus. How could we outrun an army of wolves? A world full of them?

I challenged the leader of this country when I ran. We were doomed. If we thought for a second we could get away we were wrong. Mal couldn't swallow that pill.

I was the pessimist, while he the optimist.

Having optimism as a human in a world full of wolves was a stupid notion to me when I was younger. But, when Mal saved me from the brink of death as a child, I grew to know that it wasn't a weakness. It was a strength.

A strength that I never adopted even after being by his side for 10 years.

Mal finally slumps his tension-filled shoulders and leans down, putting his head between my neck and shoulder and wrapping his arms around me. Luckily, the pressure of his head didn't cause more pain to my already throbbing shoulder.

For some reason I tensed before melting into his familiar touch.

He breathes out a heavy sigh and I bring my hand up to stroke his tousled brown hair. I could feel the deep pit of hunger growing in my stomach. I decided to break the silence.

"I'm sorry." My voice comes out small and frail. Something which Mal takes note of and he immediately moves from my neck to look down at me.

I look down too, but to avoid his gaze. Instead I stare at my lap, picking at my nail.

"I don't even know what to say," I mumbled honestly. I swallow hard before continuing, "I'm sorry for forgetting my travel paper at the front desk, I'm sorry for leaving the room, I'm sorry for letting you help me when I knew what would happen to you."

I look up at the ceiling of the bus in an attempt to keep the tears at bay. I feel Mal's calloused hand touch the side of my beck, his thumb moving my head up to face him. The bus shakes from a strained turn and Mal holds me a little tighter.

His gentle voice cuts into my heart, "Hey, it'll be okay." He moves his hands to wipe the tears from my eyes. Mal stares down at my face, analyzing it and making sure every tear has been captured. "You did absolutely nothing wrong," his words shook and his eyes begged mine to believe his words. "There was no way you could have known this would happen."

"We are going to get out of this," he sounds so certain. So sure that everything will work out.

His always drowsy eyes bore into mine. Golden flecks sprinkle his hazel eyes, a lit with a burning fire. "And you didn't 'let' me help you. I would do anything for you." He held my cheek in his hand.

His tone switched to one of purpose. "Once we get off this bus we're gonna go find Reggie."

My brows scrunch in confusion. "Reggie? Why would we go to him? We don't want to involve him in all of this," I challenged.

"He is...better equipped at helping us than I am," Mal concludes, moving to rub the back of his neck.

What's that supposed to mean? Does Mal know something about Reggie that I don't? Just as I was about to ask that very question, Sarah pipes up.