The Psycho's Reign

Thirty Two- Chase and Departure

Reign POV

After a long while of running and walking, I find a massive tree that honestly looked cozier than the cabin's bed. I sling my bow over my shoulder and climb up to a mildly high thick branch and I lean my back against the big tree. 

Running is actually the most exhausting thing I have ever done in my life and I make a vow to myself never to do it ever again. After laughing at my own joke, I lean my head back and look to the sun. I notice the forest growing darker and I realize I had been out here for hours. 

The sun quickly disappears leaving an eerie blue sky. I had only slept in the forest a handful of times in my life and certainly not in a tree. I was confident the branch was wide enough and stable enough for me not to fall but it still sketched me out a bit. 

Exhausted from running and the lengthy travel to my bed for the night, my eyelids began to grow heavy. Willingly I let them close and let the peeper frogs and crickets sing me to sleep. 

Sterling POV 

The day turns to night and I continue to search the forest. The vast forest is too much for Reign to have traveled the entire thing already and knowing her sleepy ass she is definitely sleeping somewhere. 

Lighting the way with a flashlight, something catches my eye. I walk forward to it and my heart begins to speed up a bit. A woman size boot print shows in a small muddy area on the ground. Knowing I am on the right track, I take a breather and check my cellphone for signal. Miraculously I have two bars and I dial Titus's number. 

"Boss?" Titus asks. "Where are you? I called a few times but I assumed  the signal doesn't go through up in the forest," he said. 

"I am to the west of the cabin deep in the forest. She's around here somewhere," 

"How do you know? Did you find something?"

"A boot print, looks to be a size nine in women's. I'm going to keep searching. Take the SUV and circle the forest in case she emerges," I say before hanging up. 

Making my way through the forest, avoiding as many branches and thorn bushes as possible, I finally come to a clearing with a large tree in it. I scan the forest floor for footprints but unfortunately I find nothing. 

As I look around the area, something catches my eye from the large tree branches above me. I shine my light in the direction I am looking in and my heart skips as I see a body sleeping in the tree. My Reign. 

My first instinct is to yell but for fear of her falling I hold back. I smirk to myself, knowing I have found her and have her back. I pull out my phone and dial Titus once again. 

"I've found her," I whisper. "She's asleep in a tree. I'm going to wait here until she wakes up, then I will bring her back to the cabin," I say before he can respond. 

A devious plan fills my mind and I make myself hidden to her view under a bush. I make sure I can see her clearly for when the sun rises and she wakes up. My Reign, I have you again, and this time I wont let you go. 

Reign POV 

As the sun rises, my eyes twitch open. As I sit up I groan to the kink in my neck. I rub my sore neck and stretch my arms out, careful not to loose my bow off my shoulder. I look around and something dawns on me. 

The forest is silent. Completely silent of birds or peeping frogs or crickets. I sit up completely alert for fear a predator is nearby. Not wanting to be in the area of a predator, I make my way down the tree and readjust the bow on my shoulder.