Going Rogue

Twenty-Eight

JESS

"We're not a bad team," Cameron ran his hand through his hair.

We sauntered back into town like hot shit, all smug and high on the adventure. It felt like we could have come home to a whole parade, but at this time of night, the streets were quiet, and the buildings were dark. Even the snow fell without consequence. As soon as the paramedics arrived, we separated and ran back to town on all fours. Cameron planned to say goodnight to Mark and then, pay a visit to the families of the wolf kids.

Everybody seemed like they were going to make it. Ryan was resting when we checked on him at the hospital. Apparently, a china cabinet had toppled on top of him when he tried to escape. It wasn't one of the newer model cabinets made out of cheap wood or glorified cardboard. This was an old school cabinet, built with real mahogany and carved with someone's bare hands. It snapped poor Ryan's ankle into splinters. He'd be wearing a cast for the next six weeks. Luckily, we got there before he could sustain anything worse than some second-degree burns and a litter of bruises.

Dominic elected to stay and watch him.

"Were you a Beta in your old pack?" Cameron asked me. "I mean, I know you're a Beta, but were you a hand to your Alpha?"

I rubbed my neck. My voice came out small, still fighting to hide the truth. "Um, no. My Alpha was a bit older than me..." My chest twisted, talking about Ezra. I hadn't even said his name since we went rogue and the taste of his name dried out my throat. "His kids were younger. He always said I missed my destiny." I laughed bitterly and shut my mouth. One more second and I might have gone all weepy on Cameron. I didn't want him to think he won me over or anything.

My defenses flared up, and I scowled at the blonde Alpha, rolling my shoulders back. "Why do you even care?"

Cameron blinked, unruffled. "I wanna be your friend."

I'm the ruffled one. My brows squeezed together. "What?"

Cameron shrugged. "I don't really have friends anymore. When I came back, everybody started treating me differently. I'm the Alpha, so I get it, but even my friends from high school act like I'm a totally different person... it's lonely."

He looked at me. Really looked at me as if looking for that silent agreement. Hiding it, I snorted and rolled my eyes. "You really need to make up with Mark. You're grossing me out."

Groaning, Cameron tipped his head back in defeat. We made our way through the town when a smell made my nose trickle. Rushing past the Dearest Inn welcoming sign, Mark looked both ways, before eyeing us. He was out of breath and even in the snow, he wasn't wearing shoes or anything more than sweatpants and a T-Shirt. Cameron straightened up like I just punched his back. Our pace quickened to meet him.

Mark shook his head. "Hold on, hold on." He raised his hands out, but not at Cameron. He was trying to stop me. "Wait," he demanded, his face twisted. He looked afraid. Afraid of what was behind him and fearful that I wasn't going to stop.

"What's going on?" Cameron asked, shedding his jacket. He tried to get Mark to wear it, but he was too distracted. He avoided it and grabbed me.

"There are two wolves in there," Mark explained, gravely. His voice went low enough to go six feet under and cause the dead to stir. "They're saying a lot of crazy stuff, but they're looking for you, and I can't let you three run into each other. They can't know you're here-"

"Drew," I said his name unconsciously, stepping forward, but Mark pushed back.

"No. Grace and Liam are taking care of Drew. It's my turn to take care of you." He snatched Cameron's jacket and draped it over my shoulders. My heart thundered, trying to escape the confines of my ribcage. It was bruising. Taking my arm, he dragged me deeper into the woods, forcing us to take the long way around the Inn. My pace attempted to edge out Mark, but he didn't stop pulling me further and further back.