Secret Lives

Chapter 27, Love is a Drug

Chapter 27

We had started travelling again, the phone Brad had been talking on, now smashed into pieces in the parking lot of the café.

I had made sure I had the window seat this time, Mitch’s head rested on my shoulder as I listened to his persistent snoring, a small trail of drool left behind.

Where was Chris now?  Did he know we had escaped; I hoped he had not gotten caught in the crossfire between what hunters remained and the wolves we had released.

The passing trees were becoming all too confusing once more.  We had briefly stopped at a camping store, Brad covering whatever expenses were required for us to live out in the forest until Brad put the remainder of his plan in action.

I had figured out what that imaginary boundary was that Mitch spoke of, it was the border of another state.

The hunters only had so much jurisdiction in America, I knew from the many conversations I sat in on that some of the governments were not so willing to have the wolf populations close to them stirred into a war.

I was surprised he had directed his conversation at me next, his head turning occasionally to talk to me.

‘What’s with your wolf friend anyways, he’s so protective of you’?

Keeping my eyes fixed out the window, Mitch didn’t even stir at the sound of voices.  I could only imagine how tired he must have been.

I replied swiftly, already knowing both the men with me had an easily ignited temper.

‘I don’t actually know, I was supposed to be his prisoner but I guess he’s my friend now’.

Scoffing from the front seat, it was obvious I had said the wrong thing, the snarky reply bothering me somewhat.

‘Prisoner hey, let me guess he’s an Alpha also?  The wolves are all the same, they live off instinct and don’t think things through’.

Returning a growl, I noted the way Brad eased up on the insults, my influence having some sort of control.

‘You shouldn’t talk about him like that; you’re asking for a fight’.

The most I got was a nod in response.  Obviously my opinion didn’t matter as much as I had suspected.

‘How did the wolves catch you anyways?  Chris didn’t exactly elaborate on the story when we last spoke’.

Thinking back, it really had been a long time since I’d effectively swapped sides, I would be lucky to pass off as a hunter anymore.

I couldn’t help but chuckle at the memory; ‘Mitch’s father used Chris as bait, he shot me instead and brought me back to his base camp wherever that was’.

Brad had interrupted before I could even elaborate myself, he was still accusing the wolves like they had no right but I was starting to see both sides were at fault.

‘That was a low blow on their count then.  No wonder the fool fell in love with you, his father practically set you up’.

I was a little confused about who we were even talking about now, his face showing just how perplexed I was.

‘I don’t think-‘

‘No you do think, you just won’t admit it.  Do you really think this wolf would protect you so strongly if he didn’t feel something for you; I knew the hunters messed you up but are you really that dense’?

Snorting out a breath, he was riling me up, I knew it.  I was better than that though, my eyes challenging his as we pulled into some sort of campsite.