The Runaway

Chapter 42

Nobody knew what to say. 

They all filed out the door to feel the fresh air cool them from tension. 

"So we just leave her in there?" Riley said. 

Violet nodded. "Yeah." 

Aiden ran his fingers through his dark waves and sighed. "I need a drink."

"We need to find Colette," Violet quickly said, "My parents said they're after her blood." 

Delsin started to speed towards the van. "Let's go. Now."

Inside the car, Colton was already waiting for them in the driver's seat with a dull expression. The chirping of crickets filled the atmosphere and the engine loudly rumbled on. 

"We need to find Colette," Delsin stated and sat in the passenger's seat. 

Ignoring him, Colton jerked his head to see Violet's pale face staring back at him. "What happened back there?" he asked her. 

Everyone shut up and waited for her explanation. 

She looked down guiltily and mumbled, "My parents took me earlier from the forest." She fingered the zipper of her black jacket nervously. "They told me the truth." Tears pricked her eyes and she couldn't help but let it all out. "She turned me a long time ago. It was Phoebe all along." 

Nobody argued with her claims and patiently listened to her continue. 

"Her husband, Wyatt was part of the injecteds. He left Victor's group and so my parents went after him, unintentionally killing him in the process." She gulped. "For revenge, she broke in and turned me at birth, setting a time limit of 17 years before the spell took action."

They gasped and finally understood why she was angry. "How are you back then? Shouldn't your parents have taken you for good?" Colton questioned. 

She shrugged. "It was either kill me or let me run. They chose to let me run."

"And you came back to us," Aiden pointed out. "That's loyalty." 

"Glad you're safe," Riley said, "but what do we do now?" Riley asked.

Em slammed her fist at the car and broke down. "All of this work.." A pause. "And for nothing. That-" She stopped mid-sentence and slammed her fist again. "She lied to us."

As devastated as they were, they couldn't stop to sulk and waste time. Their plans were in shambles. Thus, they had to act quickly to create a new plan.

"We have to find Colette," Delsin reminded them hastily. 

Aiden nudged Violet gently and whispered, "You wanna come with me?" 

Colton nodded at Delsin and started the vehicle while everyone hopped in except for Aiden and Violet. 

"Sure," she said.

"I'll follow you in my car," Aiden told Colton before heading to his BMW with Violet. 

Following Colton's car by themselves separately was more awkward than they anticipated. Aiden cleared his throat. "You okay?" he asked after turning on the radio on low volume. Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears For Fears filled the car softly.

She shook her head. "No, that all happened so fast." She looked at the tiny bright stars in the sky and leaned her head against the window. "I can't even process it. I don't know who I was out there." She couldn't believe she had the courage to confront Phoebe, let alone stab her so mercilessly.