The Luna

Forty

Maybe it's how impossibly fast Caspian is driving or maybe it's the fact that I have finally resigned myself to the fate that sits before me. Either way, it seems driving back to Lotus seems a lot shorter than driving away from it.

Then again, Malachi had detoured us through Colorado to meet with the council. I guess it's possible that it warped my sense of space between Larkspur and Lotus.

I'd taken to the silent treatment after our last conversation. Caspian tried to get information from me, asking and poking at what I may have told the council or what else I had learned from the wolves at Larkspur.

But I ignored him and every hint of anger and frustration that crossed his face was all the sweeter for it.

He sighs again, hands on his hips as he stands in front of me scanning the trees with a scowl.

From the moment we ditched the car, he's been impatient to get back to his pack.

I, however, am in no real rush to get there. So rather than walking the quick pace, he's trying to set, I pull the human card. We're slower and more clumsy, therefore this is more of a stroll for me.

"It's a nice day," I comment, getting a sick satisfaction out of this. The only type of torture I can inflict on him.

If I thought I could outrun him I would, but I know I don't stand a chance. So I'll walk slowly, stopping to smell the flowers and admire the views.

Oh, look at that rock. That's a nice rock.

Caspian spins around so fast that I don't have time to react as he reaches out and grabs a fistful of the torn cloak I'm still wearing and pulling me to him until there is barely a breath between us.

I can just imagine the smoke billowing out of his ears, the fire dancing behind his eyes as his anger reaches a tipping point. But it's of no consequence to me. Not any more.

I don't know if it's because of all the time I've spent around the wolves or if he's just that close to losing control, but I can see so clearly in his eyes, the animal that hides within.

He tries to take a deep breath and calm down. But it's a losing battle that even I can see. His eyes move from my face to the cloak, really taking in the tears and holes from our earlier scuffle.

"You don't need this anymore," he growls, extending his claws until he rips through the fabric.

I gasp as he begins to shred the fabric, glimpses of that frustration I've been helping to build within him, releasing until all that's left of the cloak is confetti, catching in the wind and blowing away.

My mouth hangs slack, eyes wide as Caspian straightens his spine, adjusts his shirt before giving me a wide, charming smile.

"Shall we?" He offers me his elbow, but I look at it in horror as if he's offering me a poisonous snake, "The pack is just past this hill anyway," he says when I don't take his arm, and gestures forward.

I take a small step back on instinct. I didn't realize we had gotten so close to Lotus. Out here, it's nothing but trees and forest.

I'm stupid for thinking we still have a hike in front of us. Stupid for thinking that I could think of a plan to delay the inevitable or that Malachi would be okay enough to tell the council where to find me.

Just because I know my fate and am resigned to accept it, doesn't mean I'm ready for it to be here so quickly.

His face morphs instantly, his eyes darkening and his bloody hand darting and and catching my wrist in a vice grip.