Covet

Chapter 12

Though I desperately craved it, sleep was difficult to find without Mal by my side. I missed him so deeply and ached for his presence. The sun hadn't peaked its way above the trees and buildings by the time I woke, the sky still marked with black ink, a hint of blue on the horizon.

I hadn't seen him since what was supposed to be our wedding day, and have no way of contacting him, save for if I wanted to arrange a final meeting under the Alpha's supervision.

But I didn't want the Alpha to even have the chance of knowing who Mal is to me. I didn't want to put him at risk.

But I could have them send for someone else...

It might be a stupid idea. But I would give anything to relay a message to Mal. To apologize for getting caught. To tell him I love him one last time.

My muscles strained as I hopped off the hospital bed and limped for the door against the doctor's orders. I'm not supposed to leave the bed without assistance and most definitely not allowed to leave the room.

Since my escape attempt, an enforcer was posted outside the door. One wolf was there all night, and I didn't take notice when they switched him out with another wolf in the morning. Once I successfully made it to the door and pulled down on the handle, nothing had happened. The door had been locked.

I frowned.

The wolf enforcer turned to face the door, a scowl etched on his young features turned into one of slight surprise. He quickly pulled a ring of keys off his belt and swung the door open, which almost resulted in me falling to the floor because I held onto the handle for support. I switched to put my hand on the doorway and leaned out looking out the halls, somewhat curious as to what the the hospital looked like, without me preoccupied by running through them in a frantic to escape.

I snapped my gaze back to the enforcer, almost forgetting the reason I make the trek from the bed in the first place. His brows were lifted in concern before he spoke, "I can't let you out of the room."

His tone almost caught me off guard, surprise I'm sure was written all over my face from an enforcer speaking to me almost kindly. "Y-yes, right. I was actually going to ask if you could arrange for a meeting with my friend."

"Of course. Who did you want to arrange it with?" Again, a politeness tinged his voice. It was so strange and different from their normal demanding tones with me.

"Reggie. Reggie Wright."

His lips tugged into a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Great, we'll find him and send for him right away."

I look at him for a moment before muttering a small thank you and closing the door shut, leaving me to my thoughts.

I hoped Reggie managed to make it safely out the river and I doubted he would be unable to with lean muscles like Mal from the coal mines. I just have to hope that they actually find him. He wouldn't go to the boarder without me, I know he wouldn't. If he and Mal met up, they must be searching for me, asking around if anyone has heard or seen anything of me. They would search the banks of the river, and the deadzone, that they seem to know so much about, for signs of me. And then there's the fact that I feel like I don't know Reggie as well as I thought. Or Mal for that matter.

Mal and I shared everything with each other. Why did he know so much about obtaining new identities and the deadzone? And most of all, why wouldn't he tell me?

The realization left a tinge of bitterness on my tongue and a pang of hurt resonating through my chest.

I sighed leaning against the wall before limping my way back to the bed.