Runaway Rogue

Chapter Twenty Three: Indigo's POV

Indigo felt the heat starting. She wanted to ignore it, wanted to tell herself that it was nothing, maybe just the beginnings of a fever or something of the like. Surely, nothing could overpower those pills that made her so sick.

She wouldn't be so stupid a second time though. Even though she thought it might not help at all, she forced herself to swallow an additional pill. Then, it was ten minutes to laying down in the hopes that her body would just accept what she had done instead of trying to vomit to get the toxins out.

She had just wanted some space. She had just wanted to get away from Andrew, to keep everyone she cared about safe. Was it not enough? Why did her stupid wolf have to fight her with every breath all of the sudden? Why did the wolf who whimpered and hid with Andrew suddenly have such a strong voice?

"Have I not sacrificed enough for you?" Indigo hissed to her wolf, even though she was mostly just talking to herself. "You were so conveniently uninvolved when I needed you and now that I've made some choices for myself, you're ready to have an opinion."

How tragic it was that opinion dragged her to a man who she could not be with. Either he would break her or she would break him.

She needed to get to the truck before the heat consumed her. She was in a city, far away from the packlands under normal circumstances, but fate and mate bonds had a funny way of pulling strings. And added distance right now would mean a better chance of her escaping this whole thing, at least until she could decide her next course of action.

For now, distance seemed like the only reasonable approach. Plus, if Caspian came after her, she didn't doubt that he would break down the flimsy hotel door and she didn't want to be the one to foot the bill. She shoved her feeble belongings into her backpack and got to Caspian's truck as fast as she could.

His scent lingered in his vehicle. She hardly noticed it earlier, but now it seemed to invade all the space in her brain and occupy every single thought. She slammed the truck in drive and navigated the beast to the highway. There was a brief moment, when she saw a sign guiding her back the way she came, when she paused. It would be so easy to go back. And if she was in heat, he would be too. Talking could wait. Surely he would forgive her after he had to her in his bed. Surely, she would be able to think coherently after he had touched her and soothed the burning.

By some miracle, she ended up going in the opposite direction, further and further from Caspian and his beloved pack.

She drove for as long as she could, rolling over the hills and mountains of British Columbia. The roads demanded her attention and focus and she offered them up for as long as she could bear. Slowly, things started to grate on her nerves. She couldn't stand the voice of any of the radio hosts, snarled at those who passed her, felt like her skin was itching.

And then came the pleasure. Her head was filled with Caspian, every time she moved to adjust the pressure on the gas pedal, she felt the shift on her jeans crawl up her leg. Every breath was filling her lungs with his scent. She could pull a U turn. Someone might honk at her, but she could go back to him, beg for his forgiveness then beg him to take her. Or maybe the other way around.

"Keep it together," Indigo hissed to herself. She couldn't lose focus. If she lost track of her speed, it would take one diligent police officer to pull her over and realize she was in a truck that didn't belong to her and was driving with no ID to speak of. Then, her heat would seem insignificant.

When she saw the next turn off, she knew she had to take it. Her driving was becoming risky, her mind too muddled. She pulled off the highway and drove on a bumpy, rutted out gravel road as long as she could bear. When she gave up, the only relief was that there were no houses around, no passing cars, nothing but dense forest and the call of birds.

The fall air was frigid, winter nipping and ready to begin. She didn't care, in fact the frozen air felt good on her skin, a welcome relief when she got out of the truck. The cab was too hot, too heavy with the scent of him. She didn't care if she looked crazy, she would sit in the truck box and remain there until these feelings passed.

She took breaths and tried to center herself. She was alive. She was safe. Her jeans felt too tight. She was burning up. Someone could take that away. The same someone she wanted to remove her bothersome pants. She was in the middle of nowhere. She wanted to be at his house, with her fingers tangled in his hair. She could hear the birds chirping around her, the chitter of a squirrel. She wanted his heavy breathing in her ear.

She needed to keep Paris and Sasha safe.

She would throw everything away if it meant she could have him.

Indigo groaned and pressed the heels of her hands against her eyes. She could do this. She could get through this. She had already gotten through the hard part, surely the worst had passed.

Her wolf seemed to howl in defiance, her core heating even more, making her whimper like a pathetic creature. She could slip back into the truck and shove her hand down her pants, anything to make it stop or even slow.

Then there was the sound of gravel popping beneath car tires.

Fuck, she needed to get out of here before some kind adventurer or someone worse, stumbled upon her. She staggered out of her spot, her legs so weak she collapsed limply against the truck. The car came to a stop. She refused to look at it. If anyone asked, she would just say that she was exhausted from a night shift and pulled over for a nap.

A car door opened.

She braced for her lie, willing her weak body to keep moving. Why did she feel like she was suddenly made of lead?

She took a deep breath, hoping the cool air would ease the heat from the inside. And that's when her head snapped up.

"Caspian," she breathed.

Her mate was strolling towards her, forest eyes locked on her, sharp and focused. "Is being all alone in the woods better than being with me, darling?" Caspian wondered, cocking his head to one side.

"No," she whispered instantly. The body that had refused to listen to a single command from her was now thrilled to move towards him. Her gaze drank him in, appreciating the strong column of his throat, the sharp line of his jaw, the twist of his mouth.

"You left," Caspian accused.

She hated herself for leaving, she couldn't fathom why she had ever thought getting off the packlands was a good idea. There was nowhere she needed to be other than by his side. She stumbled towards him, her body acting as if she were drunk. "I won't leave again. I didn't want to."

As soon as she was close enough, his arms were around her, crushing her body against his. His scent was incredible, his touch exquisite. She felt her fangs elongate in her mouth. She could have him. She would have him. He belonged to her and she to him.

"Tell me that you want to be my mate. Tell me that you want to be with me," Caspian ordered, the words rumbling in his chest.

Indigo's head swam with images of him waking up beside her, making him breakfast, brewing him tea when he was sick, sharing a bubble bath on a chilly winter day. She wanted all of it. And she only wanted it with him.

"You are my mate, Cas. You are the only one for me."

He let out a low groan. "I'm going to mark you, Indie. So everyone knows you are mine."

Even her wolf reared back at that. The silver. It was still very much in her bloodstream. She opened her mouth, ready to protest.

Caspian's head had already dipped down, his wolf waiting just below the surface. It was a flash of teeth and a heady groan from him.

Indigo just crumpled, biting her lip to stop from wailing.

~~~Question of the Day~~~

How did you spend your last birthday?

I spent mine in Kimberly BC, biking and having a grand old time.