Wolf Country

Chapter 16- Before

Scarlett

I feel like a worm, inching across the dirt towards my mother, restricted as I am by the bonds on my hands and feet. But I don't care; I just want to get to her as fast as I can. As soon as I reach her, her somehow free hands are untying mine and then she wraps her arms tightly around me, both of us letting tears slide down our cheeks.

"I'm so sorry," I'm whispering before I even realize it. "I'm so sorry."

"It's not your fault," she responds quietly, stroking my hair gently. "We're gonna figure this out together."

We sit there in silence, just glad to be back in each others' presence, but I know we're both thinking about how we're gonna get out of this alive. I'm suddenly reminded of every book I've read where the main character gets captured by the enemy. A few months ago, I never would've thought I would even be moving away from Florida. Now I'm in the middle of a Michigan forest, in the snow, tied up in a dark tent.

"You need to know, Scarlett," my mom finally says. "They plan to kill Adam. They want to take control of the pack."

"What?" I breathe, all of the air going out of my lungs.

"This group is made up of exiles from packs all over the north," she says quickly. "With Adam being so young and new, they figure he's vulnerable enough for them to kill him off and take control."

"Mom, we have to stop them," I say hurriedly, pulling away from her grasp and leaning down to untie the bonds around my ankles. She stops me by laying a hand on my arm.

"No, don't," she says. "They'll know you're trying to get out. We need to look like we've given up and accepted our fate."

She then re-ties the rope around my wrists, but so loosely that I can easily pull them free if need be. "There," she says. "Now, I already have somewhat of a plan formed, but you have to listen to me. Okay?"

"Okay," I say, nodding. "What's the plan?"

Adam

I immediately whip back around to face him, filled with rage that's furthered by the anger I'm already feeling at Scarlett's disappearance. "What kind of game are you playing here?" I say lowly.

"I'm not playing anything, Adam, I know what you're capable of. I know what this is," he says. "I know what you turn into...and I know Scarlett's one, too."

"And just who the hell...?" I start, but then it hits me and I stop mid-sentence. Of course he knows, I think to myself. Why didn't I think of this before?

"My uncle was one," he says, just as I remember this same fact. My dad told me about it but I never thought to talk to Ryan about it. Then I just forgot about it. "Got bitten one day while hunting. Your dad helped my parents take care of him until he got too sick."

I run a hand through my hair as a million thoughts burst into my mind all at one time. "How long have you known? About us?" I finally manage to choke out.

"We've been going to the same school our whole lives," he says. "In seventh grade, I noticed you were absent a lot around full moon days. And I remember you and your brother being good at pretty much every single sport you guys played, especially when you got quarterback. After our fight, I kind of overheard you guys talking outside the office. Something about 'you have to remember what you are.' That's when I remembered my uncle and made the connection."

"Well," I sigh, looking up at him, not really knowing where to start. I beat him up in front of the whole cafeteria, and now he wants to help?

"Where's Scarlett?" he asks, a spark of hopefulness in his eye.