Bo and the Beast (Book #1) (Completed)

41. Thrown To The Wolves... Again

She didn't tell anyone else she was leaving. Though she spent the rest of the day by her dad, and saw Felicia for most of that time, and talked with the frustratingly few visitors to their tent, she pretended as if everything was normal. As if she wasn't about to return to the home of one of the greatest weapons used against the humans.

She kept her secret all the way until the next morning, when she rose from bed, said her goodbyes to her dad with too many tears and not enough hugging, and crept silently out of the tent and toward where the hoppers were chained up.

The sun had only just risen, bathing her in fingers of orange breaking through the gray. She'd packed a satchel with provisions and the display screen, and tied it securely to the back of her hopper.

Swinging her leg over the seat, Bo walked the hopper out of its parking space and steered it to face the gate. The men on the wall glanced down and she motioned for them to open the gate. They did as she asked, so used to her and Aston leaving at odd hours that they wouldn't question her departure until much later when she didn't return.

Heat began to creep its way into the air, making the back of her neck sweat already, but she still didn't move. She sat on the purring hopper, staring over her shoulder at the camp. She couldn't believe she was about to leave it once again.

As she gazed behind her she saw a figure walking toward her at a determined pace. At first she thought it was Aston, who was practically her shadow at this point, but as they came closer she saw the familiar choppy black hair and disapproving frown.

"What are you doing?" Felicia demanded.

"I'm going," Bo replied.

"Bo, already disobeyed it. It'll kill you if you go back."

Bo shook her head. "He won't kill me."

"Then it will maim you or lock you in a room, or any other of the thousand things it could do. Aliens are heartless, and you should know that best of all. I remember your screams at night after you came back that first time when you were a child," Felicia said, her face pale and her arms crossing nervously. "I don't want you to go through that again, and I don't want to lose you either."

"It's not going to be like last time," Bo said, her voice becoming gentle. She did remember Felicia's fear when faced with Bo's nightmares. Without a mother, her sister had been forced to take on the role. Not that it lasted long, but there had been a few days when Felicia had weathered screaming and tears and stories of horror in order to hold Bo close and mourn their mother.

Felicia shook her head. "You don't know that," she said. "So just stay."

"I can't," Bo said, already reaching back to kick up the hopper's stand. She didn't want to stay too long, because she knew she wouldn't be able to leave if she didn't go soon.

"You have to say goodbye to Aston, at the very least," Felicia said, that old animosity slowly seeping back into her face and posture.

Bo frowned. "No."

"Well, too late." This came from behind her. She spun to see Aston standing in front of her. That brat Felicia must have tipped him off. Bo ground her teeth and cast a glare at her sister.

Aston jerked his chin while looking behind Bo, and she heard the sound of Felicia retreating. They stood alone now, the quiet of the early morning suffocating.

"You'll regret leaving," he said, voice low.

"I have to go. For my mom."

Aston shook his head, looking lost.