VANESSA POV
I ran straight through the forest, trying to follow the quickly fading scent from Erik.
Helen had been right, he’d indeed been caught up with his brothers from the way their scents intermingled. It made my heart lurch, just thinking about what an awful situation he must be in right now.
I hated his brothers so much that it made my teeth hurt. They were assholes. Both of them. I weaved around trees and ran as quickly as I could with all of my skirtings. I wanted to roll my eyes at myself. Of all the days to wear so many layers, I, of course, had to pick this one.
Stupid, stupid…
Up ahead, I could hear movement in the forest. I slowed my pace, trying to listen to see if it was another participant moving through the forest after something. I didn’t need anyone stumbling upon me and asking what I was doing out here, clearly out of place. It would be too much of a long-winded explanation that I would need to craft, all the while wasting precious time in rescuing Erik.