Forty-two

I groan as I wake from a deep sleep, finding the back of my head was sore. When I try to get up, I can't. My hands and feet were tied up, my mouth gagged. I sigh. "This was not how I wanted to start my day.

After telling Damon to meet me at the stables so we could go hunting, I heard someone behind me. Before I could turn, they had knocked me out. The poor kid was probably wondering where I was.

"Good, you're awake!" I hear and turn my head to see Marin. I groan again. Again, not what I had planned. "Your sister should be here soon, so you're just in time."

Zahra? What did she have to do with this? She was barely able to move, barely able to stop thinking about how the pack had left her to involved in anything. I give the male a questioning look. He ignores me.

Resigning to the fact that I was not going anywhere for now, I looked around. We were next to a hill. Other than that, open space for as far as the eye could see.

A horse whinnied and Marin straightened. I look around but couldn't see anything. Frustrated, I throw my head back.

"Was that necessary?" a hiss from right behind me said.

I blinked.

"I'm sorry. I didn't think he would actually go through with it!" Zahra said, seeming breathless. "Your hands are untied, but don't move until you feel my hand."

I give an imperceptible nod and feel her move away. Looking back to Marin, I see he's warily looking around, as if sensing Zahra's presence. I gulped.

A roar of an angry man arose from somewhere behind the hill. My eyes go wide as I recognize that voice. "Bitch!"

What had Zahra done?

Marin seemed as surprised and confused as I was. However, he didn't leave me alone as I had hoped.

"You'll pay! You hear me, June? You'll pay!"

June was here too?

I felt helpless as commotion began from behind the hill. I raised a brow at Marin, asking him silently. He again ignored me.

"Alright! Now this isn't fair!"

I turn my head in the opposite direction to see Aspen with his arms crossed. Marin grabbed a knife from his belt. "What are you doing here?"

Aspen shrugged and looked at me. "You really should not let Damon see you being dragged off. It's really bad for his mental stability!"

I raise a brow.

"Where's the girl?"

Aspen tilts his head to one side. "Which girl? Be specific."

Marin seethed. "Where is Zahra?"

Aspen cringed. "Zahra? Why would I bring her? She's pregnant!"

I roll my eyes.

"Where is she?"

Aspen shrugged. "Honestly? No clue! The boy came to me and Juniper for help. Why? Planning a party?"

Marin looked exasperated. I felt the same, but enjoying his suffering.

A hand on my arm made me freeze. "Don't show any sign that I'm here," she whispered.

I look at Aspen who was staring at Marin. "Really, you should have backup if going after my father. He's a real pain!"

"That's why I want the girl!"

"Oh!" Aspen clapped a hand to his head. "That makes sense! Why didn't you say so?"

Marin sighed. "Bring me the girl. Lucas must die."

Aspen nods. "I agree. He must die. But Zahra can't help."

"Why not?"

"Because she's pregnant, duh!"

June walks up behind Aspen and slaps his head. "Laying it on thick, don't you think?"

"What? You asked me to distract him so you could lead Lucas on a merry goose chase!"

June sighed and shook her head. "Can't take him anywhere!"

Marin is now gritting his teeth. "I need the girl."

June shrugged. "She disappeared. She tends to do that. Doesn't tell anyone where she's going!"

Aspen murmurs an agreement as if Zahra truly did disappear all the time. I scowled at him.

From behind me, Zahra moves away and I want to call her back, to not leave. But she must have a plan, or else this scenario would be very different.

"Bring me the girl!" Marin demands.

June sighed, truly seeming exhausted. "I just want my friend back, Marin. He is a good male and you have no idea how all our friends will react when he dies. He's important to our village!"

"Not until she is here and helps me!"

June opened her mouth to say something when Zahra appeared beside Aspen and said, "I had hoped you would see reason, but not everyone is smart."

Both Aspen and June gaped at her after jumping away at her voice. Marin blinked, dumbfounded. I sigh, tired of this game. Taking the gag out of my mouth I untie my feet then rise, then walk over to my sister and scowl halfheartedly. "That was mean."

"Damon didn't have to hide the fact that I left too!"

Shaking my head, I embrace her. "Clever girl! Don't let me forget how special you are!"

She hums, arms around me. "I just wish it didn't start wars and take those I care for away."

"You know they wouldn't have left if they had the choice."

"It still hurts."

"I know. Losing anyone hurts."

She pulls back and inhales deeply. When we turn to the others, our friends are scowling and Marin is deep in thought. Aspen says, "Next time, can you warn us that you've been here the whole time instead of just appearing and scaring us?"

Zahra frowned. "I did." June and Aspen furrowed their brows. "I brushed by you both. You had to have felt the odd breeze behind you?"

June blinked, seeming to recall something. "That was you?"

Zahra grinned. Aspen grumbled. I chuckle and go over to Marin and knock him out. "Now that we're all safe and here," I look to June, "what did you do to Lucas?"

She bit her lip with hesitation. "I may or may not have froze a certain body part of his…"

Aspen bursts out laughing while Zahra blushes, unused to talk of male parts. I roll my eyes. "And where did you have him chasing you to?"

June walks up and wraps her arms around my neck. "I may or may not have had a trail I've been saving that led a victim to a sink hole crawling with poisonous spiders and other small hairy creatures…" She kissed me. "But if he escapes, which is likely, then I have somewhere else me might like."

I raise a brow. She smiles but says nothing.

We begin to go home and are just out of Lucas's territory when Zahra groans, a hand on her belly. Beside her, Aspen kneels, gently laying her to the ground. Zahra groans again, flinches. June curses. "Aspen, are you able to carry her? "

"Yeah, but I don't understand."

June begins to jog away. "No time! Just hurry!"

"June!" Zahra cries.

But June is already gone. Aspen picks my sister up and begins to run, and I'm on his heel. A moment later, Zahra cries out, then again.

In fifteen minutes, we are entering Zahra's shelter where June is laying out clean cloths, a bowl of water, and other things I couldn't readily identify. Zahra screams. "Put her on the bed!"

Aspen does as he's told, and we wait.

June removes Zahra's pants and I immediately look away. "Aspen, get that nice long cloth and lay it here, then go comfort her." Aspen leaves my side. I feel awkward and cross my arms. "Roan, I need you to hold her."

My face pales.