6
“Where exactly are we headed?” I asked from the back seat. I’d happily declined the front. It was too close to Alec for my comfort.
“Camp,” Alec replied.
“You can’t be serious. That’s the first place they’ll go looking for me,” I said.
“I don’t think so,” Alec said.
“They know you came back for me. Why wouldn’t they try looking at your camp? Even if not to find me, to ask for information.”
“I’m glad you finally acknowledged that I came back for you,” he said.
“That’s what you got out of that?” I scoffed.
“I got myself caught,” Alec said.
“He made them think he had a recipe for the toxin so they went after him,” Kyle said, his tone giving away his disbelief. “Somehow, they think you gave it to him.”
“Wonder why they’d think that?” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.
“What am I missing?” Kyle asked.
“My grandfather, the one who was cursed, is the same asshole who invented the toxin. Turns out the thing that Wolf Creek uses to maintain its dominance is the same thing that cost me a chance at a normal life.”
“Wait, what?” Kyle sounded stunned.
“Fucked up, right?” I couldn’t keep the disdain out of my tone.
“I knew things were bad in Wolf Creek, but I didn’t know they were that bad,” Kyle said.
“You do realize that nothing about growing up in Wolf Creek is normal. I’m sure they fucked both of you up. Bad,” Alec said.
“Says the guy who denies all the basic shifter protocol,” I accused.
“Speak for yourself, alpha girl,” he said.
“Alright, I know I have a lot of catching up to do, but right now, I need you two to focus. Whether you like it or not, my plan for getting Lola to safety involves both of you.” Kyle turned in his seat and fixed his gaze on me. “My job is to protect you. It was determined by the gods. So, please, Lola, let me do my damn job.”
I still didn’t believe he was being genuine despite how serious he sounded. It was going to give me whiplash. “You do know that you can’t go back to them now. They’ll know you helped me.”
“One of these days, you’ll see that I’m on your side. I’m going to help you,” he insisted.
“You’re going to get us all killed by listening to him.” I lifted my chin toward Alec.
“We had a spy in the camp,” Alec said. “It didn’t take much for me to let slip that I had the recipe in front of him. They came for me that night. I didn’t fight them. It got me back in for a chance to rescue you. While I was away, a friend planted the car for us.”
“Your rescue plan was to get thrown into a cell in the same building as me?” I rolled my eyes. “Excellent plan.”
“I got you out, didn’t I?” He growled.
“Don’t get pissy with me. You didn’t get me out. Kyle did,” I said.
“Who do you think got through to him?” Alec asked.
“Enough!” Kyle shouted.
I snapped my mouth closed. I’d never heard Kyle take command like that.