The shift came over me quickly, powerfully, my heightened emotions calling my wolf forth at record speed. My internal pain was amplified as my bones broke and reformed. I let out a fierce roar as my muzzle elongated, sharp teeth ripping from my gums.
Then I ran blindly through the woods, barely aware of anything other than the sound of my paws pounding the ground and my own ragged breathing.
I ran and ran, needing to escape my thoughts. Escape my heart. But when I returned a couple of hours later, I was exhausted. I shifted back, my shoulders slumped as I dressed.
The run had prevented a total meltdown, but it hadn’t changed my situation. Or the heartache I felt. Why was I so upset?
Was it the idea of being sent back to Branson? That had been my original reason for staying. Yet Holden hadn’t kept his word on bringing me to the top ten.
That wasn’t why I was so upset, though. Somewhere along the way over the course of this week, my reason for being here had changed, and I was only fully accepting that now. I’d come to care for Holden. Deep down, I recognized it, but I’d been afraid of it.
For a good reason, apparently. Holden didn’t care for me. He’d only been using me to get information on Branson. The knife twisted in my chest once more as that hit home. That was why he’d brought me here in the first place.
Vowing not to fall apart again, too tired to deal with the fallout of giving in to my emotions, I went back to the estate through the back doors. Luckily, there was no one I recognized roaming the halls.
Back in my room, I shut and locked the door behind me. Instantly, it hit me. The smell of gas. Was there a leak?
My gaze flew to the little hot plate in the kitchenette I’d never used. No, it was electric. So, where was the gas coming from?
Panic hit me, and I spun to open the door again, only to find it locked.
“How the hell?” I jerked and pulled and twisted the knob, but to no avail. The door was stuck, even though I’d just come through it. I ran to my patio door, confused when I found it shut. I thought I’d left it open when I left. Regardless, I gave it a yank, but it was also stuck. Sealed shut, practically.
My breathing became ragged as I realized I had no way out. I had to find the source quickly before I passed out and died before anyone could find me. I ran to the bathroom, but before I could open the door, a powerful boom rocketed through the room, reverberating in my body as the force of it threw me backward onto the floor.
I stared at the ceiling in shock, checking to make sure there had been no damage. Then I realized whatever had caused that explosion had started a rapidly spreading fire. Flames quickly licked their way toward me, growing larger and larger. The heat was enough to drive me back to the far wall. I had to get out of here.
In a frenzy, I looked around for a way to escape, my gaze landing on the carved iron chairs at my little table. I rushed forward to grab one, but the fire moved faster, creating a barrier between me and the chair.
Tears streamed down my face as I sobbed in earnest. No! I wouldn’t go like this. I’d rather die in a challenge from Sydnee herself than burn to death. Smoke filled the room, choking me. There was only one way out.
Gathering my resolve, I charged forward through the flames, only a glimmer of light through the windows now visible as the room became thick with dark smoke. My fingers landed on the iron chair, burning hot like coals as the flames licked closer and closer.
I screamed in pain, doing everything in my power to force my hands to remain on the burning metal, despite every instinct telling me to let go. My energy was fading fast as I lifted the chair high in the air, then slammed it against the sliding glass door.
It shattered, and I flung myself forward, sucking in lungfuls of fresh air as black smoke billowed out behind me. Not stopping, I hurtled over the railing, dropping to a heap on the ground.
Voices sounded, yells of warning, screams of panic. Then one I recognized immediately, full of terror. “Kayden!”
I couldn’t see very well; my eyes blurred with tears and stinging from the smoke, but I knew that voice and that scent anywhere.
“Kayden, are you okay?” Holden asked urgently, running his hands over my face, my body. “What happened?”
I winced in pain, and the next thing I knew, Holden was lifting me into his arms, cradling me gently against his chest. I reached up to rub my eyes, but cried out in pain at the first touch. Blinking rapidly, I saw that my hands were covered in burns from the chair.
“You're covered in blood,” Holden hissed, his voice strained as he peered at me. I swear it looked like genuine concern in his eyes, but I didn’t know what was true or wasn’t at this point.
Holden called out orders to the streams of people that had flocked around the scene before he was rushing away with me.
Faye’s voice carried after us. “Holden, wait!” She must have jogged to catch up. “Is Kayden okay?”
“How the hell did this happen?” he growled, the force behind his words shocking me enough to distract me from my pain temporarily. “Where were you?”
“I—I don’t know. I left her in her room to rest. I know as much as you do.”
“It’s your job to look after Kayden.I don’t knowisn’t good enough.” His voice was loud, scathing, as he ripped into Faye. “Find my grandmother at once. I’m taking Kayden to the infirmary.”
Faye squeaked out a reply, then ran ahead, radioing for Margie to come to the infirmary.