“Why did they stop so easily?”
“Maybe they can’t go any further….. look.” Meadow points ahead pulling our attention back to the windscreen and we can see where the fog thins out enough that it’s barely there. Finally, an end in sight to this depressing smoke. It’s thinning to almost nonexistence and I wonder if maybe the spell really does weaken when they leave it for any length of time.
“You don’t think…” I trail off not sure how to word it, but Meadow cuts in.
“Maybe, I mean it’s a possible back up plan right…. kidnapping them one at a time and keeping them out of the fog out here to see…. If all else fails.” She shrugs, a look of possibility glinting in her eye.
I blink at her, my gut churning over, gazing back one more time at the distant figures and sigh heavily, expelling some heaviness now we know we are running free.
“It can’t be that simple. There has to be another reason they aren’t following us.”
“We are three…. the homestead is dozens, maybe they just want to stay where they have more to kill.” Carmen chimes in bluntly, as gracious as ever, and I shudder at the thought. Maybe she’s right, even if she said it without tact or any obvious emotion. What is three lone wolves when they have an entire homestead of hundreds left behind. If blood and destruction is what they’re after, then we are too much effort to chase when they can’t get into our steel box.
The thought makes me sick and as we hightail it onto the main route and relatively clean air with no more impaired vision, the sun warms us as it starts to reach higher in the sky. If we were not on such a depressing mission, it would be the start of a beautiful and unusually warm day. I rub my temples, overwhelmed with utter sadness and despair at what we are even having to do and force Colton out of my mind once again. The constant craving for him never seems to subside and now we’re leaving them behind, I experience a new sense of longing and a subtle panic that we will be far apart.
“Don’t think about it. Just focus on what we must do. It’s a long drive and we have to stick to human routes to keep contact with other packs to a minimum. If we plough on, we can get there before dark as long as we keep stops to fuel only.” Meadow pats me on the shoulder and pushes my hair off my face in that gentle mom type way she has. “Sleep while you can, you look exhausted. We need our Luna to be fit and well and I don’t need you right now. You too, Carmen. You can take over driving when I need a break.” Meadow is in bossy mode once more. Bickering forgotten, commanding like she does the sub pack and the sentinels, and I nod, knowing there’s not much else to do but stare at passing scenery while these two bicker and glare the journey away.
Carmen doesn’t argue but gets up and moves to the back and climbs onto one of the stabilized beds, turning away from us and pulling the blanket in front of her face. I could sense her tiredness when I collected her earlier, I guess sedation and grief are not a great combo and I’m sort of glad she’s chosen to go lay down. I stop as I lift up from my seat and lean down to Meadow, linking only her with a gentle tone.
“Go easy on her, I get the feeling things have happened in the past months and she doesn’t seem the same. Remember what’s just happened to her.” I squeeze Meds shoulder lightly and smile as her eyes dart to mine for a second.
“It’s hard to let go of old grudges when she looks and seems exactly the same. Her mom died, yet she seems fine. She’s so much more stable than I expected her to be.” Meadow bites bitterly, as though she is somehow disappointed in Carmen for not breaking down, but I frown at her and shake my head.
“Everyone grieves in their own way. I think she’s in shock and it hasn’t sunk in that she’s really gone. Med’s please, treat her the way you would treat any other wolf in the pack. Forget who she used to be. Her heart is broken, I can feel it.”
“Is that a command, Luna?” Meadow eyes me up with a hint of attitude, knowing I usually never tell her what to do in terms of how she handles things and I throw her an exasperated look.
In all the months I have been such I have never commanded Meadow to do anything. She’s my best friend. It’s a line I don’t like crossing, even if I do have a right to do it. She was there for me when I was no one, and I don’t like to lord over her in anyway when she mothers me effectively.
“It’s a gentle request, for me.” I point out with a smile and lean in to kiss her on the temple. Smoothing back her hair in a bid to show her my deepest love and respect and that I don’t want bad blood between us and pause before I head to the back.
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