4. Left Behind

I didn’t trust Mirabel.

For all I knew, the creek bed could be a trap. She could be leading us straight to the hunters, waiting for us to walk right into them. Every part of me told me not to follow her.

But she was the only one of us with a wolf. She could hear things we couldn’t and smell things we couldn’t. If something was coming, she would know before we did. That made her useful, whether I liked it or not.

I looked at Sam and Teagan. They were scared, exhausted, and barely holding on. So was I.

I didn’t know if Mirabel was telling the truth. I didn’t know if following her would save us or lead us straight to our deaths.

But staying where we were felt even worse.

If there was even a small chance that she could lead us somewhere safe, I was willing to take it.

"Fine," I whispered. "Lead the way."

Mirabel turned and disappeared between the trees. Sam slipped an arm around my waist while Teagan stayed close on my other side, helping me keep my balance as we followed.

I kept my head down, trying not to think about the screams echoing through the forest. Every now and then, another one broke through the trees, reminding me that people were still running, still hiding, still being hunted.

With Mirabel leading us, the trees seemed easier to navigate. We weren’t running blindly anymore, and we were moving much faster than before.

"Why are you helping us?" Sam suddenly asked. "You don't even like us."

Mirabel sighed, clearly annoyed by the question.

"I’m not helping you because I suddenly like you," she said. "I’m helping because four people have a better chance of surviving than one. If something comes after us, I’d rather have three people warning me than no one. Don’t mistake that for kindness."

Her answer made sense, but something in the back of my mind kept nagging at me. Mirabel could survive on her own. She had her wolf, and she’d already proven she knew how to move through the forest better than we did. If she was risking herself by helping us, there had to be something more in it for her. I just didn’t know what.

Teagan glanced at Mirabel, then toward the sound of running water somewhere ahead of us.

"Do you really think the creek will help us?" she asked. "I mean, how would hiding in the water stop them from finding us?"

"The water should help. Once we’re in the creek, they won’t be able to follow our scent as easily. The water will wash some of it away, and with all those rocks, they’ll have a harder time figuring out which way we went."

Teagan nodded slowly.

'But we can’t stay there for long," Mirabel added. "They’ll search the creek eventually. We just need it to buy us enough time to get farther away."

She stopped mid-step and looked toward the trees. For a moment, she said nothing. Her whole body went still.

Then her eyes widened.

"Down," she whispered.

She dropped into the tall grass, and we immediately followed. I threw myself onto the damp ground, my heart pounding as I pressed myself into the mud.

Something moved between the trees.

A huge dark shape suddenly leaped over a fallen log and landed heavily on the other side.

My heart stopped.

It was a wolf. Bigger than any I had ever seen back home. Its black fur almost disappeared into the darkness as it stood there, completely still.

Then it slowly lifted its head and sniffed the air.

I pressed myself deeper into the damp ground and held my breath until my lungs burned. I prayed to whatever gods were listening that the breeze would stay in our favor. That it would carry our scent somewhere else. Anywhere else but here.

For what felt like forever, it stood there, completely still.

Then it let out a low growl and sprinted in the opposite direction, disappearing into the trees toward the terrified screams of girls running somewhere nearby.

I didn't move.

I waited until the sound of its footsteps had faded before finally letting the breath I was holding escape

"Move. Now," Mirabel said, already getting to her feet. "That was only a scout. There’ll be more."

Sam scrambled to her feet and reached down to pull Teagan up. I gritted my teeth and pushed myself off the ground with my good leg.

I braced myself for the usual burst of pain.

I expected my left leg to scream the moment I put weight on it, just like it had every day for the past seven months.

Nothing.

I froze.

I tried to move my toes.

Nothing.

I flexed my calf, then carefully shifted my weight onto the leg.

Still nothing.

Oh, no.

Of all the times for my body to fail me, it had to happen now. The one time I was being hunted for sport.

"Addie?" Sam whispered. "What's wrong? Is it your leg?"

I looked up at her, my eyes burning with tears. I didn't want to say it. Saying it would make it real.

"It's numb," I whispered. "I can't feel it. I can't feel anything."

"I'll carry you." She was already moving toward me. "Come on. Get on my back."

"Are you serious?" Mirabel hissed. "You can barely keep up as it is. How the hell do you plan to carry her through these woods?"

Sam turned her head. "Then help me! If you think you're so much stronger than the rest of us, stop standing there and grab her other side!"

"I don’t think I’m stronger than you guys. I know I am," Mirabel said with a cold snort. "But I’m not carrying her. I’m not slowing myself down because she can’t keep up. If you want to carry her, fine, but I’m not waiting for you. I’ll leave you behind."

She was right. As much as I hated to admit it, carrying me would only slow them down.

"Go," I said quietly.

Sam shook her head immediately.

"No."

"Sam, listen to me."

"No."

I forced myself to meet her eyes. "You need to leave me."

"Not happening." Her grip tightened around my arm. "I'm not leaving you here, Adeline. We've come this far."

"Please." My voice broke as the first sob slipped out. "You can't carry me while you're running for your life. They'll catch you too."

I swallowed hard.

"If you go now, you still have a chance. You can run."

"And what about you?" Teagan sobbed.

"I’ll hide," I lied, glancing toward the thick bush ahead. "I’ll crawl in there and stay still. I don’t have a wolf, so my scent is weaker. They might not even notice me. I’ll wait until I can feel my toes again, then I’ll follow the creek and find you. I promise."

"They’re coming." Mirabel muttered. "We have to go now."

"Addie, please," Sam whispered. "I can't abandon you like this."

"Go!" I shouted, as loud as I could without drawing every alpha in the woods straight to us. "If you want me to have any peace at all, just run! Don’t let them take you because of me. Please, Sam. Just give me this one thing. Please. I can’t live with knowing you stayed and got caught because you were trying to save me."

Sam looked at Teagan, who was crying quietly beside her. Then she looked toward Mirabel, already disappearing into the shadows.

A broken sound escaped her.

She leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to my forehead. Her lips were warm against my cold skin.

"I'll come back for you," she whispered. "I swear it."

"I know," I lied again, forcing a small smile.