Chapter 12 Soraya

I stepped outside the small cave and stretched. While I was still feeling weak and light-headed, it felt good to be outside.

I exhaled and saw my breath. Frigid but invigorating.

Ori?

No response. Normally, her inside heat would make the outside feel warmer, but I now had to rely on my human side only. Thank goodness for warm clothes.

Rather than shivering, I pulled a sweater from the pack and got it over my head.

Ori? Where are you girl?

I sighed at the lack of response and worse… the lack of feeling I normally had for her. There was an empty void where her warm furry body usually curled up inside me… watching… always watching.

I unfolded the paper again and shined my small light on it.

The map showed the cave and arrows to landmarks. I wound my way around so the entrance was now at my back. Two or so miles if I stayed on the arrow until I see a forked tree. I kept the paper handy, not trusting my memory.

The forest was quiet, quieter than I expected. Maybe the animals sensed my wolf when I could not and felt a predator, regardless of the fact I was weaker than a squirrel.

My throat still hurt from the paralysis. Swallowing felt like sand. I sipped water, as I walked. Not wanting to repeat the chugging and possibly vomiting it all back up.

Once the fire in my throat was out, I nibbled on a protein bar, which tasted like flavored cardboard, but it was something.

The light was low. Trees blocked most of the sky. I kept to the darker side of the slope and counted steps until the ground leveled. Ahead of me, stood a forked tree.

When I pulled out the map, I also found a flashlight. Using both, I felt pretty confident that I’d stayed on track and had only a few more miles until I hit town, coming in from a different angle this time.

A couple more miles in, I came across the second mark on Victor’s map. Boken stakes showed up one by one along a faint line—splintered wood, old orange tape turned brown. It looked like an old crime scene.

A perfect place to hide a body. I shuddered thinking only hours ago, it could have been mine.

Ori?  I tried again, the way I always had. A nudge where she should be. She didn’t answer, again.

I walked, concentrating on my steps and not about the fact that my wolf was lost. Ansel’s little vial did nothing to protect us.

The Bastard.

I thought I could trust him. That would be the last time I trusted anyone.

Anger fueled my steps, and I got careless. Stones slid under my boot once and I had to sit for a minute. I put my head down, breathed slow, and waited for the rage to settle.

When I thought I had myself back under control, I stepped back onto the footpath; checking the map one more time beneath the beam of the flashlight.

According to the drawing, just ahead was the old carriage road.  It showed as a cracked strip under moss. I turned to follow it. Ten, maybe twelve minutes more, and a shape rose behind a bunch of trees.

A rooftop.

My pace quickened. More rooftops.

I made it.

I almost cried. Then I remembered I wasn’t safe yet.

Victor’s map of how to find the house was vague without knowing the streets. Three blocks past Pine.

Pine. The waitresses’ words flooded back regarding the Ridge boys… The Ridge was a neighboring pack, if they were in that section of town they would smell a wolf.

If that happened, one of two things, or both could take place. One. Keep me and do things I’d rather not think about. Two. Return me to Silverpine, or three; both.

I stopped on the side of the paved road that led into town. I had no idea what day it was, so I also had no idea if the Ridge boys were in town. I had no choice but to follow the map, getting lost in town wasn’t an option I wanted to chance.

The town was quiet. Not a single light in any of the houses. Streetlights shined, so I wasn’t creeping along in the dark, but there were plenty of dark corners where things could hide. Plenty of corners my wolf would scan, and be ready to protect. Right now, I had to suck it up. It was me who had to do the protecting.

Assuming she was still a part of me.

I wanted to call to her again, but was afraid she wouldn’t answer. Third time’s a charm, or third strike—you’re out.

I wasn’t going to take a fifty/fifty bet at this moment.

Pine. The street was in front of me. It ran perpendicular to the street I walked. All remained quiet, so I let myself celebrate this small victory. Three more blocks.

I started a slow jog and the blocks went by much faster than a slow crawl. I stopped at the third block and looked at the map.

Birch.

This was it!

I turned the corner and looked for the house number. I went up the street then back down the other side without finding the peeling paint door.  There were a few that clearly needed attention, but the numbers didn’t match.

I stopped and huffed. My shoulders drooped.

So close, but so freaking far. I said to Ori instinctively.

No response. I had to stop doing that to myself. It only hurt more each time I tried.

I glanced to my right and watched a cat slink down an alley and down a stairway. It stopped at a doorway with a single bare bulb over its entrance.

There are basement apartments.

“Thank goodness,” I murmured and crossed the street to where the even numbers were. Sure enough, five houses down there was a small doorway off on the side and down below the sidewalk level. There was no light above this door.