Skye and Kenna looked at each other in confusion.
Jaz thanked whoever was watching over her that they hadn't drawn any attention to her. His mate? she thought. Does he mean me? Does he think I'm his mate? But I'm not. Am I? No. But this guy thinks I am. She cursed silently as she raced through ideas, not knowing what to do.
The Leader scanned with his black eyes between Jaz, Kenna and Skye as if he was a cat toying with mice. He paid no attention to Alf who was standing in front of Jaz -a little too protectively for her liking. She wanted to mutter to Alf to back off but she was afraid it would draw attention to her. She kept her mouth shut and her body as stiff as a plank.
Kenna glanced back at the forest, then drifted her gaze over Jaz's face; they locked eyes and Jaz could see what Kenna was thinking. She knew who Alf had been teasing Jaz about; she'd seen the look on Jaz's face at the Leader's question. It suddenly was not so funny anymore. It was deadly. Kenna gave her a slight, hardened look with her smoky-green eyes to show she understood and she had Jaz's back. Jaz wished with all her heart she could have embraced her at that moment.
“Don't make me ask again!”
“What do you care, Kain?!” Alf shouted back.
Jaz looked at Alf. He didn't seem to be aware of anything but Kain at that moment. Not the row of intimidating Weres. Not the danger or the chance one wrong word could mean death. It was just him and Kain.
Kain smiled. If it wasn't full of menace, his smile could have been described as handsome. “I've heard he's taken a fancy to a newcomer, and I wanna get a glimpse of her. Before I rip out her heart and hand it to him,” he snarled.
Jaz tried not to gasp, her whole body wound so tightly she thought she'd snap apart. She wanted to run, but seeing Ronnie and Skye in front of her, she couldn't do it. How could she leave them?
Alf gave a bemused scoff and sneered at Kain. “Why not just kill yourself? It'd be much quicker. And less painful,” he retorted in a cold, threatening voice that Jaz couldn't believe she was hearing from his mouth. “Pack Leader Nik will not be as merciful if you fuck with him, believe me,” he warned.
Kain leered. “Fine. I guess we'll have to get his attention another way...”
Skye whispered to Ronnie to come to her. He was transfixed on the Weres.
The moment Kain mouthed the dreaded command and all the Weres lunged forward towards the river, Skye yelped at Ronnie, “Come here! NOW!”
He jumped up out of his daze and rushed towards her. She grabbed his hand and raced towards the trees.
Kenna's dark, sandy-blonde hair whipped past Jaz's head and before she had time to think about moving her own legs, still in shock, Alf tugged violently on her arm and they were sprinting through the trees.
Skye was ahead with Ronnie to Jaz's left side, Kenna was up in front and disappearing fast; she was quick, like her sister.
Jaz panted madly, from fear more than exertion. The blood in her legs was like liquid fire. Every movement hurt, but she could not stop. The thundering sound of boots against earth urged her on. Alf was a fast runner, too fast for her to keep up. She tried to run at his pace and when he was pulled back again by her inferior speed he also slowed down.
“What-are-you-doing?!” she panted. “I'm-slow-ing-you-down!”
“Keep moving!” he ordered, tugging her arm forward.
Her breaths were ragged and her chest felt like a knife was sticking into it every time she breathed in. After a few feet she cried, “Just-let-me-go! Run ahead!”
He whipped his head round for just a second to bark back, “Never!” and gripped her hand tighter.
For whatever reason, it made her force herself to move faster.
The sounds of feet pounding behind them gradually quietened, but then Jaz noticed something else.
She scanned the forest as she ran. Inhaling deeply through her nose she was positive Kenna had made it ahead: Jaz caught a whiff of her scent, on the trail to the village. Maybe Kelda is already on her way back with support? Maybe she's already found Kenna and they're both heading here with the rest of the Pack?
Jaz's heart jumped up her throat when she realized what was wrong.
Skye's scent had stopped.
“Alf!”
“I'm not lett-”
“Skye's stopped!”
He immediately halted and Jaz smacked into his back. He grunted. Jaz rubbed her forehead and cocked her head around, listening out for Skye.
He scanned the trees too, his nostrils flaring as he tried to make out her scent. “She's about two hundred yards away. Ronnie's with her.” His soft blue eyes squeezed half shut as he concentrated. He inhaled and his nose wrinkled as if he'd caught a bad smell.
Jaz gripped his arms. “What is it?” she whispered.
“Ronnie. Ronnie's blood.”
*
Driver jumped out of his chair.