Page 42 of Havenfall Harbor
There’s a man pushing back the tall, chain-link gate barring the entrance. Evan glides the SUV through the gap slowly and returns to the same area where we landed.
Max, the pilot, is already waiting for us near the plane’s stairway. “Whoa,” Jacob breathes. “We really are flying.” He scoots forward and leans between the two front seats, his eyes as wide as saucers.
“Yup.” I open my door when the car rolls to a stop. As I climb out, Griffin is right in front of me. I look away from him, acting like I didn’t even notice him. When I take a step, he places his hand on my arm, stopping me.
“Quinn.” Griffin’s voice is rough as he says my name. I lift my shoulder, dislodging his hand, but pretend I was just straightening my bag.
“Yeah?” Evan and Jacob are already heading toward the plane. Jacob looks over his shoulder, watching me as he goes.
“If you don’t want to fly, we can stay here until tomorrow, give you time to talk to your doctor.”
“I’m fine,” I deadpan, before turning on my heel and walking away from him. Truthfully, I’m still nervous, but the flight here wasn’t that bad. I can get through it, if for no other reason than to prove to him that I can.
Evan is walking a bright-eyed Jacob all around the outside of the plane and pointing out things. I give them a nod and rush up the stairs so I can get into a seat. Near the back, where the four chairs and table are, there’s a single set of seats across the aisle. Before sitting down, I toss my bag on the seat near the window, then I fall into the other plush chair and buckle up for the ride.
Griffin
“Damn, you’re an asshole.”Evan stalks up to my side, no humor accompanies his words. Not that there should be, I am an asshole. “You know that, right?” he asks when I don’t respond.
I take one last look around the crappy airstrip, ignoring him. I knew the moment the words came out of my mouth I was an idiot. When I was walking back to the table with her tea, like some fucking errand boy, I got pissed at myself. She didn’t even fucking ask for it. I did it because I wanted to. So I acted like a dick to her because I was mad at myself.
I deserved watching her face fall and the hurt fill her eyes. I wanted her to say something back, to deny what I said, but she just sat there, pretending my words didn’t matter.
Evan grabs my arm when I move to walk away, his grip firm, punishing. “She’s not responsible for how you feel. It’s not her job to fight your demons.”
I turn to face him slowly. The truth of my friend’s words resonates. He knows me well enough to know exactly why I belittled her about her fear of flying. I said it because Quinn Shaw fucking scares me, and I don’t scare easily. It’s on the tip of my tongue to deny his assumptions, but he would see it for the lie it is.
Not learning anything from the last time I lashed out, I do it again. “You’re one to talk shit. You were ready to rip that pack apart,Alpha.” I sneer the word in his face. Evan releases my arm and takes a step away from me.
“Yeah, it’s fucked up that I’m drawn to a human I barely know, who doesn’t understand the mate calling. Difference is, I would kill rather than see her get hurt.” Evan stomps away then, his words the perfect parting blow because he knows I hurt her.
Max is standing in the doorway of the plane, waiting for me. He’s smart not to say anything. I would probably end up ripping his throat out.
I drag my phone out of my pocket and send a quick text for an excuse to still be out here. When I can’t stall any longer, I make my way over to the plane, not eager to get back to Havenfall.
Evan
The young wolfis prowling around the interior, his head low as he inspects every inch of available leather and wood. Quinn is in the way back, her head turned to the side with her eyes closed. She’s pretending to be sleeping, or relaxing, but I can smell the sooty anxiety she’s fighting to hide.
I drop myself into one of the front seats. It’s clear Quinn wants to be alone, not that I blame her. I can’t believe I didn’t call Griff out on his bullshit at the restaurant. I watched Jacob peer up at me, he was waiting for me to say or do something, but I didn’t. Truth is I’m just as fucked up in the head as Griff accused me of being. I could have been talking to myself outside.
I don’t know many shifters who have mated with humans, maybe this is why. The bond may not be as strong as if she was a shifter, I can’t think of any other reason why I would let Griff treat her like that, why I would allow him to be close to her.
Fuck, maybe I’m all wrong, putting more stock into my reactions to her than I should be.
Griff stomps into the plane, his face curled into a heavy scowl as he stalks past me and lowers himself into a seat on the opposite side of the aisle. “Find a seat, kid.”
Max seals the door and makes a quick announcement about the flight and when we should arrive. I tune him out. Quinn’s scent is filling the cabin and my muscles are bouncing with the need to go to her, to assure her she’s fine. We should have just waited until tomorrow to leave. But I stay put, gripping the arms of the chair like I’m the one suddenly afraid to fly.
“Can I sit with you?” Jacob nearly whispers. I turn my head and watch Quinn open her eyes slowly, her lips pulling up into a placating smile.
“Sure, here. Let me move this.” She reaches over and drags the bag from the other seat, holding it on her lap while Jacob shimmies past her knees to get into the seat on her right.
“Does it go fast? Does it feel like a roller coaster? I’ve never been on a roller coaster.” The boy rambles while Quinn’s scent grows even stronger.
The muscle in her temple flexes, but she says, “It goes fast, but it doesn’t really feel like it. Have you ever been on an elevator? That’s kind of how it feels, but only on takeoff. Buckle up.” I can hear the tension in her voice, but the kid is oblivious.
“Man, this is awesome, how high will we be? I wish it was daytime so I could see everything.”
