Page 67 of Before the Bond
I almost turned back.
On the night of the attack, Caleb told me about other wolves in the area. He name-dropped Elias’s last name: Voss.
“Our rival pack.”
I hadn’t dealt with it yet. One, I was mostly in shock because of the whole “werewolves are real thing” and, two, I wanted to figure things out on my own.
Seeing him here now, however, I hesitated. What exactly was I supposed to say to him?
I took a slow breath.
Why run now?
The past few weeks, I managed to pull teeth in order to get answers. It finally worked, at least somewhat.
Besides, there was something Elias said from a long while back that was still with me.
“Let’s just say there are people who aren’t too happy with them.”
I kept running. I let my rhythm hold. Let my breathing stay even, controlled, like I hadn’t seen him. This was still just a run on the Ashwoods’ turf. I wasn’t the one who looked weird passing by him.
The gravel shifted under my shoes. The sound was too loud. Too sharp in the quiet.
Elias didn’t move at first. But I soon heard his footsteps join mine on the gravel.
Seeing him now — knowing what I knew — felt like rereading something I’d once trusted at least slightly and catching the line where it had always gone wrong.
It explained everything. His general curiosity. It explained why he was so keen on poking holes in whatever regard I had for Caleb and the rest of the family.
I remembered all the ease he had. The way he stood like nothing in the world could push him out of place. I’d thought it was confidence.
Now it felt like control.
I dared a glance at where Elias was standing. He was right at the edge of Ashwood land. Not over it. Not even close enough to pretend it might’ve been an accident.
Exactly at the line.
I was getting closer. Five yards. Four. Finally, I passed him.
For a moment, I thought he would stay where he was. Instead, I heard the gravel a little behind me start to kick up. His shadow stretched beside him.
My pulse hammered. I kept my face straight ahead.Look at anything, I thought. Just not at him.
Elias was now right beside me. I glanced over before I could stop myself.
Elias grinned and lifted his chin.
“Morning,” he said.
I didn’t answer that. I kept jogging.
"It's been a few days," he said.
"Has it?"
"You've been staying closer to the estate."
“A little.”
