Page 69 of Hateful
He tucks his phone into his pocket and raises his hands. “I just wanted to apologize.”
Even though I’m slightly surprised, it’s not enough to banish the anger that wells up inside me. Heknew.He knew.
At least Jasper tried to warn me. He might not have tried hard enough, but at least he tried.
Heath just let it happen.
“Uh, I don’t think that’s gonna be enough,” I snap, taking a half step back, considering heading back to school.
“I cleaned your shoes for you and left them outside your dorm,” he says hurriedly, his gaze following mine and probably guessing my thoughts. “I wanted to make it up to you! Istilldo.”
“Make it up to me?” I say, staring blankly at him. Something about his perfect, angelic face makes my temper rise—and with it, my voice. “You could have prevented it from happening in the first place!”
I’m so loud that birds launch themselves from a nearby tree and flap noisily away, cawing indignantly.
Heath gapes at me for a second. “I couldn’t! The Brotherhood—”
“Oh,fuckThe Brotherhood!” I snarl. “Who gives a shit what happens to me as long as your preciousBrotherhoodmaintains its image, right? Go to hell, Heath.”
“Alex!”
I turn away from him, but rather than running back towards the school, I take off running down the trail. This last day has been too much. I’m used to being pushed around by these boys, but yesterday they went too far.
Yesterday they risked everything for me. More, quite possibly, than anything before.
And then I took a risk as well, a risk that I’ve only just begun to realize might be the worst mistake of all.
So, I run from all of that. I run from the school. I run from Headmistress Robin and the entire Brotherhood. Most of all, right now, I run from Heath … and I know he won’t catch me. I know I’m faster than him.
But I can still hear him chasing me.
“Alex, wait!” he yells, sounding miserable, but I tune him out and keep running at a full sprint, my feet pelting the dirt of the trail. I leap over roots, over bushes. When the trail curves, I curve with it. I’m flying along, leaving Heath in my dust, hearing his plaintive cries recede further and further back as I go.
And then there’s something else to listen to.
A single piercing howl splits through the air. I jerk to a stop, my momentum making me slide on the dirt a little. More howls, their sound distinct and unmistakable.
I guess it’s finally time to meet the wolves everyone’s been going on about.
Another howl sounds off somewhere close. My heart thumps hard and fast in my chest, beating against my ribcage like it’s trying to escape. I look around. I can’t see any of them. Where are they?
I know I can outrun Heath … but can I outrun wolves?
I hear snarling. They’re somewhere on the trail behind me. If I can find a way to loop around that section, then maybe—
My eyes widen as a thought strikes me to my core. Heath is also behind me. And he’s alone. And slower than I am.How many wolves are there?
Before I have any more time to think, there’s a snarl, then another howl further back on the trail, and my body moves without me directing it. I lurch for the edge of the trail and snatch up a long stick. What am I going to do with this? I have no clue. I don’t know how to fight wildlife. I don’t know how to defend anyone from wolves.
I don’t even know how to defend myself.
I run blindly back up the trail, retracing my steps as best as I can with my own heart beating so hard I swear it’s going to give out. Heath knows my route. He would’ve been following me, I’m sure. I can hear the wolves’ sounds getting louder—but this time, they’re accompanied by a new sound.
A human sound.
A terrified, strangled sound that makes me sick.
It’s Heath. And he’s screaming.
