Chapter 8

• Zain poured on the speed. He was not cut out to sit and do nothing. He’d almost lost his mind on the second long bus ride. His wolf was restless and had probably made him look like a child unable to sit still for the drive. When he hadn’t been fighting with his animal, he’d been a complete paranoid wreck. Every person that so much as moved, he’d freeze and wonder if they were the one after him. He’d almost gotten off at one stop when a man got on and stared him down as he walked down the aisle. When he sat down. Zain debated about making a break for the door at the last moment, but then the man pulled out his phone and proceeded to have a hushed argument with someone on the other end.
• Before walking to this treed area, he’d checked the voicemail that Illias and he used to leave each other messages. It started when they were teens and had been upgraded to a much better system since then, but they still did it. Illias was pissed that Zain had taken off. He should probably leave him a message and let him know that he was okay, but then he’d have to explain, and he didn’t know where to start with that. Seeing the wolf prisoner had turned him inside out. The look the man had given him wasn’t exactly recognition, but Zain could tell that he was processing it and would figure out who he was. Barack had said his name loud enough he would have heard, so he really had no choice but to get the hell out of there. If there was still a rat working at headquarters and the wolf had gotten a message to him—well, Zain’s ending would have been quick and bloody.
• His wolf put on the brakes and slid five feet in the snow. Zain shook off his mental chatter and looked around. Was someone there? He scented the air and didn’t pick up much, but with all the trees, it was hard to be sure. Probably someone out for a walk, and the wind is just messing with us, he assured his animal.