Chapter 160
Chapter 160
“It’s not that,” he chuckled, a teasing glint in his eyes. “I just hate how much I actually enjoy it when she’s bossy.” We hurried after them, trying once again to reach Emily.
I was aware her parents were nearby, better equipped to track her by instinct and proximity. A parent can sense their child’s presence like a sixth sense, but this time, they had no clue. Something was blocking her signal, and that unsettled me more than anything. I couldn’t tell if she was hurt, but I knew deep down she was still alive. What gnawed at me was how Kennedy would react if we found Emily seriously injured, barely clinging to life. Bennet and I had already been running through worst-case scenarios, planning how to keep Kennedy calm no matter what we uncovered.
“RYKER!” Kennedy’s scream cut through the forest as we sprinted toward her. We caught up to her and Todd standing at the edge of a narrow ravine. She pointed down sharply. “Now I know why none of you could track her properly.” My wolf instinctively peered over the edge. “There’s a patch of wolfsbane down there p>
Bennet’s wolf gave me a knowing look. “Patch” was definitely an understatement. The area was the size of a football field, thick with the poisonous plant. The ravine was a deep fissure breaking the otherwise flat expanse of the forest floor.
Kennedy was already moving, eyes scanning the ledge. “I think I can get down safely from here. There are plenty of handholds and footholds.” But this time, I couldn’t just let her rush in. Shifting quickly, I grabbed her, pulling her close against my chest.
“Hold on, mate. You can’t just shimmy down there—it’s too dangerous.” I steadied my voice, trying to keep calm. “Now that we can see her and I can hear her heartbeat, we know she’s alive. Let’s come up with a plan that gets everyone out without injury or poisoning p>
Kennedy turned to me, her voice dropping to a whisper, trembling with fear I hadn’t heard before. “Ryker, she’s barely breathing.” The terror she’d been holding back while searching finally surfaced. “The wolfsbane won’t affect me. It makes sense for me to go get her p>
“No!” I shot back. “We don’t know what else or who else is down there. We’ve been pushing through this forest for a while, giving any rogue or enemy plenty of time to use her as bait p>
“Well, I’m not letting you go down there weakened, funny enough, for exactly the same reasons,” she said, her tone firm. “So what do we do? If you don’t come up with a better plan in the next minute, I’m going after her. She’s too small and sensitive to the poison. We need to get to her now—and I need you at full strength if there’s anyone else waiting for us p>
She pressed her hands against my chest, and I felt a moment of calm settle between us. For a second, I thought she was seeking comfort—but then she pushed me away and strode toward the ledge she’d pointed out earlier. It dawned on me that she was the one calming me down, not the other way around.
“Ken I started, but she was already back on her mission.
“I’m going down,” she said decisively. “I’ll need a rope or harness of some kind. I won’t be able to carry her and climb back up at the same time. I’m assuming she’s too weak to hold on by herself.” She turned to Bennet. “Greta, tie something up for me. We need a pack doctor here ASAP to check her for any major injuries. And I’ll need a change of clothes when I get back—I don’t want to spread any poison that might rub off while I carry her p>
“Ken I began again, but she spun to face me, eyes blazing with determination.
“Ryker, I’m going down there. You’re staying here. Get your head out of your ass and either help or stay out of the way.” Without waiting for a response, she turned and resumed giving orders.
My wolf growled low in my chest, hungry and insistent. “If you don’t mark her today, I will force you!” The pull in my abdomen was intense, and I knew I wouldn’t put up much of a fight.