Chapter 23

The road winds back and forth as we gain elevation. The

mountain is steep enough to ski and it’s heavily wooded. The headlights cast shadows through the pines and fir.

I’ve never been here before.

I wonder if Aaron has.

He brings the vehicle to the mountain top and parks. “Get out,”

he tells me.

slowly unbuckle my belt. It’s significantly colder here than where we’d been and I didn’t think to bring a coat. I don’t have my medications. My phone’s about to die.

This is the type of deserted stretch of forest where you’d go hunting for the weekend.

Or where you’d bury a body.

After the things I’ve said tonight, I have to wonder why Aaron has brought me here.

n a battle of strength against this wolf, there would be no

contest.

2/4

“Come on,” he says quietly. “It’s this way.”

grabs a big duffel bag from the back of the SUV and then

the dark to the edge of the mountain top.

see with the same precision he does.

easily ten times better than mine. I let him lead the

owl calls and there’s a low hum of different

stones crunch as we walk, so this roadway is maintained

some way.

wolf won’t reveal anything he isn’t

just have to hope that I’m not

ultimate coup,

pins it on my father or my pack in

Hmm.

some uneven stretch of ground and in

and he’s holding

uh, I’m okay.”

grunts and keeps walking.

3/4

floods this area, showing too many stars overhead

by a curving stretch of

“It’s beautiful.”

he

hadn’t intended to say that out loud.

more, I see the straight lines of

where we’re going?”

nods and picks up

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