+15 Bonus


    I ran past my house, and I wanted to turn in, to check in on everyone. But I had to run back and pretend I just got back in. I ran


    past guards and patrols, gaining speed. When Nix got tired, Megan took over. I kept feeding magic into our feet, and after a few


    hours of running back and forth, weaving through the groups of wolves, I was finally off packnds.


    Nix? I turned back to my exhausted wolf.


    Yeah? She rolled over to look at me.


    Use the vacuum.


    She furrowed her brow. What the hell are you talking about?


    Remember when we were learning to change our scent? The candle changed it


    and the vacuum...


    Made it disappearpletely.


    I nodded. Exactly. I don''t want anyone following our trail.


    She nodded and hopped up. I watched as she dragged herself to the clearing and


    I summoned the vacuum. Itg was funny to watch


    her blow out the candle and then turned on the vacuum. She got the switch on the third attempt with her ws. She grabbed the


    hose with her teeth and sat down with it pointed at the candle. 1


    I tuned back to Megan. I know you''re tired. But we need to make this as confusing as ever. Just in case they can track by prints.


    She nodded and started weaving in and out of the trees. She ran through a few streams and then doubled back further up. It was dark by the time we made it to the airport. I shifted back to my boud for the first time in almost a week. I stretched before I jogged


    down to the SUV. I pulled my keys out of my pocket and I kissed them, thankful that my shifting let me keep my keys. 1


    I slid into my mom''s SUV and grabbed my phone from where I left it. It was dead, not surprising. So I turned the car on and plugged the charger into it. I was going to wait, but then my stomach rumbled, and I realized I hadn''t eaten or drank anything the entire time I was locked up. I pulled out and drove to some burger joint drive thru.


    I ate in the parking lot as my phone charged. I finished my meal and finally turned my phone on. I had to wait a solid minute for all the notifications to stop. Before I could do anything, a call came through. My mom''s name shed on the screen.


    "Hello."


    I heard her quiet sob as she heard my voice. But she was still smart enough to be careful of what she said. "Hey baby. I miss you already." Her voice was full of tears. “I feel like I haven''t talked to you in a week."


    Iughed. "It''s only been a few hours, mom." I sighed as I stretched. "I justnded.


    I have a ton of notifications that I have to go through and I have to drive home.


    But I''ll video call when I''m home, okay?"


    "Of course, sweetheart." She sniffled. "Remember to stop and get groceries. The stuff at the house was pretty much gone, and anything that was left in the house is probably bad." Shit, they needed food.


    +15 Bonus


    "Of course, mom, I''ll stop off at the store. Thanks for reminding me. Give me two hours and I''ll be able to video call you so you


    can see my face. Okay?"


    "Sounds good, baby. Two hours. Promise me."


    "I promise. Two hours." I hung up and checked the rest of my phone. I missed over a hundred calls from my mother. There were a


    few that I had no idea who they were from. Over twenty from Rick. Then there was a weird text message that was encrypted. I


    clicked it and was surprised it was from Rick.


    R- Hey! This isn''t as secure as I would want it to be, but as soon as you open the message, it''s timed to delete. Your friend was caught in the forest...by me. If you cane save her, that would be great. I don''t want her to die. Please Amy, answer me. I need


    to tell you the full truth.


    As I finished the message, there was a timer at the bottom of the message, and just like he said it would, it disappeared after the


    counter reached zero.


    I started the car and turned back to the packnds. "Nix. Put the vacuum away and put up my scent. We need to grab some food for everyone and head to the cabin. Plus, tomorrow we have to invite Rick and his family over for dinner. We need to get the entire


    truth."


    Do you think he''s going to lie? Nix settled after the scent was switched, her exhaustion catching up with her.


    Yes. Megan flopped next to her.


    "We will have to see."