Chapter Twenty-Seven

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I WASN’T FAST ENOUGH.

The second Sully vanished; I threw on the borrowed shirt and bolted after him. I ran as fast as I could. My lungs burst. My legs burned. I kept pushing, trying the impossible to catch up with him.

But...I was too late.

Gasping for air, I stood on the shoreline, squinting into the newly risen sun, dying inside as the helicopter holding Sully and Cal flew into the plume of black smoke in the distance.

From here, it looked like a volcano had gone off, spewing fire and hatred into the atmosphere, tainting the air with carcinogens and ash. Only...Sully had said his brother had attacked Serigala.

He had a brother?

And if he did, why on earth would he attack a sanctuary for disabled and diseased animals?

What sort of psychopath would do such a thing?

Swallowing hard, doing my best to get my breathing under control, I wrapped my arms around myself, drenched with a sudden chill.

How could a few short hours separate the best time of my life to the most uncertain?

Sully had been wild.

Each word that’d fallen from his mouth had sounded like a snarling pack of wolves.

Yesterday, I’d found him so unbelievably handsome. The more we revealed about ourselves, the more I found him attractive. Each time his shields came down, I spied an equally beautiful soul hidden within its host.

His laughter...wow.

It had the power to stop my heart. To stop my thoughts. To completely wrap me up in an embarrassing amount of devotion.

There had been no laughter this morning.

I’d hardly recognised him. His eyes had been feral. His temper on the shortest leash.

Not directed at me, but at his family.

A brother who had done something monstrous.

I sighed as the helicopter vanished into the smoky horizon.

I hated the distance...not just physical but emotional. Sully had withdrawn from me. The link between his heart and mine had been severed.

You’re reading into things. You were both literally woken up by a bomb. Of course, he would be short and rush to attend the wreckage.

Common-sense was a kind matron, speaking wisdom I really ought to accept, so why was there a noxious little sparrow on my shoulder, whispering of endings and goodbyes and that love wasn’t eternal, after all?

Skittles descended, scattering that little sparrow intent on whispering unpleasant repellent things. She pecked my cheek gently, worry trembling her feathered body. Pika squeaked as he landed on my other shoulder, his black eyes locked on the sky.

“He’ll be back, guys. I promise.” My voice didn’t sound nearly as confident as it should.

Get a grip, Ellie.

What’s gotten into you?

Nothing had changed between us.

Yes, circumstances had ripped us apart this morning, but...that was just life. Work and errands and other commitments would always intrude on a new romance.

I sighed, slouching into myself.

Then why can’t I shake this horrible premonition that yesterday is all I’m going to have with him?

“Hey.” A feminine arm slinked around my waist, squeezing me gently. “You okay?”

I turned my head, smiling sadly at Jealousy. She wore a pink polka dot singlet and pyjama shorts, her blonde hair still messy from sleep.

Seemed the noise had woken everyone early this morning.

“Yeah, I’m okay. You?”

She eyed up Skittles and Pika commandeering my shoulders before turning her attention to the ominous blackness on the horizon. The faint smell of burning overshadowed the sea breeze.

God.

Please don’t let those animals be hurt.

Jealousy huffed under her breath, looking as morose as I felt. “For once, you know more than me about this current situation. Fill me in?”

I shrugged. “Not much to tell. Sully’s brother attacked Serigala.”

“Ah, yes, Drake. He’s a fucking asshole.”

“You know him?”

She shook her head. “Heard of him.” Falling quiet for a moment, she asked quietly, “And what’s on Serigala? Is that the island where he sends all that animal feed too? Does he have an army of pets that he keeps hidden?”

“It’s a rehab facility for lab animals and other abused cases.”

“Oh.” She gnawed on her bottom lip. “And the chances of it being blown to bits?”

My heart fisted. “Hopefully zero.”

“But if it is?” She flinched. “How many just died?”

Tears glossed my gaze as the sea lapped around our ankles and two parrots cooed sadly in my ears. “Hundreds. Thousands. Enough that it will destroy Sully.”

Jealousy dropped her arm from around my waist. “Oh.”

I nodded, unable to fight the liquid tracking down my cheeks.

Yes. Oh.

Whatever Sully was about to face—whatever war he was about to reap...he wouldn’t be the same man when he returned.

Whatever progress I’d made.

Whatever connection we’d built.

It might have been murdered along with so many other lives lost today.

That was why I was so afraid.

That was why I couldn’t stop the trickle of ice.

If Serigala had been attacked...it didn’t matter what I felt for Sully or what he felt for me...his loyalties were fierce to those who couldn’t speak. To the vulnerable creatures with four legs, wings, and tails.

He would fight for them.

He would extract vengeance for them.

As he should.

But...where would I be?

Would he let me fight beside him?

Or would he push me away?

I didn’t have an answer and as the sun rose higher in the sky and Jealousy kept me company while we watched more smoke billow and stronger scents of charred earth and flesh trailed over the sea...I did my best not to be worried.

But I was worried.

So, so worried.

Because we might be over...before we’ve even begun.