Chapter 0312

We pause at a diner near the bus station for breakfast. I choose a booth tucked away from the windows, giving me a clear view of the street outside while keeping us hidden. The scent of coffee and bacon fills the air as we order. Halfway through our meal, I spot him—the shifter from last night, prowling the sidewalk. His gaze sweeps the diner but passes right over us. Damn it. He’s working with the red wolves.

"Plans just changed. We’re leaving." I drop cash on the table and guide Isolde out the back exit, veering away from the shifter’s path. I inhale deeply, catching his musky, aggressive scent lingering in the air.

"Smell that?" I ask her. She breathes in and nods.

"That’s our tail. If you catch even a whiff of it again, tell me immediately."

We circle the block, sticking to back alleys. I memorized the town’s grid-like layout earlier, and now I use it to our advantage. The bus station comes into view, and I slow our pace, scanning the crowd. There he is—lounging near the central benches like any other traveler. If I hadn’t seen him hunting us earlier, I might’ve believed the act.

I nudge Isolde and point him out. We weave through the parked buses, searching for ours. Relief hits when I find it—the door faces away from him. The departure board says we have twelve minutes. I push Isolde ahead, shielding her with my body as we board. My height makes me a walking target, so if they’ve got my description, this bus just became a trap.

I send Isolde to the rear while I take a seat near the front, eyes locked on the shifter. He’s still scanning the station, oblivious.

The engine rumbles to life. Just as we pull away, two more men sprint up to him. Red wolves. Of course. They’re embedded in Texas and Louisiana. We need a new route.

I slide into the seat beside Isolde. Fear tightens her features. "They didn’t see us," I say. "But we can’t stay on this path. The red wolves are hunting you now."

I drape an arm around her shoulders. "Do you have a license?"

She shakes her head. "Never learned."

Shit. Neither did I. Renting a car won’t help if we can’t drive it. I pull out my phone. Adrian needs to hear this. Plan B starts now.