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"Itʼs fine," I said for perhaps the hundredth ti to say Talleyʼs face co to tell me she had told Jase and Charlie where to findto admit that was the most rational explanation for how they found us because I knew once I did, I would have to pass so le friend

"Iʼve already Seen what happened that night" The world weighed heavy on her shoulders

"I didnʼt want to, but they made me do it to protect the Pack He had to knohat happened

Iʼet inside your head without your per her off "Mi brain es su brain" My ownclearer all the ti from Alexʼs flesh, seee would suddenly float in front ofelse Other ti fear out of nowhere, ht or flight without any finite source of danger And then there were the nightmares I wondered if Talley was able to sleep peacefully

"Iʼm sorry you had to See that," I said

"Iʼe of my bed I placed a hand on her arm, both to comfort her and to let her know that I was still okay with her touching me I watched as tearsthe

"Tal, did you tell them where ere?"

I couldnʼt help it I had to know

"What? No Of course not" She grabbed one of the sandpaper grade tissues fro a distance test to see how far away they could get before I lost their voices They were supposed to be heading south, away froain "Toby asked, of course, but they wonʼt say what they were doing there"

"Couldnʼt you just" I squeezed her arh for me to touch him since July, and Charlie" She cleared her throat in as ladylike of a "

She stared outwhile I wished that her poorked both ways so I could knohat she was thinking Myonto Talleyʼs aretting up, "letfor the pain"

"No, not yet Itʼs not that bad" I had learned that pain was relative For about fiveNow, even though it hadnʼt healed much, I barely noticed it Compared to my injuries, it was just a nuisance And compared to the hollow ache in"I want to talk ain"

Talley glanced at the door, and then sunk into the chair "What do you want to talk about?"

"What does everyone think happened that night? Where do they think these scratches caht, so we decided to study outside, like a ca cram session" I wondered if the speech sounded so rehearsed every time she told it "You went in the woods to pee We heard you screa I saw a flash of an aniet help, but he ht off the cliff I tried to make you lie still while I went for help, but you wouldnʼt listen You went looking for Alex, which is how you ended up losing so much blood"