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I was falling over a cliff The air whooshedpain shot throughme to cry out Like the event was on fast forward, I was on the ground listening to two people talk Tilting rabbed ahold ofa hand up, I rested it over e Sitting up and hugging my knees to my chest, my eyes darted around my bedroom The dream was a vivid replay of when I’d been attacked by the wolf, the day ed forever Those events were fuzzy at best and revisiting the next to Eve, or at least I think it was Eve Her hair was longer and a darker shade of brown Even Adahtly different His hair was to the middle of his chest and his eyes seeh sorrow smothered his face, a trace of o It’s justwith all of the dras startled me The visitor didn’t wait foropen and Wade stood on the other side My heart pounded in my chest as I waited for the news Did he already have the results of the test and was he co at the clock, I realized it was still the same day only later The wolfsbane tea knocked me out, and I’d slept for nine hours Now the sky was dark and the crickets chirped I could see the glow of a fire in the backyard and hear the stru in the sued out of bed, grabbing a rubber band off htstand Noas not the time to worry about whether my hair was presentable or not My entire body treht There was so much I wanted to do, so roup of people I considered family, and now I’d lose the at Ada any semblance of elanced at oing to die, I didn’t want Ada I was a thief, even if I was Getting it out without Wade seeing was going to be a problem

"Could you turn around?" I asked and was rewarded with an annoyed groan "I need to change shirts," I lied Wade’s eyes went totreated like a cri old Did he really think I’dquickly, I opened e book inside After I was sure the book was securely hidden, I changed my shirt quickly

"Okay," I said as I slung the strap to my purse aroundInstead, he n that I should go first

Having hiallows by the undertaker My muscles were tense and the hairs on my arms stood on end Even my as silent, either scared or still loopy from the wolfsbane

"So…what’s the verdict?" I looked overroo circled around the fire going on with their lives I desperately wanted to be part of their carelessness I wanted to hear Sawyer sing, listen to Joe’s jokes, and eat large a else in store for me

"We’ll discuss it at Adam’s," Wade responded Would they set up a tiht for e of the pack? Not that any of theht, except Adam and er The secret of our kind could not get out without serious repercussions Thathumans, I needed to be put down

As Wade and I cliht aboutto decipher whether there’s any truth to a hallucination The fact that allWas Eve the one killing humans and Adam knew it? The short drive see, and worrying about what I’d learn tonight When Wade pulled to a stop outside of Adaot out while I waited in the car Adam’s house, once normal, now scared the hell out of ht for sure I’d be strong and accept whatever verdict they came to, but now that I was about to hear it, all I wanted to do ake up fro on the passenger side

I nodded, clasping the door handle and slowly opening it The air in s thinned as I tried to suck in a deep breath I was sure that if I looked down, I’d seefrom the violent beat of my heart I couldn’t help but think that I was supposed to die three ht tih it hadn’t I’d survived ain As Wade and I walked up to Ada out of rasp Flashes of my bloody reflection, the dreams, and how I reacted to huether The wait no longer felt unbearable because I kneas to blans were smack dab in front of h the front door; I was hesitant to follow I could hear the leaders cla back My name was the topic of their heated discussion, a fact that didn’t helpan ar u roo me in my place The only person I could focus on was Adam He sat at the head of the table, his hair messy and his eyes tired The ater My skin tingled with the sensation of unease as uilty verdict, my ouldn’t bow so easily

"Sit, please," Wade instructed as he pulled out a chair at the end of the table Glancing down, I slid into the seat and closed aze found Eve’s She sat on Adaht, her hands clasped in front of her and an evil smirk on her lips Now that I was in the presence of both of theh Adam claimed he didn’t love Eve, he stood beside her I wanted to believe that he felt so foolish If he’d really loved me, wouldn’t he have left Eve for me? Wouldn’t he have made a proclamation to the leaders that he wanted to have me as his mate? I knew there was a lot of political crap, but I also knew that those kinds of things didn’t, or shouldn’t, pertain to matters of the heart

"Anna, we received the test back early," Wade said as he sat down to my left A red folder lay in front of hi back the flap to reveal the papers inside

"I need a ht back" Slipping out of the chair, I raced to the bathroo the door, I braced both hands on either side of the sink and hung ht I’d be What norht my reflection and shook my head If my parents were alive, ould they say? Would I even be in this ed at what they’d think ofI killed three people I could barely look at ht I had under control, controlled

Two soft knocks sounded at the door My head snapped in the direction and then at the s was so da on the run for the rest of my life was not

"Anna?" Ada his voice Clasping the handle, I opened the door and sed around the lump in my throat Adam watched me with caution, almost sorrow The expression on his face told me all I needed to know Why would he look so sad if I were innocent?

Stepping inside, Adam closed the door behind hiedhis head on mine, he said, "I love you" The words were so soft I barely caught the in the other room and lose myself in his eer felt welco next to Eve while I lay dying in front of them and all the ti back, I wrapped aze into those sapphire eyes without crying or getting so angry I would attack hih to driveforward

I held out my hand to stop hied ain so I could watch his facial expression closer this time

Adam’s brow arched in confusion "No, why?"

I didn’t respond right away I studied his face and body language He didn’t tense or look away froitimately confused by my question So why did I still feel uneasy towards hi to be sentenced to death? Maybe it was my way to hold onto hope Part of me had faith that my life wouldn’t end, and Adam and I had a future Stupid, I know