Page 28 of And Omega Makes Four
"How do you know that for sure?" I ask him after a moment. "We don't know what this out-of-state pack is capable of. They might be more than willing to restart that conflict if it gets them what they want."
"They are…cruel," River says softly. "My pack is isolationist and strictly hierarchal, but theirs is worse. I don't know how else to describe it. They're ruthless. They don't care about anything except power and control. They'll do whatever it takes to get what they want."
"And what is it that they want?" I ask, raising a brow at him.
"My pack's territory." River lifts his gaze to meet mine. "My father negotiated a merger between our packs by offering me as a mate to their Alpha's heir. The agreement allows my father to keep his legacy and bloodline intact despite the fact that our pack will essentially become part of theirs."
"That's fucked up." Frankie shakes his head.
"It's not uncommon in the packs that are more isolated." River sighs, his voice low and sad. "I was raised to accept it as my duty to the pack. If I don't do my part, the only options left are for my father to surrender unconditionally or...start a war."
I can’t believe what I’m hearing. "And your father would rather pimp you out than surrender?"
River shakes his head. "If there was no other option, I know he'd do it. He wouldn't let everyone be slaughtered. At least...I hope not."
That doesn’t instill confidence in his sense of morality. "And Jenna?"
"She's a human and a hunter." River shrugs with a furrowed brow. "Whatever happens next, his pack is gonna wind up merged with the northern pack. Pissing off the hunters probably doesn't seem like that big of a risk in that context."
"Shit..." I run my hand through my hair. "This is bad."
"I'm sorry." River practically chokes on his words. "I never should've gotten you guys involved."
"Stop saying that." Frankie’s tone is firm and commanding. "You did nothing wrong. You had every right to escape that life. No one should be forced into a marriage they don't want or be kept prisoner in their own home."
"But now Jenna’s in danger. I don't know how to fix this." River’s eyes were glassy, his guilt weighing heavily over him.
"We're leaving." Kyle has made his decision, and it’s not the one I was hoping for.
As he turns toward the door, I make one last plea. "Kyle, can we really abandon her?"
He pauses with his hand on the doorknob and exhales heavily. He shakes his head but says nothing before pushing the door open and stepping out onto the porch.
Frankie just shrugs before grabbing a duffel bag from the table and slinging it over his shoulder. "Whatever we do, we can't just sit around." He offers a hand to River and helps him to his feet. "Let's get out of here."
With the plan in place, apparently, I follow them out of the trailer, my heart heavy with uncertainty.
As we approach the car, Kyle is already behind the wheel. As I climb into the passenger seat, I glance at him, but he refuses to meet my gaze. I hate when he’s upset with me.
The engine roars to life, and we pull out of the trailer park.
I look back at River and Frankie in the rearview mirror. River is staring out the window, his expression grim. Frankie meets my gaze and offers a weak smile, but it doesn't reach his eyes.
We drive in silence for a while, each of us lost in our own thoughts.
"Where are we going?" River asks at last, breaking the tense silence.
"For now, we're just driving," Kyle admits after a moment. I can see the tension in his arms as he grips the steering wheel. The internal debate raging in his head is obvious on his face.
"As long as we keep moving, we're safe," Kyle says. "We've been running for a long time. We're good at it."
"But Jenna..." River says, his voice trailing off.
"I know." Kyle’s jaw is tight. "I know. But we can't help her. Not without risking your safety. And after what she told us about her relationship with your mom..."
Kyle's voice trails off when he notices River's expression in the rearview mirror.
"What about my mom?" River asks with a slight hitch in his breath.
