Page 96 of Wolf’s Fated Bride

“You’re taking werewolf enhancement drugs, I see.” I grew up around Regulators, and none of them were this fast or strong.

“If you tell me about Ash Fireborn, I’ll tell you where I’m taking you.”

“I have nothing to say about the Fireborn Alpha.”

“You’d better, because I have your brother.”

“On the train with me?” When he doesn’t answer, I ask, “What about Maren?”

“I have her too.”

I sniff out a lie. I’ve never been able to sniff out lies, but for some reason, I can now. “Maren will come for me.”

“How about Ash?”

I shrug. The wound on my temple won’t close. I press my hand over it and remain by the window. I think my head might’ve cracked the glass, which means if I’m quick, I could shatter it before jumping out.

The train travels about two hundred miles per hour. Jumping out would have to be perfectly timed so that my landing is softened by the grass and not by scorched earth. This means I would have to wait until the Midlands end and human territory begins. How far from there to Ash’s territory?

On the map, it doesn’t look that far, but I bet it’s at least a few days’ worth of running. It matters not. I have to escape. In the human city, it would be much harder for me to run.

“What is your relationship with the Fireborn Alpha?” he asks.

“We don’t have one.” I pinch my lips and grind my teeth when I want to cry.

“How did he explain your resistance to his fire?”

“He doesn’t lose sleep over it.”

The man smiles. “If you were truly his enemy, you wouldn’t be breathing. It’s uncharacteristic of him to leave a wolf alive after finding out she survived the fire. Unless he likes you.”

“You’re familiar with his character?”

“Extensively.”

I snort. “I doubt that very much. Ash Fireborn strikes me as a private person.”

“You’re his enemy’s daughter. The only person ever recorded to survive elemental fire. He chose to keep you alive. Why?”

“You’re his enemy.” Ash is right. Peacebrokers and humans like him are the real enemy. I wonder how my father will handle our newfound situation. Our alliance with the alchemists is surely over. We’ll join the other two packs, won’t we?

“We just want to be sure that elemental werewolves don’t destroy the planet.”

“Keep telling yourself that killing the werewolves is saving the earth.”

A rumbling noise sounds in the distance. My instincts prickle. The train is moving toward the noise, and the vibrations buzz over my body. The humans must not be able to hear or sense it yet, because if they could, they’d investigate.

I wait.

I see the moment they hear it. Alarmed, the three armed men look around. The rumble gets louder, and the train shakes. The Peacebroker’s plate bounces all over the table until it crashes to the ground. One of the shards glides over the floor and hits my foot. I step on it and bring my foot closer to my body, then sneak my hand under it to grab the shard.

“Drop it,” the soldier says, pressing the barrel of his rifle to my head. One silver bullet at this distance will kill me.

The train rocks, screeching over the tracks. I glance at the window above my head. There’s a crack in it. The soldiers are fighting to stay on their feet in the swaying train car. This is my only chance.

“Go see what’s happening,” the Peacebroker orders.

One of the men grabs the door handle, but jumps away, shaking his hand. “It’s hot,” he says. “What the hell?” The door handle bends and melts away.