Heart of Ice

Chapter Fifty-One

Song: Come Back Home- Sofia Carson

Seconds pass. Downstairs, I can hear the quick slip of daggers into belt loops and boots, the front door opening, and several members of the pack slipping out the door. I'm still standing there, my eyes trained on the spot where Hunter once stood. The realization hits that it may be the last place I ever saw him. It was my one and only chance to tell him to his face that I love him, have always loved him, and even when he said it first, I was so overwhelmed by emotions-- by the thought of him leaving and never seeing him again-- that I missed my chance for him to hear it. I said it after he left. What good is that? It's all I can think about in those seconds that follow until those seconds turn into hearing the final close of the door as the last person files out, and then minutes of empty silence.

I check my phone. It's only been five minutes, but it's funny how a few minutes can feel like an eternity.

Good thing I'm not planning to sit around and wait for news to get back to me.

I fiercely wipe the tears off my face and jump into action. My first stop is my room. I rip clothes out of my closet, matching the apparently chosen look for the mission Hunter planned-- long sleeve black shirt, black cargo pants, and combat boots. I whip my hair up into a pony tail and flip open the compartment on the bottom of my closet floor which holds numerous forms of daggers and knives. I slip several into different places over my body, from the belt loop on my pants, to the pockets on the sides of my thighs, to my boots. Once I'm geared up and ready to go, I turn to leave my room, but then I remember the ring on my finger, and I hesitate. If anything happened to it and Hunter, I'd really never forgive myself. At this point, it may become the only thing I have left of him. So, I grab the necklace he gave me for Christmas and slip the ring on the chain before clasping it around my neck and tucking it into my shirt.

I glance at myself in the mirror. On the outside, I look ready, like a solider braving their way to the front of the battle line. On the inside, I'm terrified of what's to come, even though I've been preparing for this fight nearly my entire life. I always fantasized and dreamed about the end of the war with Bloodbound; I just never knew that day would arrive so suddenly, or that, in mine and Hunter's situation, I would be the one chasing him to save him. That is probably the most unexpected part of it all.

Despite how many people I heard go out the door, I know they wouldn't have let everyone go. It would be too dangerous. Someone from Bloodbound could circle back to our house while everyone else is distracted in battle and come after me. I'm just not sure who they would make stick behind. If I have to guess though, I'd say it would be one of my uncles.

I'm so sure of this too when I hear noise coming from the living room. It's a TV show, so surely it's uncle Tobias they made stay. Yet, when I open the door, I'm shocked to find Cleo, feet propped up on the coffee table, watching a rerun of One Tree Hill.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I hiss, standing in front of the TV. She raises an eyebrow at me and shoves another handful of popcorn in her mouth.

"Well, I was watching a show until you decided to make a better door than you do a window," Cleo grumbles through a mouth full, rolling her eyes. "If you wouldn't mind." She waves her hand for me to move to the side, but I remain where I am, glaring harshly at her. She lets out a sigh. "Now you're just being cruel."

"Alright," I grab the remote and turn off the TV, and Cleo whines. I face her again and rest my hands on my hips. "Gigs up, Cleo. Tell me where they all went."

Her look of annoyance quickly drops. Cleo leans back on the couch as she switches to aimlessly scrolling on her phone. "No can do. I'm sworn to secrecy."