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running,butassoonasIheardthembehindme,Iknewwhattheywere.”
    “Werewolves...,”Coopersaid,hisgriponmetighteningeverso slightly.Iwonderedifhenoticed.
    “Exactly . Oneofthemtackledmefrombehind.Icrackedmyhead onalogandknockedmyselfout.Iwokeupadaylater.They'dbrought mebacktothecabinwheretheylived.Theypatchedmeup,treatingwhat theycould,andthentheyhelpedmegethome,”Isaid,hedgingslightly.
    “Tomy mate .”
    “Yourmate?But—”
    “Idon'tknowwhattheysensed,Coop,butthat'swhattheysaid.
    Theytreatedmewiththeutmostrespect.Theyneverlaidanunwanted fingeronmethewholetimeIwasaroundthem―barringthetackling incident,ofcourse,”Iexplained.“Therewassomethingabouttheway theysaidmate...itmademewonderifImighthavebeenintroubleifthey hadn'tsensedwhattheydid.”
    “Youmighthave,”Coopergrowled.“Andwhoexactlywerethese wolves?”
    “Idon'tknow.Theymusthavementionedtheirnames,butIdon't remember.”
    “Youdon'tremember?”
    “Hello,Ihadaheadinjury.Wasn'tthinkingclearly.”
    “You'reawalkingheadinjury,”hemocked,givingmeaplayful nudgeinanefforttocalmhisgrowingrage.“Sodoyouknow where you were?”
    “SomewhereupinMaine,theysaid.NeartheCanadianborder.
    Theysaidtheyhadbeentryingtotrackmeforawhile,buttheycouldn't catchme.Asfarastheyknew,IhadonlybeeninnorthernMainefora fewdays.Theyneversawmebeforethat.”
    “SoScarletwasonthemove?”
    “Iguess.”
    “Thatwouldexplainwhyitwassohardtofindyou.”
    “I'msorry,Coop.Iknowyoutried.IfIcouldhavestoppedher—”
    “Makemeadeal,okay?”heasked.“Nomoreapologizingtonight.I thinkitactuallymakesmeangrier.”
    “Fine.Consideritretractedthen,”Isaid,yawning.“I'mgoingtotry andsleepnow.”
    “Okay,Rubes,butIgottasaythatsomethingisn'taddingupwithall ofthis,”hesaid,adjustinghisarmundermyhead.“Imean...where's Scarlet?Shedidn'tcomeoutwhenyouwereinthewoods;shedidn't comeoutwhenIwasreadytoattackyou.She lives formomentslikethat.
    Whydidn'tshecomeouttohelpyou?”
    “Becauseshe'sgone,Cooper,”Iwhisperedinreply.
    “Gone?”heasked,hisdisbeliefapparent.
    “Yep.Gone,asinleftthebuilding.”
    “But you're thebuilding.She'spartof you .”
    “Exactly.”
    “I'mnottryingtobethickhere,Ruby,butIdon'tgetit.”
    “Idon'teither,Coop,butmyguessisthatwhateverdarkenedspace sheshovedmedownintoisexactlywhereshe'sgone.Idon'thearher.I can'tfeelher.Andnoamountoffearoranxietyevencoaxesher,”I informedhim.“Somethingwentwrong,Cooper.Really,reallywrong.”
    “Youneedtotell—”
    “Don'tsayit. Please don'tsayit,”Isaid,proppingmyselfuponmy arms.“It'sprettyplainthathewantsnothingtodowithme,andI certainlycan'tblamehimforthat.Tellinghimwon'tchangeanything.
    Notrightnow,anyway.”Ilaybackdown,cuttingofftheconversation beforemytrueemotionsspilledout.Sean'sdismissalhadbeenaknife throughmyheart.
    Cooperkissedmeonmyforeheadandpulledmeincloser.
    “Ifthat'swhatyouwant.I'llleaveitalonefornow.”
    Isaidnothing,butsnuggledintohimtightly.Iwasdonetalking aboutthingsIcouldn'tunderstand.Couldn'tchange.Couldn'tfix.I wantedtopressintothecomfortthatCooperprovidedanddreamthe pleasantdreamsthatalwayscamewhenIwasinhisnetofsafety.
    Cooperwas home .
    AndIwasgladtobethere.

    2
    "Iknowyou'reexhausted,Rubes,butyouneedtocallPeyta,"Coopersaid asheexpertlyscrambledeggs."Ican'tevenbegintodescribethestress she'sbeenfeeling.Firstthewholethingwithherdad,thenyou..."He pausedmid-stir,staringatthepaninhishand.
    "WhydoIfeellikethere'ssomethingelseyou'releavingoffthat list?"Iaskedwhilegingerlysippingmyorangejuice.Afterscarfing downthenoodlesthenightbefore,Ifeltterrible―mystomachwasn't adjustingwelltofood.
    Hesighedheavilybeforeturningtolookatme.
    "It'sJay."
    Myheartinstantlysank.Myattentionwasimmediatelybrought backtothescreamsI'dheardcomingfromthehallwayoutsideSean's apartmentthenightthatScarlettookover.Jayhadbeenoutthere, guardingthedoor.
    “Nooo...,”Iwhispered,eyessearchingCooper'sforanyshredof evidencethatwhatIfearedwasn'ttrue.AllIfoundinhisexpressionwas