I needed a plan.

Eyeing the truck, I popped the hood and looked inside. Vehicles always had amazed me. I studied the engine for a moment, inspecting all of the connections, then I reached in and started unscrewing what I could.

“Want some tools?” someone asked behind me.

“Sure.”

Humans couldn’t run like wolves. Without the truck, she wasn’t going anywhere.

Tools made quick work of removing most of the parts. I examined things as I took them apart. The way the oil flowed through the system was ingenious. There were a few other systems I needed to figure out: fuel and coolant. But the overall picture was simpler than I’d imagined.

Several of the rejected men watched from the porch but I didn’t pay them much attention. I was waiting. Gabby had made her intention to leave clear. She’d show up eventually.

As soon as she walked out the door, my gut clenched again as her scent drifted to me.

Son, I acknowledge your interest. There was a brief pause before Elder Sam’s voice continued in my head. I do hope you know how to put my truck back together when you’re done.

I didn’t acknowledge him. Instead, I continued to use the ratchet. My hand started to shake again. She had no idea how desperate I was for any sign of acceptance from her. Just one sign. Any sign.

“Gabby, honey,” I heard him say. “I don’t think he wants you to go just yet.”

“There’s more than one vehicle here,” she said.

I swallowed hard. That wasn’t what I’d hoped for. She was afraid, I reminded myself. She just needed time.

“If we go inside to ask anyone else, we’ll come back to more vehicular murder,” Sam said.

He was right. I wasn’t about to give her up. She was mine.

“Fine,” she said. Not looking was killing me. I glanced up as she stepped off the porch and marched toward the main gate.

“You won’t get far,” Sam said.

She hesitated at the edge of the yard light then plunged into the darkness that surrounded the driveway. It didn’t take long for her to disappear from sight, and I ceased ratcheting to listen. She didn’t stop walking as I’d hoped she would.

When she reached the point where I couldn’t hear her anymore, I set the tools aside and started to follow. Her scent led me. I wouldn’t lose her.

Studying the motel Gabby had checked into, I remained crouched near the tree line. There wasn’t much to see. Two parked cars occupied the small parking lot, and through the office window, the man at the desk leaned back in his chair and stared at a small television. I glanced again at the window for Gabby’s room. A light shined through. Did that mean she was still awake, though?

She’d walked so far, her feet dragging long scuffs in the dirt along the shoulder of the road. She’d been exhausted. I’d thought she would have turned back before she reached the motel. Yet, she’d kept going, her desperation to leave clear. And, my desperation to keep her had me crouched behind a bush.

Rubbing a hand over my face, I regretted not catching her while we walked. I wasn’t sure what to do next. I couldn’t risk knocking on her door and trying to talk to her. She’d been upset the first time she’d laid eyes on me. I doubted the second time would go much better as tired as she was.

The light in Gabby’s room dimmed considerably, drawing my attention. A plan formed. Slowly, I grinned in the darkness and stood. She didn’t need to cooperate...she just needed to sleep through it all.

Keeping to the shadows, I crept toward the motel. Outside, I pressed my ear to her door, listening. The sound of her deep breathing made me smile. She was already out. Time to move.

The round handle resisted when I tried it, and a frustrated growl escaped me. It would have been easier if she hadn’t locked it. I twisted the knob sharply and heard the locking mechanism break. Holding my breath, I listened again. Inside, her breathing remained steady. I eased the door open, watching for a security chain. Nothing. I opened it wider and slipped into the room, quickly easing the door closed behind me.

Gabby lay on the bed, the bathroom light shining on her hair. She was curled on her side, a hand resting under her cheek. My heart clenched tight in my chest at the sight, and I reached up to rub the ache. Mine. I exhaled slowly and tore my gaze from her to look around for her things. There wasn’t much. Her shoes were neatly by the door, telling me a lot about her personality, and her bag near the bed. I found her toothbrush next to the sink where the stench of rotten eggs, from the faucet, lingered.

With everything stowed away, I removed my jacket and lengthened the strap of her bag. Unable to look away, I watched her as I fit the bag across my back, out of the way. My palms began to sweat. I planned to carry her to the Compound. Touching her, holding her, for over an hour...my skin rippled, and I closed my eyes for a moment to steady my control.

Opening my eyes, I moved close to the side of the bed and pulled back the covers. She didn’t move. I took my time to cover her with my jacket. My hands shook when I bent to slide my arms under her.

She weighed nothing to me as I lifted and settled her against my chest. She murmured and nestled her cheek against my neck, and I froze, unable to breathe. My heart hammered hard in my chest. Pure want boiled in my veins. Bite me, I thought. I held still, hoping, but she didn’t move.

After a moment, I realized she wouldn’t, and I calmed enough to walk to the door. Using my foot, I nudged the door open and walked out into the night, carrying the most precious thing in my world. I held her to me, enjoying the feel of her in my arms as I kept to the shadows. Avoiding the road and its noise, I went to the woods.

I took my time, walking carefully, not wanting to jar her. What would she do if she woke? If she woke while I held her, she’d most likely be angry. If I were lucky, she’d bite me in her irritation. I shuddered and tried to push that kind of thinking aside. It wasn’t helping my control.

What would I do if she woke? I studied her features, the way her lashes fanned against her cheeks, the freckles that sprinkled the bridge of her nose, her soft lips. I struggled to keep moving as I stared at them. What would she do if I kissed her? Would she run again? Probably.

I tore my gaze from her and studied the woods around us. Leaves crunched under my bare feet. In the distance, frogs croaked. Nearby, the animals quieted until we quickly passed. At this pace, it would take less time to return than it had to leave.

What would she do when she woke up and found herself back in her room at the Compound? I frowned as I considered her reaction. She wouldn’t be happy, that was for sure, and that wouldn’t work well for me. Mad people didn’t listen, and I needed her open to reason when we first talked. How could I keep her from being angry?

I remembered something my dad once told me about my mom. She was good at confusing the hell out of me until I didn’t know what to do or say. That was when she usually got her way.

Glancing down at Gabby, I wondered if I could confuse her enough to get my way. The ache in my chest returned. I couldn’t rub it. So, I pressed her closer. It helped.

As I expected, it didn’t take long before I entered Thomas’ territory. Fortunately, she hadn’t woken. She’d barely moved. I should have been thankful for that but was too busy dwelling on the fact that I’d need to let her go soon. My fingers twitched with the need to hold her tighter.

Instead, I paused and crouched near the ground. Balancing her in my lap, I studied her for a moment. Although a gentle breeze played with her hair, her peaceful expression never changed. I wished I could be there when she woke. Reaching down, I grabbed a handful of leaves and began to tuck them into her soft hair. Unable to help myself, I touched her face. My fingers left behind streaks of dirt. I cringed. Hadn’t meant to do that.