With that, he scooped me off my feet, tossed me and my gigantic dress over his shoulder, and strode back down the aisle.
fifteen
MADISON
There weren’tenough seats in the truck we’d piled in, so I had to sit on Bo’s lap the whole way into Cub Lake.
My gaze kept jerking back to the blood stains on my white dress.
My heart kept pounding.
I had thanked the bears when we got in the vehicle, and one of them said something about protecting their own.
I was glad they had Bo’s back. He deserved it.
His grip on my waist was iron through the entire drive. Neither of us said anything while the five other grizzlies we were driving with chatted animatedly about their fight to get through the kitsune guards. No one had died, which they were glad about.
They were more enthusiastic about the bloody battle, though.
When I asked if they could drop me off at my apartment, they didn’t hesitate to agree.
Bo didn’t ask for a ride back to his cabin, but I figured he’d already planned or arranged that. Maybe he had his truck at one of their houses or something.
While we drove, I silently made a plan.
I wouldn’t bother showering when I got home.
I’d change, and I’d run. My friend Leslie from the dance studio would probably be able to give me a ride to Yeti Canyon, and I could be at the Supernatural Resort by the next morning.
All the cash I had on hand had been in my car, so I’d have to stop at an ATM and withdraw everything. I didn’t have much saved, but it was better than nothing.
I’d book the plane ticket while I was at home, since my phone was gone but my laptop was still there. I didn’t have money to replace anything yet, so it wasn’t like I could just stop at the phone store.
I wasn’t willing to risk taking the time for that, anyway.
The alpha would come after me sooner rather than later. Probably just to kill me for screwing him over.
If I was still home, I was toast.
But I wouldn’t be home.
I’d be across the country, starting my new life.
I didn’t want to leave Cub Lake permanently, so that thought made my heart squeeze. I’d miss the town, despite the shit in my past. It was home.
But I was just going to have to embrace my new life.
When the guy driving parked in front of my apartment building, he looked back with a crease between his eyes. “This is where you live?”
He was judging me, but all of my money had gone into the dance studio. Buying the old owner out when she retired hadn’t been cheap, and teaching dance didn’t pay that well.
I wasn’t explaining myself to some random bear shifter, though. Even if he’d helped Bo save my life so I kind of owed him.
“Yup.” I opened the truck’s door.
Before I could attempt to climb off Bo’s lap in my gigantic dress, he ducked out of the vehicle, carrying me with him smoothly. When he set me down on my feet, I gave him a small smile.
“Thanks. I owe you.”
