Chapter 0187 

Hunting. 

That sounded good. I could use the distraction right now. In fact, I needed it. So, as Sara turned around without waiting for my response, I followed her to the back elegant car. 

“See ya, Mister James,” I greeted as I walked past the truck’s counter. 

Sebastian James waved back, but he was staring in his daughter’s direction with a disapproving frown. 

I glanced to see if Sara could tell that her dad didn’t approve. It was clear that she could tell, yet she meant to go anyway. 

“See you later, dad,” she called out as she got into the driver’s seat. 

Her father’s shoulder sagged in response. He didn’t say anything. 

“Your dad knows where we’re going, and he’s not okay with it,” I said. 

“Only because he thinks it would upset your mother,” she replied absently. 

As she cut into the road, the dark, nondescript sedan followed behind. I now knew that bodyguards followed her about to protect her. It was mandatory because she was involved with Nickolas Reign. 

I found myself wondering if Jake would ever care that much about me. Supposing people knew about us, would he have guards tailing me about? 

“So what happened?” Sara interrupted my foolish musings. 

“I was out of town,” I replied. 

She glanced my way, waiting for more. I reminded myself that she was guilty of secrecy too, so I didn’t owe her shit. 

“Let’s just say I’m searching for a cure for my sleepwalking,” I told her. 

“Ah,” she nodded. “I see. Hope you made progress.” 

I hope so too. Marrying a stranger was a huge price. 

“I met a guy,” I blurted. 

Her eyes lit up as she grinned, as she mumbled, 

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Chapter 0187 

“Nice.” 

Giving me a quick glance, she asked, 

“Do I know him? What’s his name? Is that why you went out of town?” 

“No, I told you. I had something else to do. And I don’t think you know him. He’s from out of 

town.” 

Oh, you know him well enough. 

“Really? Long distance thing? Can THE Jane Brown handle that?” 

“I don’t have a choice. I need him,” I said simply. 

She pulled over at the side of the road near her former house. 

“Well, at least your dry spell has ended,” she joked. 

I wish. 

Sex was not in the equation. Which was a good thing. 

“I’m familiar with this route, so let’s start here. C’mon.” 

I exhaled deeply before getting out of the car to meet her. 

The conversation was light as we began the casual trek into the woods. Apparently, she still worried about my mother but still believed I should come out here as often as possible. 

“Well, she doesn’t have to know. Mrs. Noel didn’t see us, so I doubt your mom would hear 

about this. Unless you told her.” 

I rolled my eyes. It wasn’t news that the town thought of me as mommy’s girl. 

“I’ll worry about my mom. Even if she finds out, I’m not a child, Sara.” 

The conversation switched to work. Apparently, she may have to quit the job at the council soon. It was undecided yet, but she was considering it. She may have to work directly with her “mate.” 

“Is that what you call him? Mate?” I asked. A bug came buzzing near my eyes, and I drove it 

away. 

“I mean, man. I don’t know why I just called him that,” she mumbled. “Shh… get your slingshot. Here.” 

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As she showed me how to aim, it occured to me that things were changing fast. Maybe that’s why she was doing this. Because she may soon have to relocate from Orphic. 

Was this her goodbye? 

Even a blind man could see that Alex’s dad was very serious. He meant to keep his family very close. Which meant my friend would be married soon and most likely move to the city. 

Hers would be real. It would include love and all the “romantic nonsense” that I would never 

have with Jake. 

I brushed the silly yearning aside as she stepped back. 

“Shoot with this. A good shot should stop it on its tracks. Then we use the knife to finish the job, got it? Look at that. Did you see it?” 

“What, the rabbit? Yeah, I saw it.” I wanted to add that I was never going to harm it when my eyes caught another. 

Sara turned sharply, aiming at it like a pro. 

“I shoot, you kill,” she whispered. 

“Why don’t I shoot?” I protested. The rabbits had vanished. 

“Okay then. Let the best shot shoot,” she rolled her eyes. 

“You look like you do this a lot,” I drawled. 

“Shh…” 

I watched as she moved confidently ahead, her strides quiet, and her eyes alert. They now had an unfamiliar sheen that made her seem like a predator in this forest. Well, she was a predator at this moment, wasn’t she? It felt like she was strangely one and the same with the environment. The trees and leaves around her were kin. 

She hadn’t replied to my comment about doing this often, so I assumed it was affirmative. 

“How often?” I whispered. 

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Without glancing at me, she knew what I was asking. 

“Very often. My dad used to take me,” she whispered back. 

I was not used to coming out here. Was never allowed to play near anywhere that had a gathering of trees or bushes. Yet it felt like I, too, was not a stranger in this wild place. 

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“Shh… You need to be quiet in order to catch anything,” she said. 

“Are you serious? Are we really out here to kill something?” I scoffed. 

The look she gave me was my answer. She was dead serious. I looked at the catapult in her hands. 

What a joke. 

It was hard to believe that this small piece of metal and stone could bring any creature down, no matter how small. 

A squirrel raced past, and she aimed. But it was gone. Out of sight in the seconds. 

“I honestly didn’t think you were serious about doing murder, gurl. I thought there was something you wanted to show me. I can’t even use this thing.” 

“That’s why I’m trying to teach you,” she said. 

Then, she seemed to relax as her eyes took on a different glint. 

“What’s that?” I asked. 

She was looking at the tree behind me like I wasn’t there. Her lips had started to curve into a 

smile. 

In a few moments, Alex’s dad appeared, peeking behind the tree at first, then stepping into 

our view.