Footsteps in the snow sounded, moving towards us, and both Hailey and I tensed. I readied myself to push her away to run, grateful for the adrenaline still surging through my body.
Then I heard the call, and my entire body rocked with shock and disbelief. Was I hearing things?
“LIVY!” The second time I heard it a sob escaped. It was real. He was there.
“Matt.” I whimpered. I had to fight to remain standing as relief like I had never known flooded me. I knew they would find me. I knew they would come, and they had.
“Matt!” I cried louder. I grabbed Hailey’s hand, needing to get to him as fast as I could, but she wouldn’t release my waist.
“Hailey, it’s going to be alright now. That voice…..it’s my friend. He’s here to help us.” I assured her, leaning down as much as I could to hold her. “We’re going home now, sweetie. We’re safe.” She looked up to me with worry, but finally released my waist and took my hand.
I pulled her with me as I hurried as fast as I could towards where Matt’s yells for me sounded to be coming from. I tried to call out to him, but my voice was too weak and quiet for him to hear.
We moved toward the cabin as fast as we could and then finally, just when I started to worry my body wouldn’t take another step, there he was.
He froze about ten feet before us, just visible between the trees. The shock on his face must have reflected my own. I couldn’t take in the fact that he was really there; that The Shadow was dead and Hailey and I had survived. That we could go home and I could finally be with my guys, where I longed to be.
“Matt.” His name burst from me with a huge sob and I just broke down. We were safe. We made it.
My break down seemingly shaking him from his own shock, he ran towards us. Hailey ducked behind my body, afraid, as Matt wrapped his arms around me and held me tight. It hurt like hell, but I didn’t care.
I had been so scared I would never see my guys again, never feel their arms around me making me feel safe. The relief and overwhelming joy to be back where I longed to be was indescribable.
“All this blood? Where’s it coming from?” Matt gasped as he realised I was soaking him with the blood I was covered from neck to stomach in.
“It’s not mine. It’s his.” I whimpered as I relived the moment his lifeless body landed on mine again in my mind. I sobben even harder and Matt held me again, tight.
“I’ve got you Cariña. I’ve got you.” He whispered. “Thank fuck.” He held me for a few moments, repeating his words over and over, seemingly trying to convince himself that I was really there, just as I was too.
Feeling Hailey gripping my jeans as she cowered behind me, pulled me back to reality and I stepped back and tugged her to my side, holding her in an attempt to calm her some.
“How? How did you find me Matt?” I asked as I looked him over again. I just couldn’t take in that he was really there.
“Long story short; I found the car tracks and followed them through the forest. The guys are on their way too.” He explained as he looked me over closely.
“We need t-to get Hailey’s parents here.” I nodded down to where she trembled beside me. She was terrified and traumatised. She needed to see people she loved and trusted.
“I’ll call Kade, but we need to get you both out of the cold. You’re badly hurt Livy.” I saw the anger on his face, his jaw clenched as he spoke, but he was trying to keep his tone gentle.
“I’m ok, but it would be good to get Hailey warm. She’s sick…..from the damp and cold.”
“Let’s go to my truck and I’ll call Kade and see what he wants us to do.” As he spoke he shucked his thick puffer coat and handed it to me. I hurriedly wrapped it around Hailey and felt her trembling body relax fractionally against me in relief, Matt’s body heat held in the thick coat instantly soothing her.
I looked to Matt to thank him and found him standing in only a t-shirt, holding the hooded sweater he must have also pulled off, out for me.
Before I could protest that he’d freeze, he had it over my head and was pulling it down, the heat of it soothing my frozen body, as his coat had Hailey.
“Thank you.” I whispered as I fought the pain it caused to get my arms into the sleeves. Of course Matt noticed me wincing.
“Cariña?”
“I’m ok. Just bruised ribs.” I tried to reassure him, but the worry remained all over his face, mixed with anger, but thankfully he held it all in, realising any anger would terrify Hailey.
Instead he stretched out his arm and I snuggled into his side, grateful for his help in taking my weight as we all set off toward his truck. Hailey was shivering less, but still reluctant to head off with Matt. She clung to my hand as tightly as she could, staying well away from him as we walked the last small distance to the clearing.
I hurried Hailey past the open cabin door, not wanting her to see the body laid just inside, and over to where Matt had parked his truck behind the green van that would forever be a part of my nightmares.
“It’s going to be ok Mi Vida.
