Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 107720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107720 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Let’s go back, alright?”
He blinked and stared at me blankly, too lost in his thoughts. “But what about Rook? We can’t just leave her here...” He choked and swallowed a sob. “We have to find her remains. We have to hold a proper burial for them. It’s the least I can do after everything else that I caused.”
“They’re gone, Frank.” I turned back to face the glacier—restored to its natural glory. “It’s all gone.”
Frank sniffed and studied the massive expanse of ice. He didn’t speak for an eternity before he shook himself, nodded, then shuffled back to the 4WD we’d parked further away.
I followed him.
I looked one last time over my shoulder—
A black smudge appeared around a snowdrift.
I froze.
The smudge moved.
Slowly, painfully, a massive predator limped out of the snow and came toward us.
I broke into a run.
The panther grumbled as I bolted to him. His sleek black coat was singed and patchy—part of his pelt burned away on his left flank. He held one of his front paws aloft as he headed toward me, hopping on three legs.
“Holy shit...he survived.” Frank’s shock echoed behind me as I skidded to a stop and waited.
Whisper took another few hops, closing the distance between us. His eyes narrowed, ears flat, and tail whipping like a snake.
I didn’t know if that meant he was happy or angry to see me, but I took the chance and reached out anyway. “You okay, you stupid beast?”
His head cocked at the familiar pet name I’d heard Lucien use so many times. When I’d first heard it, I wanted to clock the bastard for being rude, but in the end, I heard what lurked behind those words.
Absolute, unconditional affection.
With a grunt, Whisper nudged his nose against my outstretched fingers. His tail stopped flicking; his head hung with grief.
“Yeah, I know, buddy. I know.” Stepping into him, I scratched the giant cat around his ear, sharing in his sorrow. “I’m sorry. It sucks. It really, really sucks.”
I didn’t know how deeply animals felt when their owners passed away, but Whisper was special—just like Lucien and Rook had been special. He’d been tampered with by the very same scientists that’d killed those he loved, and if he decided to go on a killing spree, I wouldn’t be inclined to stop him, but...he merely stepped closer and leaned against my thigh.
We stood there for a while as Whisper sniffed the snowy air then pressed his nose to the ice as if he could see through the glacier to the frozen mess beneath our feet. A low, heartbroken whine rumbled from his chest.
“He’s not down there.” I dropped to my haunches and slung my arm over his muscular shoulders, careful not to hurt him any more than he already was. “He’s gone.”
With a defeated sigh that sounded far too human, Whisper shoved me away, then hopped toward Frank and the waiting 4WD.
I trailed after the limping cat.
Opening the back door for him, he leaped inside looking weak and sad, his belly hollow from going almost a week with no food.
My mind raced with sourcing him the best possible meal. I would call the best possible vets. And do my very fucking best to protect what Rook and Lucien had left behind.
I meant what I’d said down in the lab. I would protect him for the rest of his life if he would let me. I would never let anything bad happen to him. I would give him everything he ever wanted—trying to ease my guilt over failing my little employer and giving her soul some peace of mind, knowing that the cat she’d fallen in love with was safe.
Frank groaned as he settled into the front seat. His frostbitten fingers fumbled with his seatbelt, trying to buckle himself in. “I’m glad you talked me out of bringing the team of construction workers. You were right. Not just about checking out how safe the site was but...I don’t want anyone digging up anything. The lab is gone. It’s going to stay that way. Let them rest in peace.”
“It should stay buried.” I climbed into the driver’s seat, buckling in and looking over my shoulder at Whisper. The panther raised his head off his paws and looked directly at me. I felt his stare deep in my heart. Felt him judging me, condemning me, but also accepting me.
It made me sit a little taller, eager to redeem myself and not drown in agonising grief.
“Let’s get you treated and fed, huh?”
Whisper rolled his eyes and dropped his chin back onto his legs.
“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Straightening up, I turned the key and slipped the vehicle into drive.
As we drove through the icy wilderness, leaving Rook and Lucien behind, Frank murmured, “Maybe one day we’ll see them again.”
I glanced at the old man out of the corner of my eye and held my tongue.