Back takes one look at my face before he grasps my arms and sits me down at the base of a tree, a couple of feet away from my bag of firewood. My empty bag.

“Aerin, what is it? What happened?”

Even though I know it will probably mean Mack will refuse to let me go back, I tell him. I tell him everything. Including my fears about Nolan coming after us if I leave now.

Mack doesn’t speak for several minutes. Instead, after sitting, he shifts me into his lap and wraps his arms around me. ...