Free Trinity Bound by Carrie Ann Ryan Page B

to get him a glass before Josh could even open his mouth to say he could do it.
     
    “Let her help you; you scared her. Me too.” Reed smiled again and led him to the couch where they both sat.
     
    Hannah hurried back in as they were getting comfortable.
     
    “Here you go; I hope this helps.” She smiled again and Josh almost fell in love right there.
     
    Not something he should be doing.
     
    Reed and Josh left enough space on the couch for her to sit in the middle. She snuggled up between them, reminding him of a very vivid dream with the three of them. Josh shifted a bit to relieve the pressure against his zipper.
     
    His thought from before repeated like a loop in his brain. Gonna be a long day .
     
    “We need to get out of here. I don’t feel comfortable staying in a cabin we don’t know, stealing from them, hiding from someone—or something—trying to kill us.” Josh was adamant on this. Fear crawled up his spine at the thought of what hunted them.
     
    “We know,” Reed said. “The snow’s getting pretty bad out there though. I don’t know if we can hoof our way out of here. Plus, we needed to make sure we were all ready for the journey.”
     
    Reed paused, and Josh felt his stomach fall. They’d waited because of him. He hated being the weak one—the human.
     
    “I can’t get a hold of the Pack at the moment,” Reed continued. “We’re essentially cut off, but at least we have each other.”
     
    Josh liked the sound of that.
     
    “Okay, I understand. What about our defenses?” Something he was good at.
     
    Hannah spoke up. “Well, between my wards and Reed’s senses, we should be able to get fair warning. It’s the best we can hope for the time being.”
     
    Josh was at a loss. Did they even need him? He didn’t know how he felt about that.
     
    “Josh, I need to know something.” Reed looked serious, almost as if he didn’t want to know the answer.
     
    “Okay.”
     
    “How did you find us? Why did you help us?”
     
    Josh looked at both of them sitting stock still on the couch, as if waiting for him to tell them he was in on the Central’s deal. He couldn’t blame them for their worry, but it still stung just a bit.
     
    “I’m a Finder.”
     
    Silence.
     
    Okay, apparently I need to explain exactly what that is.
     
    Josh rubbed the back of his neck, suddenly nervous about what they would think of him.
     
    Hannah’s soft voice urged him to continue. “What’s a Finder, Josh?”
     
    “I can Find anyone I’ve met before. Anywhere and anytime. I just need to see their face personally, and then I can concentrate on the memory and Find them.”
     
    “That’s remarkable,” Hannah whispered.
     
    “I agree, but you’ve never met me. I’d remember.” Reed quirked a brow.
     
    Did they not believe him?
     
    “I know. I’ve never seen either of you before. But when some kids mentioned you, flashes of your lives and who you were came to me. I had to Find you.”
     
    Hannah brought her hand to her mouth, trembling. “Thank you.”
     
    Josh held her other hand. “You’re welcome. I don’t know why the two of you are so special, and why things worked the way they did. But I’m not unhappy about it. I’m glad I Found you.”
     
    Reed nodded and something flashed across his green eyes.
     
    Huh?
     
    Relief spread through him at their acceptances, but he didn’t know why he’d told them exactly. He’d never told another soul outside his family about his gift—if it could be called that. But it felt good—complete even—to do so with them.
     
    “I knew I smelled something different about you,” Reed murmured.
     
    “Are you saying I smell?” Josh fought the urge to sniff his dirty shirt and sat back slightly offended.
     
    “No, no.” Reed waved his hands. “I’m a wolf, remember? I have a better sense of smell, and while your scent was definitely human, it held a trace of something different. Now I know why.”
     
    “Oh.” Josh