Free Exodus by Bailey Bradford Page A

than doing so as a wolf. He was more vulnerable to the elements, but Valen wouldn’t put Aaron down for anything. Despite the deluge and wind, the trembling ground and roaring skies, Valen stopped periodically to check on his pack.
    The horses were too scared to be ridden, and in fact, Valen was on the verge of telling the people trying to lead the horses just to let the creatures go before someone ended up dead.
    In the end, he decided to leave that decision to each horse handler. Valen had little experience with horses and couldn’t predict how the things would behave.
    He had Aaron to worry about anyway. Aaron was still shaking, and his skin was cold as ice. Valen saw the blood running down Aaron’s foot, a stream of watery pink flowing off his toes. He maneuvered Aaron into his arms instead of over his shoulder.
    Valen tried to rub some warmth into Aaron’s body but he was lacking in heat himself. He tucked his head down and plowed on, only to turn with a vicious snarl when someone tugged at Aaron, as if to pull him from Valen’s shoulder.
    “Let me help,” Rivvie shouted, swiping at the rain dripping into his eyes. “Come on, shift and let me carry him.”
    Matt stood beside Rivvie, glancing around nervously.
    Valen’s pride insisted that he keep a hold of his mate, but common sense and concern for Aaron came first. He helped Rivvie get Aaron settled, then checked Aaron’s wounds and pulse.
    Aaron groaned and pushed himself up, hands braced on Rivvie’s back. “What—?”
    Valen kissed him, despite the rain and storm and hell on earth around them. “Don’t do that again. Don’t scare me like that, Aaron.”
    Aaron blinked rapidly, then gave him a wan smile. “’Kay.”
    “Rivvie’s going to carry you for a little while,” Matt explained. “Give Valen a break.”
    Aaron murmured something lost in the wind then lowered himself down, until he was hanging limply over Rivvie’s shoulder.
    “Not too long like that,” Valen warned. “The blood all flows down. It will hurt his brain.”
    Rivvie nodded. “I know. I’m just waiting for you to shift then I’ll put him like you were carrying him in a few minutes.”
    Valen shifted. He turned back on the incline where he now stood and looked back toward the pack lands—and knew all was lost there. Water covered the entire dwellings area. Even as far away as he was, he could see it because it appeared that an entire ocean had flowed inland.
    How, or why, he didn’t know. Twisters raged over the landscape, and it wasn’t only lightning in the sky, but hellacious orange fireballs chased with green flames on the ends.
    What has happened to our world? All I wanted was to take care of my pack, the pack I grew up with, the pack I love, in the place we all called home, and now, it’s gone. It hurt, like losing a part of himself physically. Valen told himself to toughen up. He was an alpha, with many people counting on him.
    With one last look, Valen let himself feel regret and loss, then he locked both emotions up.
    Running up the slick wet rocks, he resumed his place in front of the pack, and they continued their trek in the storm.
    Rivvie altered his hold on Aaron as he’d said he would. Matt offered to help and he too took a turn carrying Aaron.
    After another hour or so, the storm began to ease up. Or, if not ease up, they at least began to escape from its grip. It was still horrendous, but the ground had ceased shaking and the wind wasn’t as chilly. Debris no longer whipped through the air, and that awful, thundering sound had died away. The skies were merely a dark gray, the tint of green gone.
    Valen shifted again and took Aaron into his arms.
    Aaron watched him, and Valen saw that there was an almost distant look in Aaron’s eyes.
    Then he noticed the heat bleeding from Aaron into him. “You have a fever,” Valen said, fear ticking up inside him like a living thing. He glared at Matt. “You didn’t tell me he’s feverish.”
    Matt’s lips