  Jacob&#39;s Perspective
  Damn it. I&#39;m a goddamn fool.
  Last night was a rusty nail driven into my skull. I&#39;d been too impatient, drunk on that feeling of having her back and the longing I&#39;d bottled up for so long. I forgot the wounds in her heart were still raw. When she pushed me away, the struggle and pain in her eyes hurt worse than any bullet I&#39;d ever taken.
  So, I apologized. Then I got the hell out of there and took a cold shower, trying to drown the stupid thoughts and the physical restlessness. Slept like shit. I could feel her lying rigid and still on her side of the bed too.
  When morning finally came, the sun was already high. My stomach felt hollow enough to swallow a whole deer. Celena&nbsp;went out quietly and came back with a paper bag full of burgers, fries, and two icy Cokes. We sat on the edge of the bed and ate in silence. The greasy food filled t

  Jacob&#39;s Perspective
  On the afternoon of the third day, when I spotted the two familiar, mud-spattered SUVs coming down the highway from the edge of the woods, their headlights flashing three times as arranged, I damn near got choked up.
  They&#39;d actually come. All of them.
  Xavier was the first out, his massive frame making the chassis bounce. He strode over and punched my shoulder with a grin. &quot;Well, look what the cat dragged in. Our little stray pup. Looks like you got into a scrap with a raccoon.&quot; He was referring to the cuts and scrapes on my neck and hands.
  Adrian was more reserved with a nod, but his eyes were sharp, scanning the surroundings. The twins, Jim and Joe, were already poking around our wrecked Chevy like a pair of curious hounds, whistling low. &quot;Whoa, man. This thing got gutted. You two walked away from this?&quot;
  Finally, Lily stepped o

  Jacob&#39;s Perspective
  Lily and the crew would take two days to get here. Forty-eight hours. Sitting on our hands in this godforsaken place was a terrible plan. We needed a base—somewhere to lay low while keeping an eye on that damned &quot;slaughterhouse.&quot; Easier said than damn well done.
  The area was desolate. Nothing but that lone strip of asphalt leading to the factory, vast stretches of barren fields, and a handful of farms that looked half-abandoned. The farmhouses were dilapidated, leaning at odd angles like rotting teeth in an old man&#39;s mouth. Out here, any new face would stick out like a beacon. Even our dusty, nondescript Chevy felt way too conspicuous.
  What really set my nerves on edge was not knowing if these local farmers were in cahoots with the hunters inside. I couldn&#39;t take that risk, not with Celena&nbsp;with me. If this was a trap, walking right i

Jacob&#39;s Perspective
  Damn it. I&#39;m a goddamn fool.
  Last night was a rusty nail driven into my skull. I&#39;d been too impatient, drunk on that feeling of having her back and the longing I&#39;d bottled up for so long. I forgot the wounds in her heart were still raw. When she pushed me away, the struggle and pain in her eyes hurt worse than any bullet I&#39;d ever taken.
  So, I apologized. Then I got the hell out of there and took a cold shower, trying to drown the stupid thoughts and the physical restlessness. Slept like shit. I could feel her lying rigid and still on her side of the bed too.
  When morning finally came, the sun was already high. My stomach felt hollow enough to swallow a whole deer. Celena&nbsp;went out quietly and came back with a paper bag full of burgers, fries, and two icy Cokes. We sat on the edge of the bed and ate in silence. The greasy food filled the emptiness in our stomachs but did nothing for the awkward void between us.
  &quot;We keep wat

Chapter 227