I step out of the truck two hours after leaving London, jumping onto the muddy ground before glancing around at the dark woodland in front of us. It seems eerily quiet, which I find strange considering the fact we've turned up in five trucks, every single one of them loud enough to break the silence of the South as soon as their engines were turned on.

Numerous people from London are pouring out of the vehicles, absolutely no care given to how much noise they make. Jordan instantly looks on edge, Myles' jaw tensed as Emilia sticks as close to me as she can, eyes darting between the various people before glancing back at the silent tree line. I wouldn't be surprised if any Slayers jumped out in front of us, my hand constantly on my gun, not daring to let it go even once.

Maybe it's the sheer volume of us which is why none of them seem bothered by what we're doing. We're acting as a repellent to any Slayers and that is all that brings me comfort. There hasn't been a single shred of peace inside me ever since those iron gates opened back in London, the trucks leaving that compound and sending us back out into the real world. And what a shit world it is.

"We'll continue on foot from here," Callum announces from the front of the group before pointing to his right, straight into the trees. His buzzing population nod before trailing after him, leaving the vehicles behind as five drivers hop back inside to return the trucks to London.

Our entire group hangs back, Heidi, Myles, Anna and Sam included as the others disappear into the trees. I take a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air before looking around at the familiar group of faces as Emilia moves away from me.

Heidi lays her head against Emilia's, visible tears in her eyes as she blinks rapidly. Bridget and Anna are holding hands, a sight that's so foreign to me that I almost fall backwards. Sam flings his arm around Emilia's spare shoulder as we all look around at one another.

There's darkness in the air, and it isn't just from the shadows that emerge from the trees. The clouds in the sky are looming over us, the weight of the entire damn world on our shoulders as we face the brutal reality of separating.

Jordan steps forward from behind me, slapping his hand onto my back and grinning.

"One last trek?" he says to the group. Anna instantly laughs, stepping forward and wrapping her arms around him.

"If you think you're getting rid of me that easily, you're wrong," she exclaims. "It's not our last trek. I'll be back with you guys in no time."

"Or, maybe you could just stay away?" Bridget teases and Anna laughs, the rest of the group following suit.

"One last trek," I agree with Jordan, looking across at Emilia.

"One last trek," she says slowly, nodding as she turns, Heidi and Sam both gripping her hands as they slowly start to walk after the now disappeared group. Myles follows close behind with Bridget and Jordan both chuckling to each other as they step away.

"Come on." Anna gestures to me, smiling widely. I take a deep breath, looking up at the ominous looking trees before nodding and falling in step beside her. We enter the forest, daylight instantly dimming as we follow the entire group. Anna steps around everything in her path, clearly far more energy inside her than there is in me. "When you get to the North...?"

"Yeah?"

"Make sure you shoot Gia in the face," Anna finishes her sentence. I can't help but laugh at the bluntness and her eyes widen.

"Shit, I forgot she's your sister."

"You forgot?"

"For a mere minute," she retorts. "I didn't mean for it to come out so harshly."

"As if." I scoff. "You're Anna."

"I can be a brutal bitch at times," she agrees, with a smile on her face. "You wouldn't have me any other way."

"I reluctantly agree that you may have forced your behaviour upon us to the point where we don't expect any fucking different," I reply and she smirks.

"Good. It's bad to set unrealistic expectations."

"You can put on the mask all you want, Anna," I mutter. "We all know that deep down, you care."

"I cared about Kieran," she counters and I sigh.

"You care about everyone in the group," I argue and she rolls her eyes before shrugging.

"Maybe."

"I'll take that as a yes," I tell her and she smirks.

"Take it as you want. It's all you're fucking getting!"

I laugh at her words, not expecting any less from the bitchy brunette. We continue in silence, neither one of us saying a thing as we follow the others. Nevertheless, it's nice, a strange sense of normalcy between us. After all, it's all we've known for the last month. And before that we were constantly running and hiding anyway.

I can see that Emilia is spending the time laughing with Sam and Heidi as they walk. I smile at the sight, grateful that she has the time to make amends and part with them on positive terms.

"Anna?" I suddenly say, the girl beside me glancing up at me with her big blue eyes.

"Yeah?" She smiles. I take in the sight of her long brown hair, the pretty, perfect face and silly black jacket that she's never left behind since I've known her. I used to wake up with her in my arms, the two of us laughing together at the sound of Claudia and Jordan arguing downstairs. We used to sneak around the town together, breaking all kinds of rules. I'd dance with her at the club in Nottingham, drowning our sorrows in alcohol before we went back to the house together. It was years of chaos.

We've had rough days, she's been a fucking pain in the ass to me, yet I'm grateful for the comfort she always provided. We've moved on from what we were - descended into a friendship that I wouldn't give up for the world.

"Promise you'll take care of yourself?"

She smirks at me before looking back to the path. "Didn't think you had it in you to get soppy, Hastings," she retorts and I roll my eyes.

"I swear-"

"I promise," she cuts me off. "You too. Keep Jordan, Emilia and Bridget safe too?"

"I promise," I tell her and she smiles before nodding, stepping over a fallen tree log in front of her. I quickly follow, the two of us wordlessly heading after our group of friends.

*~*~*

"Here we are," Callum announces, the entire group stopping only an hour after we started walking. I see Emilia instantly tense up at his words before she quickly shakes her head. Heidi grabs hold of her, pulling her in for a group hug with Sam as my wife sobs.

I turn to Myles, quickly lifting my hand towards him. He grabs onto it, hauling me towards him and slapping me on the back as I return the favour.

"Look after Heidi," I tell him and he nods. "She means a lot to Emilia."

"I think she means a lot to all of you," he replies just as Jordan steps up to him to say goodbye. "We'll try to find as many supporters as we can here in the South."

"I know you will," I tell him before I step back, quickly spotting a lonely looking Lola. Stepping towards her, she looks across at me, surprised. "I... uh... I wasn't the biggest fan of Rayden," I admit and she smirks.

"That's understandable, given what those two..." She trails off, pointing subtly towards Emilia.

"Yeah." I reach up and itch the back of my head. "Nevertheless, he was a good guy."

"Thank you," she says with a smile. "I appreciate that."

"Emilia says you have a family waiting for you in the West?"

"I hope so," she answers.

"I really hope you find them," I tell her honestly and she smiles at me.

"Thanks, Zac."

"Lola!" The loud exclamation comes from my wife before she ploughs herself into the brunette's arms. I step back, respectfully giving them their space before I turn to Sam.

"I don't have anything to say to you," I tell him and he nods.

"I know."

"Good." I make a move to turn away.

Sam doesn't let me go that easily. "Zac, just... take care of her will you?" he says to my back.

"You know I will," I tell him without turning around. "Which sector were you given?"

"East," he answers and I smirk at his words, the unlikely pairing amusing me. That's a disaster waiting to happen.

"Fantastic." I laugh. "You'd better make sure Anna stays safe."

"I will," he promises. I don't look around again, instead watching as Heidi steps towards me, a forlorn look on her face.

"Zac Hastings." She grins.

"Heidi..." I trail off, unable to even guess. Hell, I don't even know Emilia's maiden name.

"Just as I expected." She laughs.

"I'm sorry." I grimace and she giggles.

"Maybe you can learn it before the next time we see each other," she suggests and I laugh.

"I'll try," I tell her.

"Let's move out," Callum calls out. "All units split up!" he orders. I reach over, pulling Emilia into my body and wrapping my arms reassuringly around her waist as she cries.

Anna pulls on her rucksack straps before smiling at the lot of us. She smiles before blowing us a kiss. I don't miss the tears in her eyes as she does so. "I love every single one of you," she announces.

"Me too," Heidi says, hauling her own rucksack up from the ground.

"I'll see you again," Lola promises Poppy and Bridget before looking around at the rest of us. "Hopefully you guys too."

"We'll definitely all see each other again," Sam exclaims.

"Agreed." Myles nods and I bite my lip at the crazy dreamworld these idiots are living in. It'll be a miracle if even half of us see one another after today.

"Now!" Callum's yell disrupts the sincere, emotion filled moment. Myles and Heidi step back and he wraps his hand into hers, tugging at it to get her to turn and follow their Southern group. It's the largest of them all, almost thirty of them ready to scout all the way along the coastline and then back up to the Wall.

Lola raises her hand in a small wave before she too turns, walking over to the four others equipped to head West with her.

Anna rolls her eyes at Sam as he offers her his hand. Instead she gives us one last smirk before turning and stalking away. Sam huffs under his breath before nodding at all of us, joining the brunette as they join the two people who will journey East with them.

The five of us left behind stare after our friends as they walk away; the East and West having no idea what's about to hit them.

*~*~*

"Let's stop here," Callum says after another three hours of walking. I have no idea why our group has been lumbered with him and his group of cronies. Apparently the easiest gate to access the North through the wall is the one directly in the centre. It therefore, supposedly, made more sense for Callum to head up towards the wall with us and then make camp in the surrounding area as he waited for news from every section.

The daylight has long gone and I'm actually relieved by his words, thankful that we don't have to trip and traipse over any of the woodland anymore.

I drag Emilia off to the side, under the shade of an evergreen tree. Dropping my rucksack to the floor, I undo it, quickly dragging a blanket out and gesturing for her to get comfortable. She smiles softly at me, clearly exhausted as she falls to the floor. I drape the blanket on top of her, not even caring what Callum or his fucking sheep are up to.

Jordan settles himself down beside us, not saying a word before he covers his face with his arm, a blanket on top of him also. Bridget and Poppy follow suit, right next to the tree opposite us.

It's completely silent between us, all of us absolutely drained from the long, tiring, emotional day. I can't help but wonder what Anna, Heidi, Sam and Myles are all doing. Have they reached their destinations? Are they happy? Are they even alive?

Cursing under my breath, I look down at my wife, her eyes squeezed shut. If I'm overthinking, I can't even imagine what's going through her mind right now.

Slowly, I settle down beside her, sliding under the blanket and letting my arm fall over her waist, pulling her against me.

"I love you," I say softly, knowing the girl well enough to know she'll appreciate that more than the reminder that her friends are gone.

"I love you too," she whispers back. I press my lips to the back of her hair, inhaling her sweet scent before shutting my eyes and letting myself fall into a restless sleep.

*~*~*

A loud rustling wakes me and I shoot upright, quickly grabbing at the gun in my waistband. My eyes are wide as I look around the moonlit campground. Not a single soul is moving, only a few watchmen on guard in each of the four 'corners'.

"Shh!" Emilia exclaims from beside me, standing upright. "You'll wake everyone up."

"What are you doing?" I retort and she rolls her eyes.

"Can a girl not go for a wee in peace?" she mutters.

"It's dangerous," I argue and she smirks.

"Have a little faith in me," she says, leaning down to peck my lips. "I'll be five minutes."

I lean back down on my elbows as she turns and disappears into the trees, knowing that I'll be unable to relax until I know she's back in my arms.

She would have made such a fuss if I insisted on going with her, but now I'm lying here, fucking cursing myself for not insisting on it. It's been ten days since we were out here, and not one of us ever dared let our guard down after seeing the Slayers in action. You're a fucking idiot, Zac.

I sit upright, tapping on my knees as I stare up at the trees, my chest tightening with every passing second. Surely she's been gone for five minutes by now?

But then again, it's probably only been half a fucking minute, knowing my luck.

I reach up, running my hand through my hair before I groan out loud.

"Zac?" Jordan's sleepy voice comes from beside me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I reply, Jordan clearly not satisfied by that answer as he continues to stare at me. "Emilia wandered off to go to the toilet."

"Oh," he replies, sitting up. "I'll wait up with you."

"You don't have to," I tell him but he shakes his head.

"Shut up."

We descend into silence and I bite my lip, mind in fucking overdrive as I wait for the damn blonde to come back to me. Images of bloody, mutilated bodies whip through my mind and I wipe my hands over my eyes in frustration. Staring into the trees, a twig snapping suddenly grabs my attention. Nothing appears and I huff in panic, eyes darting to Jordan.

"How long ago did she go?"

"A minute? Five? Ten? I don't fucking know," I retort, reaching up and grabbing at my hair. "I should have gone with her."

"Don't beat yourself up." Jordan stands up beside me.

"What's going on?" Poppy's voice comes from the other side of the clearing.

Fuck it.

"Emilia!" I yell, stepping into the trees and letting her name fill the silence. "Emilia!"

"Is she gone?" Poppy exclaims. I pay no attention to her, stepping further into the dark woodland and screwing up my eyes, trying to find her in the night.

"Emilia," I call out once more.

"Em!" Jordan's voice adds to mine before I glance behind, Bridget and Poppy now up and turning on their torches. The four of Callum's crew who were standing guard are also moving around, looking through the vegetation.

I turn away from the sight, instead running into the undergrowth, desperately looking around at the light woodland, moonlight illuminating every space and every tree, shadows dancing over my face.

"Emilia!" I shout, panic and sheer fucking fear laced through my voice as I tear through the plants. "Emilia!"

I come up short, soon running full circle back to the camp. Jordan steps forward, grabbing onto my shoulders as I shake my head.

"She's gone!"

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Eeeeeek! Do you think Emilia is okay?

Who's sad about Anna and the others heading off on their own?

WELL... no fear... we'll be able to see exactly what happens with them in books 3 and 4 of the New England Series - NOW AVAILABLE as a little sneak peak, with their blurbs/descriptions on my profile for your information. Let me know how they look 💚

These books will not be released until Broken South is completed!