Page 17 of A Wolf’s Wound

Ryder

I leave the vet clinic and head to the nearest bar. I just want to be alone, nurse a whiskey, and figure out where things went so wrong with Hannah. But of course, as soon as I enter the dimly lit bar, I see Gavin and Michael at a table in the far corner.

“We were about to call you,” Michael greets me. “Evan, Thomas, and Jackson are on their way now.”

“What happened?” I frown. “What’s with the all call?”

“We’ll fill everyone in together,” Gavin informs me with a somber tone. I sigh, last night’s lack of sleep catching up with me, and head to the bar to get that whiskey.

My other brothers arrive within a few minutes, and soon enough we’re all at the table. Gavin looks at each of us in turn and then begins talking.

“More bodies have been found,” he says.

“Fuck.” Thomas sighs.

“Are they also… like the others?” Evan asks. Gavin nods.

“Where did you find them?” Jackson asks.

“Some in other parts of the forest and others scattered around the city,” Michael says. “They were all humans. As best as we can tell, they were all bitten by shifters. Or maybe just one shifter.”

“One very busy shifter,” Gavin interjects. “It’s possible this is the work of one shifter, but we need to remain open to the possibility that a team could be out there.”

“Or a pack,” Michael says grimly.

“Blackwood,” Thomas says softly.

I shake my head. “We’ve been over this already. There’s no reason to think that the Blackwood pack would be behind this. Why make the city more dangerous right after Mason’s stepdaughter moves here?”

“Maybe it’s rogue members of the pack that didn’t like Mason making that agreement,” Thomas argues. “Look, I’m not saying they’re definitely behind this. But we have to start looking at anyone who would have a reason to target Stonehaven.”

“You said they were all the same,” I say to Gavin. “Same as the ones in the forest, or as the councilman?”

“The ones in the forest,” Gavin says with a frown. “The councilman still looks like an outlier.”

“He is,” Thomas points out. “He was a shifter.”

“What if whoever’s doing this killed the councilman to confuse us?” Evan suggests.

“This is the problem,” Gavin says. “We have too many questions. Too many theories. Those are important. Maybe they’ll lead us to the answers.

But what we don’t have enough of right now are facts.

The simplest explanation is that all of these deaths are connected to each other.

And connected to what happened to the animals in the forest.”

“So what do we do about it?” Jackson asks.

“Starting tonight, we’re sending out more wolves,” Gavin answers. “They’ll mainly be in the city but we’re also stepping up forest patrols. Our first priority is to prevent more deaths. I need all of you on patrols.”

“I’ll help out in the city,” I say quickly. Hannah might not want anything more to do with me. But I can’t stand by while someone or something is targeting humans.

And Hannah’s involved with the pack now. To be honest, she was always involved with us. Her relationship with Mason Blackwood and status in the Blackwood pack ensured that. Even if she hadn’t been attacked, Gavin would be careful to make sure she was protected.

But that attack makes it even more vital to keep Hannah safe. I remember what she said about the councilman’s warning. I haven’t really thought about it much; I just assumed he was ranting and raving. But what if there’s more to it than that? What if Hannah really is in danger in Stonehaven?

It feels like too much of a coincidence that these attacks began happening right after Hannah came to Stonehaven.

But why would another wolf be on our territory?

Why target Stonehaven… or Hannah? Being Mason Blackwood’s stepdaughter means something, sure.

But if another wolf wanted to threaten Mason, there are more direct ways to do that.

I make a note to talk to Gavin about all of this in more depth tomorrow. It’s clear that tonight he’s too focused on covering all of Stonehaven to think about anything else. I respect his decision, but my priority has to be Hannah.

Gavin assigns us to different sections of the city and forest. My section includes Hannah’s building. I meet his eyes when he tells me, and I know he did that on purpose. Maybe he already understands.

I drain my whiskey and head out since my shift starts now and goes until midnight. The sun is still out, but the shadows are already starting to lengthen. Night will fall soon.

The sidewalks and streets are full of people going home from work or heading out to happy hours and dinners. I don’t see or sense anything amiss as I begin walking toward Hannah’s apartment building.

I catch sight of her a few blocks from her home. She turns around, and for a second I think she’s seen me, but instead she shudders a little, as if cold, and turns back around. Hannah wraps her arms around her torso, as if hugging herself close, and resumes walking.

I want to run over to her and wrap my arms around her instead. I want to walk her all the way to her apartment and then check every inch of her home for danger. I want to watch over her all night, making sure she’s safe.

Instead, I settle for following her at what I hope is a safe distance.

It’s difficult to follow her and keep an eye on other people and cars, and at one point I think I’ve lost her.

But no, there she is, looking in a store window.

Her expression is serious, and I wonder what she’s looking at. What she’s thinking about.

She looks around again, and this time her eyes do meet mine.

Her face hardens in anger, and I want to melt into the sidewalk.

I don’t have to wonder what she’s thinking now.

Her thoughts might as well be flashing neon above her head.

Go away. I told you to leave me alone. What the fuck are you doing?

I think she’s going to approach me to yell those words out loud. Her hands, which had been at her sides, ball into fists. Then I see her take a deep breath and briefly close her eyes, like she’s calming herself. Her hands unclench and her face smooths out.

Hannah begins walking again. And even though I could catch up to her and explain what I’m doing, I trail her from a distance. I can’t handle her denying me again. My heart’s still a little broken from our conversation in her office. How can I ever make her see that I don’t want to ruin her life?

It’s not that I don’t understand her concerns. I do. It’s clear that Hannah’s independence is important to her—as it should be. I’d hate it if she was some stereotypical, submissive pack wife.

But that doesn’t mean she couldn’t also be a part of our pack. I think about my mother, the strongest and most independent woman I know. Maybe I could ask her to talk to Hannah. Maybe she could help her see that being a pack wife doesn’t mean compromising who you truly are.

My musings are interrupted as we turn onto Hannah’s block. Her building’s at the end of the street. Fewer people are here. The sun has sunk further into the sky and the shadows are long across the empty pavement.

I sense the danger before I see it. Someone is approaching. Someone who wants to hurt Hannah.

A shadow slithers across the sidewalk, long and narrow. And headed directly toward Hannah.