Page 58 of A Wolf’s Wound

Hannah

I can tell Ryder’s puzzling over Brian’s words, trying to figure out what he means.

I’m trying to figure it out too. A gift that Ryder will love… in the end . That involves me somehow. And that had to be fine-tuned through multiple deaths.

Closing my eyes, I try to visualize all the different pieces of the puzzle on a piece of paper. This is a technique one of my professors taught me during my first year of college when the work seemed overwhelming. Break the pieces down , she told me, and move them around until they fit together .

A gift…shifting…the councilman…me…Ryder…Ryder biting Brian…shifting…

“Oh my god,” I gasp as the pieces click together. “Oh, holy fuck.”

“Have something to say, Hannah?” Brian asks proudly.

“You…you…” I can’t say anything else. I’m too stunned by what Brian’s planning. And by what he’s already done.

“What is it?” Ryder asks, looking concerned.

“Oh, poor dim Ryder.” Brian laughs. “Your girlfriend is so much smarter than you.”

“It was a scent you were using,” I say slowly. “That’s it, right? The scent must have affected the shifters.”

“Exactly!” Brian says. “Gold medal for the vet.”

“Brian was using a scent that wolf shifters could smell,” I explain to Ryder. “The scent would make them go crazy and bite people.”

“And whoever survives the bite deserves to live,” Brian says as Ryder’s eyes widen in horror. “Just like I survived when you bit me.”

“What happened to the councilman?” I ask.

“He smelled the scent the first time,” Brian says. “It literally drove him crazy. He couldn’t handle it and, well, you saw what happened.”

I shudder at the memory. “Yes, I did.”

“So after that I realized that I needed to fine-tune the scent,” Brian says. “I tested the next iteration on myself.”

“Didn’t that affect you?” I ask.

“Oh, yeah,” he says bluntly. “It fucked up my mental health.”

“That’s an understatement,” Ryder mutters.

I whirl around and glare at him. Shut up , I mouth. Ryder shrugs but doesn’t say anything else.

Truthfully, I want Brian to shut up too. I want to sit with the enormity of what Brian has done and figure out what it means. Not just for me, but for Brian and Ryder and, honestly, shifter-human relations on a larger scale.

If Brian has figured out a way to make shifters bite humans, his discovery could throw off the peace that has been forged between us. I shudder to think of how deadly his discovery could be—even more deadly than we’ve already seen in Stonehaven.

“But every good scientist has experimented on himself,” Brian continues. “I wasn’t afraid of the effects. I knew I was the perfect guinea pig and that all of the pain would be worth it.”

“And you figured out the correct scent,” I say.

Brian nods. “I did! And along the way I also proved that I was stronger than most humans. I was strong enough not only to survive the bite but also to test the scent on myself. Not only that, but this showed me I’m worthy of the shifter abilities.”

“So, you used the scent to, what, find out if anyone else was worthy, too?” I ask.

“Something like that,” Brian says. “I had to test out my creation in the real world, of course. Just because you can run a flawless experiment in the lab doesn’t mean you can get the same results in the real world.”

“Of course,” I agree. “I can see why you thought it was necessary to test it on other shifters.”

“And it worked every time,” Brian says. “Both on humans and on other animals.”

“You used the scent in the forest,” I realize.

“I did. I was curious about whether the scent would only cause shifters to attack humans.”

“And it didn’t,” I say.

“No, which wasn’t a real surprise,” Brian explains. “Humans are animals, too, after all. So if the scent could cause a shifter to attack one kind of animal, it makes sense that it would make them want to attack other kinds, too.”

“This is a hell of a discovery,” I tell him. “Really groundbreaking.”

“And terrifying,” Ryder breaks in. “Brian, do you realize what could happen if word of this scent got out?”

“Of course,” Brian says. “I know exactly how much power I have now. And it feels good!” He laughs.

“I’ll bet,” I say. “I don’t know anyone who’s more powerful than you.”

“Not even Ryder? Or your stepdad?” Brian asks.

“Neither,” I say and then his words click in my mind. “Wait, my stepdad?”

“I’ve known who you were since you moved to Stonehaven,” Brian says. “And I know all the negotiations that went into making your move possible. The détente between the Blackwood and Stone packs. You’re pretty powerful too, Hannah.”

“I guess, but I never thought of it like that,” I say. “I just wanted to live on my own and be the best vet I can be.”

“And fall in love with a Stone,” Brian says. “Don’t forget about that.”

“That’s kind of an exaggeration,” I reply. “I’m not sure I’d use the word ‘love’ about Ryder.”

I glance at Ryder, and I’m surprised at the flicker of pain that flashes across his face. Seriously? We’re in the presence of a madman, and he’s taking offense that I’m not sure if I love him? The male ego will never cease to amaze me.

“Well, that’s fair,” Brian says. “After all, you don’t want to start something you can’t finish.”

“I guess,” I say hesitantly, not sure what he means or where he’s going with this.

“You know, the times I tested out the scent—after the councilman, I mean—those were truly random,” Brian says. “I would just unleash it somewhere and see what resulted.”

He looks from me to Ryder, his eyes alight with pleasure. “But this is going to be the first time I’m using it on a human-shifter pair that I chose.”

“What do you mean?” Ryder asks.

“I mean it’s silly for you and Hannah to fall for each other unless you know she can survive the bite,” Brian says matter-of-factly. “Otherwise, it’s just a lot of wasted emotion and hurt feelings, and I’m sure neither of you want that.”

“I’ll take my chances,” Ryder says.

I don’t answer, because now I know what Brian means. I know why we’re here, and what he’s planned.

This is his “gift” to Ryder. Seeing how Ryder responds to the scent, seeing if I survive the bite. Brian’s devised a way to prove whether Ryder and I should be together. If it weren’t so diabolical, it could almost be admirable.

But because it is diabolical, and because it will likely result in my death, I’m filled with cold fear. “Brian, you don’t have to do this,” I say hoarsely. “I can just leave Stonehaven. We don’t need to find this out.”

“But we do,” Brian insists as Ryder looks at me. I can see the realization dawning in his eyes.

“No, we don’t,” Ryder says just as firmly. “Brian, you’ve proved that you created something truly revolutionary. We can just leave it at that.”

“Look at her,” Brian tells Ryder, gesturing at me. “Isn’t she a lovely gift? Could you ask for a better present?”

“Brian,” I whisper.

“She’s not a gift,” Ryder protests. “She’s a human, not an object.”

“But you want her for yourself,” Brian says. “And she wants you. I’ve been observing you two, so don’t try to lie to me anymore.”

“Okay,” Ryder says softly. “Yes, I want Hannah.”

“And I want Ryder,” I say just as quietly.

Brian grins again. “Thank you for being honest. But if Hannah expects to be worthy of a shifter like you, Ryder, she’ll have to prove herself worthy too.”