Page 68 of Clashing With The Grumpy Wolf

Courtney stands up slowly, brushing gravel from her palms. From the corner of my eye, I see a shadow move in the underbrush and the distinct scent of wolf comes to me through the forest smells.

My pack. They’re here. Of course, they are. Wolves are loyal. Something people like Vera Castell and Courtney Lambrell would never understand.

"The Draak contract should have been mine," Vera says, continuing on her tirade, voice sharp with resentment. "The Draak and Ashbane clans have been clients in the past. Julia had no business stealing them from me."

"Well, since our business is done here," Courtney interrupts, extending the hand holding the tiara toward Vera. "I’ll get my payment and be gone."

"Oh, you poor, stupid girl." Vera laughs, the sound cruel. "And why would I do that? I have everything I need right now to get this contract back and destroy Julia once and for all."

Courtney glares at Vera, betrayal washing over her face.

"This isn’t the agreement. You won’t get away with this!"

Vera's laugh is cold and dismissive.

"Darling, who will they believe? A lifelong criminal hired by a disgraced wedding planner or the woman who tracked them both down and brought the tiara back to them?"

Shit. Now I understand. Vera planned this very well, indeed. She’s going to get rid of Courtney and make Julia take the blame, framing her as an accomplice. Again.

Vera shakes her head, that cruel smile still on her face.

“You’re not getting out of this forest. And sadly, neither is Sheriff Wolfsbane. No hard feelings, Sheriff, but you know too much.”

Courtney’s face loses all color and her eyes flame with fury, but as her eyes lock on the barrel of Vera’s gun, terror replaces the anger in her gaze as she understands the depth of her mistake.

Vera isn’t about to leave witnesses behind. She never was.

“Vera! You can’t do this.” Courtney takes a step backward, ready to bolt into the forest.

I watch the interaction carefully. I know the look in Vera’s eyes. She won’t hesitate to kill us both.

I call my wolf to the surface and snarl.

The underbrush all around the service road stirs and one wolf emerges. I recognize my mother instantly by the brilliant brown streaked with silver and her blazing blue eyes, reflecting the moonlight.

Another wolf emerges, then another and another, until two dozen wolves stand around us, hackles raised, fangs out, snarling at the two women.

"What is this?" Vera shrieks, swinging the barrel of her gun between the wolves. "What the hell is this?"

Then the biggest wolf of them all walks out from behind the parked car, his massive frame rendered even more impressive by his raised hackles and fangs, dripping with saliva. My father stares at the woman who dared threaten his son with the wrath of our entire pack.

“Go to Hell!” Vera screams. I see her intent to shoot as clearly as I smell the terror on her body.

I lunge forward with inhuman speed and my hand closes around Vera's wrist. She fires wildly, the bullet harmlessly lost in the forest night.

“Drop it,” I snarl in my half-shifted form, fangs inches from her face. “Now.”

With a pitiful moan of terror, Vera loosens her grip and the gun falls to the ground. I spin her around, forcing her arms behind her back as she strugglesand curses.

From the corner of my eye, I see Courtney turn to flee. She manages exactly three steps before my mother tackles her to the ground with a growl. Courtney struggles for a few seconds but quickly gives up.

From the corner of my eye, I see my father shift, walk over to the fallen jewel, then pick it up, his face devoid of any interest. Wolves are not attached to treasures the way dragons are.

"I believe this belongs to you, Sheriff," he says as he hands me the tiara.

I nod my appreciation. "Thank you, Father."

“Pack protects pack, Adrian.” Jeremy Wolfsbane’s head tilts slightly. “Never forget that.”