Page 93 of The Wolfing Hour

“Basemen…” Trey managed.

“Basement? Floyd’s house has abasement?”

“Yuh.” His voice was nearly gone now. His eyes had already lost focus. “Save them.”

“Who? Rory? Mason?”

But Trey wasn’t speaking anymore. His eyes had closed, his breathing shallowed, his body stilled.

His last words had been about saving other people.

“Rest now. Don’t worry, I heard you. I’ll save them.” I stroked the top of his head, one of the few places that wasn’t injured or covered withhealcharms.

Cecil made a solemn circuit around Trey, removing thepaincharms and placing them inside his hat. Fennel head-bumped my shoulder. Meowed sadly.

My cell buzzed against the concrete. I had it set to vibrate and ring, so it was especially loud in a silence disturbed only by the sound of me crying. Blinded by tears, I pulled myself up and went to retrieve it.

Unknown caller.

I tapped the screen and brought it to my ear.

“Did you like my gift?” Floyd laughed, the sound like rocks thrown into a blender. “I hope so, trailer trash. Because there’s more to come. I won’t stop until everyone who’s helped you and my turncoat son is dead.”

“He was a kid,” I said, sorrow pulling at every word.

Floyd snarled, “He was a problem that had to be dealt with. A spy. Atraitor. You don’t tolerate traitors in a strong pack. Something your lover doesn’t know anything about, because he doesn’t have the balls to lead.”

While the alpha wolf spat hatred into one of my ears, the dark voice sang retribution in the other.Protect our people. Kill the wolves responsible.

“Threatening Ida was a mistake.” Because that’s what the placement of Trey’s broken body had been about. A two-for-one deal. Kill one of Ronan’s people and threaten mine.

“Threats?” Floyd laughed again. “Oh, we’re way beyond threats, bitch.”

If your soil magic is strong, how was the wolf able to enter the property? How was Sexton?

Sexton is a demon. Time barely affects him. He can do anything he wants.The witch’s voice held an edge of desperation.As for Floyd, maybe he had a key. Could he have stolen one?Maybe one of the tenants lost?—

No.This time, the voice that replied was mine. This is no one’s fault but my own. The protection spell isn’t strong enough.

I’m not strong enough.

A ripple beneath my feet told me the soil was listening. It reached for me, but we were separated by a thick layer of concrete and a thicker layer of doubt.

The soil can’t protect them. Kill him.

No. Ronan has to be the one to do it. This voice was fainter now. I could barely hear it.

Ida opened her sliding glass door and stepped out. She clutched a brown-striped Mexican blanket in one hand and a terracotta pot in the other.

“Meredith woke up, and I was afraid she’d scream and make things worse so I…Oh no.” Her eyes drooped with sorrow as she knelt beside Trey and covered his body with the blanket. “Poor kid.”

Fennel rubbed against her calf.

Cecil helped her smooth out the blanket.

I seethed.

Kill every last wolf responsible.That sounded real godsdamned good to me.Protect our people, once and for all.