by E Hall
“I was hoping for that delicious meatloaf we had last time, but this isn’t bad,” he says around a mouthful.
“How is Agnes?”
“She’s holding in there. Doctors say the hip replacement can take some time to heal. We’ve got enough casseroles to feed us for the rest of our days, trust me. Thing is, no one around here believes I can cook. I make a mean chowder to be sure. I’ll bring you some next time I’m up this way.”
From down the table, Officer Brucker hoots and hops around, stuffing tortilla chips in his mouth. “Ooh. That’s spicy.”
Everyone laughs.
“Get him a glass of milk,” Juan Pablo says.
“No, no. He needs honey,” Carmen says, bustling to the cupboard.
A few others suggest alternatives to cool the heat in his mouth while Brucker’s eyes water.
“I suppose he’s not used to chilies,” Clint says, finishing his taco in one more bite.
“I’ve been meaning to come up here and order a few cords of wood. I have to keep the old stove in the basement going so I don’t have another pipe burst this winter.”
“We have plenty. Could probably heat every house in the Polaris and beyond,” I say. Typically, splitting wood is my main stress release.
“I used to get my wood from Richard Dubois. It’s a shame.” Clint wipes his mouth with a napkin and shakes his head.
“Sure is,” I reply, surprised he’s ready to segue into the purpose of his visit.
Kenna makes her way to the empty seat by my side.
“Blow me over. Who is this?” Clint says.
Kenna blushes.
Clint leans in. “Between you and me, I think I’m looking at the future Mrs. Stone.”
My ears heat. He’s not wrong.
Kenna’s expression is soft at the astute and grandfatherly comment.
We chat for a few more minutes. Kenna talks about life back in the States and shares an abbreviated version of what brought her to Concordia.
As the wolves clear out, Clint wipes his hands on his napkin and gestures for me to follow him to the other room. It’s time to get down to business.
I motion to Kenna that we’ll be right back.
“The Bennett family is broken up about their son’s sudden death. Their son, Jake, would go fishing up the Weeping River all the time. Never had any trouble. He was a good kid. Well, I knew him since he was a kid. Went to college in London. Came back home to help with the family farm. They grow pears. Horrific how we found him.”
“We’ve been looking into it,” I say.
He meets my gaze with concern. “No idea what it could be, Corbin?”
“Not one of ours, but whatever it is has our attention. We’re working on it.”
“While you’ve been tracking it, it’s been wreaking havoc. It started with Richard and the death toll is rising.”
A sinking feeling lands in my stomach as the words echo in my head.
“I’m sorry to do this, but if there’s another death, we’re going to have to intervene, make our presence known. The higher-ups from the city are getting concerned. Said they would start an investigation. If there aren’t any more deaths, I think I can ward them off, but—”
“I’d like to promise there won’t be, but—” I finish the same, wondering how much to tell him.
Through the window, the wind rustles through the leaves cast silvery by the moonlight. Autumn isn’t far off. I already have enough heat from the Council because it’s my duty to track down the werewolf. I’m also harboring the MMW, have to find Greyson, and expose the Klave. The pressure is on.
My eyes dip toward the pack in the kitchen and those still seated around the table. A knot forms in my stomach, twisting my insides, and making me regret the spicy meal.
Clint’s expression turns stony. “You’ve never done us wrong, Corbin. But whatever this is, it has to be stopped.”
“I understand.”
“Can you tell me anything that would be helpful?”
My Alpha rises inside. Five minutes later, Clint knows all the details about the werewolf on the loose. My palms grow sweatier and sweatier until I remind myself I have nothing to hide.
“Anything else?”
I sigh. “Isn’t that enough?”
Clint chuckles. “I suppose so.” A bead of sweat escapes from his hairline. “I’ll never get used to this world.” He sighs. “I was out on patrol the other night, and it was probably just a trick of the light, but I thought I saw something.”
“Something?” I ask.
“I saw a woman. She looked vaguely familiar—purple hair. Thought maybe she was one of yours.” He blinks. “I didn’t see her here tonight. Anyway, then she appeared again. She was there then she wasn’t then she was there again.” He shakes his head.
Amanda and the cloak. “Could’ve been a trick of the light, but trust your eyes, sir.”
“Could’ve been someone with the power to go invisible?”
I shake my head. “No. No one can do that, but there are ways people can go unseen. Then seen again. But that person was eliminated.” I clear my throat.
“I take it that’s a good thing.”
“She was one of ours. She made some poor decisions.”
Clint extends his hand for me to shake. “Thank you, Corbin, and always a pleasure.” He places his hat on his head and tips it.
“No problem at all. Glad to help.”
Clint claps Brucker on the back and they say goodbye.
Kenna appears in the doorway.
The knot in my stomach goes taut. She moves to the window until the police car’s taillights disappear. When she turns, a pair of tears track down her cheeks.
“Are you okay?”
“I don’t think Alphas are supposed to cry. Part of me hates myself for killing Amanda. Another part hates that I’m broken up about killing the person who tried to kill me multiple times. This power inside scares me, Corbin.” She gazes at her hands as though magic is about to leap from her fingers.
“It’ll be okay.” I don’t know how, but I’ll make it so.
Kenna steadies herself on the back of a chair and then lowers to sitting. After a few moments, she takes a deep breath, wipes her face, and then says, “I’ll be fine. I just don’t want to bring you or the pack into whatever it is that’s going on with me.”
“Too late for that. I’m tangled up with you. We’re in this together.” I wrap my arm around her and squeeze. “I’m just glad I didn’t kill you that first day.” I chuckle softly to lighten the mood.
“But that’s just it. Had you done so, maybe Amanda would still be alive and—”
I shake my head. “I’d like to think at the core, everyone is good but makes mistakes. That’s how it works in the human world, right? Maybe that was the case with Amanda. Or perhaps she was rotten all the way through. In the magical world, some people are just straight-up bad, evil. Unseelie fae for instance. They tend to be horrible. All of us are monsters at our base nature. You exist outside the spell of the Accords and the Klave is lifting them, bringing the danger back to us all.”
“And that’s it. That’s why I’m a danger.”
More than anything I want to tell her that she’s wrong. But she’s not. “From what I’ve seen, you’re not evil, Kenna. You have a big heart. Listen to it.”
“My mother used to always say my heart will always tell me the truth.” Her eyes plead with me to agree.
I nod as I wage an inner battle between my duties and the truth of my heart. I love Kenna, yet in accordance to my agreement with the Council, I have to use her to expose her father and bring down the Klave. But it’s for her safety, to protect her and keep the Accord spell intact.
She sniffles. “What else did Clint say?”
“He spotted Amanda, appearing and disappearing. That confirms what we thought about the cloak. I wonder if it requires a spell or—”
I didn’t notice, but Kenna has the red cloak wrapped around her shoulders. She draws th
e hood over her head and poof. She’s gone.
However, her voice remains right beside me. “I can see you. Can you see me?”
“Nope.” I extend my arm. It’s as though it moves through cool, somehow thick vapor. “I can’t feel you either. But I can hear you.”
She drops the hood. “Gives a new meaning to Little Red Riding Hood.”
I chuckle more heartily this time. “When it comes to fae and wolves, I’m not sure which is the real monster in the woods.”
She laughs darkly and gazes at her hands, turning them over. Her eyes lift to mine. “I think that would be me. Both. All of the above.”
I stagger a breath. “And that’s exactly why we need to keep you safe.”
“I think it’s the other way around. I need to be kept from others.” Kenna’s expression puckers.
I want to offer comfort, but again, she’s not entirely wrong. “I’m calling a den meeting. It’ll be your first one as an official Alpha.”
Kenna’s eyes widen.
“Don’t worry. You’ll do great.”
In less than five minutes, my betas, except Avril gather around the table in the den. Baker has his laptop open.
“Losing Amanda is upsetting. I’d like to have offered her an honorable funeral, however, her betrayal cut her from the pack.” I’d already told them about my encounter with her and the werewolf at Richard Dubois’ cabin.
“Where’s Avril?” Trigg asks.
“I excused her from beta duties for the time being.”
“She mentioned that she’s on probation, but I didn’t believe her. What gives?” Trigg asks.
“Formally, she’s letting her personal opinions cloud her judgment as a beta wolf. Informally, she’s having a hard time playing nice.” I glance at Kenna.
“Guys, I feel like I’m causing trouble right from the get-go. I’m sorry. I—”
I hold up my hand to stop Kenna from saying more. “Being raised in the human world, you may have been taught to be polite and apologetic. However, the wolf hierarchy is different. In this position, we maintain a posture of servant leadership. We’re strong but wise. Tough but always have what’s best for the majority of the pack in mind. We have the ultimate say but listen to what’s wanted. Kenna, as Alpha, your job is to listen to your wolf.”
She nods as though relieved to receive a set of guidelines.
“Most of this stuff we learn growing up with knowledge of the magical world or it’s instinct. Don’t worry, you’ll get it,” Camilla says, assuring Kenna.
“Okay. Down to business. Anything from Brucker?” I ask.
Inga chuckles. “He’s not a fan of hot sauce.”
The others break into comments about his spice attack and desperation to lower the heat flaming in his mouth.
“He asked a few questions about suspicious activity on our land,” Camilla adds when everyone quiets. “I told him all of our wolves are accounted for. If Amanda wasn’t eliminated tonight, the answer would’ve been different.” Camilla lets out a long breath.
Kenna shifts uncomfortably and gazes at the floor. “I’m sorry. I don’t know—”
“Girl, what did Corbin say about apologizing?” Inga says.
Camilla, Baker, and Claude chuckle.
“You have to tune into your inner wolf. She was defending you.”
Kenna shakes her head. “No, it was fae magic. It was like Amanda somehow drew it out of me.”
The others go still, silent.
Kenna rubs the torn stitching on the hem of the cloak between her fingers. I want to keep the existence of the cloak to myself for now, but wonder if it had something to do with it. Then the color reminds me of something and so does my wolf.
Trust your betas.
I tell them about how Kenna found the cloak in the woods and what Clint said about the person appearing and then disappearing when he was on patrol. I wonder how much the presence of others magicals draws on her energy.
“Kenna, at the Mate Call-Out, when you saw the blood, were you aware there were vampires present?”
Her head snaps up. “Yes. I mean, I figured they were vampires given the teeth and eyes.”
“When you were around your mother, did you feel any connection with her as it relates to the vampire inside?”
“She offered me blood in case I was thirsty so—yes?”
“Did you drink it?” Camilla practically yelps.
Kenna rapidly shakes her head, disgusted.
I think we all wonder what would happen if she did.
“I wonder if because you were first around all of us, your wolf dominated.”
“I was thinking it’s because we’re the best,” Trigg says with a laugh.
We all join in.
Kenna must pick up on where I’m going with this because she says, “Do you think my fae magic exploded out of me because there was another fae present in the woods?”
“Possibly.”
The others start chatting all at once.
I pump my hands to quiet them. “It’s just a theory. Kenna, you’re the only one that could answer these kinds of questions.”
“Tatiana might be able to,” Inga says.
“I’m not inclined to use the mage’s services if unnecessary. I have someone else in mind I was hoping could provide information,” I say.
The message she gave me before I went in search of Kenna comes to mind. I want to hold off on sealing our bond for as long as possible, not because I don’t want her. I do. Wholly. Fully. Irrevocably. But I also want to protect her at all costs.
“Did Clint say anything important?” Baker asks.
“He said if anyone else turns up dead, the officials will have to launch an investigation. I told him everything I knew, including about the werewolf. We have to find this thing. Eliminate it. That’s on all of you.” I point to my betas as I get to my feet.
“Where are you going?” Kenna asks.
“We are going to find your father.”
She smiles for the first time since we were in wolf form.
“That’s great, but no one has seen him in nearly eighteen years. What makes you think you’ll be able to track him down?” Trigg asks.
Kenna looks to me like I have the answer. I don’t want to tell her that once again, she’ll be the bait. And to use her effectively, I have to cut off my feelings so Greyson doesn’t try to use her as leverage.
Chapter 9
Kenna
Corbin maneuvers the Jeep smoothly down the long driveway leading away from the pack Headquarters.
The dawn sky lightens in pale shades of gray that verges toward purple. Clouds hang low overhead.
I’m relieved Corbin wants to help me find my father. I need to understand what I am. My heart tells me he can help. Yet, I’m scared...of myself. Despite what he and the betas said to reassure me, I still can’t seem to shake the dark pit of guilt and shame inside at killing Amanda.
I sense a strain between Corbin and me. Maybe he still had feelings for Amanda despite what he said. Or perhaps he’s disgusted by me. There’s something there that I can’t identify and it stretches taut like a growing distance between us.
My wolf picks up the scent of doughnuts as we near the Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice Bakery.
“Do you mind if we stop? I could use something to eat,” I say.
And maybe he and I could use some sweetness too.
Corbin parks in front and stays in the Jeep while I run in.
Pepper smiles and waves. “You’re here early and just in time.” She points to a tray of freshly made doughnuts.
I point to my nose. “I had a feeling. I’ll take three of those. No, make it five, please.”
Pepper laughs. “You’re a girl after my own heart.”
“Two for me. And one each for Corbin, Clove, and my dad.”
“You’re going to meet him?” she asks, surprised. I’d mentioned about the house and how we’d never met.
“We will look for him. Last time I saw Clove h
e said he had something I might find interesting so I guess that’s where we’ll start.”
Pepper pops an extra doughnut in the bag. “Good luck and say hi to Clove for me.”
I wink. “Sure will.”
Back in the Jeep, we get on the road. One bite of the doughnut dulls all the uncertainty I feel.
As we continue to drive, my wolf tugs my thoughts toward the broad, open fields. I visualize the shift and can almost feel the wind in my fur.
Corbin is quiet and hasn’t touched his doughnut.
“Anything on your mind, Alpha?” I ask when I can’t take the silence any longer.
“When we mate, you’ll have access to my thoughts when I allow you. Trust me, you don’t want in here.”
My heart buoys at the idea of us being bonded together in that way. The worries in my mind dissipate because he has a good point. Being an Alpha and having that level of responsibility must be hard.
“Maybe I can help,” I offer.
“Wolves have to listen to their hearts, but we have other senses too. I’m concerned about the possibility of the investigation if we don’t eliminate the werewolf.”
“I’m sorry. You don’t have to bring me to find my father. I can—”
“Kenna, I am not leaving you on your own to track down the most violent and ruthless criminal the magical world has known in this realm.”
The pit in my stomach grows.
“The police like things in black and white, not speculation, not we’re working on tracking down the problem… The truth is, we hardly have any leads. We can protect our lands, but the deaths have occurred on the borders. The werewolf’s presence also means the Accords weaken somehow. That’s the Klave’s doing. It’s all—” He breaks off.
“Complicated. I know.” I feel like shifting or slipping under the cloak and becoming invisible. The loneliness I feel when human returns.
Once more, like our first time driving out here, the silence between us is heavy. Tension presses down on my shoulders. I almost feel like I’m being held underwater.
When the Victorian mansion I inherited comes into view, the sky dims. Shadows loom over the mountains. Thunder sounds in the distance, and the air is moist with coming rain.