Wolf's Wager (Northbane Shifters)

by Isabella Hunt

  But today, a large group of Skrors had caught one of our southern patrols by surprise. Only by their sheer numbers had they managed to inflict damage on our shifters.

  I’d caught wind of the patrol’s distress first, shooting off into the woods.

  Yet even before I’d arrived, they’d started to flee. To put it bluntly, even those cockroaches wouldn’t screw with an Alpha.

  However, I hadn’t been in time to save Brinney from having his limbs made into a pincushion. A young and quick mountain lion shifter now laid low.

  God, what if those shitheads had inflicted some kind of irreparable damage?

  “What are you still doing here?” Kal asked, snapping me out of my gruesome reverie.

  “Waiting for Rogda,” I said stiffly and gestured at my arm. “Bleeding.”

  He glanced over at her. “She seems busy, my friend.”

  “I can wait,” I said.

  “Didn’t she train your Reagan?”

  “Not mine,” I growled. “And yes. But I also don’t want to leave until I know I’m not needed.” Kal glanced around. There were now about a hundred shifters in the area. “Okay, maybe not needed, but I didn’t know if Xander wanted me here.”

  “You do know. You're avoiding her." My friend was cool, amused, and concise as always. "Go home, Wolf, or I will drag you there."

  If Rett or Tristan made that kind of a threat, I’d tackle them to the ground and teach them otherwise. But you couldn’t win with Kal. His indifference, cracking knuckles, and crazy strength meant none of his threats were idle. He’d knock me over the head without a second thought and dump me on the porch.

  Begrudgingly, I went home.

  To my relief, Reagan wasn’t there. Once upstairs, I stripped off my shirt and sat down beside the bathtub, dabbing at my wound. My movements were clumsy and tired, but not painful. No flare-up, thank Christ.

  I was pretty drained, though, since I’d gotten almost no sleep in the last three days. I was still trying to track down that creature that had attacked Reagan and been lurking around Winfyre’s borders. Up before dawn, working through the night, climbing far mountains, napping in caves, and following dead end after dead end. That had been every hour of the last three days.

  Tipping my head against the side of the tub, I blew out a sigh and closed my eyes. Just needed to rest for a second, then I’d take a bath. Maybe finally sleep in my own bed.

  “Luke.”

  My name, on a soft and shocked exhale. Reagan’s warm hand on my shoulder.

  I jerked awake, heat and alarm spiking through me, then I winced. “Ow,” I muttered, my ass and side all pins and needles from the hard floor and tub. “Dammit. I must have fallen asleep.”

  “Oh my God, I should’ve been here,” Reagan said. “Please don’t move.”

  I ignored her and rose to my feet, wincing at the crack of stiff tendons and the resistance of overworked muscles. With one hand, I twisted on the hot water of the tub and shook salt in.

  Suddenly Reagan was at my side, peeling off the cloth on my bicep and pressing a poultice to it. That gave me instant relief, but her touch caused the heat inside to spike higher.

  I yanked my arm away and snapped out, “Don’t.”

  “What? Luke, it needs to be cleaned,” Reagan said.

  “What is wrong with you?” I asked in a low and vicious voice as she came closer. “Do you even know what happened today?” She stopped and shook her head. “Bounty hunters and Skrors.”

  Those green-gray eyes went wide. “Inside Winfyre?”

  “Christ, no,” I spat. “I’d die first before I let that happen. But about twenty miles south of our borders. Far too close. Hunting shifters.”

  “Was anyone hurt?” Reagan asked quietly.

  “Yeah,” I muttered. “Brinney. Young kid. Good kid. He’ll live, though.”

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  My lip curled. “Oh, that sounds really friggin’ helpful, Grace. Yeah, shifter kid gets half-gutted by a bunch of lunatics who think he’s a monster.” A pressure was building in my throat, and I let out a growling, bitter laugh. “Only reason they didn’t succeed was because one showed up.”

  “What?” Reagan asked. “That thing from the other day?”

  “No,” I said, momentarily distracted and softening the edges of my voice. “Me.”

  There was a ringing silence, and Reagan went still, her lips parted and spine locked. Her huge eyes took me in, gray melting into green. Layers and layers of empathy and tenderness. It made me want to fall to my knees and apologize.

  It also made me want to break something.

  Taking a deep breath, Reagan began to say, “Luke, you’re a good man—”

  “Am I?” I asked and prowled closer, staring her down. “What do you even know about me, Reagan Grace? Tell me.” Surprise blossomed on her features, but not fear. Not yet. “What?”

  Her chin jutted up. “I know you’re an insufferable ass most of the time.” My jaw cracked, and I looked away. “I didn’t realize you were also one of those macho guys who shoves it all down and pretends it doesn’t hurt so it can explode later. Gee, what a strong guy.”

  “Get out,” I said, glaring at the wall and clenching my fists. “I don’t need you.”

  “Luke—”

  "Reagan, I am covered in the blood of my friends and enemies. Get the hell out.”

  She drew in an irritated breath and stormed to the door. But she opened it slowly, and I sensed her looking back. I made myself stare at the wall still.

  “You’re not a monster, Luke,” she said. “And I’m not afraid of you or your temper tantrums.”

  A hollow laugh rang around the room. “You’re not afraid of me?”

  “No,” she said quietly.

  “You should be.”

  Chapter Eleven

  Reagan

  No one could be in a bad mood quite like Luke Swiftlore.

  And here I’d thought Cassidy could be a cranky roommate.

  After Luke had kicked me out of the bathroom, I’d retreated to the kitchen, trying not to fume or march back upstairs. Instead, I’d been the adult in the house, making dinner.

  Then I’d gone and waited on the couch, only to be woken by Timber’s affectionate ministrations on my foot. Realizing the time, and hoping Luke was all right and in bed, I’d dragged myself to my room to collapse.

  The next morning, the moment my eyes opened, a twinge of guilt and sadness went through me. I should’ve been calmer and quieter last night, not trying to pick a fight. He’d been through hell, and I’d reacted badly. Lying there now, I realized how much that had scared me.

  Not Luke’s anger, but his pain. I’d seen it bottled up inside, the agony deep in his eyes and the dull look on his face. None of his usual commanding presence.

  Even if he’d been an ass, I was worried about him.

  Grumbling to myself, I threw back the covers and got up, quickly getting dressed. In the living room, I stopped and looked around. The house was still, and my shoulders slumped.

  Luke was already gone for the day, and he’d also taken the dogs. When I went to his office to check for notes or a schedule, there was nothing for me to do.

  Guess I’ll take the day off, I thought irritably and marched out of the house.

  Walking down to my family’s place, my stomach rumbling with hunger, I hugged my arms around myself and laughed a little. Even in the midst of the end of the world, humans were still humans. Still sniping and petty, still awkward and anxious, and still getting into dumb fights.

  But also, still laughing and generous.

  It made me think of something I’d read about a journalist sent overseas to war-torn countries. He’d remarked on the resiliency of the human spirit. How humanity had still had those quiet and remarkable moments in the midst of hell.

  If there’d been a breath of peace, people had still gossiped and dated, wined and dined, laughed and danced. They’d found a way to live and hope in the darkness.r />
  As always, remembering that story broke my heart. It shouldn’t be that way.

  But it also gave me hope. And a good slap upside the head. What was that thing Luke had said? Life finds a way. That had to mean laughter, love, and all that good stuff, too.

  Those pleasant, philosophical musings burst when I got to my family’s house. My mother met me at the door, frantic and wringing her hands.

  “Cassidy is gone.”

  I shook my head, positive I’d heard wrong, and smiled at her. Mom was still wringing her hands, pale and anguished. The bubble popped, and my hands gripped her as I fought back a scream.

  “No,” I said. “She wouldn’t, Mom. That doesn’t—maybe she’s in town. Or maybe—”

  “She’s not,” Mom interrupted. “Believe me, we’ve searched. Your father, Shelby, and Linh went to go find someone to help. Could you ask Luke? Please, Rea.”

  By this time, my parents knew Luke better and were annoyingly taken with him. It helped that around my parents, Luke’s manners were impeccable, even if he got a little extra gruff and quieter at times. Guess that insufferable charm was for me alone.

  “I don’t know where he is,” I said—although deep down, I knew if I went and found any shifter, they could probably find him. That was probably what I should do. But I shoved that all aside. I’d handle this. There was no way Cassidy had left Winfyre. At least not yet. “When did you realize she was missing?”

  “This morning. She doesn’t like her assignment—”

  “Well, it’s temporary,” I interrupted rudely. I mean, I didn’t love living at Luke’s house and sorting through paperwork by myself, but those were the breaks. Wasn’t this better than trekking through the damn woods? Or running from the city labs scooping up shifters to slice and dice? “And Cassidy could probably ask for something else.”

  “She doesn’t want to do anything else,” Mom said and rubbed her forehead.

  “Has she forgotten why we’re here?” My temper was starting to become monstrous. “She’s a shifter. She needs to come to terms with that and grow the hell up.”

  "Yes, Rea, I understand that," Mom replied with a quiet kind of force, and I rubbed the back of my neck, hot guilt bubbling up in my throat. "She also needs our love, support, and patience. She's gone through a lot. Everything changed, and she lost the love of her life."

  “I don’t think her fiancé saw her as the love of his life—more like a nice payday,” I grumbled.

  “Reagan Grace, I know you’re worried, but that’s no excuse to be rude and petty,” Mom reprimanded, and I winced. “She’s terrified. She’s younger than you. And I think she misses you.”

  I suddenly thought about Luke, sitting on the bathroom floor and glaring up at me, his arm bleeding and his jaw tight. The agony on his face.

  Hunting shifters, he’d said.

  Oh my God, the Skrors. What if they were still around and went after Cassidy?

  “Do you have any idea where she went?” I demanded. “When did she leave?”

  “We realized she was gone this morning,” Mom said, and her eyes went wide. “Wait, I just remembered something. Someone yesterday was talking about the Veda settlement up north. How it was a lot busier, a lot more jobs and such. Cassidy seemed pretty interested.”

  “About Veda?” I asked.

  “Rea.” My mother was now pale. “They were talking about the ports up there.”

  “Dammit,” I swore.

  Would Cassidy be reckless enough to hop on a boat back to the States? After all the time we took to get here? And the dangers waiting for her back home, like the certainty of death?

  The answer, immediately, was yes.

  Anything to see her crummy ex-fiancé.

  “Gramma?” Drue’s voice ran down the hall, and I backed up, letting go of my mother.

  “I’m going after her,” I said. “She can’t have gone far.”

  “Rea, wait,” Mom said. “I think—”

  I’d already taken off. Panic was crawling through my body and making my heart beat faster.

  In addition to the threat of the Skrors, I’d just remembered something else Luke had told me the other day, almost in passing. He’d been more tired than usual and had confided in me about a problem in the north. Something about the Farline Pass to Veda.

  “We’ve had to suspend travel,” he’d said. “There’s a big swath of woods, and its eastern border is hard to guard. It’s not safe at the moment, even with extra shifters up there.”

  Now, though, with the Skrors running around, they’d probably been pulled to the south. No one would be there to tell Cassidy to turn back.

  Stupid, reckless…

  Sprinting to town, I made my way to the stables, where I found a young stable hand rubbing down a gorgeous chestnut. My grandfather had loved horses and paid for lessons every summer.

  “Hi, Gertie, right?” The girl nodded. “Can I borrow a horse?” I asked. “Or, well, I need to go somewhere…”

  Damn, I hated lying, and I was terrible at it, too.

  Gertie tilted her head. By now, everyone on this side of Winfyre knew I was claimed by Luke. To the point where, until they learned my name, I was “Luke’s girl.”

  “Sure,” Gertie said and blinked innocent blue eyes at me. “This for the boss?”

  I nodded. Sure. In a way, right? “A horse good on the trails. And fast.”

  Without hesitation, Gertie found a sturdy buckskin named Roo and got her saddled.

  “Thank you,” I said fervently as Gertie led her out, and I hopped up.

  In the saddle, my thighs and lower back started to ache immediately. I’d sparred with the Vixens the other day, and my body was still sore. Damn, I hoped I remembered what I was doing.

  For a moment, I wondered if I should go find Fallon. Surely, she would help.

  But then I thought of Cassidy, stubborn and strong-willed, running from herself.

  Thanking Gertie again, I tugged on the reins, heading for the gate, and gently prodded her sides. With that, we took off for the woods, then veered up a trail and shot off north.

  This was my family’s problem, and I had to fix it.

  Because, deep down, I was terrified Cassidy might be made to leave if anyone found out.

  I wasn’t sure how much time had passed, except that my back was soaked in sweat, my hair was a disaster of clumps, and my thighs were in serious discomfort. If I had to guess, it had been over an hour, at least. I pressed on, sure I’d find Cassidy soon.

  I didn’t know how, but some intuition told me she was close. She had to be.

  It was getting difficult to sit up straight, though. Or even think straight.

  In my haste to go after Cassidy, I hadn’t eaten any breakfast, and my blood sugar was running very low. My senses seemed fuzzy around the edges, and my throat was parched. I almost laughed. It was like I’d been out here for days, not a few hours. How quickly my intrepid survivor skills had deserted me in relative domesticity.

  “Cassidy!” I’d shouted at intervals. “Cassidy Grace, dammit, this isn’t funny.”

  But now I was keeping quiet. Some part of me wished I could call for Ayani and Lazu. Come to think of it, though, I hadn’t seen those wolves at all lately. Another part wished I could scream.

  Preferably at Cassidy. I’d already planned out everything I was going to say to her. Because I loved her. I loved my sister and was heartbroken over what had happened. But I didn’t know how to fix it except give her space. I honestly understood why my parents tolerated her nonsense—I did.

  Right now, though, that could get her killed.

  I was so terrified, every breath hurt.

  Roo and I crested a small hill, then paused. We’d left the settlements of Winfyre far behind, looking over nothing but stretches of woods and silent fields. In the distance, mountains rose up, jutting monoliths against the sky, capped with snow and ice. Birds swooped and dove, riding the wind, and in the far distance to my left lay the curve of another bay. Ahead, t
he path cut through tall, waving grasses. If I was remembering the map of Winfyre Ridge correctly, this place was called the Geshalt. We’d come far.

  “Good girl,” I said and patted her neck.

  Pushing on, we dipped down into the grass stretching above our heads and filling the air with a light, sweet fragrance. One that made me think, of all things, of waffles. Stomach cramping, I tried to think of anything but food or water. Or Luke.

  Now that my initial fire had worn off, I was starting to worry this might not sit well with him. I couldn’t forget I had a predator’s price on my head as his claimant. Or the fact that he’d made it explicitly clear I wasn’t supposed to go running off like this.

  Luke might get a two-for-one deal and kick both Grace sisters out of Winfyre.

  That horrible thought spurred me on. I had to find Cassidy, and fast. Luke could never know.

  After Roo and I crossed through the field, we splashed across a stream and plunged into a wood. The path twisted and turned against a sheer hill. We rounded a corner, picking our way around fallen boulders and scree. There must have been a rockslide recently.

  Up ahead, a figure was clambering over a rock and glanced back, then froze.

  “Cassidy,” I cried out, pressing a hand to my heart and squeezing Roo with my heels.

  We clattered to meet her, my sister pulling herself up and staring down at me in disbelief.

  “What the hell, Reagan?” she snapped.

  My sister’s eyes were bloodshot, her clothes dirty, and her hair escaping its ponytail. Even though we’d been in Winfyre for almost a month, she looked gaunt. Hopping down off Roo, I slipped and slid on the rocks, reaching out for her. But she pulled back and gripped her knees, shaking her head.

  “Cassidy. We have to go. Please.”

  I was surprised by the softness in my voice. Maybe it was because Cassidy looked like a cornered animal, small and afraid. Like she'd bite your fingers off out of fear.

  “No, I’m going to Veda and leaving Winfyre,” Cassidy said. “Anything is better than this.”

  “What? Safety, family, a roof over your head?” I asked. “Friends and people who understand—”