The animal whined, its ears flattening to its head. Perhaps his spirit guide was as lost here as he was. Perhaps only Blake’s call from the outside world when he needed to shift, or wanted help, gave it direction.
But then he remembered how his wolf was able to view the real world, relay the images back to him when he was in the form of a man, and he realized that the place they’d found themselves in wasn’t where his wolf normally resided. This strange, halfway place was a ghost in itself, and they both needed to get out.
“Let’s start moving. We’re bound to come across something we recognize—a tree or a path or ... something. We’re not going to get anywhere standing around here.”
He didn’t wait for the wolf to answer. Choosing right, he strode between the trees. Movement came from behind him. His wolf was following, belly low to the ground, slinking along as if it didn’t want to be seen.
Blake started at a powerful stride, but as he walked and walked, and nothing seemed to change, and nothing looked any different, his walk broke into a jog which quickly morphed into a run.
Several times, he convinced himself he recognized something—a low hanging branch, or a certain boulder, and said, “I’m close, my body is right around the corner. I know this place, I’m sure I do. I’ve been here before.” But each time, his body wasn’t revealed and he changed direction sporadically, dashing from one spot to another, certain he was in the right place this time and that he’d find his father walking around his body.
Finally, out of breath and covered in sweat, he forced himself to stop. He needed to admit the truth to himself. He’d lost sight of his body, and his way of getting back again.
He was lost.
Beside him, his wolf lifted its head and howled.
Chapter Seventeen
AUTUMN SAT IN the interview room of the Brown County Sheriff’s Office, trying to stop her heart beating too hard, and her palms from sweating.
She’d been put through processing by a sheriff’s officer. Paperwork had been filled in while she’d been given a pat-down to make sure she wasn’t carrying any other weapons or drugs. Once this had been done, she’d been escorted into a secure part of the Sherriff’s Office, and been forced to a humiliating strip search, while the officer once again searched for weapons, drugs, and also checked her over for any kind of injury. The sheriff’s officer had commented on the number of cuts and bruises that littered her body, but she’d told the other woman that she didn’t have any injuries bad enough to require medical attention, so she’d been allowed to dress in the standard jail garb. At least the handcuffs had been removed.
She still hadn’t been told exactly the reason why she’d been brought in, but she could hazard a good guess. She hoped the couple of shifters that had been caught with her were cooperating, and being treated fairly.
A click came, and the door swung open. The sheriff strolled in, his deputy—the woman who had been at her arrest—following close behind.
“My name is Sherriff Joe Petterson, and this is my deputy, Elaine Young.”
The younger woman gave Autumn a nod of acknowledgement.
“Are you going to tell me what this is about?” she demanded.
He raised thick, bushy white eyebrows. “Don’t you want to wait for a lawyer before you speak?”
“I don’t have one.”
“We can appoint you one through the state.”
“I thought I’d only need a lawyer if I’ve done something wrong.”
Those eyebrows bobbed again. “And you’re claiming you haven’t? We’re already running the serial number on that gun we found you in possession of. I’m pretty sure it’s going to come back that it’s not registered to you.”
“It’s not,” she admitted. “I took it from a friend. She doesn’t even know I have it.”
“So you’re admitting possession of an illegal weapon?”
“Yes.” She leaned forward, stomach pressing against the edge of the table. “Charge me for it, and let me go.”
“It’s not that simple. That’s not the reason you were arrested.” The man took his cell phone from his pocket, and swiped the screen a couple of times. “Recognize this?”
He slid the phone across the table toward her. For the briefest of seconds, she expected to be faced with the footage of her father having his throat cut again, but then she focused in on the scene actually playing. The person videoing the scene swept across a group of people from behind. They were all huddled together, the weaker ones, women and children, in the middle. Then the film maker scanned outward, revealing a line of trees. It took Autumn a moment to realize the huge creatures emerging from between the trees were her shifters—Peter, Mia, Tocho, Sahale, and the shifters from the Company of Tooth and Claw. The wolves from Tooth and Claw immediately pounced on the civilians, and cries of terror could be heard from the device. But instead of filming the attack, the camera focused on a tall figure, standing among the remaining shifters. The figure appeared strong and commanding, a determined set to the person’s shoulders, a slim, almost severe face, and cold blue eyes.
With a shock that felt like someone had punched her in the stomach, it hit her that she was looking at herself.
On screen her hand lifted, and she clearly brought it down in the direction of the people—the signal to the shifters to attack. Of course, she’d been asking the other shifters to break up the fight, but it didn’t look that way from the footage.
Chaos ensued, and Autumn had to glance away. The position the camera was filming from made everything appear brutal. There was no sign of the guns that had been present, as the bodies of the people sheltered them from the view of the camera. Instead, it simply looked as though huge, terrifying animals emerged from the forest, and she’d given the order to attack a group of defenseless civilians.
A voice on camera made her gaze flick back to the cell. The camera was no longer trained on her, but on Ollie Pritchard. Though it only took in the top half of him, his chest bare after he’d shifted back from his animal guide, Autumn remembered how he’d been completely naked.
Ollie’s voice shouted out, “We are The Company of Tooth and Claw, and we are here to prove that shifters are superior to people. We will rule you with violence and fear, if we have to, but we will rule you. If you don’t submit to us, this will be your punishment.”
She remembered him saying the words perfectly and she knew how the whole clip had made her appear. It gave the impression that Ollie was just her little bitch, and that she was the one running the show.
Exactly as Vivian had wanted it to look.
“This ...” she stuttered, gesturing at the small screen. “This isn’t how it looks.”
“What? Like you ordered the attack on a group of innocent people in order to make your own political gains?”
“Those aren’t my political gains! I didn’t even know The Company of Tooth and Claw until a few days ago, and that was only by hearing the name. I’m not the person who runs it, the guy you saw talking just then is!”
“As I’m sure you’re aware, The Company of Tooth and Claw have attacked a number of people in the local area. They’re organized, ruthless. Don’t try to tell me that this ... kid ... is the one organizing everyone.” He leaned forward. “We know who you are, Autumn Anderson. We know what you’re capable of.”
“So then you’ll know what we’ve been fighting for all this time. We only wanted for shifters to become an equal part of society, not to be hidden away for the government to run experiments on. With all due respect, you wouldn’t even believe some of the stuff I’ve seen behind closed doors. The government has allowed people like Vivian Winters to experiment on people for years.” Did she see a flicker of recognition on his face when she’d mentioned Vivian’s name? Was there a chance he knew exactly what she was and what she was capable of? Was there even a chance Vivian had paid off this department in order to get her arrested, and if so, to what gain? Having her arrested seemed far too civilized to be any part of Viv
ian’s plan.
Autumn continued, “And I don’t just mean shifters. She’s abducted innocent children from their families and held them for years. All we wanted was for it all to stop, and for shifters to feel like they had a voice. I’ve never once wanted shifters to be superior to people, only equals, and the vast majority of shifters I’ve met want the same thing. This Company of Tooth and Claw are a minority, and they’re not a group I’m associated with.”
“So you’re saying you’re not associated with them, even though you are clearly in this video footage giving them orders, and we also happened to pick up a couple of members of The Company traveling with you when we picked you up.”
She remembered seeing the other wolves—Ollie’s shifters—being bundled out of the forest by animal control while she was being arrested. “Surely those shifters have told you who is in charge of them? I assumed they’ve shifted back now.”
“Of course, they’re both men, and both of them, when asked if you were their leader, said you were.”
Her eyes widened. “Of course they did! They’re trying to protect Ollie Pritchard! Don’t you think if I was the one organizing them that they’d be a little more cagey about my identity.”
“Of course, but it’s not up to me to decide if you’re guilty or not. We have a court of law to determine that.”
“I’m pretty sure you have some say in it, considering you were the one who arrested me!”
He glanced down at his paperwork. “You have a court appearance scheduled in a couple of hours. I highly recommend you take my offer of a lawyer.”
“I don’t want your fucking lawyer.”
The sheriff lifted an eyebrow. “Now, now, Miss. Anderson. I suggest you calm down.”
She steeled her jaw. “It’s Doctor Anderson, actually.”
He gave a cold smile. “In my jail, I get to call you whatever the hell I want.”
Chapter Eighteen
THE MOMENT THEY pulled the car into the driveway, people came running from the house.
Mia was relieved to see Lakota, Wenona, Madison, and Billy, all appearing safe and unharmed. She knew Autumn had been worried about them, feeling like she’d left them unguarded when Vivian knew their location.
She and Angie climbed out of the truck, to be rewarded with embraces and numerous questions.
Lakota’s gaze moved behind them. “Where is everyone else? Did Autumn find Vivian Winters?”
Mia shook her head. “No. When we reached the place she was supposed to be, Vivian had already left. She’d left Autumn a parting gift, though, in the form of a set-up to make her look like she, and the rest of us, are a part of this gang, The Company of Tooth and Claw.”
“What? Why?”
“Because Vivian doesn’t just want to take down Autumn. She wants to ruin things for all shifters. She made it look like we attacked a group of people, and that Autumn was right there, supporting us. The whole thing has been posted online already.”
“Gosh darn it,” said Wenona, shaking her head in dismay.
“So where are they now?” asked Lakota.
“They got a message that Vivian would be heading back this way. We started to head back, but then Autumn and the others spotted what appeared to be a big fire to the west, so they went to check it out.”
“Why aren’t you with them?”
Mia frowned and shook her head. “I haven’t been feeling well. I don’t know if it’s the shift, but I just feel weird.”
Wenona took her arm, as though Mia were the old woman, not the other way around. “Here, let’s get you into the house and make you some tea.”
Mia accepted the support gratefully. “Thank you.”
“So tell me a little more about how you’ve been feeling?” the older woman enquired, looking at her curiously.
“I don’t know how to explain it, really. I think I’ve just picked up the stomach flu, or something.”
She gave a small smile. “But you’re a shifter now, dear. You can’t pick up the stomach flu.”
“I know. I guess my body just hasn’t reacted well to shifting for the first time.”
She patted her hand. “Of course. Let’s get you inside.”
They took the steps onto the porch and then headed into the kitchen, Angie, Lakota, and Madison following close behind. Mia found herself ushered into one of the chairs positioned around the kitchen table, and for once she didn’t mind being made a fuss of.
Wenona made tea for everyone, and set a cup in front of Mia.
She placed her hand against Mia’s forehead. “Hmm, it’s hard to tell, as your temperature is elevated anyway from being a shifter, but from what I can tell, I think congratulations are in order.”
Mia’s eyes opened wide, her heart lurching. “What?”
“I’m going to guess you and that lovely man of yours have been rather ... busy?”
Mia’s cheeks flushed with heat. “Umm ...”
“No need to be coy.” Wenona gave her a wink. “I was young once too, you know. From what you’ve described, I’d say there’s a damn good chance you’re pregnant.”
Mia’s hand automatically went to her belly. She tried to remember when her last period had been, and realized it had been at least six weeks ago, possibly longer. Her other hand went to her mouth. “Oh, my God.”
“It’s good news, right?”
“I ... I guess so. I don’t know. It’s all so soon.”
“Your man will be thrilled. I can tell just by looking at you that you’re very much in love.”
“We are,” she agreed. “But ... but is this for real?”
“I’ve always been able to spot someone who is carrying.”
“I don’t know what to think. I mean, it’s not even confirmed. I’m going to have to see a doctor, or at least get a test.”
Wenona smiled. “Of course, you do. But I’m rarely wrong about these things.”
Mia took a deep breath. Did she really have a little life growing inside of her? A life she and Peter had created. Her mind whirled with so many thoughts, her emotions confused. Part of her didn’t dare to hope such a wonderful thing might happen to her, while the other part worried what Peter’s reaction would be. Would the baby be a shifter like Peter and her? Would it have been hurt by her shift?
It dawned on her that someone was missing. “Where’s Blake?”
Wenona and Lakota exchanged a glance. “Something happened,” Lakota admitted.
Her heart rate stepped up a notch, worrying for Autumn. She was going through so much, she wouldn’t be able to handle much more. “What?”
Lakota rose to his feet. “It’s easier if you come and see.”
He walked out of the kitchen and headed down the hallway. Mia hurriedly got up, pausing for a moment as lightheadedness made the room swim, and then she took after him. He stopped outside of the room Blake and Autumn had been sharing before Autumn had left. Without bothering to knock, Lakota walked in.
Mia followed, her heart in her throat, preparing herself for what she would find. Though her mind had conjured up horrific injuries, she walked into the room to discover Blake lying asleep on the bed. His chest rose and fell, his face appeared peaceful.
Confusion scattered her thoughts. Why was Lakota showing her this?
“He’s asleep,” she whispered, so as not to disturb Blake.
Lakota shook his head and spoke in a normal voice. “No, he’s not. I helped his spirit go into the spirit world to find his wolf, and he’s not found his way back to his body again.”
“What?”
“He managed to get back before. He must have forgotten my warnings, and lost sight of his body.”
“What can we do to bring him back?”
“I don’t know.”
“Can we send someone else in to find him?” All she could think about was Autumn and how she wouldn’t be able to handle much more pain.
Lakota regarded her with his deep brown eyes, so similar to Blake’s. “It’s possible, yes. But the
y would need to have a connection to the spirit world.”
She pressed her lips together, not wanting the words to come from her mouth, yet unable to hold them back. “Like another shifter?”
“Yes, but it needs to be someone who has a strong connection. You’re a new shifter, Mia.” He had read her thoughts. “If someone as strong as Blake can get lost, I wouldn’t want to risk you, too. Especially,” his eyes flicked to her stomach, “considering your condition.”
The idea of her pregnancy hadn’t sunk in, or even been confirmed, yet still her hand instinctively went to her stomach. She had to admit to herself she was relieved at Lakota’s response. Though she wanted to help, the last thing she wanted to do was go through a strange and frightening experience. She hadn’t even really believed in spirits before she’d gotten involved with the spirit shifters. She’d always hoped there had been some kind of afterlife—mainly because there had always been a chance that Marcus had been dead all these years, even though she’d never allowed herself to believe that he had been killed. But still, the possibility of an afterlife existing brought some comfort, even if she’d never been one hundred percent certain. Now, however, she was, and she definitely didn’t want to visit whatever world they inhabited.
The sound of an engine started up outside, and everyone turned toward the window.
Instinctively, Mia’s heart hoped the noise signaled the return of Peter and Autumn, but then she realized she would have heard the engine die off, not start up.
She glanced at the matching confusion on Lakota and Wenona’s faces.
“What the hell?”
They looked around at who was missing.
“It must be Madison,” said Wenona. “She’s taken Billy with her.”
They ran to the front door and onto the porch, hoping to catch up with them, but the vehicle was long gone, only a cloud of dust settling on the ground.
Chapter Nineteen
HIS PAWS STRUCK the ground in a rhythmical gallop along the edge of the road. His breath heaved in and out of his lungs, exhaled in white plumes into the cool air. He wasn’t worried about being seen as much as he was desperate to get back to the house. He’d lost the others, though Tala and Nadie flew somewhere overhead. He figured Peter, Tocho, and Sahale would know to make their way back to the house—that was if they hadn’t been caught as well.
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