by T. F. Walsh
“At the last Lunar Eutine, I changed from moonwulf to wulfkin, and since then, I’ve been able to heal wulfkin quickly. I’ve always worked with healing, but not like this. Father said my transformation happened during a strong matriarchal moon, meaning only females changed, so my abilities were somehow upgraded, or something. Also explains why Nic didn’t change over from a moonwulf. Though, I honestly don’t really know.”
Enre nodded, and his gaze rolled to the crisp sky full of stars. “What happened back in the prison?”
I sighed. “After I left the storeroom, the next door was easy to break through, but the main entrance to the prison took ages. And when I finally opened it, I must have tripped a perimeter alarm. I hadn’t even reached Nic.” I cut a glance to Enre, his expression solemn, without a hint of cheekiness. “It was too late.”
“You did the best you could, and it’s probably good you hadn’t reached him. The officers won’t associate him with the attempted jail break.”
I bit my lower lip, well aware I could have done more. I choked back a hiccupped breath. “He won’t last in there.”
“A risky break-in. Maybe we should have planned better before just charging in there, but at least we didn’t get caught.” He placed a hand on mine, the heat spreading up my arm, but his words slapped me in the face, and I pulled away.
“It was my idea. This isn’t about you judging me.” Up on my feet, I rubbed the cold out of my arms, the sway of the long grasses scratching the skin around my thighs. “Nic only has over a week until the moon makes him shift. And then what? I have to get him out.”
A shattered expression hooded his eyes. “I’m not judging, but you’ve got to admit you didn’t put enough thought into it.”
I offered him a wry smirk. “I don’t want to talk about it anymore. Let’s get back before someone sees us.” I turned and headed toward the line of trailers, regretting my decision to allow Enre to join me. What was I thinking? All I’d managed to do was give him evidence to hold over me. A silly mistake I’d never repeat.
Over my shoulder, Enre remained seated in the grassy field, the night easily veiling him if anyone scanned the empty lot where he sat. My wolf urged me to return to his side, or better yet, invite him back to my trailer. After all, he’d helped me tonight.
“How about some healing?” I asked.
“Do you mind if I take a rain check on that until tomorrow? I’m exhausted tonight.” His voice sounded far away even though he sat only a few steps from me.
“Of course, no problem.” It wasn’t like him to turn down an invitation to my trailer. Why was he so distant?
“Good night then.” When he gave no response, I trudged toward the trailer, my belly in knots. Forget him.
The fairy lights from the big top remained lit, as they did every night, whether we performed or not. I hurried onward, my arms tight against my chest as the cold prickled across my skin, before anyone saw me and asked where my clothes were.
Worry for Nicolai overtook my thoughts. Worse yet, if the police knew someone from the circus was trying to break him out, they’d come to Father and me.
I climbed into my trailer and slammed the door shut.
For the rest of the night, I didn’t sleep a wink. When the morning sun glared in through the window, I was still lying in bed unable to get comfortable. My brother was a softy and didn’t have a hard bone in his body. I’d never seen him fight or snarl at anyone. So how was he supposed to last in a cell with inmates who’d probably chew on him for a snack? Not to mention his upcoming moonshift.
A knock at the door instantly brought me to my feet. My hands trembled at the notion of who’d be visiting me this early. Part of me hoped it was Enre.
“Alena.” Damir’s voice boomed from outside. “Your father wants to talk to you. Now.”
My mouth dried. Had Father found out about last night? I got dressed in jeans, a hoodie, and stepped into my boots while my body remained numb of feelings. On the way out, I grabbed my windbreaker.
A ferocious wind folded around me, promising the onset of snow despite clear skies. With fists stuffed into the pockets of my windbreaker, I dragged my feet behind Damir toward Father’s RV.
Inside, Father stood near his table, his weighty gaze drilling into me.
Oh, I was in so much shit.
“Take a seat, Alena. Damir, please wait outside until I’m finished here.”
I slipped into the chair while Father watched me, shaking his head. “I know it was you.”
“I … I don’t know what you mean.” My gaze scanned the room and across numerous books on the shelves. Even my voice betrayed me, shaking and high-pitched.
“When the police told me about the attempted break-in at the detention center, my thoughts flew to you. No one else would try such a stupid stunt.” He paused and narrowed his eyes. “I want to know who helped you.”
My head jerked up. “No one.”
“Ah, so you admit it was you.”
Shit. I sucked at lying.
“The police told me there were two people involved.”
I sighed. “You should have seen Nic yesterday when I went to visit him. He was already broken. I couldn’t stand seeing him that way.”
“I already told you I’m taking care of Nicolai, but—”
“Then why haven’t you done anything yet?” My voice climbed an octave. “You keep telling me to leave it to you, but I don’t see you doing a thing to help him.”
He huffed and shook his head in my direction. “You don’t know what you’ve done.” The tone beneath his words rumbled. “I had plans in place to rescue him, but now they’re useless. There’ll be police everywhere near the station.”
I curled into my seat, shoulders slouched, hands in my lap, suddenly feeling like I was five years old again, when I’d brought home two bunnies and a guinea pig I’d “borrowed” from a neighbor because I wanted a pet. The police had been on our doorstep within the hour, and Father had to apologize on my behalf.
He kneeled in front of me, taking my hand in his. “You need to trust me when I tell you I’ve got your brother’s interests at heart. And you can’t break the rules and expect me to look the other way. It tells the rest of the pack that I’m a feeble leader.”
“Then punish me.” I deserved it and so much more. I’d stuffed up his plans, and now, because of me, Nicolai would remain in prison a while longer.
“Not until you tell me who helped you.” Creases marred Father’s brow. “If you don’t, then the whole pack suffers.”
“What?” I drew my hand from his.
He stood up and paced to the door and back. “Breaking rules has consequences. The police come sniffing around our circus more than they should. If you or your brother are accepted to lead this pack when I die, you need to understand that your actions impact everyone.”
“That’s not fair.”
“Life isn’t fair.” Father frowned. He licked his lips and stopped several paces from me. “Once Nicolai gets out, we’re doing what we should have done a long time ago. That monster, Sandulf, killed two of our scouts. So I’ll return the favor and eliminate the Transylvanian pack and claim their land for us. But until then, we can’t lose our heads.”
My voice failed me.
Father shook his head and marched to the door, pushing it open. “Damir, call a pack meeting in the mess tent, now.”
He glanced back at me. “Last chance. Who helped you?”
My gaze dropped as my hands fiddled in my lap. If I told Father it was Enre, he’d probably have a stroke knowing I allowed a Varlac to join me. Plus, Enre would end up getting kicked out and reported to his clan. As much as I hated his family, he helped me last night. How could I turn him in?
CHAPTER TEN
ENRE
Pressed up against the back of Maxim’s dilapidated RV, which had dented bumpers and sun-bleached yellow paint, I listened. Maxim and Alena talked about last night’s attempted breakout. She told Maxim it was her but not who help
ed her. Still, my muscles tightened.
Maxim claimed he’d kill the Transylvanian pack in Romania. A part of me had hoped it was another of Sandulf’s exaggerations. Apparently not.
The crunch of footsteps on the other side of the RV forced me to step away in case someone spotted me. I curved around two other trailers before limping to the mess tent with every other wulfkin headed that way. I’d hardly slept that night from the pain in my leg. Running from the police could cause that. What was I thinking?
Fuck, I didn’t get to hear whether Alena had outed me in the end.
Once inside the mess tent, I wove past the glaring pack members, toward the back, and stopped near Eevi. The scorched stench of breakfast meat permeated the air and soured the back of my throat. I ignored the hateful frowns thrown my way. Tough crowd.
“I think they found another body.” Eevi nudged my arm.
“Have you heard something?” I asked, sweat rolling down my back despite the cold.
“N-nope.” Her hands twisted one of her dreadlocks in a nervous way. “More police came to the circus this morning.”
I was in a pit surrounded by wolves looking for any excuse to eat me alive. If Maxim suspected my involvement last night, then I might finally see the Bulgarian pack as Sandulf had described them: bloodthirsty monsters.
A sudden sting pinched my leg, and I hissed through my teeth. The transformation and last night’s run had aggravated the bullet wound, and instead of getting better, I now limped worse than before. I should have taken up Alena’s healing offer last night, but after the ruined break-in and Alena’s worry over her brother, I couldn’t bring myself to ask any more of her.
Maxim and Alena entered the tent. My pulse kicked up a notch. The chatter around us died. Showtime.
Alena slipped into the crowd, taking an empty seat at a table without a glance my way. Maxim moved to stand at the front, facing the pack, his legs parted to match his wide shoulders, fists by his sides. A quick glance had his gaze landing on me for a second or so. What did he know?
I swallowed the knot forming in my throat and held the dread on the inside. If the alpha had any inclination of my involvement in the attempted breakout of Nicolai, I’d already be locked up somewhere, or worse. But a Varlac breaking their own rules would have him suspecting I wasn’t Varlac.
“I appreciate everyone coming here on such short notice. First, I must apologize to our guest for not giving him a proper introduction earlier. He’s traveled all the way from the Hungarian Varlac family to visit us.” He offered me a terse nod and waved a hand at me. “I’d like to welcome Enre Ulf. He’ll be staying with us a few days, so please pay him the respect he deserves.”
Every head turned in my direction, their glares sliding across every inch of my body. I forced a smile.
“Events have been unusually strange,” Maxim continued, “and I had hoped to return to our usual routine, forget our past, and move on. But this morning, the police have brought unfortunate news to my attention.” He paused, his gaze sweeping the group who’d fallen deadly silent.
“Last night, two people tried to break into the city’s detention center.”
Yep, here it comes. My muscles tensed.
“The police came to ask me whether I believed the culprits could be from our circus. I might have dismissed their accusations, except that one of the suspects confessed to me this morning.”
I struggled to swallow past the unmoving boulder in my throat.
“I have yet to identify the second person involved.”
A long breath spilled past my lips, and my shoulders relaxed.
“I want to extend the opportunity to the one responsible to come forward and explain themselves.” Maxim rubbed his stubbly chin. “I promise I will be understanding, and I don’t expect you to reveal yourself here. Come and see me today in private.” He shrugged, though his narrow eyes and thin lips were anything but casual. “If not, I can’t promise I will be as forgiving when I eventually come for you.”
A few murmured voices rose from the masses. Somehow, I doubted his generosity extended to me.
“So, until the perpetrator steps forward, I am putting the pack into lockdown.”
His words elicited groans and whispers from the pack, steadily growing louder.
Someone said, “Force the wulfkin who confessed to tell you who it was. Don’t punish all of us.”
“No one is to leave the circus grounds without my permission.” Maxim’s voice boomed louder. “Anyone caught doing so will be punished. No excuses.”
“This isn’t fair,” someone else called out.
Everyone quieted down, waiting for the alpha’s response.
Fuck, Alena. You’ve thrown me to the wolves now.
The cacophony of angry words, sighs, and the shuffling of seats against linoleum escalated.
“You’re killing us,” Eevi piped up, drawing attention our way.
Wonderful.
“We haven’t released our wolves for weeks, and I’m feeling it. How much longer do we wait? My wolf wants out, and you want us caged in the circus? Why aren’t we moving? You promised we’d be gone by now to—”
“Eevi,” Maxim said, a heavy growl hanging off her name. The alpha’s gaze slid across to me for a smidgen of a second. The crowd fell silent. “Watch your words carefully. Once the situation with the police has settled, which should only be a few days at most, I promise everyone a trip to the national park. Until then, stay strong and support each other. This is a difficult time for our pack, but we will get through it together.” With one last look my way, Maxim turned and strode outside with Blackie.
The tent became a whirlwind of activity, a chorus of whispers, and a few wulfkin stormed out.
I leaned toward Eevi to ask a question, but she shot forward and blended into the crowd, vanishing.
Alena glanced my direction, worry marring her expression, and she took a step toward me. I was eager to settle a few details about last night. She did a quick sweep of the room and then spun around before dashing outside.
I lunged after her, groaning from the ache gripping my thigh. Pushing past wulfkin who refused to move out of my way, I ignored their grunts and exited the overheated tent. A chilly but refreshing breeze greeted me outside.
Alena’s blue windbreaker and dark hair vanished around the corner of a trailer. The mid-morning sun beat down on my back as I hobbled after her.
Near the far side of the large tent, Alena sneaked past three trucks parked in a U-shape. Inside the formation lay a huge wooden container the size of any trailer. Except it was positioned on a platform with wheels, most likely pulled by one of the trucks. The worn paint on the sides of the container had mostly faded away, but the bleached turquoise color used for the name Novac remained, even if in the form of washed-out streaks.
Alena was nowhere to be found, but a familiar scent hit, the same one I’d inhaled when I’d first encountered Alena. It was the wolf girl.
Climbing the steps up to the old trailer, I stood outside the door and knocked.
I listened and heard a shuffling sound, like feet dragging hay, along with a low rumble. My spine stiffened. I lifted my hand for another knock. The door swung open, and the barnyard smell mingled with wolf wafted out.
Alena greeted me with a scowl. Behind her, a black curtain with rips in it concealed the rest of the room.
“We should talk,” I said.
Her brow creased. “Nothing to talk about. Keep your mouth shut and there’ll be no problem.”
“Why would you cover for me?”
“You helped me out, and I’m repaying the favor, that’s it. Isn’t that enough? Unlike the Varlac, I—”
“Would you lay off the Varlac insults? Unless you’re going to tell me why you detest us, stop judging.”
Her cheeks colored. “Doesn’t stop you from assuming things about us.” She folded her arms, and her eyes pierced me.
A loud thud behind Alena made the platform beneath our feet quiver. My re
sponse stuck to the tip of my tongue. “What have you got in there?”
“Just leave me alone. Please. After last night, it’s best no one sees us together.” She turned around and hurried back inside.
I entered the darkened room and closed the door. The whiff of wet dog fur flooded my senses. Light seeped out around the corners of the curtain, and I pushed it aside to find two cages taking up the length of the container. The cages stood at least six-foot-three in height. The metal bars were peeling … probably from many years of use by this pack, though at least they’d invested in new locks for both cage doors. Fresh air blew in from the line of small holes along the tops of the walls.
From the first cage, a familiar wolf pounced at me, her brow smacking into the metal frame, her height easily reaching my waist. A whimper rolled off her tongue. Mila.
Alena sidled up the narrow passage between the bars and wall. She glanced my way. “Happy now?”
I shrugged. “What’s wrong with her?”
Alena slid closer. I backed into the curtain, giving her enough room to pass.
“A couple of weeks ago, Mila was chosen to transform from a moonwulf to wulfkin at the recent Lunar Eutine. Except she’s remained in her wolf form ever since. I’ve been trying to help her change into human form, but nothing’s worked. I think it’s got to do with her age, maybe stress.”
Mila prowled inside the cage, more cat-like than canine, bronze tufts of fur gliding past the bars. Her nose lifted and inhaled the air, then the wolf slumped onto her belly, a great breath gushing from her nostrils. Kalina, the Interpol woman who was searching for Mila, came to mind. This whole time the pack was trying to help Mila. No foul play.
“She’s only fifteen,” Alena continued. “The youngest moonwulf I’ve ever heard of transforming into a wulfkin. And she wasn’t even part of our pack. We sensed her when she came to the circus here in Ruse with her human mother. No father in the picture. I don’t think her mother even knew the species of the one who got her pregnant. Weeks later, the full moon hit, and we found her in her wolf form on circus grounds, lost and terrified.”