Will I go back to Sandy for my next bang trim? She stood silently looking at the building. Marcus was a talented artist. He’d drawn a cute back-to-school border with glass markers around the shop window. The cheerful man changed artwork every month for his wife. Bianca had gone to high school with Sandy. The down-to-Earth couple worshiped their adorable ten-year-old son, Baxter. The boy came down to the community center on basketball night every Wednesday.
She’d be back to Sandy’s salon, no doubt about it. Odd, she should be screaming and running away from town, or calling the FBI—something like that. She continued down the street as calm as could be. Maybe I’m in shock? Bianca paused, wrapping her arms around her midsection. Her head cocked to the side as she considered if she was coping well or subsiding in denial. Sighing, she put one foot in front of the other and kept walking.
The library stood dark, she moved closer to the door and saw the temporary closure notice. Frank, the Librarian, always called her when the next book in her favorite series came in. She tried to envision the sweet, elderly man wolfed-out somewhere. Nope.
Birds sang a cheerful ballad of the morning. Everything was still green with only hints of the vibrant palette of fall. A little creek ran through the park on the corner of Main and Bluff Streets. She stopped to listen to the soft babble of the water skipping over rocks. She’d told Lucas she was pregnant with Chessa next to the tiny spring that cascaded down like a waterfall. So many memories here, and yet she’d never known anything real about her hometown.
There wasn’t even one car on the road to disturb the natural sounds. Bianca experienced a flash of cold down her spine. Will I ever trust this place again? She loved her town. Or, at least, she had loved Wild Rose Valley.
She hadn’t felt so much like her old self since Chessa disappeared. She didn’t understand how such insanity could make her go sane. Maybe I’m just so crazy it feels normal. That’s as legit as it gets, I guess. She sighed, pausing in front of the Brooks’ pizzeria. They were closed until Friday too.
The idea of hairy werewolf hands tossing her pizza crust in the air made her gag a little. She’d found in hair in her pizza a few months ago. Anything accidentally dropped in food always grossed her out, but wolf hair was so much worse. How much werewolf fur have I ingested over the years? Sure, I don’t call the FBI, but I totally want to call the health department. They’d throw her in the looney bin, and toss the key. Face it; I can’t tell anyone.
And then there was Law. Ever since he’d gone all “you have my protection” on her she’d felt the strangest thrill around him. The might be hot-as-hell, but that didn’t explain the weird magnetism he had on her. Law Foster, so much manly goodness—when he wasn’t wolfing out. She never let anyone get too serious about her. Mothering her daughter mattered, not getting laid. Now wasn’t the time to change. She needed to focus on Chessa, not her long deceased love life. Her sexy panties were so far back in the undie drawer they were probably lost forever to underpants gnomes. She didn’t need a man. She needed a miracle. Maybe he’s both. Bianca pushed the thought away as quickly as it came.
A car pulled away from the curb. Bianca didn’t recognize it, and she knew this neighborhood very well. Walking down the next block, she noticed that same strange car seemed to be following her. Hairs on the back of her neck stood up. The community center wasn’t far away. She walked faster. The car picked up speed. Bianca’s heart beat so hard she could feel the pulse in her neck. Her breath came out in little fear-pants. She ran. The car sped away as she ran blindly into the community center.
Sabrina Johnson stood up. The pretty African-American woman was a welcome sight. Thank God someone she knew wasn’t a werewolf. Standing up, Sabrina rushed over with a concerned frown marring her smooth brow.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah, sorry,” Bianca gasped out the words as she tried to catch her breath.
“What happened?”
“Nothing, I just—nothing.”
“You’re as pale as a ghost. That wasn’t nothing. Come over here and sit down. With the kids back in school, and senior lunch over for the day, it’s quiet,” Sabrina said as she put her arm around Bianca and led her to the desk.
Bianca sat down on the desk chair, and Sabrina sat on the desk.
“I’m so sorry,” Bianca reiterated her embarrassed apology. She’d overreacted. She’d probably imagined the car following her. If they weren’t from around here, they could’ve been lost. The driver probably wanted to ask her for directions, and she’d run off like a crazy person.
“Don’t be sorry. How have you been? Any news about Ches? God, I miss that kid,” Sabrina finished the statement in a quiet, sad tone. She glanced at Bianca with sudden alarm before biting her lip. “Oh, I’m sorry was that insensitive? Tell me if my big foot is in my big mouth.”
“Nope, your feet are little and cute. Your mouth is big, but the feet are fine. She’s not dead. I wish everyone would stop acting like this is the day after a funeral. I’m going to find her.”
The sympathy she saw in Sabrina’s eyes was haunting and hurt more than any words ever could. “I know,” Sabrina said without conviction. Bianca had heard that before, and it always meant, “there, there you poor grieving woman.”
Bianca took a deep breath and bottled up her need to rant. Sabrina was just trying to be kind. She had no idea how cruel her brand of kindness felt, and Bianca hoped she never had a reason to find out.
“Thank you for filling in for me.”
“You know it’s not the same here. You are the soul of this center. We need you back.”
“I know. Soon. I just need a little more time to look for her.” Bianca frowned, pausing. “How is Tyler? I’ve been so worried about him staying in school.”
Sabrina shrugged. “You need to worry about you for once. I haven’t seen him around lately.”
“I’m going to stop by his house later. Is his little sister still coming?”
“Yes, but she hasn’t said a word about her brother.”
“Okay, I’m going to check on him anyway. He’s a good kid; he just needs someone to remind him of that. How was Amie Booker’s piano recital? I wish I’d been up to going. I sent her a card with some stickers inside to wish her luck.” Bianca worried her lip between her teeth. I have to get back to work.
“Everyone is okay. I promise not to let all the kids take candy from strangers or start dealing drugs while you’re gone.” Sabrina shook her head and chuckled. “Now for some happy news, Marcia had her baby. It’s a girl, and she’s going to keep her. Cute little thing too. You were right.”
“I carried Chessa the same way.” Bianca smiled at the memory.
Sabrina was quiet as if the reminder of Chessa was some insult. Bianca was sick of changing the subject away from her daughter to protect others from dealing with what she was going through. Chessa was the elephant in the room, but every time she said her daughter’s name, she kept a piece of her near. Chessa. The syllables were Bianca’s talisman.
Sabrina cocked her head to the side and gave Bianca a sad little smile. “When you’re ready everyone wants you back. I’m not you so don’t worry about me taking over your job.”
“That’s the last thing I’m worried about. I couldn’t sell this job.”
“You love it, and you know it.”
“Yeah, I do. I’ll be back soon. I feel so guilty about not being here when someone needs me. Just give me another week or two.”
“They’re yours. Don’t worry, everyone understands. When Bonny went through her divorce and the scumbag took a baseball bat to her new car you were there for her. She’ll cover and help me out as long as you need her too. When I was new here, you made me feel like a native. I’d never have had the courage to stay if you hadn’t been my friend.”
Bianca made a “tsking” sound. “You would have.”
“No, I wouldn’t have.”
Bianca rolled her eyes and waved her friend’s words away with a casual wrist flick. Now sh
e wanted to change the subject.
“So did anything interesting happen while I’ve been out?”
“Yeah, actually, something weird.”
“I’m all ears.” Bianca leaned forward.
“The mayor.”
Bianca’s sat up straighter in the chair. “What about him?”
“He started picking up Carter and Joleen’s son and even brings him to Carter, so Jolene didn’t have to see the jerk. Like, the first week you were gone. The guy never said anything. He just motioned for Bobby to come with him. It reminded me of something out of a Godfather movie. I wonder if Kane does a Marlin Brando impersonation.” Sabrina laughed at her joke, and then her face grew serious again. “Joleen told me the mayor was interceding, but I didn’t believe it until I saw it.”
“That mayor of ours is full of surprises,” Bianca said dryly. He’s one of them, and this confirms it.
Sabrina narrowed her eyes. “Why don’t you seem as freaked out as I was? Kane Wolfe gives me the shivers.”
“Nothing freaks me out like it used to.”
“I’m sorry. After everything you’ve been through, yeah, I get it.”
Bianca let her think the reaction was about Chessa and not the fact Bianca’s whole world changed overnight. There was no way Sabrina could know, and that was for the best. They stood for a moment in an awkward silence. As talkative and social as Bianca was, werewolves weren’t something she wanted to try to explain. Putting Sabrina in danger was the last thing she would willingly do. The uncomfortable miscommunication would just have to linger.
“Well, I just needed to stop by and make sure the place was still here. I’ll call you,” Bianca said. She was suddenly exhausted.
“Please do. I’ve been thinking about you. You know you’re my sister from another mother, right?”
Bianca grinned and stood up to hug her friend. “Definitely. Thank you for being here for me.”
“See you soon. Call me if you need me,” Sabrina said. The genuine tone made Bianca feel loved as she left the building to walk home.
Getting out of the house had been good for Bianca. The cheery sun warmed her. Her phone showed almost noon. She wanted to stop at the convenience store and pick up something quick to eat. She still hadn’t gotten groceries. Errands didn’t seem important when monsters ran the town. Monsters? Law wasn’t a monster, and neither were Janna or Reylin. Sandy and Marcus Brook were decent too. She had to get over her undue prejudice. No wonder werewolves stayed hidden from the world.
The sound of tires on the pavement made her turn around. The car from earlier drove up beside her. The hair rose on the back of her neck. Something is not right. Bianca ran. She heard the sound of the car doors slamming. She didn’t stop to look back.
Rounding the corner her body impacted against a solid wall of muscle. Rough hands squeezed her biceps. She cried out.
“You’re late for your meeting,” said the big man in a cigarette-rough voice.
“I’m not scheduled to meet with anyone. Let me go!”
“The mayor says you’re late, so you’re late.”
I wish that jerk had been this excited to meet with me when the community center needed a new roof. Bianca let the man bring her back to his car. She put her hand in her purse and fished around for her phone. With skill, she unlocked the touch screen and swiped open the messages icon. Touching Kloe’s name, she managed one word before the barbarian snatched her bag off her lap. HELP…
Fourteen
The wolf never dreamed, but this night was different. Law woke grumpy after haunting images of Bianca in his arms disturbed his rest. She’d been passionate—glorious. The man had made love to his woman, and she’d loved every second. He ran a hand through his hair. Damn, I want her so much. Fleeting images of having her under him had mingled with bits of the wolf’s love of the run. His body ached from tossing and turning on the hard limestone.
Being human again, naked, in the caves always became a little awkward. He grabbed pants as he stepped over sleeping people. Law was the first up. He walked out of the cave to stand on the rock ledge and stretched as the sunrise warmed his chilly body. His territory spread out below him. The beauty of the land took his breath away, and the responsibility to his people hung heavy in his heart.
The winter months were the worst mornings after the run. The fall air smelled crisp and reminded him cold weather would soon arrive. Snow would come early, his wolf knew. Law went to the stash of clothing in the cave and found some of his things. Cautiously, he stepped over the sleeping people as he dressed. He resisted the urge to wake everyone in his rush to get home and check the compound’s security. The urgency, born out of his desire to make sure Bianca was safe, rose in him with a vengeance. I’ll have to leave her every month.
Law’s dreams weren’t the only thing making him grumpy. Denying his pack the freedom of the run weighed on him, but he had to make safety the priority. Tobias’ scent goaded him. He hated the lingering stench tainting his land. At least I kept the pack safe. The thought was a small comfort to his wounded pride. The group stirred behind him as the pack woke.
Eve Wolfe came over to him with an aromatic cup of coffee. “Thanks.” He took the cup.
She hadn’t bothered to put on a shirt. “Good morning,” she said, husky and low, before winking at him. “You can’t tell me a human is really what you want? Don’t you want a born mate who can enjoy the moon with you? I’ve been waiting a long time for you.”
Law gritted his teeth. I’m surprised it took her this long to speak her piece. “I’ve never let you think I’d take you as a mate. Your waiting is your own business. Bianca is mine, my true mate.”
Eve growled. “I’m nothing like Kane—he’s just a distant cousin. You’ve always held my family name against me.”
“It’s never been your name it’s always been your heart. Even when we were kids, you liked to get under people skin. Cruelty isn’t attractive, even on a beautiful woman.”
“So you think I’m beautiful,” she whispered, husky. Law smelled her desire.
“Beauty is as beauty does, so not really.”
“You’re an ass.” She hustled away without looking at him, but he noticed a deep flush on her face.
Nik came over to stand by Law, but he was watching Eve. “What’d she want?”
“Same as always.”
Nik snorted a gruff chuckle. “Eve’s hot as hell, too bad she acts like she belongs there.”
They stood at the mouth of the cave drinking coffee. The smell of food cooking on the fire caused Law’s stomach to cramp. Steam rose up from his cup. Everyone started to get up and dress. Nik grabbed a cigarette out of the pack in his coat pocket and lit the tobacco.
“Those things will kill you,” Law said.
“We all have to go sometime. Besides, we don’t know any weres who got cancer.”
“Doesn’t mean it’s not possible. Don’t tempt fate.”
“Speaking of temptation, how are you holding up? Last night had to be a bitch. Claiming is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done,” Nik said. “I can’t imagine what it’s like leaving a defenseless human behind.”
“Fucking awful.” Law’s clenched his jaw. He wasn’t in the talking mood.
Nik stood quietly. Law wished he could just run ahead, but he had a responsibility to get everyone home safe and sound.
“Yep,” Nik muttered, crushing out his cigarette against the limestone cave wall before he went inside.
****
A scent caught Law’s attention. The uneventful jaunt home hadn’t prepared him for the stench of blood near the compound. Law held up his arm, and everyone stopped. Nik rushed up beside him. They walked ahead of the others. Tracking the horrible odor of death was easy. The kill was fresh, and the closer they came to the gate the worse the smell became. A woman was propped up against the wall. Bloody paw prints stamped the wall around her. One print, centered on her forehead, told him everything. Tobias. Law would recognize the print anywhere. Hi
s father’s body had been found mutilated and marked the same way. Tobias was using the woman’s death to send a message. He’d killed in Law’s territory.
A frustrated growl/scream erupted out of Law’s throat. He punched the compound wall. Hard. Rage made his transformation begin. Nik turned away. Is it anger or respect making him give me privacy to gain control?
Law drew in a deep breath, but the smell of death and Tobias didn’t help him reign in his wolf. Anger consumed his soul and raged with the need for vengeance. “Damn it!” Closing his eyes, Law focused his thoughts on Bianca to find his self-control. He sniffed, picking out the dead woman’s unique scent. She was the injured female from the woods. He hated himself. Her murder was on him.
Nik glared at Law when their gazes connected. “We should have helped her.”
“He’d have killed us and everyone in the pack. Anyone who tried to help would be just as dead. She was a trap, and now she’s a symbol. We can’t let the kids see her. We’ll clean this up before anyone comes out of the shelter.” Law let out a slow, shaky breath. “She deserves a proper burial, and her pack deserves closure.” He gently pulled her face up so he could look at her. Even brutalized the young wolf was still beautiful. “Do you recognize her?”
“No. I would remember a girl who looks like she did. But I don’t know that many townies. My guess is she’s local, but she could be staying with family. She started to heal just before she died—pure blood. If she’s not a bitten, what was she doing out here with Tobias?”
“I wish I knew. We have to get Kane involved. If she’s from town, her people need to know. We also have to get some help. His pack wasn’t this large the last time we encountered him. He’s been preparing for war. No alpha would build a pack full of bittens unless he were after territory,” Law said and then sighed. “Get the men.”
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