“Why do these Bairds want you, cousin?” Luke’s brow creased.
I shrugged. “Beats me. Part of me wants to go and find out, but most of me suspects it’s a trap.”
“Will your mother be safe with them?”
“I think so. Dead hostages make for very poor bargaining power.” As I said it, a shiver ran through my body. I hoped like hell I was right.
Maybe I should go, just to check she’s okay …
No. That’s exactly what they all expect you to do. They did this exactly because they know she’s your weak spot. Not anymore. Mum will be fine. I’m not part of the pack any longer, so it’s not my problem.
I’m sure I’m right. I just have to live with myself if I’m not.
We pulled in at Margaret’s place and parked up. Luke hopped out of the car and breathed deeply. “It’s so good to be back in the forest again,” he said. “I could hug a tree, I’ve missed them so much.”
“Isn’t the Yale campus famous for its trees?”
“Oh, sure. The famous Yale trees. Every tree has several volumes of history written about it, where some famous poet has written a sonnet about the leaves, or a famous person sneezed on it.” Luke patted the trunk of an oak. “I’ve been desperate for some good old fashioned humble British trees. No celebrity spittle here.”
I sniffed the air as we walked back along the path. Angus’ scent was thick. He was somewhere close, which made me nervous. Robbie I could handle – he talked tough, but I was confident I could easily overpower him if it came down to a fight. Angus was a whole different breed of wolf. He was born and bred to take over as pack alpha upon Douglas’ death, and he had no problem using cruelty to get what he wanted. I didn’t want him anywhere near Rosa.
“Walk quickly,” I said, pushing Rosa between Luke and I. She stared up at me with a terrified expression, but I didn’t elaborate. We took off at a trot, flying down the path as fast as we could while staying close together. Angus’ scent wafted through the air, sending my nerves on edge. From Luke’s grim expression, I could tell he smelt it, too.
Thankfully, Angus didn’t show himself, and we made it to the cabin without any kind of incident.
Rosa unlocked the cabin, and practically dived inside. She slumped down in her desk chair, rubbing her arms, where goosebumps had raised on her skin. Luke and I piled in after her, and I shut and bolted the door.
“I can feel his eyes on me.” Rosa’s lip quivered. When her eyes met mine, I could see the fear there. I went to embrace her, but she held up a hand, telling me to stay away.
Okay, fine. Hugs are a boyfriend thing, I get it. Instead, I folded my arms across my chest, and made my face impassive.
“He didn’t attack, at least. I suspect Luke’s presence made him think twice.”
“We’ll get the bastards,” Luke said. “No one touches my cousin’s ma—”
I shot him a desperate look, and his eyes glinted with recognition. He broke down into a hideous coughing fit, covering up the rest of his sentence.
What a goon, but it seemed to work. Rosa didn’t seem to notice what he’d almost said. Luke stopped coughing, and gave me a look that clearly said, We’ll talk later.
“I can see Caleb’s been cooking.” Luke pointed to the coating of mashed potatoes and egg bits caked to the wall.
“I resent that,” I said. “I’ve been feeding Rosa extremely well. Haven’t I, Rosa?”
“I never said you wouldn’t. You cook some of the fluffiest pancakes I’ve ever eaten. It would just be great if you didn’t coat every surface in crap while you’re playing Master Chef.”
“It’s great to see you again, little cousin,” I growled, pushing him towards the door. “Don’t be a stranger now.”
Rosa laughed her beautiful deep laugh, breaking the tension in the room. I relaxed, letting go of Luke’s arm, and gave him a pat on the shoulder. It really was great to see him again.
When Luke and I first met, we were both used to being alone. Luke and his dad had lived as recluses in different forests all over Europe. He spent most of his life avoiding contact with the outside world, and I’d spent most of mine trying to hide from my stepfather and brothers. When we first met, we didn’t exactly trust each other. In fact, I was ready to fight him for Anna, his mate. I’m glad I didn’t, because Anna was lovely and all, but Rosa was something else.
I’d only just got used to calling Luke family, and talking to him about the future of our pack, and then he went off to the US and left me alone again. I didn’t realise it until I’d seen him again today, but ever since he’d left, I’d been feeling lonely.
“I can see I’m going to have my hands full with both of you,” Rosa said.
“First things first.” Luke pointed at the bed. “Caleb, go to sleep.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. You’re not taking the next watch. You must be jet-lagged to hell—”
“No buts.” Luke turned to Rosa, who had picked up her notebook from the table, and was scribbling down something. “When was the last time he slept?”
“He’s been awake for the last two days, at least,” Rosa said, not looking up from her writing.
“I’m not tired—”
“Bed, now. No arguments.” Luke crossed his arms. “You’re no good for any of this if you’re sleep-deprived. Rosa and I are going to head into town and get some supplies, and we’re gonna barricade this place up like a German bunker … hey, what are you writing?”
Rosa’s face flushed. She dropped her pen and covered her notebook with her hands.
“Just fleshing out my plot,” she said. “All this talk of kidnapping and gang wars gave me an idea.”
“Rosa’s here in Crookshollow writing a book,” I told Luke. “A tale of bitterness and revenge.”
“Sounds dark.” Luke grinned. “Are there any space cowboys?”
“No.”
“What about an android with a heart of gold?”
“None of them.”
“Diabolical villains hell bent on ruling the universe?”
Rosa grinned. “I might add a couple of those, but I haven’t decided.”
“Are you sure you know how to write a book? I think you’re missing some key elements.”
I could feel my eyelids drooping already. Luke loved to read, but his tastes ran to old school science fiction writers, not the kind of highbrow literary fiction that cluttered Rosa’s cabin. They were going to argue for hours about the literary merits of The Martian. Which was great, because I was about thirty seconds away from the land of Nod.
I sank down onto the mattress, Luke and Rosa’s voices fading away. I was asleep before my head even hit the pillow.
When I opened my eyes again, moonlight streamed through the window above the desk. My wolf form pressed against my skin, begging to be released. It was less than three days now until the full moon, and both Luke and I would need to go deep into the forest. We needed to ensure Rosa’s safety before then, or we could have a serious situation.
I jerked upright, my eyes scanning the cabin. Luke … Rosa … where are they?
The cabin was empty. There weren’t even any dishes in the sink. Panic seized my stomach. Had Angus managed to get in here? Had they both been taken, while I slept?
I saw something shift at the window. I bolted out of bed, my senses alert. I pressed myself against the door, and peeked outside.
Rosa and Luke sat side by side on the porch, a stack of books and a line of empty beer bottles covering the table between them. Luke was saying something and Rosa was laughing her wonderful laugh. They looked like two old friends.
I beamed. At least my cousin approved of my mate. If only she would actually agree to be my mate, and my maniacal stepbrothers stopped pursuing her, then everything would be perfect.
First things first, we had to get her safe. And that meant, somehow, neutralising my stepbrothers.
I pushed open the door and stepped outside. “What time do you call this?”
“Hello, sleep
yhead.” Rosa beamed, her smile making my body flush with heat.
Luke checked his phone. “It’s a little after 3 a.m.”
I leaned against the porch balustrade, and sniffed the air. My stepbrothers’ scents lingered in the night, but the trails were a few hours old.
“They’re not here,” I said.
Luke shook his head. “The scent has been fading for a while. I think they saw me and figured it was pointless making a move tonight with two of us on duty, so they’ve gone somewhere to get some shut eye.”
“Maybe they’ve given up?” Rosa said, her voice a little louder than usual. I wondered how many of those beers she’d had.
“I wish that were true.” I rested my hand on her shoulder, my fingers trailing along her neck. “There’s so much else I’d rather be doing than watching over my shoulder all the time.”
Rosa grinned, flipping her hair over her shoulder. Her eyes were glazed from the alcohol. “So, what’s the plan?”
“We need to find where they’re hiding,” I said. “Attack them before they make a move on us. For all we know, they could be expecting reinforcements from Scotland at any time. Luke and I need to attack them first, before they have enough wolves to overpower us.”
“Why do you have to attack them at all?” Rosa asked.
“Because that’s the only language Angus understands.” I flexed my muscles. “This is not a problem that’s going to be solved with a polite discussion over tea. I’ll go after them. You guys stay here and continue your night.”
Luke shook his head. “We’ll go together. There are two of them, and two of us.”
“But what about Rosa?”
Luke turned to Rosa. “Do you have any friends in the village you can stay with for the night? They won’t attack you if you’re around other people, and risk exposing the existence of werewolves to the world.”
Rosa’s face grew stormy. The subject of friends seemed to make her upset. I put in quickly, “Rosa’s only just arrived in Crookshollow. She doesn’t know anyone apart from me.”
“That’s no problem,” Luke sad. “I know just the person.” He glanced at me, and I nodded, knowing exactly who he was thinking of. Luke frowned at my bare chest. “You might want to put on a shirt.”
“And spoil this view?” I gestured to my stomach. “Unlikely.”
“Fine.” Luke grabbed Rosa’s jacket and tossed it to her. “But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
Twenty minutes later, after assuring me several times she’d only had a couple of beers several hours ago, Rosa was driving around the streets of Crookshollow, following Luke’s barked directions. He told her to drive right to the end of a dark cul-de-sac, the quaint workers’ cottages on either side of the street all dark. “Pull in there!” He jabbed his finger at a bright blue cottage, the window boxes bursting with herbs and a front garden filled with all kinds of hilarious ornaments.
“Why are we at this house?” Rosa’s brow wrinkled in concern. “Whoever’s inside is probably asleep.”
“Unlikely.” Luke leapt out of the car before Rosa had even parked, and rapped on the door.
A few moments later, it swung open, revealing a short old lady wearing layers of black shawls and several crystals dangled from a chain around her neck. Her waist-length-hair was dyed a jet black. Intelligent brown eyes sparkled with recognition as they darted from Luke’s face to my own. I smiled. Luke may be the younger and less handsome of the Lowe pack, but he did occasionally have some bright ideas.
“Clara.” Luke threw her arms around her. She beamed as she hugged him back, her tiny arms barely able to reach around his shoulders.
“It’s nice to see you again, Luke.” She turned to me as I came up the path, shirtless and all. “Caleb, you’re as wild as ever, I see.”
I ran my hand through my hair. “I’m not sure if that’s a compliment, coming from you.”
“It is a compliment, of the highest order. And you must be Rosa.” Clara took Rosa’s hands and held them between her own. “You’re every bit as beautiful as Luke told me.”
Rosa’s face pinched. “Who are you?” she demanded.
I elbowed her. “Hey, don’t be rude.”
“I’m not being rude. I’m trying to find out what the hell is going on.”
“Clara is our friend,” Luke explained. “She owns the local witchcraft shop, and she helped us out when a rogue wolf threatened my mate. She also supplies Caleb and I with special pills to help us control our inner wolf during the full moon.”
“I’m going to ignore the bit where you said she’s a witch,” Rosa spluttered. “How is she going to help us?”
“Why would you ignore that?” Clara asked kindly. “That’s the most interesting thing about me. I make a delicious love potion, tastes like cherries.”
“I don’t need a love potion, thank you,” Rosa said through gritted teeth.
“Don’t worry, Clara.” I patted her shoulder. “Rosa isn’t usually this rude.”
“I’m not being rude, I’m sorry. I’m just … trying to put this together.” Rosa gestured toward Clara. “She’s a tiny old lady. What’s she going to do if a vicious wolf shows up on the doorstep? Beat him off with her walking stick? No offence or anything,” Rosa added hastily.
Clara just grinned. “I see you boys have done a wonderful job of explaining everything. Come inside, all of you. I’ve got the kettle on. Ryan and Marcus are here as well.”
Ryan and Marcus were Clara’s twin sons, and they were fox shifters, although Marcus was a mutt (a shifter with genetic defects which meant he didn’t have as much control over his shifting as he’d like). Between them and Clara, I knew Rosa would be safe.
“A cup of tea sounds great,” Rosa said. “And an explanation.” She glared at me.
I shrugged. “I like to keep my women on their toes.”
“No time for tea, unfortunately,” Luke said. “Caleb and I need to find these wolves. Are you sure you’re going to be safe, Clara? I hate bringing all this to your doorstep.”
“I’ve cast a protective spell around the whole property,” Clara said. “Between the magical barrier and my two boys, they’re not getting in here.”
“Right. We have to go.” I made to turn away, but Rosa squeezed my hand.
“Be careful, Caleb.”
“I’m always careful.”
“You’re not. I’ve seen you cook. Be super extra careful. I want you back in one piece.”
I pulled her body against mine and kissed her, breathing in the scent of her. There was no way in hell I was going to let Angus ruin this thing we had.
“Caleb,” Luke warned. “We can’t stay here.”
“Right.” I brushed Rosa’s hair out of her eyes, and pressed my finger to her lips. She let go of my hand, her eyes begging me to stay. But I couldn’t – Luke and I had to take this chance to find Angus and Robbie. I gave Rosa a final wave, and turned to head back down the path.
Luke and I didn’t get back into the car. Instead, we turned down the side of Clara’s cottage, heading for the forest that bordered her property. Already, the scent of the trees and fresh air tugged at my inner wolf. I stripped off my shirt as I followed Luke, who was discarding his clothes in the same way. We dumped our clothes in a pile at the end of the path, and raced for the trees. The moonlight drenched my skin, more intoxicating than any wine.
As Luke and I ran toward the forest, I caught a glimpse of a fox sitting beneath one of Clara’s box hedges. It nodded as we passed, and the thought landed in my head, We’ll protect her.
Thanks, Ryan. I owe you one.
Once we reached the forest, Luke and I shifted. My wolf was so close to the surface, snarling and snapping to be loose in the moonlight, it took very little energy to draw him up, and less than a minute later, I had all four paws on the ground. My vision had dulled, colours fading away into blurred shades of grey. Now, the world mapped itself before me in trails of scent. The movements of a hundred tiny animals crisscrossed the trees l
ike telephone wires, connecting the whole forest in a network of snacks and predators. And I was at the top of the food chain.
Luke met my eyes, his grey pelt shimmering under the moon. Silently, we passed back and forth the details of our plan, and then we set off.
We doubled back toward Margaret’s place, running alongside each other, sniffing the air as we sought out Angus’ trail. We caught it again in the parking lot behind Margaret’s house, and followed it back to the now-empty cabin. The trail led us around the back, past the outdoor toilet, and along the ridge before diving deeper into the forest.
After a half hour of running northeast, we emerged into a small clearing. A cabin stood in the centre, similar to the ones Margaret rented out to her guests, but smaller and more dilapidated. A path had originally led to this cabin as well, but it was now completely overgrown. It was clear from the rotting wood and partially collapsed roof that this cabin was no longer in use.
There was no sign of any recent human visitation, but every square inch of the clearing reeked of wolf. In particular, of two specific wolves.
My stepbrothers are here, I called to Luke. Get back!
Luke and I darted back into the bushes, moving several feet downwind before our scent alerted them to our presence. We quickly formulated a plan of attack, then circled around to the back of the cabin, careful to remain low to keep our scent masked as much as possible.
The rear of the cabin was lower, the roof sloping toward it. There were no windows on this side, so anything we did would be invisible from the inside, which was exactly what I was hoping for.
I clambered up an overhanging tree, and checked out the situation from above. The hole in the roof was near the front of the cabin, just behind the door. It was an enormous hole, large enough for me to fit through in my wolf form. So far, everything was going our way.
Rain and wind would enter the cabin through the hole, but it was far enough forward that the whole back end of the cabin would be reasonably dry. I guessed my brothers were sleeping in that section. I signalled to Luke to move around the front of the cabin, keeping out of view of the side windows.
Writing the Wolf: A wolf shifter paranormal romance (Wolves of Crookshollow Book 2) Page 9