Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Barrett

Idon't know why it was so hard to tear myself away from her, but it was. I can still feel a part of me aching to go back, even now.

She could be in trouble. I can't protect her if I'm not there.

What will happen if...

I can't think about that now. I have to trust that she'll do as I told her. Right now, there's work to be done. Reaching into my back pocket, I extract my phone, scowling as I look at the dead screen that greets me. Fucking battery's flat – again. And it had been fully charged when Edirn and I got here; how long was I out for? More than a day? That seems impossible.

I move silently through the underbrush, every sense finetuned as I approach the facility at Whispering Pines. I've made my way down these trails so many times now it's become second nature to me. Today, it's different, though. The familiar scent of pine needles and damp earth fills my nostrils, but there's an undercurrent of something else…fear.

My hackles rise instinctively.

Voices drift through the trees, and I freeze, ears straining to catch the words. Two men in uniform are standing together up ahead – a detective, by the looks of it, and some rookie cop. I edge closer, using the thick foliage as cover.

"…definite break-out," the detective is saying, a grim set to his jaw. "Cages were opened by someone inside. Whoever did it let out one hell of a dangerous pack."

The rookie's eyes are wide, hand straying toward his holstered weapon. "Killer wolves, sir? You can't be serious."

There's a harsh bark of laughter. "I wouldn't figure it myself if we didn't have video evidence. Saw it with my own eyes – a woman opening the cages, then these…these giant, rabid beasts just tearing into the men on duty. Couldn't tell if they were normal wolves or what, but they were vicious as hell." He shakes his head slowly. "Never seen anything like it. What they did to those men…it was a bloodbath. And those rangers were tough-looking types – not what you'd expect to be working at a place like this. But considering what they were dealing with…"

"Jesus," the kid bites out. "It sounds unbelievable."

The detective replies, "Believe it. The footage is undoctored. No faking that."

"And they're out here…now? Those animals?" The rookie looks around. I'm pretty sure his trigger finger is starting to twitch.

"Don't sweat it, kid." The detective sounds confident. "We're gonna ramp up the search, call in professional hunters, tracker dogs. Maybe even the military if this threat is as bad as we think it might be."

"Military? That could be authorized?"

"Captain's got some contacts. After what we saw in that footage, everyone's running scared. Can't risk those things getting out into the population. They gotta be put down, end of story."

A low growl rumbles from me before I can stop it. Put down? Over my dead body. Although pitting my wolf against an arsenal might be a stretch. A couple of bullets, sure. But military weapons? I don't think so.

I back away slowly, my mind racing.

What the fuck happened here?

And how did I miss it?

The answer to that isn't hard to pin down. It must have been while I was flat out on my back. After she attacked… I stop that thought. For some reason, I don't want to call what Cedara did an attack. Sure, she laid into me, but I can't blame her. It was just…an accident.

I find myself trailing my fingertips over the wound on my neck, and I pull my hand away, focusing on what the detective had said.

The wolves who were locked up here are gone. But where? Did they make it out of these woods? And this woman releasing the shifters… Who? Someone who knew what they were, no doubt. I can't imagine it was some sort of do-gooder on a mission to save natural wolves.

Could it have been one of us…from Steel Lakes? I can only imagine it would be – as far as I know, we are the only ones who've shown any interest in this place recently.

And what about Edirn? Did he leave with them? He must have been involved somehow. Even if he wasn't directly involved, there's no way he could have missed it.

I slip away from the cops, moving deeper into the forest, determined to pick up the trail of the escaped wolves.

My senses are sharper than ever as I catch the first whiff of their scent – it's fresh but already starting to cool. They have a good head start on me.

I move swiftly yet silently, following the spoor as it weaves through the dense underbrush. There are so many individual scents mingled together that it's impossible to pick out any one wolf. But the overall impression is clear – several of them, moving with purpose away from the sanctuary.

Relief rushes through me as I realize they must have gotten out safely before the cops showed up. At least they avoided a confrontation and made a clean escape for now. But where the hell are they headed?

There are still so many unanswered questions.

The scent trail leads me in a wide arc away from Whispering Pines, deeper into the sprawling forest. I follow cautiously, keeping an eye out for any sign of the pack or their rescuer.

Up ahead, the trees thin out, and I find myself approaching a small clearing. Scuffed dirt and broken branches tell me the wolves passed through here not long ago.

It's there that it hits me in a rush.

Edirn! And… Casey Stone.

They stopped here. I pick up their scent near a cluster of shrubs. They must have been standing here a while.

What the hell?

What would Casey be doing out here?

Whatever it was, I'm guessing it involved releasing those wolves. She and her mate got out of there together, along with the others. If anyone could have pulled that off, it would be her.

Thank fuck!

Fat lot of help I was to them, but there's no time for self-recrimination now. At least they're safe.

We, however, are not.

The sound of barking dogs carries faintly on the breeze, and I tense, turning to pinpoint the location. Too close for comfort. I need to move, and fast…

I glance over my shoulder one more time at the thickening tree line. Those dogs are getting closer by the minute. We can't stay here. Especially once the heavy hitters arrive – I can handle a couple of patrolmen, but professional hunters? Armed troops? Not so much.

I need to find a way to get Cedara out of these woods. But in her current state, that's going to raise all kinds of questions. She needs clothes. So do I, to be honest.

My strides eat up the ground as I make my way parallel to the main road to the sanctuary, keeping under the cover of the thick forest. I can't risk being seen on the open road – not with the search parties out in force. It's a hell of a trek into town this way, but it's the only choice I've got.

An hour later, I'm nearing the outskirts of Sweetwaters, the sounds of traffic a low murmur up ahead.

So far, so good. I made it through without being spotted.

I can't linger here, though. Every minute I waste is another minute Cedara is alone and vulnerable. I move forward at a ground-eating lope, staying well back from the road until I hit the town proper.

The main street is busy with the usual foot traffic. I keep my head down, hands stuffed in my pockets as I scan the storefronts. There – a little mom-and-pop general store right in the middle of the block. Perfect.

I step inside, the little bell above the door jangling merrily. The teenager behind the counter gives me a cursory once-over, her attention quickly sliding away with disinterest as she stares down at her screen. Works for me.

Moving quickly and purposefully, I grab a basket and scoop up some basic clothing items – jeans, t-shirts, a couple of jackets. I add a cheap prepaid phone to replace the one that's given up the ghost on me. Keeping my eyes down, I pay cash at the register, stuffing my purchases into the worn duffel bag I grabbed off a hook near the door.

Five minutes later, I'm back outside and moving away from the main drag, my steps hurried but casual. No sense in drawing unwanted attention by looking suspicious. I take the time to shoot off a message to Jagger, letting him know that I'm okay and that I'll call in soon. I keep going until I hit the treeline again, then break into a jog, heading back toward the forest and Cedara.

We'll have to be smart about this. Stay off the beaten path, avoid anywhere too populated. But at least now we've got what we need to pass as human for a little while.

My throat tightens at the thought of her waiting for me, alone and probably terrified. I push harder, eating up the ground beneath my feet.

I break through the tree line, the waterfall that hides the cave entrance finally in sight. Relief floods me at the thought of seeing Cedara again, of being able to give her the clothes and supplies I've brought.

But as I approach, my steps falter. The cave mouth gapes empty and silent before me.

"Cedara?" I call out cautiously, my voice echoing off the rock face. There's no response.

Dread settles like a leaden weight in the pit of my stomach. Where is she? I scan the surrounding area frantically, searching for any sign that she's okay.

That's when I see them – two points of eerie yellow light shining from the heavy blackness within the cave. A low, rumbling growl follows, the sound raising the hairs at the nape of my neck.

I freeze, the duffel bag slipping from my fingers as I take an involuntary step backward. "Cedara?" I repeat. "It's me, Barrett. You're safe."

The growling intensifies, becoming a menacing snarl. The glowing eyes seem to sear straight through me from the darkness.

Slowly, a massive shape begins to emerge, her golden fur glinting in the dim light filtering in from outside. While the woman herself may be petite, Cedara's wolf is huge, muzzle wrinkled back to expose gleaming fangs as another warning growl rumbles forth.

I raise my hands, keeping my movements slow and deliberate so as not to startle her further. "Easy, now. You know me, Cedara, remember?"

She doesn't respond, her gaze locked on me with single-minded intensity. If anything, the growling grows louder, more threatening.

"You need to shift back," I say evenly, fighting to keep my voice calm and level. "It's not safe like this. The cops, the hunters…we can't hide out here as wolves."

Cedara remains motionless for a long moment; then her lips curl back further in an unmistakable snarl of challenge.

She's not changing.