Chapter 49

Sam

"You have everything you need?" I asked Megan as Dad and I were poised to head out to our meeting with Victor Atwood.

"I'm good. I've got my homework. Cade said he brought a few action movies." She rolled her eyes good-naturedly.

I chuckled. "We shouldn't be too long." I let myself sweep a few fingers over her cheek before tucking some hair behind her ear.

"Okay. Be safe."

"I'll do my best." With a quick grin, I bent toward her, but hesitated, not sure if we were still kissing or not. She didn't make me wonder but reached up and kissed me on the lips. Not super quick, and not lingering, but warm and…promising? I searched her face for further clues, but she only smiled.

"I'll see you when you get back."

I squeezed her fingers, then we headed out of the kitchen to the living room where the others waited.

"I'm going to introduce her to some proper zombie horror," Cade announced.

"I'm going to prepare my sermon in the other room," Rev quipped dryly while Mom laughed.

"We should only be a couple hours or so, I'd think," Dad said to Mom. "See you in a bit." Dad kissed Mom quickly and then we were out the door and into Dad's old truck.

I wouldn't be surprised if we got early snow overnight—one of the reasons for the truck. The temperature had dropped even lower and hovered in the low thirties.

"How are things going with Megan?" Dad asked as we rolled past the Come back to Rock Falls sign heading out of town. We were going to meet Atwood one town over at a restaurant run by Jerry and Lisa Grassey, a couple from our pack.

I sighed. My chest was heavy. "I don't think I have enough time to convince her to stay. I know she cares about me, but I don't know that it's enough." It was liberating to say this to my father. I wasn't scared of his anger or his disapproval anymore. I was still wary of them, but I didn't fear them.

"I'm sorry, son."

"I know it messes up a lot of things. I'm sorry, too." Dread threaded its fingers through me. Both at losing Megan and trying to navigate the muddy pack waters that would follow.

"We'll figure it out. I'm sorry you'll have to go through the pain of her leaving." Dad's voice dipped low like it did when he was feeling deep things.

"Is there anything else I can do to keep her a wolf?" It was an empty hope, I knew.

Dad shook his head. "If there is, neither Rev nor I have found it. I've had him searching through all the old accounts for anything that might help."

"Really? I didn't know that."

One of Dad's cheeks lifted in a lopsided grin. "I know I'm gruff and probably not as gentle as I should be. And I definitely haven't treated you as I should, but I've never wanted you to be in pain. There's still a little time. Work your magic."

"Thanks, Dad."

We rode on in companionable silence for another fifteen minutes when Wolf suddenly came alert and the hair on the back of my neck rose.

"Dad?"

"I know. I feel it, too," Dad said, voice tight and knuckles white on the steering wheel. We both scanned the darkening landscape around the truck. Much like all the area outside town, there was a small open space between the road and the forest that lurked on all sides. It was impossible to glimpse much beyond a few feet into the darkened underbrush as we sped by.

"There's a service road up there." I squinted where he indicated about thirty feet ahead, searching for the cause of the raised hackles. "Is that a—"

Dad didn't finish his sentence but cursed instead as a black truck obliterated gravel beneath its tires, spinning out of the service road, and like a predator lying in wait, turned and rocketed straight for us. Dad spun the wheel, trying to move us between the looming vehicle and the ditch. I glanced behind us and my heart pounded. Another truck crushed the pavement and was gaining ground by the second.

We jerked and bounced as Dad whipped the truck through the ditch on the left side of the road. The black truck in front of us screamed down the pavement, eating it like fire.

"Sam!" Dad shouted. I braced for impact as Dad's arm flew out in front of me as meager protection. The black truck slammed into the front corner of the truck as the gray truck behind us careened into the side of the truck bed. My head smacked against the window, and I felt something sharp stab my side. My vision swam, and everything went black. I reached blindly for Dad, but the blackness took me before I found him.