Chapter 7

Chapter

Seven

Evelyn

T he door of the SUV closed with a solid thud, and I sank into the plush leather seat. I'd chosen my attire meticulously for anonymity—a hooded jacket of deep forest green, loose enough to obscure my form but fitted enough to allow for quick movement. My hair was tucked away beneath a toque, and I'd popped out the lenses on a pair of Celeste's old glasses. It felt strange having anything sitting on my nose.

"Comfortable?" Blake started the engine, and the low rumble was a soothing backdrop to the thoughts ricocheting through my mind.

"Yep," I replied curtly, trying not to dwell on the tightness in my chest.

His gaze flicked to me in the rearview mirror, those green eyes assessing. "You know, you don't have to do this alone."

I offered him a wry smile, though it likely didn't reach my eyes. "Lone wolf habits die hard," I shifted to peer out the tinted windows. "Besides, I need to be invisible there. If anyone recognizes me, it could spook whoever we're looking for."

"Understood." He returned his attention to the road, his jaw set in a hard line.

The silence stretched between us as the miles unfurled like a dark ribbon beneath our wheels. Nathan was still up north, which meant his second would be there. I wondered if it was still Justin. Probably. Nathan didn't make friends easily and?—

My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and read the name on the screen, then sighed as I answered.

"Hey, Bruce."

"Hey, turd licker. Listen, I have a thing next week. You gonna be back by Tuesday?"

"Ooh, you've got tickets to the barn rave? Did you buy your pacifier and chaps?"

"Tuesday, Berry." He hung up, and I rolled my eyes as I dropped my phone in my lap.

"Sounds like Seattle is…fun." Blake shot me a look, and my nostrils flared.

"It was a joke."

"I thought it sounded like a blast." Celeste beamed at me over the seat.

I forced a smile, then turned my head to look out the window. Tuesday. That gave me four days. It felt like an eternity when I thought about what Callista might be enduring. A flash when I considered how little I had to go on.

"Blake," I ventured after a time, my tone even but insistent. "If things go south, if I find something... or someone finds me, promise me you'll keep your focus on the meeting. Callista is our priority." Guilt niggled at me for not worrying about the others. Beth was missing and she was younger than me, and of course I wanted to help her if I could. Merrill, too, even if he was a little odd. But it was my friend that took up most of my mental energy.

"Of course." His grip tightened on the steering wheel. "But you're not expendable, Evelyn. Don't take unnecessary risks."

A bark of laughter escaped me, mirthless and sharp. "Since when has being a shifter ever been about playing it safe?"

He grunted, conceding the point, and I swiped open my phone, scrolling through contacts labeled with mundane human names. I tapped the number for a modest hotel close enough to the meeting location but outside Black Lake territory. If I found something tonight, I didn't want to drive all the way back up to Kitimat.

"Northwoods Inn, how may I assist you?" The woman's voice was so bright, I winced.

"Room for one. Two nights."

"Your name, please?"

"Elle Bennett." I liked that name. Better than the one I gave to my landlord in Seattle. I gave the woman a credit card and thanked her just as the SUV started to slow.

I exhaled, taking in the number of vehicles parked on the overgrown path into the trees. "Seems everyone showed up."

"The last meeting that was called like this was over ten years ago." Blake parked behind a Ford truck and pressed the button to turn off the engine. "People are scared."

I nodded. Why wouldn't they be? If someone like Callie could up and disappear?

My heart thrummed a wild cadence against my ribcage, but I quelled the urge to let my wolf surge forward. Control was paramount. "I'll head into the trees. Watch from the back."

Blake nodded, taking Celeste's arm. He held out a hand. "Do you want me to take it?"

I glanced down at my bag. I knew what he meant, but for some reason, I hesitated. Finally, I unzipped the main compartment of the bag and pulled out the dagger. I could trust him. "Let me know what you find."

Voices floated through the trees as I shoved my hands in my pockets and stalked forward. I slipped through the woods unnoticed and found a place to survey the group. I allowed my wolf to rise to the surface, and this time she felt strong. Steady. The cool night air caressed my skin, as the murmurs around me swelled.

My vision sharpened, colors became more vivid, and every sound amplified. The scents around me intensified, each one distinct and layered. I took a deep breath, sorting through the myriad smells. Pine needles, damp earth, and the faint hint of smoke from an old bonfire.

I moved silently around the edge of the gathering, my footsteps light and deliberate. I instinctively knew how to blend into my surroundings and become part of the scene. Something my parents always hated.

I felt guilt niggle at me. Were they here? The idea of being so close to them and not stopping by felt like a betrayal, but they'd made it clear where they stood. They'd turned their backs on me first.

I scanned the crowd, reading body language and sensing emotions. Each heartbeat, each flicker of unease, told me a story. Then I saw him. Justin. He stood at the periphery, his posture too rigid, his jaw clenched. By the way his chest was puffed out, I had my answer about whether he'd kept his position as Nathan's second.

My instincts flared, my wolf growling softly within me. His eyes flicked to the man next to him, and I began to weave my way through the throng, my focus narrowing on the two of them. I'd only taken three steps when my wolf surged within me, a sudden, overwhelming presence that made my vision blur and my steps falter.

I grappled for control, my breath hitching as the beast within fought to break free. It was as if a storm had erupted inside me, my senses overwhelmed by the primal force of my wolf. My skin prickled, my muscles tensed, and a low growl rumbled in my throat as I grabbed onto the closest trunk.

The bark scraped my palms. What. The. Hell? I had never felt my wolf react so violently, so desperately. Then, as if someone had clamped their fingers under my chin and forced my head up, my eyes snapped to the front of the crowd.

And there he was.

Rowan.

Staring straight at me through the trees.