37. Big Bad Wolf

37

Big Bad Wolf

I can't take my eyes away from his bloodied body. Cameron hasn't left my side, his hands shifting from my shoulder to my waist to my back as he speaks with the police. At first, I think I'm numb—the shock of watching someone I loved for so long die right before my eyes. But it's not that. I search every corner of my heart, trying to find a feeling, but there's nothing. I did love him, but after everything that happened—that love is like a wilted rose—only the thorns remain.

A small part of me feels sorry for him. He'd spent his life brainwashed by his psycho father and their cult, but he threatened to rape me and kill my mate. How could I feel sorry for him? How else could this have ended without living a life in fear? I'm not angry at Cameron, although I'd rather him not have murdered Jack in Granny's kitchen—he didn't have a choice.

"Ma'am, we have some questions," the police officer knocks me out of my trance in a tone that suggests this isn't the first time he's said this to me. I tear my eyes away from Jack as they cover him with a black sheet and turn my attention to Sergeant Brick, wearing a linen-pressed suit, his badge on his lapel, his smokey eyes pinning me in place.

"What?" I say, crossing my arms over my chest.

Cameron inches closer to me, wrapping his hand tightly around my hip.

Sergeant Brick clears his throat. "I need you to tell me what happened here?"

"Why? So you can pretend that it didn't happen and that the werewolves are to blame?"

Brick sighs, flipping open the small notepad he removed from his front pocket. "My job is to examine the evidence. Can you help me do that?"

I throw my arm in the direction of the three chairs and the chains sitting on the floor before bringing my marked wrists up to my face. "Is this not enough evidence that Jack went crazy and strapped us—including my little old Granny to chairs and threatened our lives? Jack was strangling Cameron and threatened to rape me. "

"I see, ma'am, but your Grandmother has no recollection of the events, and I can't just take Mr. Badson's word for it."

I glance over at Granny, sitting at the kitchen table, the paramedics shining a light into her eyes. Granny woke up when Cameron ripped Jack's throat out, but in only a few seconds, she completely forgot what happened or that she was tied up. I should be thankful she won't be weighed down with the gore and trauma of it all, but my heart aches that she'll never remember what really happened to her daughter, and I'll never be able to share a part of myself—my werewolf part—with her.

I sigh, pull the tape recorder out of my pocket, and press the replay button. Jack's voice sounds around us. "Oh, I'm not going to murder you, my sweet. Remember? You need to produce me an heir. I'm just debating whether I should mutilate him now and keep him alive to watch you carrying my offspring, or if I should end it now." I turn it off. "Is that good enough for you?" I ask plainly.

"We're going to need that for evidence," Brick says, reaching for the tape recorder.

I hand it to him. "Don't worry; everything is automatically uploaded to the Cloud. If this whole incident isn't taken seriously, I will share it with someone above your pay grade. I work for the New York Times, remember? I know how to get the word out. "

Brick sighs. "We're on your side. Navigating between the Hunters, the Weres, and the general public is much more difficult than you think. We're operating in secrecy and amid a century-old rivalry." He holds the tape recorder up to me. "This is good. This is what we need to put important people away—to keep people safe. But we're going to need more."

"More?" Cameron speaks up, his voice lined with anger.

"Well, would you happen to have recorded details about the Hunter's meeting place, names of the people involved in the murder of your parents and the people in the clearing, and information on future plans?"

Cameron and I exchange a look. I'd been hoping to get Jack to admit to all of that, but the only person he incriminated was himself and his dead father, and they won't be a problem for anyone else anymore. I shake my head.

Brick leans in. "I've been trying to get the National Department of Supernatural to take the Hunters more seriously as a terrorist group since I got into my position, but all I've been able to gather as evidence is he said, she said, and dead bodies with no evidence leading to their murders. This is something." He smiles, tapping the tape recorder to his temple.

I've never heard of the National Department of Supernatural, but I guess I've got much more to learn about my "werewolf-ness. "

"I'm glad you're in town, Ms. Hoodson. I hope we will work together soon. I'm glad you're one of us." He winks before turning away on one heel and walking toward the group of police officers conversing in the corner.

I turn to Cameron. "One of us? Does that mean…"

Cameron shrugs, eyeing Brick. "I don't know. I've never seen him at a Council meeting, and he's never mentioned anything to me. He was transferred to our town around the same time I became the Liaison." Cameron shakes his head, turning to me. "I always thought he didn't care about Weres, but maybe I'm missing something."

I replay Sergeant Brick's words even as I try to use Cameron's dark eyes to distract me.

This is just the beginning… I'm glad you're in town, Ms. Hoodson.

My work isn't finished here. There's nothing for me to report back to the Times about the attacks unless I want to expose myself, my family history, and the man I love most, putting us more at risk. I probably don't have a job after weeks of radio silence, but do I care anymore? The answer comes to me before I even have time to contemplate. No. My life is here now, with Cameron—my mate.

I pick up my wrists. "Well, I guess we're not getting put in handcuffs and sent to jail just yet. "

He nods, pulling me into him and resting his head between my head and shoulder. "Good, I'm tired of being locked up."

I pull back. "You? This is my fourth time being kidnapped since I got into town."

He tilts his head as if weighing the thought. "Touche."

I place my hands on his shoulders. "Besides, I enjoyed the last time you were chained to a poll. I wouldn't mind reliving that again."

"Ms. Hoodsman," he whispers in a low growl. "Naughty girl." He spanks my ass slightly and nips at my neck.

My core heats, and I close my eyes to revel in his touch. We're safe. Cameron's alive, Granny's alive.

Granny.

I pull away. "I need to check on Granny."

Cameron nods, and I walk away from him, stopping and turning once I sense he's not following me.

He stands where I left him, rubbing at his arm, his expression unsure.

"Are you coming?" I ask.

"Oh, yeah." His face brightens. "I just didn't know if you wanted time alone with her."

I grab his hand. "You're my mate. I want you to meet my Granny. "

He smiles and leans in to kiss me on the lips, nipping me with transformed teeth before pulling away.

I place my hands on his chest. "Just put the fangs away, at least until after Granny decides she loves you."

He smirks. "I don't know. Wolves sure do have an appetite for little old Grannies."