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Bennett quickly rejoined her. Nothing to worry about.
I’m not so sure about that. It’d been petrifying to see that, and for a moment, she hadn’t thought Bennett would live. He’d proven otherwise, but this wasn’t over. The Silvergrove numbers had dwindled, but they still rallied.
A dark wolf, nearly black, stood at the center of them as they continued to push back. Don’t back down! he insisted. The Glenwoods were fools for thinking there could ever truly be peace between us. Truces and alliances are for cowards, as they’ve already proven themselves to be.
Anger simmered inside her. Stephanie knew they weren’t cowards at all. It took no effort for her to relay everything to Bennett and the others.
We’re the Bloodmoon Crew! Nelson cried out in his mind. These bastards have helped us separate the wheat from the chaff. Now it’s time to show them what we’re really made of. Don’t stop fighting until every last Glenwood is dead!
A new sense of energy swelled through the pack. No honorable wolves were left to sort out. Some now even fought alongside those considered enemies only a short time ago. Cries of pain ripped through the air, and the scent of blood was thick.
As the sun set behind the Silvergrove packhouse, the Bloodmoon Crew fell.
16
“It’s over. You can relax a little.” Bennett smiled at his mate.
Stephanie didn’t quite understand how he could be smiling after that. Then, she had to remember who he was and what he did for a living. “I’ll try, but I’m not making any promises. What are they doing over there?” She gestured with her chin at Rex, Brody, and Max standing near the front of the Silvergrove packhouse, appearing to be deep in discussion with a few people she didn’t recognize.
“They’re working things out with the remaining Silvergroves, the ones you helped save.” He pointed at one man with auburn hair. “That’s Emil, the guy who had asked for my help in the first place.”
“You took out the Bloodmoon Crew,” Stephanie replied, “so what does that leave for them to work out?” She was exhausted, both mentally and physically. Her mind had been bent and twisted one way and another as she worked her psychic powers harder than she ever had before. Understanding and absorbing everything around her was enough of a challenge, even without that.
Though he looked a bit worse for wear, Bennett wasn’t as weary as she was. The cut she’d seen on his neck before had already healed and was now nothing more than a pink line on his skin. “We can’t just leave them to fend for themselves, not when their pack has been completely turned upside down. Without at least some guidance, the remainder of their pack could easily end up having the same troubles all over again. Rex will help them reorganize, figure out who the next Alpha should be, and provide whatever assistance they may need.”
“Wow. It seems your pack is more generous to its enemies than most people are to their friends.” Not that it should really surprise her all that much, given everything she’d already noticed about the Glenwoods concerning herself and Annie. They were impressive in so many ways.
“Yeah, I’d say that sums it up pretty well. They’ve got this, so I should get you back to the packhouse.” Bennett began guiding the way back toward the truck.
“Stephanie.”
She looked up. The woman who had called to her was a familiar face from long ago. More lines creased around her mouth and eyes, and Stephanie remembered her as having the same dark hair as Bennett. It was now mostly gray. If Stephanie had run into her in the supermarket, she might not recognize her at all. There, she knew instantly.
“Stephanie, you remember my mother, Patricia,” Bennett said.
“Of course.” She swallowed, recalling instantly what he’d told her about why he’d broken up with her. A new jolt of discomfort moved through her as she stood facing Patricia. Stephanie hadn’t known back then, but she knew now.
“I’d like to talk to you for a moment if I could.” Mrs. Westbrook glanced up at her son. “Alone.”
To Stephanie’s surprise, Bennett smiled. He gave Stephanie a reassuring squeeze on the arm. “Sure. I’ll go see if they need my help with anything.”
Stephanie glared at him as he retreated. She was a grown woman, and her veterinary practice had trained her not to take anyone’s nasty words or insulting treatment personally, but this was different. Patricia wasn’t just an unsatisfied customer or someone who thought their Havanese was more special than anyone else’s.
“You look tired, dear. Let’s have a seat.” Patricia led the way to a small seating area off the side of the Silvergrove packhouse, lit by the yellow glow of porch lamps.
It felt wrong to just sit down on the porch while everyone around them was working to clean up the aftermath of the battle, but her body easily sank onto the chair. Stephanie braced herself, unsure of what to expect from Patricia.
“You were incredible today,” she began, pressing her hands between her knees and watching as Rex, Bennett, and the others conferred with the other pack. “I’m very familiar with the telepathic link among packmates, but this was something on a completely different level. It was very impressive, and you really made a difference here.”
“Thank you, but it’s not like I was the one doing the heavy lifting. That was everyone else.” She looked out at the yard and then away again, knowing what had made the dark stains in the dry grass.
“You changed lives today, Stephanie. Don’t deny yourself that.”
“There wasn’t much of a choice. I couldn’t ever be guaranteed that they wouldn’t come after my daughter again. I’d do anything for Annie, and apparently, that includes helping a pack of wolves win a battle against another.” She let out an ironic snort of laughter that held no real humor in it.
“Yes. I heard about that. I can’t imagine what it must feel like for you to know what your child has had to go through.“ Patricia sat back and looked up at the moon. “Actually, in a way, I can.”
Stephanie waited, watching her expectantly.
