“He took her through the back woods. The main road is a mile north. There was a vehicle waiting. He had help.”
“They’ll go to Bear Valley.”Thad stares to the west, as if he could see all the way to Utah.
“You sure?” I both sign and verbalize to Thad.
What Cory has done could be seen as invading another pack’s territory. Are the Bear Valley wolves going to welcome him back when he brings bloodshed in his wake?
And there will be blood.
“The pack knew how he treated her. They didn’t stop him. They don’t think humans are worth much.”His eyes meet mine.“He probably thinks you won’t bother with her once she’s gone.”
At the thought of anyone hurting the vibrant, determined hellion I’ve fallen in love with, my mind goes blank. When consciousness returns, I stand in the middle of the street, facing town, my claws extended, fangs heavy in my mouth.
“Roderick, buddy, you’re going to need to keep it together. For Juliet’s sake.”
My head wrenches to the side, and I spot my brother a few feet away, his hands splayed in a calming gesture.
Kill them all, my wolf snarls.
We need to find our woman first. I need to think.
And so, again, I shove down my animalistic urges with a head-clearing shake.
But before I can fully formulate a plan, another curve is thrown my way.
“Shit. Hester is on her way over.”
Despite the unease in Warner’s voice, I barely pay the woman any attention. All my focus is on what orders to hand out.
Ignoring her was a mistake on my part.
Hester steps into my space, closer than any of my pack members would be willing to get with how volatile I am at the moment.
“Tell me what has happened. Now.” Hester Willowborne’s voice is low. Sinister.
Something dark and powerful flashes in her eyes.
Something like death.
In an instant, I realize I’m not the only one who cares for the little librarian. Juliet has made connections in this town.
And I’m willing to utilize whatever weapons are available to save her.
“A man from Juliet’s past has kidnapped her. A wolf. We need to get her back before they reach their territory lines if we want to avoid war.”
But if war is what it takes, I won’t hesitate.
She is mine, which means she is ours.
“Do you have anything of his?” Hester asks. “With his essence on it?”
A moment later, Thad offers up the discarded clothes Cory left in the woods behind The Rabbit Hole.
Hester fingers the garments, her red-painted nails disappearing, then reappearing in the folds. Her lips turn up in a smile, but there’s no joy in the gesture. Just an ominous air that has all the wolves present shivering.
The woman turns abruptly and strides back toward her house, waving for us to follow. “He won’t make it far.”
54
