My main responsibility is to ensure the wolves of Pine Falls live healthy, safe lives. Thad can’t feel secure if he’s worried I’m going to tear into him the moment he questions me. I’m too used to being around my family, who meet my gruffness with exuberant disregard.
Other pack members require a different approach.
I wasn’t planning on staying at the bar for more than one drink, but I motion to Moose to bring us another round.
“Talk to me about our finances,”I prompt Thad.
His brows tick up.
With a nod, I sign,“Any new investments you’re considering?”
A reluctant curve overtakes the wolf’s mouth, and his fingers begin to move. For the next hour, my concentration is fully homed in on reading the words he speaks with his hands.
Unfortunately, an hour later, when I step through the bar’s door and head toward my bike, my thoughts return to the mysterious librarian.
Time to hunt.
12
JULIET
Turns out,if I complain enough about something, a werewolf will get me what I want.
At least Roderick will.
Which is how I find myself examining a state-of-the-art security system that includes motion-sensor lights, multiple exterior cameras, as well as an alarm that immediately calls the local authorities if I don’t type the correct code into a little keypad.
My finger taps the glass screen of the security monitor mounted on the wall of my entryway, and I feel more settled for having it there.
“The code is one, two, three, four, pound key. Change it by pressing star, the current code, star, the new four-digit code, then star one last time. That’s all in this manual.” Roderick hands over a white booklet, and I take it with a half smile, overwhelmed with a sudden sense of gratitude toward the wolf.
He may be a creature from my nightmares and the town’s biggest grump, but he followed through on getting this systeminstalled for me even though it falls outside of his job description.
I’m on the precipice of thanking him, but Roderick continues talking.
“You can call 911 by typing those numbers and pressing pound. You can also type in your four-digit security code and add a zero at the end before pressing pound to shut off the alarm, but also send a distress call to the authorities.”
It’s only now that I realize this is the longest string of words Roderick has ever spoken to me. Also, he’s intently watching my face as he does so, and I suddenly get the sense this is more than just an instructional rundown of my security system capabilities.
The wolf has something on his mind. Something involving me.
This can’t be good.
So, instead of coming out with my sincere thank-you, I decide to keep my guard firmly in place.
“Good to know. I think I’ll read over this manual and give you a call if I can’t figure something out on my own.” I nod toward the door, hoping he’ll take the hint and leave.
But Roderick remains looming in my small front entryway, taking up more than his fair share of the space.
“We need to talk,” he says, his voice hard, as if he expects me to argue.
“We are talking,” my smart mouth decides to point out. Petty is my defense.
A muscle twitches in his jaw, but a second later, the indication of his annoyance is gone. Smoothed away and replaced by unbreakable scrutiny.
“Where did you move here from?”
All of my willpower goes into keeping a reaction off my face. Unfortunately, I’m not able to control the rate my heart spikes up to.
