Page 119 of Big Bad Wolf

“Goodnight, Ma.” He stepped out onto the porch to watch her go, nearly letting the next words dissolve in his throat, but he forced them out. “You could visit, too. I mean … you could come back again some time.”

Nell’s face lit up in the moonlight. “I would love that.” She shifted into a sleek mahogany-colored wolf and raced off into the night.

Chapter Fifty

On the second day of battling every instinct in his body to go throw himself at Ruby’s feet, Rafe returned to his pack. There was no way this thing was settled just because he’d killed a couple of wolves. He needed assurance that Ruby really was safe. He needed to know it was over and that he could walk away. Rafe needed every excuse to hover around Ruby gone.

He meant what he told her that night on his porch. The worst night of his miserable life. Taking down those wolves reminded him of exactly who and what he was. A killer and an animal. He had no place in a human’s bed or heart.

Not surprisingly, Knox was thrilled to see him.

“Fuck, Rafe. Again?” His brother rose from his spot by the fire and strode to where Rafe stood on the edge of his campsite. The smell of roasted rabbit wafted to Rafe’s nose. His stomach turned. He hadn’t been able to eat since Ruby had left. Or sleep. His body wouldn’t rest.

“Twice in one week. What now?”

“Another attack,” Rafe growled, his blood heating just thinking about the fight. Knox ran a hand through his hair and then gestured for Rafe to follow him away from the other men seated around Knox’s site. Curious pack members watched them go, eyes sharp and assessing, but Rafe didn’t have time for all that today. He just needed answers, needed to settle the anxiety simmering under his skin, needed to fucking rest.

“What happened?” Knox asked when they were at the edge of the camp.

“I killed them.”

“Jesus Christ, Rafe. This isn’t the dark ages. You can’t just go around killing⁠—”

“They attacked my … Ruby.” The word Mate echoed through his skull, but he couldn’t bring himself to speak it. He didn’t deserve to, not since he sent her away.

Knox’s eyes widened a fraction of an inch. “Where is she anyway?”

“Home. Safe.” He hoped. Being this far away from her even during the day made him feel like his skin was too tight, like his lungs didn’t work.

“Does she know?” Knox cleared his throat. “That you think she’s your … Mate?” He said the word like it left a bad taste in his mouth.

Rafe knew if Ruby had been there right now, she would have warned him about his murder face. But she wasn’t, so he let his face do what it wanted. He bared his teeth at his brother. “She knows. But it’s not worth it.”

“Oh?”

Rafe kicked a rock and watched it skitter through the trees. “Devon was right about humans. Too fragile.”

Knox gave a stiff nod, his silver eyes so like their father, studying Rafe while they stood in the dappled sunlight of the afternoon.

“I didn’t come here for that,” Rafe continued. “I came to find out what you know about the Highlanders on our territory.” Rafe lowered his voice and leaned in closer, fully aware of the perked ears all around them. “Nell mentioned you were worried about something. She said she felt like there was something on the horizon. Something bad.”

His brother narrowed his eyes. “There’s nothing to worry about.”

“There is!” Rafe nearly exploded. “There clearly is, Knox! What are you going to do about it?”

Knox growled low in his throat. A warning. “I’m protecting my pack. My concerns don’t extend beyond that.”

Rafe opened and closed his fists at his sides, for once wishing he could get back in the ring with his brother and kick the shit out of him. He nearly turned to storm off, but the image of Ruby screaming and bloody in the grass wouldn’t leave him. If there was some way to help her while still keeping his distance, he needed to do it.

“Ruby’s sister is a seer. I think it’s connected somehow.”

Knox froze, surprise written across his face. He quickly schooled his features. “Can’t be. There hasn’t been a seer around here in decades.” Obviously, the packs had never known about Ruby’s aunt but Rafe sure as fuck wasn’t going to bring that up now.

Rafe pushed forward. “She has visions.”

“And what does she see?” Knox crossed his arms, leaning back against the trunk of a tree. Calm, cool, completely in control again.

Rafe hesitated. How much should he tell his brother? “She can’t understand them. She doesn’t remember when she wakes up.”