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Remus stood.
“I’m on it, boss.”
He laughed when I scowled at him.
“I know you’re worried about the power play, but try to get some sleep. The Holden girl isn’t going to mess shit up for you tonight; we have time. It’s not like Colter sent his beta, so I doubt it’s anything you need to worry about.”
Remus was right. I was probably overreacting. I tended to do that these days. I just felt like I was on the verge of losing everything that meant something to me. I’d already walked that road, and I would fight tooth and nail before I let something like that happen again.
I thought of Aster, and a pang shot through my chest.
Almost immediately, I flashed on Rory, those eyes filled with confidence, that face twisted with determination, and that body…fuck.
I shoved the thought away. She wasn’t here to play nice, so I wasn’t going to play nice, either.
It was a dog-eat-dog world out there, and the only way to stay on top was to kick down whoever tried to make their way up without permission. The few I let close to me were Sabrione, Remus, and lately, Dario had worked his way into my circle of trust, too.
That was all.
Some girl from New York, here to screw up my perfect house of cards, just wasn’t going to work for me.
No matter how she’d turned me inside out. Everyone had a moment of weakness. It was how you bounced back from it that really counted, and I was a whiz at bouncing back to the top where I belonged.
4
RORY
Idrove to Fort Snelling State Park and parked my car. The moon was full, mostly hidden behind the clouds, but when I closed my eyes, I could still hear her song.
It was supposed to be spring, but it was still mostly cloudy. I missed the open skies and stars I could see all the time, but this would do for now.
I looked around, making sure no one saw me before I slipped between the trees. I’d needed to get out and into my wolf form, since just after I’d arrived here, but it hadn’t been that easy to break away and find somewhere I could let my wolf out and run.
When I was sure I was deep enough between the trees, I stripped off my clothes and bundled them together. I hid them under a shrub, hoping they would still be there when I came back.
Worst-case scenario, I had an extra change of clothes in my car. It would be tough to get to my vehicle naked after my shift if I had to go into the open parking lot, but it would be better than having to make my way home naked, if it came down to that.
I summoned my magic, bringing it to the surface, and dropped into my wolf form at ease. My wolf stretched her body down, then stretched out her back legs before she shook her head.
I easily glided through the trees. In wolf form, I didn’t feel the cold at all. My animal relished being set free. The wind ruffled my fur as I ran, and I fought the urge to throw my head back and howl. I couldn’t do that here, in the middle of the city.
I left the park and ran along the river. Trees grew on either side of the Mississippi, and although they weren’t crazy tall trees, it was enough to hide me as I ran along the edge of the water. I headed south, covering the miles one by one.
I could go on forever, running as far as the river would take me, and a part of me wished I could do that. A part of me wished I could run all the way home. I missed New York. I missed my friends. I missed the magic and the enchanted beings I knew. Strangers didn’t scare me—I was always comfortable enough around creatures I didn’t know that I wasn’t awkward or shy, but that didn’t mean I liked it that way. Being in a different territory with different power was exhausting. I felt like I had to brace myself all the time.
I continued to run, and soon enough, I became aware of magic. It was strong, following me. My wolf ran faster and faster, but the magic nipped at my heels. I wasn’t going to be able to outrun it. It was chasing me, setting after me rather than just being a bit of magic I ran through like a fog.
When the power grew stronger, I realized I wasn’t going to be able to run away from it. So, instead of trying, I spun around, staying between the trees, and waited for whatever was after me.
I held my head low, my wolf growling softly. I held back. I wasn’t going to attack too soon, launch into something I didn’t know. I would wait for whoever—or whatever—followed me to make the first move. If I saw it coming, I could face it head-on and win that way.
At first, I saw nothing. I only felt the magic. It was scalding hot, like boiling water all around me, and it grew thicker and thicker. It felt like I breathed steam with every inhale.
I pushed my magic to the surface, fighting the magic that threatened to envelop me. I could fight it off, but just barely. Whatever was out there, creeping closer, was incredibly powerful.
A moment later, a shadow moved through the trees. At first, I saw nothing but the darkness, and then two cerulean eyes came into view. Fear ruffled my fur, and I trembled, but I stood my ground. Far be it from me to give into fear.
The shadow took form as it came closer through the trees, and I could make it out. It was a dark brown wolf, the body enormous. It had to be the size of a pony, and it had its head low, just like mine was, ready to attack.
