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“Hey, Audrey.”
“Mayor.”
Silence enveloped us, and I scanned our surroundings to ensure nobody was listening. “How are you doing? Did you tell your parents the truth about our abduction?”
Audrey shook her head and scoffed loudly, “I’d sooner buy dollar-store box hair dye and touch up my roots myself than give them an ounce of reason to see me as weak.” She flicked her long hair over her shoulder. “Would like to see one of them get captured and see how weak they are,” she muttered.
I held back my chuckle, feigning that I hadn’t heard a word.
“I simply told them I left town for a fling. I’ve done that a few times, though between you and me, several of those times were just so I could escape them. One time, I spent a luxurious weekend in peace and quiet at a spa.”
I couldn’t hold back my laugh. I didn’t blame the woman. Her parents were a lot, though at the end of my day, I could wash my hands of them. Audrey, not so much.
Audrey looked at the jail and asked, “On a completely different note, how is the town’s newest jailbird doing? Has he given us any useful information?”
Cocking my head at her, I studied her expression. She was genuinely curious. There were more layers to Audrey than what she had presented to the world for all the years I’d known her. It was interesting to watch them unfold.
“I didn’t realize you were interested in defending the town from hunters.” Not that I was opposed to Audrey’s help; I’d take whatever help I could get. It was just that she’d never been interested before, preferring to spend her time shopping, flirting, and having a good time. And if she could do all three at the same time, well, so much the better.
She blushed a little. “Honestly, I wasn’t. Not until they drugged me and kept me in a grimy camp for hours with the threat of torture looming over my head.”
Audrey tried to keep up the bravado, but I caught the fear before she could hide it. Anger reignited inside me. This woman shouldn’t have to face that threat, shouldn’t have to constantly be looking over her shoulder. She had a right to live her life without the fear of being captured and tortured.
“Look, Ridge, we’ve never been very fond of each other. Mostly because of my parents, and I don’t fault you in any way for that. But I want to change. I’ve gotten tired of my life and want to turn over a new leaf. I figured assisting with the hunters and the town could be my way of helping. So, if I can help, please let me.”
Audrey wasn’t blowing smoke up my ass. She genuinely wanted to help. Being imprisoned by people who were skilled at killing you could change a person. In Audrey’s case, I was thrilled her change was for the better.
“I’ll let you know if you can help in any way,” I said. “We could use any and all help, and the fewer people who know what exactly is going on, the better.”
Audrey gave me a sincere smile.
“Need a ride home?”
She shook her head. “No, but thanks. I’m feeling tangled up in knots. I’m going to head into the woods and let my wolf roam for a bit. It’ll get rid of the tension for a while.”
I was a little envious that she could head off for a run right now. I’d have given anything to do the same thing with Tori by my side. It was out of the question for now, though. My duties were calling, and I had to take them seriously.
“Have a good run. Be safe.”
Audrey turned in the direction of the woods. “Will do.”
“Oh, Audrey?”
“Yeah?”
“Keep an eye out, will you? Note if anything seems odd or out of place out there.”
“Got it, Mayor Blackwood.”
As I walked over to my office in the town hall, I noted that the citizens of Blackwood weren’t out in droves like usual, but I didn’t think too much about it. It helped me to have a semblance of quiet as I prepared for a long day of business—and pining for my mate. Our separation from each other was a constant annoyance, but it was stronger and harder to ignore since she’d been injured and we’d been forcibly separated.
If I was having this sort of trouble, how was Tori handling it?
My pocket buzzed. I pulled out my phone, and the number for the local care facility lit up the screen. The facility was where my Aunt Lucille lived, so I never ignored that number. Something could’ve happened to my aunt, or, on the bright side, my aunt was lucid and had called to chat.
Those were the best calls.
“Hello?”
