Page 129 of Unwilling Wolf

She’d suffered so much since she’d arrived in Rockdale, and she deserved to wake to peace, and now this? A postal rider had ridden all the way to the Lazy S a couple days ago, the letter safe in his saddlebags until he handed it to Garret.

Clint Jennings was his enemy.

So was Boston.

A selfish part of him wanted to hide the letter and never show her. To cut off the postman every time he rode out here with summons. He wished he could pretend that he’d never seen it, but that dishonesty would eat him alive.

He pulled Rooney’s reins off the post out front and swung up into the saddle. Burke was waiting up the road for him, and kicked his own horse into a run behind Garret.

Roy was three hours’ ride south, and if they were quick, they could be back by nightfall. Cookie and Wells were posted by the cabin to protect Eliza. He didn’t want to be out all night, but this felt important.

He needed as many anchors as possible in Rockdale, and truth be told, he wanted Roy back. He could use that old man’s advice and friendship again. He missed him.

Roy had always felt like the closest he had to a real father, back in his old life, and after he’d been Turned into a werewolf.

He was just good down to his bones.

The world needed more of Roy Davis, and would be a darker place if he couldn’t recover his memories.

Burke didn’t try to talk to him the entire way, which was great. Garret didn’t feel like talking to anyone. But as they rode past the Faraway Ranch sign, Burke caught up.

“Before you see him, there is some stuff you should be prepared for.”

“It’s okay,” Garret barked out.

“Well, he can’t stay human for long, and he’s still in the cage.”

“Fuck.” Garret swung his glare at Burke. “Still?”

Burke shook his head sympathetically. “Doc can’t help him much. He’s dominant.”

Garret huffed a frustrated sound. Of course the wolf Garret gave him was a monster. He looked heavenward, and then spurred Rooney on faster. The sun was already high in the sky. He needed to do this and get back to Eliza.

Oh, he’d been to the Faraway Ranch before. He’d spent a lot of time in the cage here after Clint tore him up. Wolves around these parts knew about the cage. Clearly, Clint didn’t know Roy had been Turned, or he would’ve mentioned it. He probably thought Roy was still running his small herd at his ranch, but nope. He’d been here for weeks, apparently failing at gaining control of his animal.

He tied Rooney off on the post out in front of the barn, and then strode in, kicking up dust with his boots and spurs. Burke followed silently behind him.

He strode straight through the open barn doors and squinted, waiting for his eyes to adjust to the dimness in the back where the case resided.

Two men sauntered out of the shadows, and Garret greeted Doc and his assistant. He wasn’t really a doctor, but the Packs around these parts had given him the nickname because he was the best at bringing back some semblance of humanity in the newly-Turned.

“He’s in his human skin now, but it probably won’t last long,” Doc explained. “You’ll have to be quick.”

Garret nodded, and came to a stop in front of the iron bars. Across the massive cage sat a man.

Roy’s beard was thick now, and his hair longer, mussed. He looked clean enough, and when Garret checked the washing station on the right side of the cage, it had water droplets on the table. Okay, so he was past the animal-only phase. He understood hygiene for his human side. That was good. It was a step in the right direction.

“They won’t give me a razor,” Roy said in a voice Garret didn’t even recognize. It was full of snarl, and bore no resemblance to the man he’d known.

“They wouldn’t let me have a razor for the first three months,” Garret said softly. “Too volatile and cunning, they told me. I never figured out if they thought I would attack them, or harm myself.”

Roy was just sitting there, his hands clasped between his knees, eyes cast down at the dirt floor. “The bars burn my skin.”

“They’re made of silver,” Garret said. He sat down on a stool near the cage door.

“I know you,” Roy said.

Hope filled Garret’s chest. “You do?”

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