Page 46 of Father of the Wolf

Hope closed her mouth in surprise. The casual way Dàn spoke about knowing things he shouldn’t know drove home the truth about his abilities.

“I don’t suppose I am what you expected, but nevertheless I am here,” Granny said. “You obviously know who I am. I believe you always perceive more than others.”

“I see more than I wish to, but never enough to answer my own questions. I’m very glad to finally meet you, Keeper. I have many questions you may be able to help me with.”

Hope was distracted from this very puzzling dialog when a wolf suddenly stalked around the corner. She assumed this was Sgrios in his wolf form. He stopped at the edge of the light.

He was a very intimidating, solid black wolf. His large, lean, muscular body marked him as the hunter that he was.

Fear swelled inside her at the familiar sight of him. He looked like the one who had attacked her. She remembered his thick black fur and that glittering green stare.

How cruel to Athair to have this between them. A sob caught in Hope’s throat. How cruel to her. She knew he would be loyal to his family before all others. But how could he leave a brother loose to hunt and kill humans? And who were the other three men she’d seen that night? Were they also from his family, possibly his children? Would he be forced into the role of a Shadomàn, forced to kill ones he loved? Or worse yet, would he be killed by Sgrios?

Hope tuned out the conversation going on around her. Maybe she could hide the truth from Athair. Maybe there were good reasons for the woman’s murder and her attack. If she said nothing, would Sgrios even recognize her?

She feared that any choice she made would be wrong in some way. She needed to share this burden. She reached out her mind to Athair. “Sgrios is here.”

Athair turned to face the newcomer and placed a possessive hand on Hope’s hip, pulling her against his warm side.

Sgrios changed to human form with a short surge of bluish light and was no less intimidating as a man. He had long black hair and flashing dark green eyes. He too changed with clothes. He wore black leather pants and boots, but no shirt. There were two deadly looking knives with unusual blades belted at his waist, within easy reach.

He might have been extremely attractive except that his muscular body was covered in vicious scars and one scar ran diagonally across the right side of his face, marring his hard features.

“Sgrios,” Athair said in a way that seemed both a cautious welcome and a warning.

“Relax, Brother. I won’t eat the humans.”

Granny laughed at that, but no one else seemed to find it the least bit humorous.

Hope wondered just how bad he could be. He certainly looked scary enough to be the cold-blooded killer she thought he was. What if he recognized her and became violent? She stepped back, putting Athair between her and the dangerous man, hoping to put off any confrontation for now.

Sgrios matched Athair’s glare. “I wanted to see you before I returned to the teaghlach with Reultan and Díon. Dàn and Rath may travel with us if they wish.” He seemed to think that Athair would be staying put.

Dàn spoke up. “I would like to stay here too, if possible.” He looked questioningly at Granny.

“Of course you may stay, child,” she answered quietly with a gentle look to Dàn. She then continued speaking to the whole group. “You may all stay here under my protection for the night. Young Dàn may stay on as long as he wishes.”

“Thank you, Keeper,” Dàn said.

Hope’s was not the only jaw that dropped at the total insanity of the tiny woman offering to protect four grown men, let alone four werewolves. What was going on between Granny and Dàn? He seemed to be the only one unsurprised by her offer. This situation was way beyond strange. Their entire conversation made no sense to Hope.

“What’s going on here? What exactly is a keeper?” The questions rushed from Hope, despite her intentions to avoid drawing attention to herself. “Who are Díon and the other one?”

“Díon and Reultan are two of us who were hunting with Sgrios,” Athair said. “The rest will have to come from Ella, or perhaps Dàn.”

After this statement, Granny took control. She didn’t answer Hope’s questions, but she started directing everyone, explaining only that she would explain everything as soon as she could.

First, Granny told Sgrios to take Rath to check the area and collect Díon and Reultan.

“What the F—” he started to growl a vicious retort, but after a startled look from Granny to Dàn, motioned for Rath to follow him and the two immediately left. Perhaps Dàn held some control over Sgrios? If so, would they be safe with him? Hope instinctively trusted Athair and Dàn to protect her from any danger. Even crazy, homicidal Uncle Sgrios.

Then Granny directed Athair to set up somewhere for them to eat, either on the spacious porch or out in the yard.

Next, Granny announced that she and Hope would start dinner, so they could all sit and talk while eating. In total confusion, Hope obediently followed her suddenly mysterious grandmother into the kitchen to put together a meal for nine, including six werewolves.

Granny turned to her. “Why don’t you cut the sandwiches you bought, and I can heat up some vegetables to go with them?”

“Why don’t you tell me what all that was about?” Hope countered, while she began unwrapping and cutting the sandwiches.

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