Page 18 of Cursed Wolf

“I’m sure you’re a great vet,” Tryn said softly. “Not just because you’re good at tests and studying.”

“What makes you think that?” The beer was loosening me up, and I felt myself growing bolder. Maybe even flirtatious.

“I’m good at reading people.”

“Does that help you in your job?” I asked. “While you’re bodyguarding your mysterious important person.”

Tryn’s smile was full of teeth. “It does, actually.”

He didn’t elaborate, and even though I was morbidly curious, I didn’t pry. I was afraid I might annoy him if I asked too many questions about his job, and I wanted him to stay open and candid with me.

“What about you, were you a good student?” I asked instead.

“No,” he said with a sharp laugh. “No, I was one hell of a prankster and drove my teachers mad. Me and my buddy Sawyer, who’s basically my brother, would always get into trouble. We got nipped and scruffed so many times.”

I squinted at him. “You got…what?”

“Oh, uh, it’s an expression where I’m from. Basically we got...yelled at. And thrown out of class.”

“Where are you from that has expressions like that?”

He smirked at me over his glass. “Guess.”

“Hmm...” He did have a slight accent that I couldn’t quite place. It didn’t sound anywhere southern or midwestern US, but not quite European either.

I took a stab in the dark. “Canada?”

Tryn laughed. “Holy shit, first guess. I’m that easy, huh?”

“Seriously?” I gaped at him. “I got it right?”

“You sure did.” He tapped his glass against mine. “Told you you were smart.”

My face heated and I tried not to show how much the compliment affected me. “What part of Canada?”

“Ah, just a little town in the middle of nowhere wilderness. It’s not even on most maps.”

“What’s it called?”

He hesitated for a moment. “Vargmore.”

“Vargmore,” I repeated. “That sounds so Gothic and mysterious. Like something out of an Edgar Allen Poe story.”

Tryn smiled. “I don’t know about Gothic, but it is pretty mysterious. We’re kind of isolated up there, cut off from the rest of the world. Some families can trace their lineage back thousands of years. We have unique lore, folk tales, and traditions.” His eyes flashed with mischief. “You could say my people and I are slightly feral.”

“That sounds amazing, honestly.” I sighed. “Being close to wilderness is part of why I love it up here so much. The hustle and bustle of cities, all the unspoken rules of society, it’s too chaotic for me. Wilderness takes its time. It’s quiet and doesn’t judge you based on how big your house is or what school you went to. A small, close-knit community that understands that sounds wonderful.” A sense of longing filled up my chest, like I was homesick for a place I’d never been to before.

Tryn’s expression jerked me out of my daydream of his quiet, hidden community. He looked shocked, eyes wide and lips parted.

Embarrassment prickled over my skin. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to ramble.” I curled into myself, hiding behind a sip of beer.

“No, don’t be. You didn’t ramble, it’s just…” He seemed lost for words, raking a hand back through his hair before continuing. “It’s just uncanny you said all that because it’s absolutely true of Vargmore. We have a…special relationship with the wilderness. It’s almost a magical connection, or a spiritual one. And yes, we’re a very close-knit community that doesn’t care about symbols of status or wealth.” He gave me a reassuring smile. “I was just surprised you were so right on the nose. You sure you haven’t been there?”

“If I had, I’d probably never leave,” I admitted. “It sounds wonderful.”

“It is. It’s home,” he murmured.

Home was a foreign concept to me. In all my twenty-six years, I had yet to experience the warmth and sense of belonging that word entailed. My parents’ place growing up was cold, clinical. It was a beautiful, custom-built house, but it was far from a home. Since moving out for college, I’d slummed it in dorms and cheap apartments. As much as I enjoyed the town of Fulsburg, my little apartment felt temporary, a transitional place. I wouldn’t be staying there forever, especially not if I landed a vet position somewhere else.

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