Page 9 of Dawn of the Pack

“How can I help?”

“Just… drive, if you don’t mind? Maybe there’s somewhere we can go? Right now I just want quiet, and distance from that house and everyone in it.”

“Anything for you, my darling.” I tug at one of her crossed arms and she loosens her posture, allowing me to thread my fingers through hers. I lift her hand to my mouth for a kiss, then settle our joined hands into her lap and focus on the road.

If she wants to drive in silence to sort her thoughts, then I’m happy to oblige. After a quick mental inventory of options, I decide on somewhere to hide out; somewhere private, and somewhere that no one will come looking for her.

Chapter Four

Jared

“I really don’t like this, man. We should have talked to Lay- I mean, Lily, first. Since she’s the alpha and all.” Landon can’t seem to stop twitching in the passenger seat, and it’s getting on my nerves. He’s flipping a guitar pick back and forth across his knuckles like a mobster in an old movie, and for some reason, seeing it in my peripheral vision is fucking annoying.

“Yeah, well, the point was to show her we can think for ourselves and not stress her out any more than she already is. We plan to be her mates, also alphas for the pack. Maybe she needs to know we can help her without having to be told.” I keep my hands on the wheel and my eyes focused on the road. As much as I’d like to pretend otherwise, I’m just as nervous as he is. But one of us has to be calm.

“And you really think this is the way to show her how mature we are?”

“Look, I know we’re taking a risk, but I think it’s worth it. Even though we’re her fated, we’re still not officially mated to her, so we can still get on their territory without being noticed. Besides, no one really looked at us last night; all of their focus was on her and Leaf.” His name comes out as a snort, despite my honest attempt to be civil. “Even though I don’t like the guy, he means a lot to her. He’s basically all she’s got from home—or whatever used to be home for her—and like it or not, she cares about him. So if he matters to her, he matters to me.”

“Yeah, I know,” Landon grumbles. “He’s okay. And it could be useful to have a wizard around. Or a warlock, or whatever the male equivalent of a witch is. I just can’t get over that he feels… off.”

He hit the nail on the head with that one. “Right? Like, I can’t explain it, but he’s something different. It’s weird.”

“It’s probably just because he’s a wolf and a wizard.”

“They’re just called witches, Landon. Male or female. But I’m not so sure that’s it.”

“No, witches are definitely women. And if it’s not the hybrid thing, what do you think it is?”

“Haven’t you paid attention in pack history? Or are you just getting your information from novels? He’s a witch. Regardless, he’s never shifted before, right? I mean, as far as we know. He sure didn’t seem to pretend not to be a wolf. And he seemed pretty shocked to find out he was the Montrose alpha’s heir.”

“Yeah, but that could just be the heir part. We don’t know for sure he’s never shifted.”

“Just call it a hunch, then. All I know is, he doesn’t feel like anyone else, and until I know why, I don’t trust him.” I ease down on the brake and roll up to the stop sign, checking carefully around the empty intersection as if a pack of wolves could come charging from any direction at any time.

Which, honestly, they could.

We cruise past the ‘Welcome to Montrose’ sign on high alert. It takes several seconds to realize we’re both holding our breath and bracing for attack, Landon scanning the right side of the road and me the left.

If some kind of ‘rival pack’ alarm has gone off, the people on the street don’t know. There aren’t many; it’s blustery and cold out despite the blue sky and sunshine. But they appear to just be going about their day, shopping and grabbing coffee like normal people.

I force myself to breathe out slowly and drive well within the speed limit. The last thing I need is for their local authorities to pull us over and see Smoky Falls on my driver’s license.

“So… we’re in. Now what?” Landon’s knee is shaking, his hands playing drums on his lap to release the nervous energy.

“I guess we explore a bit? I hadn’t really got past the point where we drive into town. We’re just trying to find out where they took him.”

“I mean, it could be anywhere. Do you think they have a peace officer building like we do, for tourists?”

“Why don’t you try google?” I thrust my chin at the phone he tossed on the dashboard of my truck.

“Oh, good idea.” He swipes the phone and taps on the screen while I continue our slow roll through town.

Honestly, it’s a lot like Smoky Falls. Coffee shops, local restaurants, and gift shops with fall stuff in the windows, colorful fall wreaths on the lampposts. Growing up hearing how monstrous these people are, it’s hard to make that idea fit with the reality of this average little town.

“Montrose, North Carolina, has a population of 1,873. Established in 1923, this small mountain town is nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountain range-”

“Nestled?” I interrupt scornfully. “What the hell are you reading? We’re supposed to be casing the joint, not learning fun facts.”

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