Page 6 of Wolf Chosen

Precaution?

This town... these people... there's something strange about them, something inexplicably other that prickles at the edges of my consciousness. I can't decide if I should be running toward it or fleeing as fast as my feet can carry me.

“I can take you over to the hotel. Now that the transfusion is complete,” Liam offers, his voice a low rumble that sends an unexpected shiver rippling through me.

A part of me wants to protest, to insist that I'm perfectly capable of driving myself but even as the words form on my tongue, I'm acutely aware of the lingering weakness in my limbs, the slight tremor in my hands. As much as I hate to admit it, perhaps a night of rest is exactly what I need. He is right about one thing. I don’t want to cause an accident out on the roads. That isn’t fair for the innocent person I might hit.

“If you can just take me back to the diner, I'll grab my car and—”

“We'll pick it up and bring it over to the Bite for you,” Zane interjects smoothly. “You should go with the doc, let him keep an eye on you for now.”

I open my mouth to protest further, but Mitch's assessing stare pins me in place. There's no arguing with that unwavering authority, that unmistakable aura of command. With a resigned sigh, I give a curt nod.

“My purse?” I try a different tack. “And my phone? I should call my parents, let them know where I am so they don't worry.”

Liam retrieves my satchel from the nearby counter, but shakes his head. “No reception in Willowbrook, I'm afraid.”

Of course not. Why would a town in the middle of nowhere have something as convenient as cell service?

“Cindi has internet at the ‘Bite’. She won’t mind you using it,” Mitch supplies, as if sensing my growing frustration. “I'll radio ahead, let her know you're coming. She’ll set her laptop up for you.”

It's clear they're not leaving me with much choice in the matter, and a part of me bristles at being so thoroughly steamrolled but the other part, the rational voice of self-preservation, knows they're right. I'm in no condition to be going off on my own. As we make our way out of the clinic, I can't help but notice just how eerily quiet it is in here. It’s a far cry from the bustling hospitals I'm accustomed to.

“Why is it so empty? I'd have thought there'd be more patients, more staff...” I’m unable to shake the feeling that something isn't quite right.

Liam chuckles, the rich sound sending an unexpected flutter through my chest. “There's not much call for medical help in Willowbrook,” he explains with a casual shrug.

I frown, sensing there's more to the story than he's letting on, but Mitch and Zane are already bidding their farewells. Within moments, it's just the four of us–Liam, myself, and the two women who have yet to properly introduce themselves.

“This is my sister, Riley,” Liam says, gesturing to the younger woman with a fond smile. “And Faye, the clinic's nurse.”

Riley beams at me. There's an eagerness about her, an infectious energy that I instantly like. So she’s Liam’s sister? That makes sense. They have the same shock of sandy blond curls and piercing eyes. I can't help but marvel at their striking resemblance.

She's the woman I glimpsed through the diner window, I realize. The one I'd assumed was Liam's wife, prompting that strange flicker of misplaced jealousy. Heat rushes to my cheeks as the memory surfaces and I quickly shove it aside. It's not appropriate, not in the slightest.

Even if he doesn’t have a wife, I'm not staying here. I can't. And I certainly can't allow myself to develop any kind of misguided attachment to the handsome doctor even if a part of me aches with a wistful sort of longing at the thought of never seeing him again.

“It's so nice to finally meet you. Liam, give the poor girl a chance to breathe!” Riley gushes, taking my hand in both of hers and giving it an enthusiastic shake.

Finally meet you? A roll of something that sounds like a growl comes from deep within Liam’s chest. But that can’t be right. People don’t growl.

With a laugh and a roll of her eyes, she turns to her brother and tosses him a set of keys. “Here, take my truck. Mom and Dad can pick me up from the diner on their way home.”

My eyes widen at the implication, at the nonchalance with which she's offering up her vehicle for my sake. “That's... very kind of you. But I don't want to put you out or anything. I'm sure I can find another way to get there.”

“Don't even think about arguing,” Riley cuts me off with a grin and a wink. “Trust me, you'll need the truck to get around these parts. The terrain can be pretty unforgiving if you're not used to it.”

Liam chuckles again, that rich sound sending an unexpected flutter through my chest. “She's not exaggerating. Riley's driving is insane. She likes to go tearing down the fire roads, kicking up dust and getting mud all over the interior.”

He gestures to a hulking 4x4 parked nearby, a beast of a vehicle that seems almost comically oversized for someone of Riley's petite stature. Suddenly, her offer makes a bit more sense.

“Shall we?” Liam prompts, resting his hand at the small of my back.

The contact is electric, raising every hair on my nape as that same warmth blossoms beneath his touch. I don't pull away. I can't muster the will to put any distance between us. Instead, I let him steer me to the truck and help me inside.

The interior is smeared with dry mud, but as we drive, I drink in the sights and sounds of this strange little town as we go. The fresh, crisp scent of pine is thick in the air, mingling with the earthy aroma of fertile soil and sweet wildflowers. Towering evergreens stretch toward the heavens all around us, their boughs brushing against a brilliant azure sky that seems to go on forever. Houses peek out here and there between the trees, blending seamlessly with their natural surroundings in a way that speaks to the depths of my soul.

These people understand the importance of preserving the wilderness, of coexisting with nature rather than bulldozing it into submission. They've managed to carve out a life amid the breathtaking beauty of these mountains without marring or destroying any of it.

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