Page 49 of She is the Darke

Alex tipped her head toward the door. “Wendell’s is open and he has everything you could ever need. Plus, it’s just three blocks away. Take a right on the sidewalk outside and you’ll run right into it. And it’s right by a kettle corn stand that is to die for. Ask them for the M&M special. They’ll put a few pieces of candy in there when they’re popping your corn, and the chocolate will get all over it.”

“M&Ms are my favorite.”

A slow smile spread across Alex’s face. “Wendell’s is the place. If you hurry, you can have an hour to shop before they close for the day.”

“Okay, thank you! Seriously, thank you. I’ve been wanting to do this festival week all my life!” she exclaimed excitedly.

“Why?” Alex asked.

The question took her off-guard, mostly because she didn’t have an intelligent answer. “There’s not a good reason. I justheard about this place when I was a kid and have always wanted to go. Halloween is my favorite holiday.”

“Hello?” she could hear from the phone Alex still clutched. The beguiling woman lifted it to her ear and murmured, “Hang on.” And then she said to Stacia, “You felt drawn to this place?”

Stacia shrugged. “I dunno. Mostly I just wanted an excuse to be around other Halloween fans around the holiday, and dress in ho-clothes.”

Alex snorted. “Ask Wendell to show you the back room then. I think you’ll like it.”

“Thank you so much for the advice! If you think of any other fun stuff I need to see around here, I’m up for anything!”

“I’ll put together a list and leave it under the door of your room.”

“You are the best,” Stacia gushed. “Okay, I have to go now. To Wendell’s. To go costume shopping. For the Halloween festival,” and then she punctuated that with an excited squeak. “I’m really at the Halloween festival!”

Stacia made her way to the hallway but paused just around the corner. She should ask Alex for her number, right? So she could send her funny memes? And coerce her into friendship with her hilariousness via text?

She turned to do just that, but Alex’s voice froze her into place.

“I found her.”

Chapter Two

I found her.

How many years had Callum Ashbrock waited to hear those words?

Truth be told, he’d given up, and done his best to move on and accept his fate. He’d thought Alex had too, just like the rest of his pack, so her words confused him.

“I thought you weren’t looking for her,” he said, his voice too growly right now. He was at work and there were masses of people around, so he stepped behind one of the concession tents and cleared his throat before he tried again. “I thought we decided to let old ghosts die.”

“You gave up, brother,” Alex said. “I never did. She’ll be at Wendell’s for the next hour, and you can see her for yourself. She’s…”

“She’s what?”

“She’s not what I expected.”

The line went dead, and Callum’s skin tingled with the first signs of a Change. He couldn’t go wolf here, so he squatted down and intertwined his fingers behind his head, and tried to convince the wolf to stop scratching at his skin. It had been a while since he’d felt his control slip.

“You okay, Cal?” Liam asked.

Callum hadn’t heard him approach and startled hard. Thank God it was Liam and not one of the humans who worked here. His packmate would understand.

“I have to go. Can you cover for me?”

“What?” Liam asked, his bright blue eyes swimming with confusion. “Go where?”

“Alex thinks she found her.”

“Found who?” Liam called after him as he strode for the parking lot.

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