Page 35 of True Wolf

“I don’t know where your sister is. She left a few days after you. Your parents are at Alcove.”

“The cottages?”

He smiled smugly and nodded. “And I don’t think they’ll be very welcoming or happy to see you considering you’re the reason why they’re there.”

I flinched, blinking through the process of what he was confessing. A few seconds later a door slammed and I lifted my eyes to find the porch empty and Zion’s concerned eyes on me.

“What’s the Alcove?”

“It’s where the laborers and staff cleaners live. My parents shouldn’t be there. They own businesses.”

“Do you want to see them?”

I shook my head. “No, but I need to find my sister. I blocked her after everything that happened. I hadn’t spoken to her since the day I left. I thought she married Rolf. I assumed…”

“That she chose them over you too.”

I nodded.

“Reach out to her. Let her in. You two need to talk.”

I wanted to talk to her but the past few months, I’d punished Neyla for something she didn’t do. I assumed that when my parents made the demand for Rolf to choose Neyla and he agreed. They forced me to leave so I didn’t stay around long enough to see if it happened. The last conversation I had with my sister, she refused to marry Rolf, but said she didn’t have a choice. I assumed that meant she would.

“We do need to talk but can we go see Sula? Neyla’s not here.”

“Don’t accept his word, Ness.You should ask someone else.”

I smiled weakly. “I don’t need to ask. She’s not here. I can’t feel her. He’s not lying.”

The minute I realized Neyla wasn’t his wife, I unblocked her, but nothing changed. I couldn’t feel her. If she were close, I would have.

Zion kissed my forehand. “We’ll find her. This can wait.”

I shook my head. “No, we’re here.”

His expression turned hard. “I don’t need this. Whatever we are and whatever our future looks like is okay with me.”

“I do…” I withered and his brows pinched but he nodded.

“Okay.”

We left Rolf’s place and drove into town, bypassing all the businesses until we reached the northwest part of the city where Sula had a house sitting in a small clearing on the edge of the forest. When we arrived at the door, I felt a wave of disappointment when we were greeted by a man and not Sula. His narrowed glare bounced between me and Zion and I stepped up to mediate the situation before it went bad. I could sense Zion’s wolf standing defensively.

“Do you live here?”

“Yeah, why?”

“Watch your fucking tone,” Zion growled and I stepped in front of him before he had the chance to move.

“I’m looking for Sula. She used to live here.”

“She’s my aunt. Why do you need her?”

“She’s here?” I perked up, hopeful.

“First tell me who you are and why you’re asking.” He was defensive, protective.

“She…”

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