Page 69 of Raised By Wolves

The chief is trying to talk to me, but I can’t hear what he’s saying.

I’m sorry, but this isn’t working, Chief.

We don’t belong.

I know it and you know it. The difference is that you can’t admit it to yourself.

Then a voice cuts through the noise. A voice I know. A voice that reassures me with its familiar warmth.

“If everyone can just shut the hell up for a second,” Waylon yells, “I can tell you exactly what happened.”

The shouting stops. I open my eyes and see Waylon standing halfway in the road, fists clenched like he’s ready to fight someone, too. His bangs are so long that his face is almost entirely in shadow. I can’t read his expression. Can’t meet his eyes.

He walks toward the chief, passing a foot from me without glancing my way at all. He shoves his fists into the pockets of his faded jeans and addresses the crowd. “I saw Mac and Logan Hardy start following Kai and Holo after school.Stalkingthem. I know you think those boys are fine, upstanding Kokanee Creek citizens”—Waylon gives a small, sarcastic cough—“but the Hardys have been harassing Kai and Holo since the day they came to town.”

“That’s bullshit,” Mac sneers.

“Be quiet,” the chief says to Mac. “Get to the point,” he says to Waylon.

Waylon nods. Still doesn’t look at me. “Yes, sir,” he says, deferentially. “So I followed Mac and Logan, who were following Kai and Holo. And then I saw Mac and Logan come up behind Holo and Kai and knock them to the ground. It was a totally unprovoked attack—Kai and Holo didn’t even know what hit them. And when they tried to defend themselves, Mac pulled a gun. He started threatening Holo with it.”

“I don’t believe it,” says orange-haired Mrs. Hardy.

“Well, you’re an idiot,” Waylon replies calmly. “So Kai took it away from Mac with the help of a giant stick. And then she…” He pauses. Shrugs. “Well, then she took possession of the weapon.”

The chief looks over at me. “Is this true?” he asks.

I can’t move or speak.Why is Waylon defending me but acting like I’m invisible?

“Of course it’s true,” Waylon says heatedly. “Do you think I’d risk getting my ass stomped every week for telling a lie?” He turns back to the crowd. “You act like Kai and Holo are dangerous! But it’s your own kids!” His voice is nearly shaking with rage. “The ones who beat them up—and the ones who stand around laughing while it happens!”

“This is slander,” Mrs. Hardy says.

“It’s the truth,” Waylon says. “Ask Kai and Holo.”

Holo comes over to me and grabs my hand. “It’s true,” he says. “Isn’t it, Kai?”

Finally I manage the tiniest millimeter of a nod.

The chief turns to Mrs. Hardy. “Why don’t you bring your boys down to the station right now, and we can have a little talk.”

She sputters. Looks around at everyone, like one of them might come to their defense. But everyone’s quiet now. Waylon’s words are sinking in.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the fact that Waylon saw the whole fight. He saw me with murder in my eyes. And he didn’t try to stop me.

I know why.

Because even though he said that we’re not dangerous, he doesn’t believe it. We have wildness in our blood, and now he’s seen what it looks like.

CHAPTER 51

CHESTER WOULD LOVE to toss the Hardy brothers in a cell for a few hours. It’d scare ’em a little, wouldn’t it? Plus they could keep Dougie company. Give him an audience for his whiskey-fueled jokes.

But then he’d be late picking up Lacey from the hospital. Plus he’s pretty sure Reginald Hardy will punish his sons worse than jail could. Not for attacking Kai and Holo, but for doing such a shitty job of it. For losing the gun. For getting caught.

For being bested by agirl.

So after a little talking-to down at the station, he sends Mac and Logan on their way, their mom tearfully trudging behind them.Don’t let meevercatch those boys with a gun outside of hunting season again. You understand me?

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