Page 85 of Season of the Wolf

“I’ll never take this feeling for granted again,”I promised, saddened as I recalled the moment it died before, the emptiness it left behind that night.

Liam brought me closer and his mouth melded to mine, bringing to my attention that I’d never felt more connected to him than I did in this moment—mind, body, soul.

As the kiss deepened and I held him tight, listening as he wandered inside my head for the first time inwaytoo many days.

“And I’m never letting you go.”

Chapter Twenty-Five

Nick

My grandfather’s estate was no longer just a safe-haven forme, but for my friends as well. With Officer Chadwick working around the clock the past few days, helping those who could no longer help themselves, Roz hadn’t left my side, but she wasn’t the only one who’d been crashing here. Chris and Lucas were becoming permanent fixtures, too, with both their moms being nurses and doing their part to aid the injured.

Our town was a mess, and yet somehow, the four of us managed to find solace.

In each other.

A night of movie watching was an attempt at forgetting the chaos that surrounded us. It didn’t help, but we all needed the closeness, the comfort of being around friends after living through a disaster in which we could have lost them.

In short, we all learned a lesson in taking things, and people, for granted.

I was the first to wake, blinking into the dim light that peeked in past the heavy drapery. It was super early judging by the sun’s muted, orange glow. Choosing to camp out in the living room together, the floor was a jumble of colorful blankets and cushions from various couches that we borrowed from all over the house.

Beside me, a sleeping brunette who’d never believe she snored as loudly as she did, brought a smile to my face. Slipping a numb arm from beneath her head, I shook off the sensation of pins and needles dotting my skin and sat up, spotting Chris sprawled out in front of the big-screen, and Lucas somehow wrapped tight in a blanket near the fireplace. I wasn’t sure what I would’ve done without them here, but I’d learned how to be grateful in recent days.

There was cereal in the kitchen and I didn’t feel like waiting for the others to wake up and join me, so I figured I’d knock back my first bowl, and eat the next two or three with them. These days, we all ate enough where I was sure we’d each need our own box anyway.

I moved through the dining room quietly, passing through the butler’s pantry to get to the kitchen. Instead of turning on lights to brighten the large, dark space, my feet moved across cool tile, headed for the window over the sink to draw the curtains.

And when I did, I stumbled back, only stopping when I slammed into the counter, silent with shock as I stared out.

Blood rushed to my head as my heart raced, rubbing my eyes hard until they burned, but … the image never went away.

This couldn’t have been real, though.

Last night, when we went to bed, everything was normal, but now …this. A macabre forest composed of wooden stakes and mangled bodies for trees. They casted odd shadows onto the ground with their twisted limbs and contorted torsos in the early morning light.

So many bodies.

Everywhere, lining the yard of my grandfather’s estate.

Bile rose from my stomach and was only forced back down by fear as I sank to the floor, scrambling to understand. My entire body shook as a thought ran through my head and I fought to stifle it.

Did I do this?

Had I blacked out again and … killed all these people?

If Iwasn’tresponsible … whoever did this might have still been out there, watching me, stalking the grounds as they waited for signs of life inside.

I had to get to the others. To warn them—either to leave here to protect themselves from me, or perhaps to stay inside and protect themselves from whoever was out there. I had no idea which action was therightaction, so … I sat.

Afraid.

Frozen.

The sound of footsteps trailing the same path I’d just followed to the kitchen startled me, knowing right away who it was. With her bare feet and small stature, it was easy to tell Roz’s gait from the guys’.

“Get down!” I shouted just above a whisper.

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