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“I need to grab a few things before we leave. I’ll send someone in with a paper and pencil so you can draw your sacrifice. Make any final calls that you need to, but please keep my name out of it.”

He walks out the door, leaving me alone.

Maybe I should make a call. I pull out my phone and see I have five missed calls and a voicemail message from an unknown number. I listen to the message. It’s Marjorie begging me to come home and asking where Timber is.

In addition to the calls, I have one text from Timber.

Marjorie says you left the house to see a doctor. Are you okay?

I want to call him. It would be wonderful to hear his voice one last time before I go to Kim and Sarah’s island. But I’m not sure I’d be able to stay strong and go anyway if he tells me to come home.

Instead, I send him a text.

I’m fine.Going to The Flickering Candle. I love you.

23

Timber

I call Kenai on the way to Manny’s house.

“Hello? Timber?”

“Yes. I just got a call from Manny. He’s in trouble.”

I think I hear the smacking of lips before Ken says, “What kind of trouble?” Is he kissing someone?

“I exposed his location to the ice dragons.”

There’s heavy breathing on the other end of the line. “What are you talking about? Was Manny working with ice dragons?”

Then Ken doesn’t know. It makes sense. Manny wouldn’t want to tell Ken more information than he strictly needed. It might put him in danger.

“Stop,” Ken says, but I don’t think he’s talking to me. “I’m sorry, Timber. Hold on.” His voice softens, but I can still hear him whisper, “I’m sorry, baby, but I have to go. This call is important.”

Is Ken dating someone? Since when? Why didn’t he tell anyone?

That isn’t important now. I need to figure out what’s happening with Manny. Maybe I should call H or Steppe. They might know something.

“I’m alone now. I apologize.”

“It’s okay. I get it.” If Manny wasn’t in danger, I’d ask about this mystery guy. But we don’t have time. “Do you know anything about the team Manny was working with? I need to call them to tell them what happened.”

“No. We don’t work with his team at all. No one can come to the sanctuary until after they’ve been legally processed, so we’re the end of the line. I’m sorry. I’ll go ask H and Steppe just in case they know something.”

“Thanks. I’d appreciate that.”

He pauses. “Please don’t tell anyone about… well, I don’t know what you heard.”

“Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me.”

“Thanks. I’ll find Steppe and H. I’ll call you back soon.” The line goes dead.

I keep driving north for another thirty minutes even though I don’t know what I’m going to do when I get there. It’s not like I can take on an ice dragon even if I could shift into my wolf form. Of course, I can’t. That’s the thing about my teeth implants. The dentist warned me that if I ever took my wolf form, they’d crack and fall out. They’re completely worth it, and I don’t know what I would do without them. But this whole situation makes my inner wolf long to resurface.

My burner phone rings.

I snap it open, expecting to hear Andrew’s voice, but it’s Marjorie.

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