Page 53 of Wolf Forsaken

"Fuck! Stand on the other side in case someone walks by." Silas was standing next to the passing cars, trying to block the view of Xander shifting.

"They're here."

Chapter Seventeen

Ivy

"What do you mean they're here?" I was too worried to talk to Xander in my head. It still took a certain amount of focus, which at that moment, I didn’t have.

He didn't respond, and I looked helplessly at Silas, who was trying to keep him from escaping from between the two cars. What were we going to do? It was only a matter of time before someone noticed a wolf in the middle of town and went apeshit over it.

A few weeks ago, if I’d seen a wolf in the middle of town, I would have too.

"Damn it. I have tranquilizers in the SUV. I should have listened to my gut and put one in my pocket. We're going to have to knock him out then pretend he's a dog." Silas lunged for Xander, but Xander was fast and slipped past him, taking off down the sidewalk.

Dropping my bags between the cars, I ran after Silas who was sprinting faster than I knew was possible. If the giant wolf running through town didn’t attract attention, the man sprinting after him at inhuman speed would.

"Xander! Stop right now! Bad dog! Sit!" Silas was practically to him when he darted across the street, causing a driver to slam on their brakes and honk their horn. Thank God the speed limit through town was twenty-five, and she had time to stop.

Silas held up his hand in apology and continued after the wayward wolf. With Silas screaming at him and calling him a dog, people just moved out of the way.

Everyone was watching the scene unfold in the streets of Huntsville. It would no doubt end up on social media if it went on for much longer. I could already see people going for their phones.

By some miracle, or maybe not so much of one, a shop door opened and Xander darted inside, nearly knocking a woman down as she exited. At least we had him corralled now and might be able to get him to shift back.

The bell chimed as I ran in after Silas, making sure the door shut behind me. There weren't too many people in the shop, and the manager was behind the counter, glaring at Silas, who was trying to head off Xander. He was like a bull in a china shop, except he was in a ski shop.

"This is why there are leash laws, you know. Do I need to call animal control?"

"No!" We both shouted at the same time.

Xander darted under a circular clothing rack with ski pants hanging on it. "Come on, buddy. Let's go to the car and this can all be over. I know you're scared. Do you want a treat?"

Silas was doing a great job at getting people to think we were dealing with our naughty dog because I heard no whispers about a wolf.

I would have squatted down to help, but people were pulling out their phones. "Please, put the phones away. My husband works for a special branch of the military and if you post any video or pictures of him, the FBI will shut your accounts down. I don't want for that to happen."

It seemed I was always having to think on my feet when I was with Silas and come up with a scenario to get us out of a situation. No one wanted their social media accounts taken away, so the phones didn’t come out, at least from what I could tell.

"Can you talk to him in that special way only you can do, bunny?" Silas stood and gestured toward the rack.

I took his place and peeked in between the pants. It nearly broke my heart seeing him cowering against the metal support in the middle, his tail tucked and ears back.

"Sweetie, we need to get you out of here. Do you think you can handle that?"I wanted to reach out and touch him so badly, but the look in his eyes gave me pause.

He didn't respond. My stomach flipped over, and tears welled in my eyes. What the hell was going on and did we need to be concerned someone had found him somehow? That seemed impossible, though.

"Nothing. He's not responding." I gave Silas a helpless look. "How far is the car?"

"I can go get it. It's in the lot behind this building. I'm sure they won't mind if we use the back door if that'll get him out of here." He cleared his throat and then his voice was in my head."If he shifts, make sure no one sees him."

Silas ran his plan by the manager, and he left the counter to let Silas out the back. Xander made no move besides the tremble of his body and quick jerks of his head when there was a sound in the shop.

"This was such a bad idea." I never had given any thought to Xander having an anxiety attack in public or what would happen if one of us shifted. It could have been me hovering under the rack.

"Ma'am?" A male voice boomed from behind me, and I stood just as Silas walked back in. "You dropped these bags out on the sidewalk."

"Thanks." I grabbed them and turned back to Silas. "How are we going to do this?"

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