Page 32 of Echo Of A Wolf

Sienna and Ellis responded, both saying they’d be over shortly before Waylen answered my question. I loved how down for anything they all were. They all lived so freely.

I might have a lead on where that old shaman lady is.

My heart galloped inside my chest as excitement buzzed through my veins. This was good news! A lead on finding her meant we were one more step closer to saving Xander.

My cell buzzed with another text. It was from Dean.

Put your clothes back on. Guess we aren’t having sexy time when I get home now.

I laughed, nearly choking on my tea, and then sent him a reply.

There’s always later.

He responded quickly.

I’m holding you to it.

An SUV pulled into the driveway, their headlights blinding me. It took me a moment to realize who it was.

Sienna.

I watched as she climbed out of her SUV and grabbed a grocery bag from the passenger seat. She flashed me a smile when she noticed me on the porch.

“Hey. I’m sure you weren’t expecting anyone to swing by so soon, but I was already out when Waylen sent that text. I figured I’d just head on over,” she said. “Which do you want—wine or hot cocoa?” She held up a grocery bag, another smile working its way across her face.

“That’s a tough one. Both sound good.”

“I know, right? I couldn’t decide either.” She made her way up the front steps. “Care if I put the ice cream I bought in your freezer?”

I stood and headed inside. “Not at all. Sounds like you bought all the necessities.”

“All that’s missing is a romcom and a scented candle, I believe,” she joked, following me into the kitchen. “I’m calling it my single lady self-care essentials kit.”

She placed her cookies and cream ice cream in the freezer as another vehicle pulled up out front. We both made our way to the windows to see Waylen climbing out of his truck. He reached into the passenger seat floorboard and grabbed two cases of beer.

“Hey, Astrid,” he called out without even looking at the house. “Where’s Dean’s cooler?”

“So, wine or hot cocoa?” Sienna asked again. “Looks like it’s going to be a long night.”

“Wine,” I answered, before heading to the back of the house for the cooler I’d spotted on the back porch.

Ellis showed up a few minutes after Dean got home, and we all made our way into the backyard where Waylen had taken it upon himself to start a bonfire on his own. We gathered around the fire, using a few big logs, a cooler, and two bag chairs as our seats and waited for him to tell us his news.

“So?” Dean pressed when he seemed to be taking his time. “What’s the lead?”

“Oh, she lives in the woods,” Waylen said, popping open another beer and taking a big swig.

“We already knew that,” Sienna chimed in. “How is that a lead?”

“Because I have a location,” he said.

Sienna narrowed her eyes at him. “Again, we already knew that.”

“I know which woods now,” Waylen insisted, looking smug with himself. “She supposedly has a cabin in the woods at the north end of town.”

“Is there a street name?” Ellis asked.

Waylen took another swig from his beer. “Somewhere off Lyle Street is what I was told.”

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