Page 29 of Wolf's Whisper

“I am protecting you,” I say firmly, holding his gaze. “This is part of that. This is about keeping you, your brother, and your sister safe while we figure out how to stop him for good. That’s my job.” I pause for a moment, trying to soften my tone. “And I wouldn’t do this if it wasn’t important.”

Dillon tugs on my sleeve, his little face scrunched up in confusion. “But you’re staying, right? You’re not leaving us?” His voice wobbles slightly, fear creeping in despite the bravery he tries to muster.

I reach out and put a hand on each of their shoulders. “I’m not going anywhere,” I promise them, my voice steady but gentle. “I’ll be close by. I’m just ensuring you are safe so I can handle this problem without worrying about you. You’ve got my word, okay?”

Abel studies me like he’s trying to decide whether my word is good enough. After what feels like an eternity, he finally nods. “Okay,” he says quietly, though his arms remain crossed. “But you better come back.”

Dillon wraps his small arms around my neck in a hug that almost knocks me off balance. “You have to promise!” he mumbles into my shoulder, his voice muffled but insistent.

I hug him back tightly, ruffling his hair again before pulling away slightly to look him in the eye. “I promise,” I say, sealing it with a pinky swear that makes him smile just a little.

“Now, start packing up your favorite things,” I tell them as I stand up and glance around the room. “Not everything, just what you need and can’t live without for a little while. And don’t forget your toothbrushes. I don’t want any complaints about gross morning breath.”

Dillon scrunches up his nose dramatically, which gets a small laugh out of Abel despite his obvious worry. “Ew, Wolf! You’re the one with gross morning breath!” Dillon teases, sticking out his tongue.

“Hey now,” I shoot back with mock offense. “I’ll have you know my morning breath smells like roses and fresh coffee.”

“Roses that died a long time ago,” Abel mutters under his breath, but a slight grin pulls at the corners of his lips. I take it as a victory.

“All right, comedians,” I say, clapping my hands together to refocus them. “Get to it. I’ll be back in a few minutes to check on you.”

Leaving the boys to their packing, I head down the hall to Chloe’s room.

Chloe is sprawled out on her bed, her tiny body surrounded by stuffed animals. She’s holding her favorite one—an old, slightly worn-out bunny with one floppy ear. Her chubby little fingers are tangled in their fur as she hums a tune I don’t recognize. It’s the kind of peaceful moment I hate to ruin.

She looks up when I step in, her big brown eyes lighting up like she’s just seen Santa. “Wolfie!” she squeals, abandoning the doll and running toward me at full speed. Her little arms wrap around my legs, and I bend to scoop her up.

“Hey, munchkin,” I say, settling her on my hip. “We’re going on an adventure tonight. How does that sound?”

Chloe's eyes widen, and she tilts her head to the side, clearly intrigued. “An adventure? Like pirates?” She gasps again. “Or astronauts? Are we going to space?”

I chuckle softly and shake my head. “Not quite space, but somewhere safe and fun. You’ll stay with your brothers and Mommy the whole time.”

She frowns a little at that, her tiny brows furrowing in confusion. “What about you? You’re coming too, right?”

These kids and their concerns about me sink into my chest like a stone, but I force a reassuring smile onto my face.

“Of course, I’ll be around,” I say. “You think I’d let pirates or space aliens mess with my favorite crew? No way.”

Chloe giggles at that, her frown disappearing as quickly as it came. “Okay, but if we see pirates, I’m gonna fight them!” She punches the air with her tiny fists, and honestly, it’s the most adorable thing I’ve seen all day.

“You’re my fierce little fighter,” I say, setting her back down on the floor. “But first, you need to pack up your important stuff. Like Bun-Bun here.” I pick up her floppy-eared bunny and hand it to her.

She holds it close to her chest like it’s a treasure. “Okay! But can I take all my animals?”

I glance at the mountain of stuffed toys on her bed and wince inwardly. “Maybe not all of them, munchkin. Pick a few of your favorites—enough to keep you company, but not so many we need a truck just for your room.”

Chloe pouts, her lower lip jutting out like she’s auditioning for the role of cutest kid in the universe. “But they’ll be sad if I leave them!”

I kneel down so we’re eye level and give her a grin. “Here’s the thing, Chloe. Someone has to stay behind and guard your room while we’re gone. Just like Ramble and Hatchet stayed behind when I was gone. I mean it’s a big responsibility. Do you think your animals can handle that?”

Her eyes grow wide with understanding. She glances back at the stuffed army on her bed, her small hands clutching Bun-Bun tighter. “Okay,” she says after a brief second of thinking. “But Mister Snuggles is the boss, so he has to stay and be in charge.”

“Good choice.” I nod solemnly as if this is a matter of national security. “Mister Snuggles will do a great job. He’s got that leader vibe, you know? Reminds me of Hatchet with his very commanding presence.”

Chloe beams at me, her faith in Mister Snuggles’ abilities unwavering. “Yeah! Just like my Hatchet, he’ll tell everyone what to do. Bun-Bun will receive messages if they need me.”

I can’t help but grin at her and cannot wait to tell Hatchet. “Sounds like a rock-solid plan, munchkin. Pick a few friends to go on the adventure with us.”

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