Page 23 of Howling Night

No service.

I dropped the phone back into my purse. I had to stop letting my mind play tricks on me so I could make it home without having a heart attack.

A low growl sounded from somewhere to my left, much closer than I expected. I whipped around, my purse swinging into my back, making me jump as if someone touched me.

Another growl from the other side of the road made me turn again. Something large and dark slinked along in the ditch as another shape emerged into the middle of the road, ten steps from where I was.

Would Annie ever find out what happened to me?

The glow of the faint moonlight reflected in their eyes — bright, knowing eyes that seemed to shine with an unnatural light of their own. Small yellow-gold orbs stared at me from the darkness.

The beasts were massive — far bigger than any wolf I’d ever seen. Their shoulders easily reached my waist, maybe higher. I could make out their silhouettes now as they moved closer to the road’s edge, their muscular bodies sleek and powerful.

I was surrounded.

Four… five… six, that I could see, all positioned strategically around me. Protectors of the town? They seemed like I was their enemy. Invading in on their territory. These weren’t friendly guardians — they were predators, and I was their prey.

“Go away!” I whispered, and the one in front cocked its head as if it understood me.

Its nose twitched and moved, nostrils flaring as it sniffed the air in my direction. The massive beast seemed to be analyzing my scent, determining what kind of threat — or meal — I might be.

Despite their aggressive stance, with hackles raised and teeth occasionally flashing in the moonlight, they hadn’t attacked yet. The growling continued, a constant low rumble that made my skin crawl.

“Nice doggy,” I said gently as I took a step forward.

The lead wolf’s growl deepened to a threatening snarl as it snapped its jaws in my direction, teeth clacking together with enough force that I could hear it clearly even from several feet away. Its eyes narrowed, almost looking offended.

“I’m sorry!” I blurted out, raising my hands instinctively. “That was stupid. You’re not a dog. Definitely not a dog. Not even close to a dog.”

My heart hammered so hard against my ribs I was sure they could hear it. The wolves continued their standoff, not advancing but not retreating, either.

A strange noise behind me made me whirl around. My pulse, already racing, nearly stopped as I saw a man straightening up in the middle of the road. He was completely naked, his chest heaving as if he’d just run a marathon.

I gasped when the moonlight hit his face, and I realized I recognized the nude man. It was Paul from the bar, the quiet guy who’d disappeared in the middle of his shift.

“This isn’t the one,” he said, his voice raspy. His eyes darted nervously between me and the wolf behind me. He bent forward at the waist, sucking in breaths. “She’s not… the one… we’re looking for.”

More grunting sounds came from behind, causing me to spin around again. The largest wolf, the one that had been blocking my path, was gone, and in its place stood another naked man.

He had pitch-black hair, and his pale skin was almost luminous in the moonlight. His eyes glowed with an amber fury that seemed to burn right through me.

“You idiot,” he snarled at Paul through clenched teeth. “She’s seen you now. We don’t have a choice.”

His voice was deep and commanding, carrying an authority that made even me want to obey whatever he might order next. The remaining wolves seemed to shrink back slightly, though they maintained their positions around us, even though it seemed like they’d rather run away from the situation.

“We can’t,” Paul begged, holding up his hands. “You know the rules. We shouldn’t even be here.”

“I haven’t seen anything,” I blurted out, desperation making my voice crack. “My car broke down while I was just walking home. I don’t know what’s happening, but I swear I won’t say a word to anyone. I’m not even sure I could if I wanted to. There is a part of me that thinks I might be at home having a really, really strange dream.”

“Shut up,” the big man said.

I pressed my lips together and nodded.

“It’ll be a big problem with you know who if he finds out about this,” Paul said, grimacing.

The big man laughed. “Do you think I am afraid of him? He’s not doing anything to help our brothers with this.”

“No,” Paul said, shaking his head. “It’s just?—”

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