Page 16 of Winning the Wolf

“I’ll have you know that Caleb has been the only person from your entourage to be kind to me. What’s the harm in adding him as a friend?”

Huffing, Killick climbed in the car and started the engine. I scuttled to the other side and got in, staring out of the window as we drove out of town. The caves were open, the queues of tourists waiting to get inside. The cheese shops were basked in sunlight in front of the car park, ready for a busy day.

“No news from my father, which means they’ve not found anything.”

As the car turned off the main road and wound through the village, I wrung my hands together. The waiting was setting my nerves on edge. If Nyla was found, I would be tempted to kill her myself.

“Why do you choose to live away from everyone else?”

Killick’s question took me by surprise. He’d steered the car onto a dirt track and was winding us through the trees. The landscape around Cheddar was vast and green, populated by pockets of flat grassy land and a lot of trees. The perfect hideaway for a werewolf pack in a human world.

“Your mansion isn’t exactly on the main road, either,” I said, glancing at him sideways.

The track ran out and my small cottage appeared, the one bedded, one floored house tucked behind a cluster of trees. The stone was sand coloured, just like the other buildings in the county, and the roof tiles were dark grey, lending itself to the Georgian times well.

When the engine had stopped, I jumped out and almost bolted into the house, leaving the front door open. There was no point in asking for privacy, his orders had been given and I had to play along.

“Nice little place you have here,” he remarked, coming into the living area behind me.

The place was like an old cabin inside, mostly open plan with a small bathroom in the back. A huge fireplace dominated the right wall of the room with the kitchen area stretching off to cover the right corner.

“You like spiritual trinkets.” Killick’s words were a statement as he eyed the dreamcatchers and windpipes nearby.

Nodding, I pulled out a backpack and started to shove clothes into it. I wasn’t sure how long they’d force me to stay at the pack’s headquarters, but it was better to be prepared.

“Yeah, they bring me some peace.”

I grabbed my towel before he could answer and headed towards the bathroom. He grunted, drawing my attention as I opened the door. Looking over my shoulder, I raised my eyebrows in question.

He was staring at a painting on the wall. One of me, my sister and our brother.

“I miss him.”

His statement was like a kick to the gut, almost bowling me over. I had to swallow the pain that threatened to rise. I’d commissioned the picture a couple of years ago, desperately needing something to connect to my brother. I’d asked the artist to put us in a happy fantasy world of a tropical rain forest with a few rainbows and a waterfall in the distance. It was the happiest picture I’d ever seen of us.

“Me too. I’m…” Clearing my throat as he looked at me, his expression pained, I stared, frozen by his intensity.

Tears popped into my eyes as the corners of his creased and his forehead crinkled. He wasn’t crying, but the pure emotion spoke to me, enticing me to soothe it. I licked my licks, clenching my hands into fists as the overwhelming urge to go to him almost made my feet move.

“I need to shower,” I croaked, quickly going into the bathroom and slamming the door closed.

Instantly switching the water on, I breathed through the emotion that rocked me to my core. I couldn’t have a soft spot for Killick, just because he showed a hint of emotion about my brother. I had to be strong and try to get through the next few days.

As steam filled the room, I quickly showered, washing away the sentiment that was desperately itching to fill me. When I thought of Killick’s light eyes and shaggy dark blonde hair, it made me crave him in a way I’d never felt before.

Once I’d finished, I searched the bathroom for my clothes. Crap, I’d forgotten them in my rush to escape Killick. Why did everything seem like such hard work? Only a couple of days ago, I was on top of everything, going about my usual day.

Wrapping myself in a towel, I exited the bathroom, going over to my bed to retrieve my clothes.

“My father just messaged, he’s joining his men to look for my mother. They’re getting close.”

I paused the retrieval of my clothes, looking over to where he stood beside the fireplace. It was empty, save for a few unlit logs. It was too hot to burn at the moment, but my favourite past time was reading a book in front of the flames. The nostalgia of such a simple action made me sigh.

“I really hope they find them today.” Picking up a spare towel, I rubbed the dripping wet strands of my hair.

“Why do you dye your hair purple?”

Baffled, I moved my eyes around, as if I were searching somewhere else for the answer. “Because it gives me a different identity to my sister. Why are you not more bothered about your missing mother?”

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