f turned to a
pounding like it was trying to outrun the memory. The air smelled like
re coming," I
rner of her mouth with the b
ped like a st
ft mine behind-if they were even still alive. I didn't k
k wasn't min
e alone. That meant others were out there. St
ey want?" I
t all predators want. Terr
still. Too still. No insects. No wind. Just the so
ow how many
't kno
death was just
ready run o
ollapsed on the couch, arm clutched to her ribs, w
acked rib," I sa
had
y that
wince gave her away w
d st
is often?"
st a
strangers who
ug. "You're not a
yes then. A softness. A ques
ebook. Leather-bound, the corners worn, the pages yellowed. She fli
rt of a magic contract. Old blood magic. It binds the wolf to silence. If the
I heard of
aid. "And because it only works
red a
g he was boun
pack leader. Pr
e. "You think they sen
ned. "As a scou
temples. My body still ached from the fight, and my min
hispered. "Why
That's the part I
ot I dragged out from the backroom, I dro
hts on. Maddox had men stationed outside the post office like a damn mili
him
hiding
d since the fire ten years ago. They said lightning struck it. I
rough broken stained glass. And at the altar, carved i
wed c
sn't
s a c
-my town-w
thing cold slithered up my spine. I wasn't ju
someone else's
ss-legged on the floor with her notebook open and several o
hem caug
had dark hair like mine, but his face was sharper, h
's t
d from the Nordic packs almost a decade ago. Rumor is, he start
the pict
k he's be
I saw him once. Years ago. In a drea
about wol
ones tha
white. A figure crouched in front of a bonfire. Symbol
s. Control. He doesn't just lead a pack.
asked. "Why
nd for the first tim
use o
ze. "
random loner who ran from a curse. You're the last of a blood
llowe
mily i
ir legac
cing. "You're saying the
no
d softly, "they'll tear this town
t, I didn
roof again, watching t
aid nothing at first, just handed m
nk about runn
ry d
nd
find reaso
at her.
e of them,
touch. We
moment, some
that had nothing t
a.m., I
wl. Not
vo
kull like a whisp
nan
ked u
too. Her eye
heard
odd
ng," she said. "H
ho
c. The
ce came
rked... You
, growling, tryin
nly as it came, th
ft behind
my arm-fain
circle from th
into