They began to climb higher into the mountains and the scent continued to get stronger. Whatever it was that was injured, or dead, was either very large, or there was more than one. They’d just crested a hill when he and Vasile were abruptly halted in midstep. The scene before them looked like something out of a horror story.
“What the…”Jen muttered as she walked up to stand beside him.
Decebel took in a deep breath, just to be sure, and when it filled his lungs with the scent of his Beta, he knew. Mingled in with the scent of the dozens of dead wild boar was the scent of Costin. These kills hadn’t been for food. The bodies of the animals had been mangled, as though whatever had killed them had been in a crazed frenzy. The stench of reckless, mindless violence hung in the air. No Canis lupus in his right mind would do such a thing. Werewolves killed for food, for the protection of their pack, or when they were directly challenged by another wolf. Those were the only reasons. They didn’t kill simply for the pleasure of the kill or the exhilaration of the hunt, though their wolves did feel those things when the action was taking place. They were controlled killers, not homicidal animals.
“Costin’s gone feral.”As soon as the words left his mouth, his wolf went into full on protect mode. His first thought wasget his mate to safety.
“Jen, you and Jacque need to get back to the mansion,”he ordered.
She turned her head to look at him and lifted her lips in a snarl.“I can fight. I’m not a weakling.”
“You’re the mother of my child and I don’t want you injured or worse to leave Thia without her parents. A feral wolf is unpredictable. Costin, for all intents and purposes, is not our friend right now. He’s our prey. We need to catch him before he kills more than just wild boar.”
The snarl dropped away as her eyes widened. She realized his implications. He turned and nudged her shoulder with his big head and the others followed. Vasile took the rear position, guarding them from attack, and Decebel took the lead. Fane flanked them on the sides, weaving in and out from left to right providing protection to Jacque and Jen.
With every step he took his anger grew. What could he have done different to have prevented this? How could he have helped his pack mate so that he’d been able to fight the darkness? Decebel growled. He was Alpha. It was his job to protect his pack and he’d failed Costin. Not only had their healer been taken from them but now his Beta had succumbed to the uncontrolled beast inside of him. There was still a thin shred of hope that he could be saved. If Sally was brought to him quickly enough she might could push back the darkness with her light. But Sally was not with them.
Decebel was facing one of his biggest fears; the possibility that he was going to have to end the life of one of his pack, one of his friends. To lose Costin meant losing Sally for good as well and the loss of either let alone both of them would leave a huge wound in their family, one that might never heal.
Chapter 15
“So often things are not what they seem. People say one thing but mean another. They act one way in front of one person, only to turn around and act completely differently with someone else. Frankly, it’s damn annoying. Can’t we all just say what we mean, and behave in the same manner whether alone or with other people? Is that too much to ask? Well, apparently it is. Stupid free will.” ~Peri
Peri needed to be in Romania attending the meeting that she and Vasile had planned, but instead she stood across the street from a bar calledThe Dog Houseand she wasn’t impressed. The pixie who had been staking out the place was standing next to her but was invisible to the human eye thanks to Peri’s magic. Apparently, strong magic, pack magic, had been detected in Oceanside and the trail led straight to the grungy, dilapidated bar currently standing before them. Of course, after her visit with history wolf and the Missouri Alpha, she now knew why there was pack magic in Oceanside. The possibility that she was dealing with those lunatics in the Burning Claw made her want to snarl, not unlike Lucian would do.
“What is it about liquor, pool tables, obnoxious music, and obnoxious people that attracts werewolves to bars?” Peri muttered under her breath.
“It’s only fitting,” the pixie spoke up. “Werewolves, after all, are rather obnoxious.”
“I knew I liked you for a reason.” The high fae grinned down at the little being. “Tell me why you think our Sally is in there.”
“Because the female I saw working here is new. She has long brown hair, brown eyes, just like you described. But most importantly, she isn’t a wolf, nor is she entirely human,” the pixie explained.
“Healer,” Peri whispered.
“That’s what I’m thinking. Funny thing is, I don’t think these wolves even realize the affect she is having on them. Their instincts to protect her were immediate, and all of them seem to be drawn to her in one way or another.”
Peri’s sharp eyes snapped down to the little pixie. “What do you mean, in one way or another?”
The pixie’s shoulders tightened and she swallowed. “There is one that has decided he wants to claim her.”
She let out a string of curses. If this was their Sally, and it certainly sounded like it was, then the last thing she needed was to deal with a wolf that thinks he has some claim upon her. Finders, keepers doesn’t work in the supernatural world.
Deciding there was only one way to find out what was going on in Oceanside, she crossed the street and headed for the door. She stopped on the threshold and considered whether to glamour herself or simply lay her cards on the table and allow the wolves and Sally to see who she truly was. But she still wasn’t sure that Sally would even recognize her. The pixie had made it clear that she was pretty sure that the girl was not aware that her companions were werewolves. It had only been nine days, nine measly days, since Sally had gone missing and yet in those nine days it appeared that she’d suddenly forgotten the supernatural world even existed. That thought caused Peri to shiver. Only powerful dark magic could make someone forget herself and her past, especially someone as powerful as a gypsy healer.
Peri was sick of dealing with powerful dark magic. Why couldn’t it be light, powerless magic that she had to face? Okay, so that was ridiculous, but she was really tired of contending with the latter. Just once she’d like to kick evils’ dark butt and stand the victor for, like, ever. Her irritation grew as she stood there and thought about her past dealings against the forces of darkness. The growing irritation helped her make up her mind. She wouldn’t hide behind a masquerade. These wolves were about to learn that they weren’t the only predators in Oceanside—not any more.
“Are you coming in?” she asked the pixie.
“Wouldn’t miss it.”
Peri smiled. “Jen would like you,” she said and then pulled the door open and stepped inside. Going from the brightness of the Spring day, to the darkness of the bar’s interior, was a shock to the fae’s senses, and she had to let her eyes adjust before being able to fully take in her surroundings.
She was immediately disappointed. The place was…typical. The drab drinking establishment could have been on any street in any coast city in America. Peri didn’t know what she’d been expecting to find, maybe a powerful dark wizard holding court over an army of snarling bloodthirsty werewolves or, perhaps, a bunch of furry mutts walking around and peeing on the bar stools? Okay, so that was probably a little ridiculous, but after all the things she’d seen in the last two years since the Coldspring trio had come into her life, ridiculous was totally a given most of the time.
Her eyes settled on what she immediately knew was going to be a headache for her—and she didnotneed any more headaches—a large attractive bartender drying glasses on the other side of the bar. He was alone at the bar and, due to the early hour, only a few patrons sat scattered at various tables, each glued to their cell phones, none paying her any particular attention. Though Peri generally leaned toward causing as much drama as possible, she supposed confronting the beast now when there weren’t many witnesses might be the wiser course. It’s a pity the wiser course is always the most boring.
She walked toward the bar, her steps slow and measured, as she continued to watch the male. He was concentrating a little harder than was necessary on the simple task and Peri nearly laughed. He was well aware that she was there and he knew who and what she was.
