Huck glanced from side to side, searching for the scent. “Keep your eyes open.”
Orson shrugged. “What? Am I really going to walk through this store with my damn eyes closed?
“You know what I mean, jackass.”
The pair moved farther into the store, all of their senses on high alert. A long counter holding cash registers ran the length of one wall. Behind it, a door led to the back of the store. Orson motioned with his head to the door. "The scent is stronger here. It must be coming from the back."
Then the wolves froze. “You hear that?” Huck asked as the sound of soft crying came from beyond the door. It was so faint that Huck had to strain his ears. Huck glanced around, but none of the customers looked up from the books they were perusing.
The two wolves went around the counter and leaned closer to the door, Huck’s ears pricked up. A woman wasn't just crying. She was sobbing. Huck heard muffled speaking. He and Orson looked at one another with narrowed eyes.
"It's tough, Lilly,” a feminine voice said. “And I know you're hurting. But I'm here for you, girl. Lord knows I didn't get out of bed for a week when Mark left me."
“You don’t have to worry about that anymore, darlin’,” a male voice rumbled. “I told you he’s not important.”
“Calm down, Gerald,” the female chided. “I’m just trying to make Lilly feel better. This is girl stuff.”
The sobs, which must have been Lilly’s, quieted. "It's not just that Dillon left. That hurts. It really, really hurts. But I don't blame him. He made it clear from the beginning that what we had was temporary. So I knew it was coming."
“Was there someone else?” the male asked.
“Gerald!” the female that wasn’t Lilly gasped. “How could you ask that?”
“Forgive me, Jennifer,” Gerald said, though he didn’t sound very sorry. “I know I’m still new, and it’s not really my business. I’m just worried about you both.”
Huck rolled his eyes. This guy wasn’t worried about anything but his own interests.
Orson nudged his arm. “Wolf?” he mouthed and pointed to the door.
Huck nodded. He’d been thinking the same thing. This Gerald dude was the Canis lupus they’d been smelling. But according to his own words, he was new in town.
"How’d you know?” Jennifer asked.
Huck heard Lilly sigh. "I can't really tell you, Jennifer, but I knew. I've known for a long time. But I just didn't realize it would be this soon."
"Lilly, what's going on?"
"I don't know how to say this." Lilly sniffed loudly.-"But I've just got to tell someone, or I'm going to go crazy."
"What is it?" The concern was evident in Jennifer's voice.
"I'm—” Lilly paused.
Huck wanted to growl at her, “Spit it out, dammit.”
“I’m—” She paused yet again.
You’re what? Huck mentally barked at the woman. A supernatural race that we actually haven’t heard of? You’re half troll? No, I got it, you’re—
“I’m pregnant.” Lilly’s words cut off his mental rant.
“Okay,” he whispered. “I did not see that coming.” Huck’s stomach hit the floor as his head turned slowly to look at Orson, whose eyes were as wide as a full moon.
“By the man who left you?” Gerald sounded way too damn interested, even eager.
“Do you have to be here? I mean, no offense, Gerald, but Jennifer’s known you all of a few days and this is well, it’s private.”
Jennifer gasped. "Oh, snap."
