Every werewolf tightened. Several growled softly.
“No one’s afraid of the dark,” Lu said softly. “Just the things hiding in it.”
Abbi nodded and nodded. “There are Shadows in the dark. Lost Shadows. Someone needs to find them. My Shadow—”
The door clunked open, and I knew without turning that the shopkeeper was there.
“Loitering is a misdemeanor punishable by fines and community service,” the old man said. “I have 911 on speed dial and happen to know the sheriff’s bored today, because my son-in-law is always bored.”
“We’re leaving, Mr. Walch,” Summer said. “Abbi.”
“But—” Abbi said.
“We promised not to bother Mr. Walch anymore, remember?” Summer said.
“Yes.”
“Come on, little moon.”
Abbi scrunched her face, but then she sighed. “Okay. Fine.” She gave Lu one more curious look. “Thank you for finding my backpack.”
“You’re welcome.”
“Thank you for buying it,” she said to me.
“My pleasure.”
Abbi turned and took Summer’s hand. In just a few steps the girl was ahead of her, babbling about the sky and clouds and leading Summer to a path cut through the grass.
Summer seemed perfectly content to follow her, and the four other pack members I could see fell into place behind them.
“Damn Riggs,” the shop keeper muttered. “Like I need werewolves scaring all my customers away.” He ducked back inside and slammed the door.
“Huh,” Lu said.
“You think she’s okay?” I stared at the retreating backs of the werewolves.
Abbi was almost skipping, tugging Summer forward. One of the men who had stood guard was slightly ahead of Abbi. He paused to ruffle her white hair affectionately.
She looked fine. More than fine. She looked happy.
But I was still in high-alert mode.
Lu touched my arm.
I jerked my arm away and took two steps back before I managed to put the brakes on my fight-or-flight reaction. I quickly grabbed her hand and put it back on my arm. “I didn’t mean to pull away—”
“I know.” She pressed her palm flat, increasing the contact. “Do you want to talk about it?”
If I never had to speak about how overwhelmed I was by the physical world, and how utterly stupid I felt when I overreacted, that’d be fine with me.
“Abbi’s okay,” I said.
Lu let me get away with the subject change. She squeezed my arm and leaned in toward me, inhaling, exhaling. “She looks okay.”
“Are you sniffing me?”
“Why? Do you think that’s strange?”
