Chapter Thirty-Three
Sky
I trotted up the main road to the Coruscation’s territory slowly, adjusting my pace to match the short legs of the tiniest pup trying to keep up. We’d been walking for hours when a large roan wolf stepped in front of me.
I sighed with relief as Juno raced forward, dropping to her back and wiggling in a joyfully submissive greeting. Obviously, this was a member of her pack.
He bent his neck and rubbed his cheek against hers and then prodded her to her feet, gripping her by the scruff of her neck. A long howl followed by a small yip brought several more wolves out of the shadows, each one stopping to greet their little pack member. One by one they grasped a pup in their jaws and followed their leader toward the pack house, leaving me to follow or not.
I followed.
I sat on the porch and watched as Trevor rushed out to wrap his niece in a hug, holding her tightly and kissing her soft fur.
“Are you okay, baby girl?” He ran his fingers over her before sighing in relief. “Your mama will be right here.”
Trevor set Juno down and began to check each pup over, looking for injuries and, happily, finding none.
Finally, he looked at me. “Are you okay, Sky?”
I nodded and tried to remember what Colt had told me about shifting forms. Like the first time I’d shifted, turning into a wolf to lead the pups to safety hadn’t been a deliberate action, it had just happened. Now, I seemed to be trapped in my furry, four-legged form.
Trevor caught my distress and came over to me. Placing one hand on my head, he spoke softly. “Close your eyes and picture your human form. Then, concentrate on that image.”
To my relief, my tail receded and my hind legs lengthened as I rose up into my humanoid form. “Thank you.”
“No problem,” Trevor said automatically, his eyes back on the pups who were being herded across the field by Chloe and a couple of others that I didn’t know. “I think you better come inside.”
Clint was sitting behind a large wooden desk in his office, a scowl on his face as he stared at me. Hostility was rolling off him in waves, but when he spoke, his voice was calm and measured.
“You’re going to have to explain to me how you came to have these pups in your possession.”
“What?” I looked from him to Trevor and back. “I..I brought them to you. I didn’t steal them!”
Clint didn’t respond, just continued to stare at me.
“Does Colt know Juno’s back?” No response. “Shouldn’t someonetellhim?”
Trevor sighed. “Colt’s not here, Sky.”
“But..where is he?” I asked in stunned confusion.
“We don’t know,” Clint snapped. “When he was released after he attacked Darren, he left.”
“Left?” I repeated weakly. “Left to go where?”
No response.
Fear began to rise inside me, squeezing my chest and making it hard to breathe. “I..guess I should go.”
“No.” Clint’s voice was firm. “You arrived with at least one kidnapped pup and several others that are not yet identified. You will be detained until the COPSD agents arrive to investigate.”
He raised a hand and two hulking men approached, the one in the lead gesturing for me to stand. I was led down a hall and through a door that led to a small cell. The door clanged closed behind me and I was left alone with my regrets.
I laid down on the cot lining one wall and closed my eyes. Granted, I was once again a prisoner, but the pups were safe and I didn’t think I was in actual danger, so I allowed sleep to overtake me.
The sound of a throat clearing woke me up and I slowly eased myself into a seated position and forced myself to meet Colt’s eyes. He unlocked the cell door and closed it behind him, locking himself in with me.
Trembling, I shrank back, trapping myself in the farthest corner from him as he approached. I’d already seen how much damage he could do to someone who pissed him off.
