“Then your song dog showed up,” Chav cooed.
I rolled my eyes. “With a nudge from Sunny.” My stomach growled again.
Doc’s brows furrowed, and he shook his head. “Then what happened?”
“We weren’t that far from town, so I convinced Jo Jo to take me to my apartment to get some of my things.” Etta grimaced at the memory. “That’s when I was ambushed by Pete.”
“Ambushed?” Doc scooted forward in his seat. He scowled. “By who?” He looked like a man ready to rip someone’s legs off.
“He’s dead.” Etta tilted my head toward me. “He took care of it.”
Chav gave me an appraising glance. “You took on a lycan? By yourself? Are you okay?”
“I didn’t give him a chance to fight back,” I replied. “I don’t feel great about it, but I’d kill him again in a heartbeat. Especially after…” My words trailed off as my gaze settled on Etta. I’d held her lifeless body, and it was something I never wanted to have to do again.
“I died,” Etta explained. “At least, my body did. But only for a minute or so,” I quickly added. “Pete broke my back and smashed my head against the floor. I don’t think he meant to do all that damage, but without my wolf, I’m a lot easier to damage.”
Doc was up out of his seat. The chair skidded backward, the legs breaking as it hit one of the lower cabinets. “I’ll kill him.”
“Pete’s dead,” I said again.
Doc’s gaze glowed with intensity, his wolf swirling below the surface. “Not him.”
Oh. He meant William.
My glower matched his. “You’ll have to get in line.”
CHAPTEREIGHT
Etta – It’s a family affair.
Iheld up my hand. “Before we kill anyone, I need to tell you what happened next.”
“You boys, sit down,” Chav said. She looked at the busted chair on the ground. “Doc, you should probably just stand in the middle of the room and away from any more breakable objects. I don’t want to have to buy this cabin before we’re done here.” She reached across the table and patted my hand. “What next?”
“Brother Wolf came to me. Or at least I think it was him. He called me little wolf.”
Chavvah nodded. “That sounds like him. What did he say to you?”
“To get back in my body for one.” I chuckled. “I think he healed me.”
Chav touched her stomach. “He can do that. He healed me.”
I’d heard the stories about her ordeal with the hunters. The same men who had killed Jo Jo’s mother years earlier had kidnapped Chav, tortured her, and planned on hunting her as well. It had left her uterus scarred, but when she accepted her role as spirit walker, Brother Wolf healed the damage. Shortly after, she’d gotten pregnant with Rory. Brother Wolf’s wedding gift.
“He said, learn from the mother. Do you think he was talking about you? Are you the wise woman?”
“I don’t think so.” She closed her eyes and stacked her hands on mine. “Besides, Sunny said you needed to find an old lady.”
Jo Jo snickered. “I guess you’re notthatold.”
Chav shot him a watch-it look. “Not old enough to be called old.”
Doc crossed his arms over his massive chest. “Sunny said the old woman in her vision spoke to her. It’s definitely not Chav.”
I bit back my disappointment. If Chavvah had been the wise woman of the lake, the old lady, and the mother, it would have made the whole situation easier. On top of that, it would’ve been a great excuse to get to know her better.
“Then who? We’re here in Grand Lake Grove, and I have tonight and tomorrow to find this person or else. These warnings all came with a D-day. March twentieth. My birthday.” I slumped down in my chair, my head in jitters. “Whatever comes next, I can’t face it on an empty stomach.”
