“Let me go get them and have a quick chat with Amelia,” I said as more parents strolled into the building. Each of them had the same uneasy expression on their faces. “I’ll be right back.”
I hurried into the back room while I heard the parents beginning to mutter to one another. Then the door closed behind me, blocking out their voices. They were replaced by ecstatic screams and laughter of children, about as jarring a distinction as it was possible to get. The kids were cheering as they egged on others as they fought, cubs chasing one another around the large room.
I moved past them, hunting for Amelia while I tried to keep my smile, not wanting to alarm any of the children. They were all so happy. Let them have a little less time without any fear.
Amelia was standing by the mat, arms folded, as she watched two of the cubs sparring. “Careful with the claws,” she barked. “You’re learning to defend, not attack, and your parents aren’t going to be happy with any of us if you show up all black and blue.”
The cubs retreated from one another, ears flicking back in sheepishness as they started circling one another again.
“Better,” Amelia said, nodding. She caught me out of the corner of her eye and turned. The smirk dancing on her face evaporated when she saw my own expression. She stepped away from the mat, jerking her head for me to join her.
“What’s going on?” she asked, her voice low. She kept looking toward the mat, checking on the cubs.
I told her what I knew. She stiffened, her eyes widening in shock and horror as her mouth dropped open.
“What?” she hissed. “That’s…” She shuddered and shook her head. “That’s unbelievable. Have you heard from Drake? Or any of the others?”
By “others,” I knew she was talking about Emma and Rachel.
“Not yet,” I said. “I was going to call them when I got the chance. But at the moment, there are several parents outside wanting their kids.”
Amelia let out a sigh, her eyes burning with rage. “That’s the way it goes,” she muttered. “Parents want to be with kids during tragedies. If you want to step away and call Emma to see what’s going on, then the parents can wait. I’d rather know what sort of thing we’re going to be dealing with going forward until we have more parents swarming the place.”
I nodded, pulling out my cell. As if on cue, my phone rang, Emma’s name showing up on the screen.
Amelia raised her eyebrow when she saw Emma’s name. She gave me a short nod, inviting me to answer it. I did.
“Hey,” I said.
“Hey, so you heard?” Emma asked, cutting to the chase.
“Yeah, I just found out,” I said. “Please tell me there’s something we can do.”
“Working on it,” Emma promised as she took a deep breath. “We need to meet. Let’s go to the oasis so we can assess what’s going on ourselves and see if there’s something we can do, all right? I’ve already told Rachel, and she’s on her way.”
“I’ll be there as quick as I can,” I said, glancing over at Amelia, who was watching my phone conversation intently.
“Good. We’re going to make this wraith and that demon wish they had never heard of Silver Falls,” Emma said. Like me, she might not have been able to shift, but that didn’t stop the wolf in her from rearing its head and showing its teeth when the need called for it.
“Damn straight,” I said. “I’ll see you soon.”
I hung up and turned back to Amelia. “I have to—”
“I heard. Stop wasting time here and go.” Amelia shooed me away. “Go do whatever you need to do. I’ll take care of the parents outside.”
I took a deep breath, my shoulders relaxing a little. “Thanks, Amelia,” I said. “You’re amazing.”
“Thank me by staying safe and getting back in one piece,” Amelia retorted, giving a small smirk. “I happen to like you, and I’d hate to have to find a new employee, considering I think the kids would despise anyone who wasn’t you.”
I gave a half laugh, then pulled Amelia into a hug. Amelia squeezed me tight.
“Be careful, all right?” Amelia said. “And give me a call if there’s anything I can do.”
I nodded, then raced back outside. I muttered a brief explanation to the waiting parents—now five of them—that Amelia would be out momentarily to help them, then grabbed my bag and sped outside, much to their bewilderment.
When I reached the oasis, I saw a large cluster of people all around, most staring up at the unmoving waterfall with horror and alarm, others muttering to one another. I heard more than one person talk about leaving town as I hurried past, glancing through the crowd, searching for Emma or Rachel.
Before I found either of them, though, I felt a tug from my mating bond, telling me Drake was nearby even if I couldn’t see him. I could sense his anxiety running through it, his intensity as he tried to figure out how to solve the problem at hand. Then I felt his alarm, moments before I felt a hand on my shoulder. It spun me around until I was facing Drake, who glowered down at me, panic rippling off him.
