“And then last night, the coroner informed Nate that the victim got up and walked out of the morgue. The police believe she was mistakenly declared dead, and we want them to keep thinking this way, but the coroner swears she had no pulse. About two hours ago, a snowshoeing couple notified the police there was a wild, naked girl fitting our risen victim’s description wandering the forest.”
Liam paused, and even across the watery expanse separating us, I noticed his chest puff with a deep inhale. My brother, on the other hand, was as motionless as the tawny wooden slabs at his back.
“The couple reported that the girl bared inhuman-looking fangs and sported patches of fur across her body, and no . . . not body hair . . . fur. Which leads us to believe we are dealing with a halfwolf.”
Goosebumps lifted on my forearms.
“We’re looking into which pack she might descend from. Once this is established, we’ll be better able to understand the crime that was perpetrated on Boulder land. Onyourland.” Liam paced the length of his deck like a wolf prowling a mountainous ledge. “Until we apprehend this girl and the rogue who attacked her, I urge those of you with no off-compound businesses or schools to stay put. Our best trackers will be canvasing the mountain. Hopefully, by tonight, we’ll have apprehended both the halfwolf and her attacker, and you’ll be able to go about your lives as usual.”
“My sister and I would like to join the search party!” The voice belonged to my ex, Grant.
Liam stopped pacing his short deck and wrapped his fingers around the railing again. “I appreciate your eagerness to help and will gladly review your candidacy to join the hunt. Anyone over eighteen, come around to the cabin, and we can discuss to what effect you can be of service.”
Chatter arose. So much chatter that Liam delivered his next and final words straight through the mind link.
Boulders, whatever you do, donotpanic. The shifter will be caught and the halfwolf will be found. Now, enjoy your day, but again, please remain calm and within the compound.
“What if the culprit is one of us?” someone yelled.
“Then that person will be brought to justice, but don’t go accusing one another!” Liam boomed.
I frowned, confused as to why he was insisting on this so vociferously, but a quick look around the crowd cleared that up. Many heads had swiveled toward Lori’s house.
Poor Lori.
“The halfwolf isn’t from our pack, which leads us to believe the attacker isn’t either.” Liam lifted his hands from the railing, then pivoted and retreated into the cabin, my brother on his heels.
“I’m going to go get Storm,” I heard my mother tell my father, before turning and pushing through the loose fabric of bodies.
Nash started to go after her, but Adalyn reached out and snagged the hem of his jeans. “Babe, where are you going?”
“I’m not sitting back on my haunches all day.” Adalyn’s sharp intake of breath had him crouching. “I’ll be safe. I’ll just stick by Nolan.”
“Nolan’s a tracker.”
A shadow fell across Nash’s face. He hated that his sense of smell wasn’t as keen as his twin’s and abhorred to be reminded of it even more. He straightened. “I’m not useless, Ads.”
She jumped to her feet and caught his hand. “That’snotwhat I was implying.”
“Uh-huh.”
I felt the stirrings of a fight and got up. Since those two did plenty of making up, I wasn’t worried. Besides, they were true matesandhad consummated the bond, so there was no splitting up in their future.
I dusted the snow off my black leggings, searching the crowd for my family. Dad was heading toward his two best friends on the other side of the pond, and Niall was jogging toward Liam’s cabin, without a doubt to volunteer his services. His sense of smell paled in comparison to Nolan’s, but he was an incredibly fast runner.
I bit my lip, wanting to help, but I wasn’t even sure if I could shift yet. I’d probably be more hindrance than asset. Still, I wanted to dosomething. I skirted the rocky bed, trying to catch up with my family. By the time I made it to the other shore, a long line of volunteers had formed. I didn’t stand at the back. Instead, I walked right up to the front. Because my brother was Beta, our family had some privileges, and one of them was having a speedier access to the Alpha.
“Hey, Nik.”
I stopped at the sound of my ex’s voice. Grant Hollis stood with his older sister, Camilla, at the very front of the line, blond hair cropped so close to his scalp he almost looked bald. When we’d dated, it had hit his shoulders.
“You’re not going out there, right?” His gaze dropped to my leg, and I bristled.
I was about to tell him I wasn’t an invalid when Mom stepped out of the house, baby carrier and Storm strapped around her middle.
“Come.” She took my arm, but I dug in my boots and peered inside the cabin.
Liam stood beside Nate and Avery, the tawny-haired male he’d almost made his Beta after the duel. The only reason my brother won out was because Avery was about to be a daddy and had informed Liam he wouldn’t be able to give the job his full attention.
