Sage shook her head. “You think that wentwell?”
Timber shrugged. “I thought Wade was gonna bind Canyon, and then I would’ve done something stupid, and then Wade would’ve bound me, too, and Trevor would have had to pick sides, and you would’ve been upset and jumped in.”
“Thatwouldhave been worse,” Sage said.
“He did bind me,” Canyon said. “He let me go when Wulf drove between us.”
:That was me who released you, Canyon. Citlali must never bindwolvenin anger—
Canyon looked at his brother, feeling stunned, but not in disbelief. Timber’s expression said he was feeling the same. Timber twisted in his seat to look at Wulf.
“Wulf, are you… the Meadow guardian Wulf?”
:I am Wulf—
Canyon didn’t know if that was an answer or not, but he thought it was the only answer they were going to get. “I bet Wade didn’t like that at all.”
Timber laughed. “He’s probably still trying to figure out what happened.”
Canyon revved his engine. “Who’s gonna tell him? Not me.”
“Not me,” Timber said.
They both waited a beat. Canyon turned around to look at the two in the back seat, and so did Timber.
“Not me,” Sage said hurriedly, laughing.
:Not me—
“Which way?” Canyon asked, indicating the road before them.
“Where’re we going?” Timber asked.
“Somewhere neutral,” Sage said, “But outside would be nice.”
Canyon stayed quiet, watching Sage in the mirror. She hugged herself, looking out the window, her expression worried. Canyon didn’t like that. Things had been so smooth until Wade showed up. The old male was blind to what was in front of him and making poor decisions. Canyon brooded about it, alternating between looking at the road and looking at Sage.
“I know the perfect place,” Timber said. “Up ARQ bluff.”
Canyon turned right and pulled out onto the road, putting the pedal to the medal, glad to be on the open road and driving fast. “Camp Dodger?”
“You know it.”
“Sage, Camp Dodger?”
They locked eyes in the mirror and she nodded, but she still looked worried.
Canyon’s anger at Wade flared.
***
Half an hour later, they were still driving, almost at the top of ARQ bluff. Canyon followed Quiles Drive to its dead-end where a locked gate stopped them. Timber grabbed the Serenity Public Works keyring from the center console, unlocked the gate, and they were on their way.
“Ever been up here?” Canyon asked Sage. She’d been quiet the entire drive and he hadn’t tried to draw her out. She had plenty to think about. So did he. His anger at had Wadefaded some. The old male was being stupid, but he’d come around.
“Couple times,” Sage said, her voice quiet.
The road was old and pitted, no longer maintained by anyone. They passed a weathered wooden sign reading, “Camp Dodger—We Serve, We Protect.” The WWII era military base had been abandoned for decades but was maintained by local veterans’ groups. A hundred feet in, empty bunkers appeared on both sides of the drive, massive holes in the ground with concrete linings and gun turrets.
