Rissa's shoulders stiffened, her chin lifting. "Yes." The word was clipped, resolute. No room for argument.
A sigh gusted from Gavin's lips. "The poor woman’s throat was torn out and Nathan, her body was marked."
Ice slithered through my veins, my chest constricting. Marked. The word echoed in my head, ricocheting like a bullet. "Marked how?"
Gavin didn't answer. Just motioned for us to follow, his face grim. We walked until the smell of blood was overwhelming, a nightmarish tableau spread out before us. Rissa inhaled sharply and clutched my hand like a lifeline.
I wanted to send her away, shield her from this horror. But she was strong. Stronger than anyone gave her credit for. So I let her stay, let her see.
The woman's body was splayed in the dirt, limbs akimbo like a broken doll. Her clothes were shredded, more crimson than white now, fabric clinging to skin that had beensavaged by merciless claws. Deep gouges marred her arms, her torso, the brutal slashes unmistakably from a wolf. There was no longer any doubt that this was a wolf shifter kill.
But it was the word carved into the flesh of her abdomen that made bile rise in my throat, that sent a tidal wave of dread crashing over me.
My last name. Gallagher. The letters were jagged, angry, the final 'r' extra deep across her side. I couldn't look away, or even blink, as the world tilted precariously around me.
Rissa shifted closer, a warm, steadying presence at my side. Her face was ashen, eyes glassy with unshed tears. But her voice was steady as she asked, "What does it mean?"
I didn't answer. Couldn't. The words were lodged in my throat, trapped behind the hammering of my heart.
Gavin rubbed a hand over his face, his shoulders slumping as if under a sudden weight. "Nathan, there’s no doubt now that this is personal."
An almost hysterical laugh bubbled up my chest, escaping in a harsh exhale. "Yeah. I know. I just don’t know why.”
Chapter 21
Rissa
I suckedin cleansing breaths of the mountain air as I stepped onto the soft grass in front of the pack house, where the pack always gathered before a full moon shift. Overhead, the moon cast everything in an otherworldly silver.
Excited chatter and laughter rippled through the clearing as wolves prepared to shift. Some stretched languidly, cracking joints and rolling shoulders. Others were already stripping down without hesitation or modesty, knowing fur would soon cover their bare skin.
It’d been three days since Gavin had found that poor woman on Nathan’s property. He’d come out here for a run and stumbled on the body. As police chief,he really hadn’t had a choice but to call it in. That poor woman. The area where they’d found her was still cordoned off. If it weren’t for them looking for evidence, I’d wish it would rain and wash the blood away. Wash away the stain on pack land. On Nathan’s land.
I spotted Jenna, folding her clothes into a neat pile near the trees. "Hey, ready to run?" I asked, unzipping my hoodie.
She grinned, her expression almost feral in the moonlight. "Girl, I’vebeenready. It's been too long since the last full moon."
Nearby, two teenage boys playfully shoved each other, whooping with unchecked excitement. The younger wolves were always so eager, not yet tempered by time and experience. I remembered that innocent exuberance.
Goosebumps prickled along my skin as I tugged my shirt over my head. The night air was cool, but something more electric hung in the atmosphere. The promise of freedom. Of power unrestricted. My wolf stirred beneath my skin, impatient to break free.
I scanned the clearing, searching for Elle among the pack. She wasn't hard to spot, standing stiffly at the edgeof the group, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Even from a distance, I could see the whites of her knuckles.
Anxiety rolled off her in waves, so palpable I could almost taste it. Gone was her usual self-assured attitude, that hint of teenage moodiness. In its place was a girl who looked lost, unsure, and very young.
I approached slowly, keeping my body language relaxed. "Hey, you ready?" I asked, forcing a light, casual tone.
Elle's shoulders hunched, her toes curling into the soft earth. She shrugged. "Yeah. I guess."
The words were agreeable enough, but I heard the tremor behind them. I remembered my own first public shift, the fear and uncertainty mingling with excitement. It was a lot for a kid.
Nathan held up one hand from the pack house porch. “Please remember to steer well away from the crime scene. I know you’ve all heard that the poor missing tourist’s body was found here. We need to make sure we don’t go even close to that area.” He pinned some of the younger wolves with stern looks until they ducked their heads and mumbled agreements.
Elle looked like she wanted to melt into the ground. She hadn’t stripped yet, which was understandable. She’d never needed to before. This was such an awkward time. Poor kid. I wanted to reach out, to offer some sort of comfort, but I held back. Elle was like a spooked deer, liable to bolt at any sudden movement. The best I could do was stay close and be ready to guide her through this.
Around us, the pack had begun to shift. The night filled with the sounds of cracking bones and low growls as human forms gave way to wolves. Russet, black, brown, gray, a sea of furry bodies shaking out their coats.
Behind Elle, her father stripped quickly and shifted, his hulking russet form dwarfing her. Nathan stood tall, a powerful presence even among the pack alphas. He began to pace around his daughter, not crowding her but offering silent support.
