Wake up! Come greet me!
He did, coming awake in his human body, responding with words while others all around him murmured their greetings as well. Some came in the form of words, others in barks.
“Morning,” he said, his voice thick.
Laddin said the same, though in Spanish, right next to his ear, because he and Laddin were entwined. The furry body on which they lay barked, and the two others at their feet—one human, one lupine—responded as well.
Bruce blinked the sleep out of his eyes to see the pack in a huge pile together. Not merely the eight he had names for, but more. The big wolf with the raspy yip, the white wolf who never said a word. The one who smelled of pepper, and the other whose fur curled like a poodle’s and yet smelled like a grizzly bear. He knew them all by scent, even in their human form. And he was amazed at the size of the pack. There were twenty-two of them, plus the woman who walked daintily among them, teasing some with her toes and petting others regardless of whether they were wolf or human.
“Mother,” Wulfric said in a dignified voice. “Please tell me you brought clothes with you.”
Lady Kinstead paused as she turned to her son with an ethereal grace. “No. Why would I?”
“Because we’re naked and in the middle of nowhere, Wisconsin.”
“Speak for yourself,” answered Stratos as she pushed to her feet and stretched. She still wore a sports bra and shorts, though they were tattered.
“Forget the clothes,” Nero muttered as he sat up and rubbed his face. “Does she have a phone?”
“Why?” she asked, her brows drawn together in confusion.
From across Nero’s lap, a large brown wolf straightened up and shook out his fur. Then there was a sudden center of cold air and a golden light before Josh appeared in his human body. “I’ve got one,” he said as he pulled an iWatch face off the chain holding his dog tags. “Give me a sec to connect.”
Bruce was torn between being impressed by his brother’s foresight and wanting to mock the guy for being unable to go anywhere without his tech. But before he could say a word, Lady Kinstead stepped daintily between two wolves who apparently intended to stay in that form. She came right up beside Bruce, then dropped to one knee before him, putting them eye to eye. Then she asked her question.
“It’s Thursday. Do you have the answer?”
It was Thursday? Already? Had they really been running fortwo days?Shit! And no, he did not have any answers. In desperation, his gaze landed on Laddin, who was looking at him with hope shining through his eyes. In fact, a quick glance around told him that everyone was looking at him expectantly. Even the wolves.
“I’m sorry—” he said, but Wulfric interrupted him.
“Start with the basics. You must have figured out your power. You made the moon, after all.”
“Not me. I….” His gaze went back to Laddin. “Well, maybe. I mean, I figured out the light bulb.”
Yordan sighed. “Not exactly rocket science.”
Josh rounded on the guy with surprising ferocity. “Give him a minute. My brother may not think logically, but he does think.”
“Hey!” Bruce said, a little insulted by the “not logically” part of that statement, but before he could voice it, Yordan grunted his acceptance.
“Instinct guy. I can get behind that.”
“Everyone shut up!” Laddin snapped. “This isn’t easy on him, and commentary from the peanut gallery only muddies the water.”
“Mixed metaphor there, Laddie,” Stratos said, but then she bit her lip at Laddin’s glare.
And then everyone was looking at him again. Fortunately, Laddin grabbed his hand and his attention. “Don’t look at them. Look at me. What did you figure out about the light bulb?”
“Not what. Who. It’s you, Laddin. I’m the current, you’re the light bulb. You made the moon, not me.”
Laddin took a moment to absorb that. Then he shrugged. “Not one of my best ideas.”
To the side, Bing rolled his shoulders as if unkinking his back, and his black hair flowed about his shoulders in a very cinematic display. “We did not eat any rabbits or deer. It was a successful run at a time when we all needed the break.”
That was definitely true—except Bruce had failed at the one thing he was supposed to do. “I didn’t see the demon. I don’t know where it is.”
Lady Kinstead stroked across his jaw. The touch was gentle, and there was no censure in her voice when she spoke. “Are you sure?” she asked. Though he didn’t feel it in her tone, her question reverberated with judgment all through his body.
