“We parked, and Toby”—he nodded toward the younger man—“went around back and opened the rear door. Jon and Kurt helped Anders and Eugenia out, and that’s when shit went sideways.”
“Sideways how?” I urged, desperate to hear what had happened.
“After Kurt cut Anders’s wrist bindings, he slugged Toby in the face. Knocked him clean out. Kid went down like a sack of taters.” He glanced apologetically toward the younger man. “Sorry,” he added with a shrug.
“It’s fine,” Toby muttered, still holding his eye.
“Anyway,” the man went on, “Anders tries the same shit on Kurt, but he’s ready for it, kicks Anders in the gut, and doubles him over. His lady friend starts shrieking at us for hurting him.That’s when we heard the howling from the forest on either side of the road.”
I turned, catching Rainier’s eye. He nodded grimly and spat on the ground.
“Howling?”
The man nodded. “From all around, at least ten wolves. Then this big ass son of a bitch comes strolling out of the woods. Long red hair, black baseball hat. Fucker’s cracking his knuckles like a schoolyard bully about to knock your teeth out. You know the type?”
“Carlton Briggs,” Rainier said. “Beta of Red Maw.”
I remembered the man. He’d caught us unaware when Rain and I had first found the Red Maw encampment. Desdemona’s right-hand man. My stomach sank, fear and shame coursing through me in equal measure.
“They jumped us good and hard,” he said, shaking his head in defeat. “Beat the shit out of Kurt and Jon. Bit me good here,” he added, pointing at his bloody pants. “Anders starts begging them not to kill him and Eugenia, to take them in. That big ass redhead just nods, grabs Anders by the scruff, and drags him toward the forest. Says, ‘that’s the plan’. One of those assholes kicked me in the back of the head. Lights went out then. I woke up about thirty minutes later. The others were all still out, and it took a bit to rouse them. Toby helped me get the other two in the van, and we went like hell to get back here. I mighta took out a mailbox on the way back. I’ll pay for the dent and the mailbox if I need to.”
“Don’t worry about that… uh, shit, I’m sorry. What’s your name again?” I asked, feeling like the worst alpha ever already.
“Edward Preston,” he said, extending a hand.
I shook it. “Thank you, Edward. You two go get cleaned up. Let me know if there’s anything you need.”
“Will do,” Edward said and helped Toby up.
Before leaving, Edward reached into his chest pocket and pulled out a small piece of folded paper.
“Forgot about this,” he said. “It was in my pocket when I woke up.”
“Thanks,” I said, taking it.
As the two men walked away, I ran my hand through my hair. This wasexactlywhat June had me warned of. Anders and Eugenia joining up with the Red Maw. From what I’d seen, they weren’t the kind to keep prisoners. They’d be part of the pack, with every bit of information they needed on both IdlewildandHidden Grove to do as much damage as possible.
From the look on Rainier’s face, he’d come to the same conclusion.
“We’re fucked, aren’t we?” he said.
“I don’t get it,” I said. “You send those men that far out to bring in a man like Anders? He’ll be a cancer to her pack, and that’s not to mention Eugenia.”
“Who’s to say Desdemona isn’t going to use them for intel and dispose of them?” Rainier asked. “Maybe bring them in all sweet, like,join the pack, we’re friends, help us take back what’s yours. Then?Boom. a shallow grave in the woods somewhere.”
“Sounds about right.” I unfolded the paper. “Son of abitch. This is exactly what June was worried about,” I growled and scanned the paper.
What was written there made my blood run cold. Three simple words that sent a bit of ice through my heart.
“What’s it say?” Rain asked when he saw my face.
Turning the paper, I lifted it up for him to see:
We’re coming.
–Desdemona
“Fuck,”Rain whispered.
