his mask.
“I knew I shouldn’t have let the wolf doctors poke me,”
she muttered. The vampire doctors had examined her for years without discovering anything off.
The doctor sniffed behind the mask. “We know more about wolf anatomy and the workings of the Vaile wolves than do the vampires. Unfortunately, if the demons want you dead, they know about your gifts, too.”
Terrent was still. Too still. “What the hell are you taking about, doctor?”
The doctor’s hand trembled. “The tests came back. We tested her brain waves. They’re just like a normal wolf ’s.”
The doctor’s eyes bugged out over the paper mask, and his tone hinted at disaster.
Claws emerged from her fingertips, so Maggie hid her hands under the table. Her stomach pitched. “How is that bad?”
“Well—” the doctor waited for a nod from Gerald before continuing—“you’re from the island, and your brain waves should reflect the ability to shield, or mask your scent.”
The blank hole that had contained her memories mocked her. Maggie’s lungs heated. “So, my memories are lost not because of the virus, but because the Kurjans messed with my brain? Or my brain waves?”
“Apparently.” The doctor leaned forward. His eyes glowed with interest. “Your people send out brain waves to mask your scents much in the same way the demons send out images of pain and death to torture. My guess? The Kurjans were trying to take your natural gift and make you a weapon. To demons, to wolves, to everybody you might demolish mentally.”
“I can’t demolish anybody mentally,” Maggie said. She couldn’t even get into her own head, much less anybody else’s.
“Yet.” The doctor snuffled behind the mask. “Brain waves have a rhythm. Yours are normal waves for a wolf, but that could change. Just being exposed to your own people might alter your rhythm.”
“Bullshit.” Terrent’s fist hit the table.
Maggie jumped.
The doctor sighed. “Even humans understand that music can alter brain waves in children. In fact, I believe the vampires invested heavily in all the CD music that was sold for pregnant women the last few decades. What the humans haven’t figured out is that anybody’s brain waves can be altered. It’s not easy, and it has consequences, but it’s possible.”
So the Kurjans had messed with her brain? Maggie swallowed down the bile rising from her gut. “So, what? The Kurjans let the demons think I’m some sort of demon destroyer?”
Terrent nodded. “Makes sense. The vampires rescued you, the Kurjans were stretched thin with the war, so they let loose the fact that you were dangerous to demons. Let the demons take care of you.”
“But I’m not. I mean, I can’t do any big brain tricks.”
How cool would that skill have been?
The doctor grimaced and repeated, “Yet. I mean, your brain has been altered. In repairing itself, who knows what you might be able to do?”
Yeah. Doubtful. Very doubtful. Maggie sighed. “Um, why are you wearing a mask?”
His eyes bugged out. “I don’t know what else you might’ve been infected with. Sorry.”
What a complete dumbass.
Roger pushed back from the table. “I’ve heard enough.
I’m sorry, but you have to leave our pack.”
“Wait a minute—” Terrent stood.
“No.” Determination and an odd satisfaction tilted Roger’s round face. “Protecting the pack is my duty, and I’ll do so. Take her and leave. Now.”
Terrent’s wolf shimmered beneath the surface. “You’re not Alpha here, asshole.” He turned toward Gerald. “We have an agreement. Maggie lives here.”
“Whoa.” Maggie stood up. “I never agreed to live here.”
One of the younger soldiers ran into the room, his face scraped and bloody. “The prisoners escaped.”
Terrent lifted an eyebrow. The temperature dropped at least ten degrees. “The three wolves I brought to you escaped?”
“Um, yes.” The wolf lowered his gaze.
Gerald stood, anger whitening his lips. “What happened?”
“I can’t explain. We heard a noise, went down to the cells, and nobody was there. I couldn’t smell anybody, so we opened the doors.” He rubbed his face. “I have two men down.” The soldier wiped blood off his chin. “They escaped down the north side of the mountain—heading toward Canada.”
Terrent eyed the wolf. “I told you they could mask their scents.”
“I know. But I couldn’t hear anything, either. And there was no window in the door,” the soldier said.
Maggie clutched her hands together and bit back a wince when her claws cut into her skin. They’d be coming for her again.
Roger strode toward the door and shoved the younger wolf out. “Get me five teams of three ready to go.”
“Yes, sir.” The injured man took off running.
Roger turned back toward Gerald. “This is unacceptable.
It’s time for a change.” Red suffused his face. “Don’t make me challenge you.” Then he focused on Terrent. “Take your woman and leave—I’ll handle the Vaile wolves.” He turned on his heel and disappeared.
Gerald wiped his mouth, fatigue fanning out from his eyes. “I’m sorry. We’ve lost many to the war, and our soldiers are still off fighting. I haven’t trained them as I should.”
Terrent clasped his shoulder. “You can’t give up now.”
“I need to go.” Gerald’s shoulders slumped. “I lived here for nearly nine centuries with Lois. She’s all around me here, and I need to go. To travel and try to heal.”
“I miss her, too, and I’m sorry she’s gone. But Roger is not prepared to lead a pack,” Terrent said, grasping Maggie’s elbow and assisting her up.
“There’s nobody else right now. The war has us stretched thin—many wolves are still fighting in the south. I can’t beat him if he challenges me. He’s the best fighter I’ve ever seen.”
Gerald shook his head.
Maggie coughed into her hand. “He doesn’t seem that great. I mean, Terrent contained Roger easily yesterday.”
Gerald tucked his chin and lifted his eyebrows. “Terrent isn’t exactly a normal fighter, now is he? Believe me, against most wolves, Roger would prevail.”
Interesting. Maggie’s shoulders straightened with an odd pride about Terrent. “Cool.”
Gerald eyed Terrent. “I don’t think this will be a safe place to leave your mate.”
Leave her? Maggie stumbled. “I thought you wanted to settle down with this pack.”
Gerald’s head jerked up, his eyes swirling. “You want to settle with a pack, Terrent?”
“No.” His long legs ate up the distance to the door. “I want a safe place for my mate while I’m out on tours. I thought this was it.”
“I won’t be left.” Maggie tried to yank her arm from his grasp. Unsuccessfully. Besides, it wasn’t like she had agreed to mate him. Well, agreed
Terrent turned at the doorway to pin the too-quiet doctor with a hard look. “I want additional tests run on Maggie, and I want you to send all results to the Kayrs headquarters for a second opinion.”
“No.” The doctor’s hands shook. “The vampires don’t know about the Vaile wolves, and if I send them the data, they’ll figure it out.”
Terrent chuckled, the sound completely lacking in humor.
“Dage Kayrs knows what you had for breakfast, doc. I guarantee he’s informed about the Vaile wolf pack and their strange abilities. Trust me. There are no secrets from the king.”
Gerald gave a weary nod. “Send the king the results.”
“Thank you,” Terrent said. “I also want a guarantee of Maggie’s safety while she’s here. For ten years she hasn’t harmed anybody with any demon brain ability, even under extreme duress. The tests are wrong.”
