Tree shielded her presence. She peered out from behind one.
In a clearing about 100 yards away, she saw Perry and a group of about 10 Skins. They were chanting, and the sound sent chills down her spine. It reminded her of an old horror flick she’d seen once, where witches held rituals and sacrificed people.
These Skins were dressed the same way, in long black robes with hoods covering their heads. Perry wore jeans and a green long-sleeved shirt, the only ordinary looking Skin in the group.
Even the rifle in his hands was normal… but carrying it here, near the wolf pack?
How did they get past Aiden’s warding of the land? Unless someone had dismantled it. Someone from the pack who had access.
A chill seized her as one of the Skins turned, sniffed the air. This was no human being.
Only what was left of one.
His eyes glowed like fiery coals, and his complexion was pale as moonlight. He lifted a hand, and displayed talons instead of fingers.
Dear goddess, what was that?
Struggling to overcome her instinctual need to flee away from this macabre being, she calmed her wolf. She watched them approach the den holding the Timberline alpha’s pups. The hell with fear. Perry wanted to shoot the pups?
Jenny growled deep in her throat.
Not on my watch.
She culled her magick, not all of it, just enough to send a stream of pure energy sailing through the air at the rifle Perry held. It turned red hot and he yelped, dropping the weapon.
“Magick,” he yelled. “Show yourself, werewolf!”
Jenny ducked behind a tree, but not before Perry saw her.
“Get out of here, trespassers,” she shouted.
They ran off, and she heard the roar of pickup truck engines, and then tires spitting gravel on the road.
Gone.
This wasn’t good.
She had to tell Aiden before Perry and his followers returned. But would he believe her?
The following day at noon, Troy and Jenny went to the pack’s meeting hall near the lodge. Hundreds of Lupines had already gathered inside.
Jenny worried him. She’d been unusually quiet yesterday when he returned from patrolling the grounds. Finally she told him she’d seen some Skin activity near the wolf pack.
Troy informed Aiden, who sent out another patrol to investigate. All seemed well, he told them. As a precaution, he’d had Darius put extra warding around the wolf pack.
Last night Troy tried to coax her into telling him exactly what she’d seen, but she’d evaded the subject.
They’d made love when they went to bed, sharing the big bed for the first time, and she’d fallen asleep in his arms.
When he woke at sunrise, she was outside, pacing the grounds as wolf, clearly agitated. He’d joined her for a run and they’d dashed through the forest as wolves. Only then did she seem to relax a little.
No time to probe her thoughts after breakfast, though, because he had chores before the meeting.
Troy wished they didn’t have to attend.
Jenny disliked crowds and the one here at the Mitchell Ranch proved no exception. Troy could tell how rattled she felt by her body’s trembling as he put a hand on the small of her back to guide her inside.
“It’ll be a quick one. Aiden needs to keep everyone updated on what’s happening. Informed is best,” he told her as he herded her to two empty chairs near the front.
Troy gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as they sat. It did nothing to reassure her. Her gaze roamed around the room, and she kept moving in her seat. Jenny wanted out. Now.
But if they were to make this a home and be part of the pack, they needed to follow the rules.
Jenny turned to him, clutching his arm. “Troy, before Aiden speaks, I have to tell you exactly what I saw.”
Finally.
“Perry and his gang were in the woods yesterday afternoon while you were patrolling.”
He searched her expression. This wasn’t good. “I wish you would have told me yesterday it was Perry.”
“I wanted to, but you said you and the security team combed over every inch of those woods near the wolf pack and saw and sensed nothing. And then Aiden sent another team and still they found nothing. I was afraid you wouldn’t believe me.”
Face palm. “Don’t you know by now you can trust me?”
Her mouth trembled. “I’m sorry.”
“Tell me everything. Now.”
Aiden stood at the far end of the stage, talking with Darius and Dale as the crowd settled into their seats.
When she finished talking, Troy struggled to curb his worry and anger. “You should have told me instead of zapping them with magick, Jenny. You could have been hurt stumbling onto something like that.”
“There wasn’t any time. They looked ready to attack the wolf pack!”
“You know how fast I can run. I would have been there. He could have shot you, Jenny.”
“I need to tell Aiden what I saw.”
Troy shook his head. “Tell Aiden after the meeting. We can see him in private. There’ll be questions and you’ll be in the hot seat. They may not believe you.”
Even he had a hard time believing her. Something akin to demons on the Mitchell Ranch? Or witches? Aiden and several others were powerful Lupines. Their magick was strong enough to keep evil away.
Then the alpha started speaking and everyone hushed, Jenny included.
“I called this meeting to address a serious matter on the ranch. There are two professors at Beth’s college who wish to study the Timber Wolf pack on our land. One, Carson, was already granted access and has been studying them for a while without any interference. The other, Perry, wishes to do his own studies. I need to find out…”
“There is no need to find out anything.” Jenny stood, stared at the alpha. “I told you Perry is dangerous.”
Several low growls. Troy groaned.
Aiden stood calmly before them, not angry she’d had the balls to do so. He simply waited.
Jenny told them what she’d seen by the Timberline pack, leaving out the part about her magick turning Perry’s rifle red hot
