“There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask,” I said. “How did Floyd become the alpha of the Frederick pack? I mean, I assume he must have challenged the former alpha.”
“That’s right. It’s a fight to the death. The former alpha was a man named Darby Johnson. His father was the alpha before him. Darby was very young when he was made alpha after his father died unexpectedly on a hunt,” Sid said.
“Unexpectedly?”
“Many years ago, during the full moon on a night just like this one, Darby’s father, Earl, went out on a hunt with Floyd the rest of the pack by his side. The way I heard it was that Earl and Floyd became separated from the rest of the pack at some point. Earl was a strong man and a fair alpha. The only way he could have died the way he did, was if he’d been taken totally by surprise. Alpha werewolves are incredibly huge and strong in their half-shifted form. Well, you saw evidence of it in your front yard the night Romeo transformed into a unicorn for the first time,” Sid said.
“Yes.” I remembered thinking how huge an alpha werewolf was when fully shifted into that half-man half-beast. It would have scared the crap out of anyone seeing it for the first time. “So, what happened?”
“The pack found him with his throat ripped out. There are few animals that could get close enough to jump an alpha werewolf during the full moon and none that would be stupid enough to do it. I think the pack suspected that Floyd had earned Earl’s trust and attacked him when they were out alone.”
“So, he killed Earl like a coward,” I said.
“Yes, that was the rumor. The only thing capable of ripping an alpha’s throat out like that was another wolf in fully shifted form. It had to have been Floyd. Once the pack put it all together, they elected Darby to take his father’s place. Unfortunately, Darby was just a kid, barely older than eighteen. Before the next hunt, Floyd challenged him, and the rest is history. He killed Darby and slithered into his place as pack alpha. He hasn’t been challenged yet. I’m quite sure the pack wants him well and gone, but there’s not a one of the males who is strong enough to fight Floyd and win.”
I thought about Romeo and how he’d handled Floyd that night in the clearing. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that if the two of them met head-to-head in a fair fight, my unicorn could and would kill Floyd, making way for a new werewolf to step in as alpha. As my car ate up the miles on the road to Frederick, bringing me ever closer to my mate, I prayed it wouldn’t come to that tonight.
Chapter Thirteen Prosper Woods Chronicle. Letters to the editor:
“Ma and I were out huntin’ the other night when we stumbled upon a scene of pure carnage. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a blue whale hanging from a sequoia before but what surprised us both was how many eskimos live in Prosper Woods. Those guys sure have nice coats.” Signed, “Blubbered all the way home.”
Romeo
As I was loosening the last lug nut, I heard the first howl. Looking up, I was surprised at how dark it had gotten and how fast the moon was rising. The hair on the back of my neck stood up on end like I’d touched an electrical outlet. Sally stood by my side, and I could sense her unease as another howl joined the first. The wolves seemed to be getting closer, and I wondered how and where they’d make themselves known to us. All the protective instincts in me screamed that I needed to move faster and get my deputy out of here and out of danger.
I pulled off the last lug nut and dropped it in the dirt, then stood, yanking the tire free before dumping it on the ground. A cloud of dust and gravel sprayed up, threatening to choke me. I looked over at Sally and held out my hands. She rolled the spare to me, and I hoisted it onto the Blazer, pushing and tugging it into place. The car creaked on the jack I’d hastily used to lift it off the ground.
“Hurry, Sheriff. The wolves are comin’,” Sally said nervously.
I grabbed two lug nuts off the ground and screwed them on using both hands as the howling intensified. A particularly loud howl sounded off in the trees just north of us, and I judged the werewolf was no more than a few hundred yards away. I couldn’t believe they’d be stupid enough to attack us, but then again, the pack would no doubt follow Floyd’s lead. I looked up when Sally suddenly cried out. I immediately stood.
“What is it?”
Sally pointed to the trees just across the road. “Wolves.” I narrowed my eyes and spotted two pairs of yellow eyes flashing in the darkness of the tree line. Sally pulled her gun, and I did as well, pointing at the two wolves. When they bounded out of the woods, into the middle of the road, I was almost surprised when they stopped only twenty feet from us. Instantly, they changed form right in front of our eyes. In a heartbeat, Greg and Sam stood before us, naked as the day they were born.
“We figured you could use some backup,” Greg said. “You need to get out of here. The pack will be here in a minute.”
I breathed out a sigh of relief as Sally did the same. We both holstered our guns. “We’re going. We had a flat.”
“Hurry, Sheriff. We’ll stand with you, but Floyd will be out for your blood. We’ll hold them off as
