The Wolf’s Whisper: The Complete Series

52. Emily

I was having a wild night—that was the only way to put it. So far, I’d been found shifting all on my own, hid myself away from a couple enemy shifters, managed to escape, then sheltered in a ditch after a breakthrough connection with my inner wolf.

Then I’d lost my wolf form getting out of said ditch, only to be rescued by someone I thought was a friend, but had turned out to be the mole in Tayen’s pack—or one of several.

I’d tried to escape, and he’d punched me right in the face, only for the love of my life to show up and fight him off. Until, of course, Bray used a poisoned weapon, and I had to interfere.

That was when I killed a man for the first time.

Never in a million years did I think I’d intentionally end someone’s life. I’d long since come to terms with how, if I took a surgical fellowship, I’d fail to save a patient. But that was vastly different from strangling someone and, when that failed, driving a wolfsbane-coated dagger into his heart.

I’d never forget that sound, or how it felt. I knew the moment the stolen blade passed through his fascia, then the pericardium before entering the heart tissue itself. It was sickening, and the thought of therapy was growing increasingly appealing by the second.

“ Goddammit, Bray! Update! ”

I swore I heard the cruelty dripping from each syllable of the voice over the walkie-talkie. So, this was the infamous Gray. To be honest, I’d expected his voice to be deeper, like a monologuing movie villain. But no, he sounded like any anybody else.

I took a steadying breath, then clicked on the button to activate the walkie-talkie. “Hey man, do you ever shut up?”

I had to admit, it was cathartic to mouth off to him. This was the guy who’d terrorized me my whole life, and I hadn’t even known it. I needed to rub his face in his failure, to torment him as he’d tormented me.

“ Who is this? ”

“Who do you think it is, Fuckface Magee? The tooth fairy?” While profanity wasn’t my strongest skill, I didn’t care. I wanted to be petty, even stupid, but really, I just wanted to piss the guy off.

“It’s you.”

“What, you won’t even say my name? I’d think that’d be the least you could do, considering how you’ve tried and failed to kidnap me twice.”

I felt the rage in his audible breathing, and God, was it satisfying. “ How did you even get a hold of this?”

“How do you think, shit-for-brains? I killed your guy.”

I tried desperately not to think of Annie, and how she’d wake up at home with her brother gone, no doubt wondering where he went and if he was safe. I’d mourn for her later, because it wasn’t just my life on the line. Gray was threatening the life of every person in the Lincoln Hills Pack, and no doubt he’d move on to Black Hawk as well. Who knows what he’d do once he had control of all the shifters in the state?

“ There is no way you took down Bray.”

“What, like it’s hard? Drove that poison dagger of his right into his own chest. I think it’s pathetic that you and your men couldn’t fight us one on one. You had to employ all these special little tactics because you knew you weren’t wolf enough.”

“ I don’t know who you think you’re talking to, girl, but it’d behoove you to be careful what you say to certain people.”

“Oh, blah blah blah. Spare me the mafia talk. You’re a pathetic little man who employs pathetic little measures to try and rest the tiniest bit of power you don’t deserve and cannot handle. Please. I’ve been a wolf for less than a month, and I could hand your own ass to you. You, for all your planning, couldn’t even bring in a baby. Ridiculous.”

“ You overthink your importance if you believe you can talk to me like this. You’re only alive because I mistakenly thought it’d be useful. Do not test me.”

“I can talk to you however I want, because there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“You think I won’t rip your own head off and send it to that pathetic guardian of yours?”

I grinned as I reeled him in bit by bit. Normally, I’d be terrified of provoking a man who’d hurt so many, but since the night started, something had changed in me. I was tired of the strong hurting the weak, and I was tired of this awful man wreaking havoc on the lives of so many innocent people. There was no question: Gray needed to be stopped.

“I think you’re not gonna do shit, my man,” I taunted. “You’re all talk and always have been. That’s why all your little men are fighting for you, and you’re just… I don’t know, hiding somewhere.” I paused for dramatic effect, calling upon the words his minion used against me. “Like some rat. ”

“ I’ll rip out your spine with my teeth, and then we’ll see who the rat is!”

Oh, now I had his goat. “Is that so?”

“Let’s see how glib you feel with no tongue.”

“Then come and find me, jackass. It shouldn’t be hard. You can follow the scent of Bray’s innards. You can hold hands when I send you to hell to meet him.”

With that, I threw the walkie-talkie to the side and tried to hold steady. It wasn’t every day I goaded a gangster into coming to try and kill me. I didn’t exactly have a death wish.

Though I sounded calm in our conversation, even cheerful, I was terrified. I was taking a huge risk, but I thought my plan was worth it. It was time for the violence to end. No more fighting, no more blood spilled, and if I had to risk my life, it was worth it.

I was glad Caleb agreed, because I didn’t have the energy to argue, not when any moment spent debating could mean another wolf losing their life.

All that was left was to stand and wait. I did, however, try not to look behind me as Bray’s stomach was split open, spreading the stench of his death around the area. I figured it was one of the best ways to draw Gray here, even if it felt morbid. I was just grateful Caleb was willing to do it while I stood on the other side of the clearing, ignoring all the information my nose supplied.

It was a situation I never thought I’d be in, but the world of shifters was entrenched in violence. I hoped that changed in the future, and for now, I was just glad my parents weren’t part of this.

I looked at the dagger in my hand, but this time, it didn’t burn when I touched it. That was from the fabric tweed wrapped around the handle and my palm, but I still felt the radiating heat. I’d heard legends of how dangerous wolfsbane was to shifters, but I’d never imagined the sheer pain. It was like I’d stuck my hand in acid when I touched it that first time, yet it was also a suitable punishment for taking the life of another.

I thought I’d have to wait hours for Gray to arrive and was worried he’d get wise as to why a lone, inexperienced shifter was purposefully egging him on. Ten minutes later, however, I heard a dozen footsteps tearing through the woods.

Damn, he wasn’t alone. Gray wasn’t foolish enough for that, but it’d have been a lovely surprise. Even though I’d found a way to rile him up, he still had some sense about him. I’d no doubt plenty of people had tried to end his black-market rule, and I was far from the first.

But I hoped to be the last.

Six wolves burst into the clearing, snarling and ready for a fight, and of course, at their center was a tall gray one. I wondered sarcastically where the guy got his name.

For a moment, we all just stood there, looking at each other. His men were working out if anyone else was around, but hopefully, they didn’t notice any other scents. As for their leader, his hot amber eyes regarded me curiously, as if he expected me to suddenly cave and beg for mercy now that he’d arrived. He was about to be disappointed.

I needed to see what he would do next. Would he straight-up charge me as a wolf and try to rip my throat out, or would he become human just to gloat? I didn’t know him well, yet judging by what Caleb said about the guy, I expected him to be a talker.

Steam filled the air around him, but unlike the other wolves I’d seen, it didn’t fully envelop him, leaving his head visible all the way up until the last minute, those hunter eyes of his never breaking contact. For all my mockery, the guy was intimidating.

I didn’t miss, though, that the wolves on his side did not join him in human form. No, they stayed vigilant. They were well-trained.

When the steam disappeared, a tall, willowy gentleman stepped forward. He looked about Caleb’s age or slightly older and was dressed in a plain dress suit and slacks. He wasn’t quite what I’d expected, yet he made perfect sense. There was a quiet danger about him that came with people who were a real threat. Those people were not full of bluster, and they hurt whoever they needed for their own ends. It made me shudder to think that not too long ago, he’d intended to use his alpha influence over me so he’d legally take over the pack. God, what a scumbag.

“Emily,” he said smoothly, all his prior anger gone. He’d been a different man over the walkie-talkie. Like a lot of men, he felt bolstered by seeing a helpless woman all by herself. “It’s nice to finally meet.”

“For you,” I said. “What’s with the entourage? I know you’re a coward, but can you not face one little girl shifter all by herself?”

I didn’t like calling myself a little girl, but I figured it dug the knife into the wound. I wanted to shred the man’s ego as much as possible, as angry people always made mistakes. Honestly, I needed any advantage I could get.

“I had to take precautions—I’m sure you understand. I didn’t believe you’d be foolish enough to challenge me. Yet, here we are.” He inhaled, nostrils flaring, and I knew he was scenting the air. But he didn’t notice anything but me and Bray. I’d made sure of that.

“Yet, here we are,” I echoed. “So, are we gonna do this, or are we gonna keep talking like this is a tea party?”

I didn’t know where I’d gotten my bravery, but I was incredibly grateful for it. I wanted to talk to Gray with steel in my voice. I was so tired of men like him, trying to cow whoever they talked to because they had the upper hand.

“So early to rush to your death.”

“No, just early to rush to yours.”

He laughed at that. Well, that wasn’t what I wanted. I wanted him to get livid, feel blinded by rage, even. “I must admit, I didn’t expect this fire in you. It’s endearing. No wonder your miserable failure of a guardian went to such lengths to pull himself out of rock bottom for you.”

My plan was backfiring as I felt anger fill me. I had to get it together, but it was so hard when I considered everything he’d done to Caleb, how he’d manipulated and took advantage of a poor boy who’d gone through an insane amount of trauma.

“It doesn’t have to be this way, you know,” Gray said. “You’re a smart girl, ambitious. Surely you’re not content being connected to a former drug addict and a miserable fuck. We could still unite ourselves politically and take over this pack through the proper channels. The bloodshed would stop. There’d be peace. I’d make sure everyone was taken care of, and you’d be a literal queen among them. Not bad for someone who—how did you so eloquently put it? Ah, yes, someone who’s only been a wolf for a month.”

Was this guy… bargaining with me?

“Not interested,” I said tersely. “And even if I were, I’d have to be an idiot to think you’d treat me as an equal. You agree to a political pairing now, but what happens when you want heirs for your empire? What happens when I say something you don’t like?”

My voice grew in volume as I straightened up, indicating that I wasn’t fooled in any way. I knew what men like him were, and I wanted nothing to do with them.

“I have no doubts you’d put your hands on me, manipulate me, even get me out of the way,” I continued. “So no, there’s no deal to make here, no compromise to be struck. You die tonight, Gray, and the people of Lincoln Hills and Black Hawk will finally have peace.”

“I’m curious, do you talk like the heroine of some YA fantasy novel on purpose? Or are you just that na?ve?”

“I realize you’re not used to speaking to people who’ll stand up to you, but if the way I talk bothers you so much, why don’t you come over here and make me stop?”

“You really have a death wish, don’t you?”

“No. Do you?”

With that, I let my humanity go, and bit by bit, I sank into the instincts waiting for me. However, instead of falling out of my body and my wolf bursting through my skin, it was more like we were slowly joining hands. I let my fur ripple up my body in waves while my frame bulked out. I could feel my teeth and claws growing, but rather than the normal ripping and tearing of everything I was, it was a slow, steady stretch.

“You want to kill me?” I asked, barely articulating the words around my enlarged fangs. “Then do it.”

Yes! my wolf cried as my knees bent backward, and I pitched forward. From there, the transformation was rapid, and steam filled the forest around us.

“Your funeral,” Gray said before running forward and exploding into steam mid-step.

There was no way I could transform as fast as him, but I didn’t need to. I figured a man like Gray had trained Bray himself and chosen him for his fighting prowess, which meant he, too, wouldn’t fight by a normal shifter’s rules.

So, when his fully formed wolf launched himself into my cloud of steam—no doubt to seal his jaws around my still transforming neck—I knew I’d won.

The dark form of Zach’s wolf launched himself out of the ravine, having used the fallen log I’d hidden under it to give himself traction. He slammed into Gray’s side, and the two tumbled down, snarling at each other.

That was my cue.

I leapt backwards right onto the precipice of the ravine while Carl, Caleb, Lucas, Tayen, and three of his men sailed over my head, going for Gray’s men. With the enemy outnumbered, I knew I should sit out the battle, but my wolf was tired of that. I’d gotten a kill, so why shouldn’t she?

Normally, I’d have talked her out of it, or somehow forced myself to shift back. This time, I let her do what she needed to. I wished we could extend mercy to everyone, and no one’s blood had to be spilled, but I knew the enemy wouldn’t do the same for us. Sometimes, bastards just needed to die.

She practically crowed in victory as she raced towards where Caleb was fighting one of the larger associates. We weren’t complete fools, however, and didn’t just dive into the fray. No, we kept behind to the side of our mate, only lunging in to try and snap at our opponent’s feet or otherwise distract him.

I got the feeling Caleb wasn’t super happy I was there, but he knew better than to argue in the middle of a fight. I liked to think the two of us made a good team, as it was only a minute or two later that he’d sealed his teeth around the attacker’s throat.

Emily, he rumbled, blood dripping from his maw.

Save it, I said, nearly jerking in reply when it echoed out. Had I just spoken telepathically? I saw Caleb’s wolf eyes go wide in response. Oh my God! I exclaimed. Did that just work?

We didn’t have time to chat, however, because one of our allies went flying past us, his side bleeding. We whirled and fought off his attacker, the three of us making short work of him.

With the numbers stacked against them, the entourage fell quickly, leaving the rest of us to encircle Gray and Zach as they fought. Even my wolf knew not to interfere—not yet at least. This was alpha vs. alpha, and Zach’s vengeance for the pain brought to his people.

Gray was putting up a good fight. He was far fresher after having stood on the sidelines for so long, but he was missing something critical. He was only fighting for himself, while Zach was fighting for everyone he loved and was responsible for.

Gray feinted at Zach’s side, snarling, but Zach twisted away, then swiped with his rear leg, his claws scraping Gray’s flank. The two parted, then ran at each other again.

It was a flurry of biting, kicking, and rolling across the ground, but in the end, it was Zach who made the final play. When Gray lunged at him for the umpteenth time, Zach reared onto his hind legs and twisted, landing on his attacker’s back so his jaws could seal on either side of the gangster’s neck. Then, with a sharp twist and a crack, it was over. Gray sank to the ground, his form slowly shrinking until he was only a man in a dress shirt and slacks.

It was over.

We collectively heaved a sigh of relief, and our group shifted back to human in waves. Zach, exhausted as he was, knelt next to his fallen opponent and rooted through his pocket until he pulled out a walkie-talkie and a list.

“I was hoping for this,” he said, his voice sounding strained. He went through the channels written down on the paper and gave the same warning to each of them. “Your alpha is dead. Flee now, or you’ll be eradicated. We will not follow you.”

This time, I knew it wasn’t my imagination when I heard battle sounds cease all around us, leaving only the crackling of fires as they were put out one by one. We did it. Despite everything against us, despite the potential mole in our ranks, we fucking did it.

“Congratulations, everyone,” Zach said wearily. “Let’s all go home.”