Cherry #2
“What the hell is a polar bear doing in South Carolina?” Hunter asks in confusion.
“Exactly,” Gage says with an excited nod. “It mentions that the sanctuary took him in and took care of him, but then that’s it. No other mentions, not even photos on their website where they list current animals.”
“So what happened to him?” Hunter asks in confusion.
“Well, that’s the question, isn’t it?” Gage says as he leans back on the couch. “Either they are trafficking or killing these animals, or…”
“Or the polar bear was a shifter and was released,” Maddox finishes.
“And what better place to release a shifter than in a hidden supernatural community?” Gage asks, his eyes shining with excitement.
“You said there were other animals?” Hunter asks.
“Yes, in 2021, the same thing happened with a wolf, and just last year, there was mention of a panther going there. I can’t find any mention of either of them after that.”
“Are there any animals at the sanctuary now?” Bain asks.
“Yes. There are multiple records of other animals being caught and transported there, which are still there now or have been released into the wild. So I don’t think they are doing anything nefarious.”
Everyone is silent for a minute as they take in what Gage has revealed. It does sound suspicious that a giant bear is taken there and never heard from again.
“If we pack up and move all the way there, and it ends up being a dead end, then we’re stuck without anywhere to go,” Maddox says with a frown.
“We can plan for that,” Gage tells him. “We can rent a nearby house for the time being so we have somewhere to go. If the sanctuary turns out to be a bust, we can make a new plan.” He looks at me before he continues.
“I don’t know how you guys are feeling, but knowing this Blaze character is out there makes me want to get out of here sooner rather than later. ”
My ears lower in worry as they all look at me with varying degrees of concern.
“He could follow us,” Maddox says. “He followed her here after all, and we don’t even know how far she ran before we found her.” I let out a soft whine, wishing I could speak. This not shifting thing is really starting to get to me.
I’d sort of hoped that after being with them for a little while, and letting my guard down, that I’d eventually be able to shift, but that hasn’t been the case.
“Let’s vote on it,” Maddox says, looking at each of his pack mates. “All those in favor of leaving here and trying to find Starfall Haven, raise your hand.” He lifts his own arm, and each of the others does the same. He glances at me, and I do my best attempt to lift a paw, making him smile at me.
“It’s unanimous then,” he says with a nod. “We’ll start packing, and aim to leave in a week. Nobody mentions this to anybody outside of this room, understood?” Everyone nods in agreement. “We’ll tell anyone who asks that we’re going on vacation.”
“What about the BBQ? It’s the day after tomorrow,” Hunter asks.
Maddox thinks for a moment before he answers. “We go. We need to keep up the pretense that everything is normal. Consider it our silent goodbye to the Westgrove Pack.”
I can’t believe they’re willing to leave their home for me. It makes me even more eager to shift, so I can do something to show them how much I appreciate everything they’re doing.
“This is a bad idea,” Bain grumbles as we walk down the sidewalk, eyeing everyone suspiciously.
“We needed supplies, and we couldn’t come out without her,” Maddox says quietly.
After lunch, Maddox said we needed to pick up some stuff from in town and insisted everyone should go. I have a feeling they don’t trust their own security system anymore, and that makes me nervous. I’d much rather be in town with them right now, anyway.
Even if people were giving me strange looks.
“That’s her, the new wolf they’re keeping as a pet.” Even with my poor hearing, I can hear the whispers from the women heading toward us.
Bain growls as we pass them, making them jump and scurry away.
Maddox runs his fingers over my head, as if to try to soothe me.
It helps, a little. But something about this town rubs me the wrong way.
I might feel different if I could walk down the street with them in my human form, but the guys didn’t seem to be enjoying themselves any more than I am.
“That’s the wolf that tried to bite Juliet,” someone whispers from the doorway of a coffee shop we start to pass.
“I don’t know what they’re thinking. She can’t even shift. She’s clearly too weak for their pack,” someone else whispers.
I’m starting to wish we could have parked closer to wherever we’re headed. I thought it’d be nice to get out and go for a walk, but the people here don’t feel like a pack. They don’t even feel friendly. They feel judgmental, and I just want to go back to the guys' house to get away from them all.
Luckily, the next store is the one we need, and when we head inside, I feel a small reprieve from probing eyes. Gage picks up a few gadgets I’m unable to ask about, and soon we’re heading back to the SUV.
“Goddess damn it,” Chase whispers suddenly. I peek my head around Hunter and try to hold back my growl.
Juliet.
She looks amused when she sees us. I notice her arm draped through the elbow of a very large man I haven’t met yet. He’s almost as big as Bain, and when his eyes catch on me, he wears the same amused smirk that Juliet does.
I feel a shiver run down my spine. I don’t like this man.
“Fancy running into you here,” Juliet says with feigned familiarity. “Have you met my fiancé?” she asks, gesturing to the man whose arm she’s clinging to.
“No, I don’t believe we’ve met,” Maddox says, sounding like he’d rather just walk past them than have to engage in this small talk.
“This is Ezra. His father is the alpha of the Black Oak Pack, and he’s going to take over as soon as we’re married.”
“Black Oak?” Gage asks. “That’s pretty far west. What brings you out here?”
“The beautiful Juliet, of course,” he says, looking at her like she hangs the moon. “Tales of her beauty and strength have intrigued me for years. When word of her recent availability reached me, I knew I needed to make my move and snatch up the most desirable female wolf shifter in the country.”