Chapter Five
Where had the big-ass wolf come from? Heart pounding, Vinnie slowly backed away from the massive beast. She didn’t think wolves grew this big. Maybe he was the result of some breeding program, a wolf mixed with one of the large dog breeds.
And where was Cyrus? She’d awakened to find herself alone.
After the initial moment of panic that he’d left her behind, she calmed down when she’d seen his knapsack propped up against the tree he’d been leaning against when she’d fallen asleep.
She’d figured he’d had to use the bathroom, but when he hadn’t returned, she’d begun to worry.
It didn’t matter how experienced you were, the woods were a dangerous place, especially at night.
It wasn’t in her nature to sit around and wait when someone might be in trouble.
Used to jumping in and taking control, she’d pulled on her boots, retrieved her gun—just in case—grabbed her flashlight, and set out.
Assuming he wouldn’t have gone far, she began to walk in circles, gradually moving outward from the campsite while careful to keep herself oriented so she didn’t end up lost.
The beam of her flashlight had caught the mound of clothing.
Terrified it was Cyrus, or worse, Adam, she’d hurried forward, only to find a neatly folded pile of clothes and a pair of boots.
Confused, she’d begun to shine her light around, only to be brought up short by the massive wolf staring back at her.
That he hadn’t attacked was a bonus, but she didn’t count on her luck holding. Slowly she reached beneath her shirt and pulled her weapon, praying she wouldn’t have to use it, especially against such a majestic creature.
Fur in every shade of brown covered the massive wolf.
Paws as big as platters and tipped with sharp claws made no sound when he took several steps forward.
His tongue lolled out of his mouth. Huge fangs gleamed in the dim light.
For a second, she wondered if she was dreaming and in reality was tucked in her sleeping bag.
Or maybe this entire week was one long nightmare.
“You can’t be real.” He was too damn big. Like something out of a fairy tale ... or a horror movie.
Black eyes stared at her. The fine hairs on the back of her neck stirred. An icy chill snaked down her spine. Licking her dry lips, she took another step away. He matched it but came no closer.
She’d been involved in two shootouts over the course of her career, had talked many criminals into giving themselves up, dealt with domestic disputes, and stood over the bleeding and dead at accident sites, but this was well beyond her scope of experience.
She’d seen a couple of black bears over the years while camping but had given them a wide berth. Most wildlife was as eager to avoid humans as humans were to avoid them. Not this wolf.
A bead of sweat trickled down her back. The urge to run was strong but she fought it, instinctively knowing it was the wrong thing to do. If she continued to give him space, he might lose interest and continue on his way.
Maybe he scented the food they’d consumed earlier, but it was all tightly packaged and hung from a tree in a canvas sack away from the campsite. She took several more steps, feeling behind her with her free hand while keeping the gun steady with the other.
Where the heck was Cyrus? His clothing hadn’t been ripped or bloody but folded neatly.
Was he running around the woods naked? Not a great idea at the best of times, an awful one with a wolf roaming free.
He didn’t even have his rifle. She didn’t dare call out to him, not wanting to provoke the wolf.
The animal took several aggressive steps forward.
Using the tree trunk to brace herself, she tucked the flashlight in the crevice of a branch and took a two-handed hold on the gun, her hands surprisingly steady.
The forest was eerily silent around them.
The slight breeze from earlier had died out. Even the insects had gone quiet.
She tried to swallow past the lump in her throat, praying she wouldn’t die out here tonight. Adam needed her. “Get away or I’ll shoot.” Not that the animal could understand the order, but it made her feel more in control of the situation.
She raised the gun into the air and fired. The shot rang out through the night. Rather than run, the wolf tilted his head to one side and stared. Stubborn beast. Maybe it was some kind of hybrid hunting dog. That would explain why a gunshot didn’t bother it.
The air became charged, like before a lightning storm, and began to shimmer.
She tightened her grip on her weapon. The wolf began to change before her eyes.
She blinked, certain she was hallucinating.
It went from standing on four paws to two feet.
Fur receded, replaced by tanned skin rippling with densely packed muscle.
The head morphed from an animal to that of a man, one with shaggy brown hair, a thick beard, and familiar black eyes.
She shook her head in denial. “No.” Keeping the gun raised, she backed away when what she wanted to do was turn and run.
“Vinnie.”
She ignored the beseeching tone in his voice and shook her head again. “You’re not real. None of this is real.” It was impossible. Maybe her mind had finally snapped under the stress of the past week.
“I’m as real as you.” A twig snapped off to her left, breaking her concentration.
In that momentary lapse, he sprang. Faster than she’d ever seen anyone move, he had the gun from her hand.
Not waiting around to see what he’d do with it, she kicked him where it would hurt most. Or tried to.
Her foot hit nothing but air. He was already gone.
“I’m not going to hurt you.” He popped the magazine from the gun and tossed both pieces on the ground in front of her before walking over to his clothes.
She scrambled forward and grabbed the weapon.
With shaking hands, she shoved the magazine back in and pointed it at him.
“Don’t move.” What the hell had she seen?
Wolves didn’t turn into men. She’d seen a lot of weird things over the course of her career as a deputy but was totally out of her depth with this.
Ignoring her order, he continued dressing, not bothering to acknowledge her until he was fully clothed. “I found Adam’s trail.”
Adam, her son, the reason they were out here. The son she’d made with Cyrus. Her teeth began to chatter. It was a hot July night, but she was suddenly frozen to her core.
I’m in shock.
“I don’t understand.” How could she? It was the stuff of fiction.
“I know you don’t.” He kept his voice low and calm, much like she had when faced with the wolf. “There are things you need to know about me. About Adam.”
Her heart was pounding so hard her chest ached. “Is he...” She swallowed and tried again. “Is he...” The words refused to come.
“Is he like me? I don’t know.” He waved her back toward camp. “You have questions and we have to leave at first light.”
“I want to leave now.” The need to find her son was more urgent than ever.
Cyrus hung his head, huffed out a sigh, and rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “If that’s what you want.” He lifted his head and pinned her with his dark gaze. “You gonna pretend this didn’t happen?”
“I’m not pretending anything,” she snapped. “I need to think.” It was all too much to take in. She needed him but no longer trusted him or his motives for being here. “But know this, if you do anything to hurt my son, I’ll kill you without hesitation or regret.”
Anger snapped in his eyes. “I’m trying to save my son.
If he’s like me, he may be in danger.” His anguish was as real as hers.
There was no faking that kind of raw emotion.
The gun in her hand wavered. She lowered it, but he wasn’t done.
“Shoot me if you want. I don’t give a damn.
I won’t ever hurt you or our son. Other than my brothers and Eli’s woman, you’re the only two people on the planet who don’t need to fear me.
I’ll use every skill I possess to protect you both. ”
“Protect us? From what?”
Cyrus shook his head and walked away, leaving her to follow.
****
Idiot! He wanted to kick his own ass. He certainly would kick any of his brothers’ asses if they’d made this kind of stupid mistake.
His wolf chuffed inside him. Yeah, he couldn’t lie to himself, his wolf wouldn’t let him.
He’d known Vinnie was there but had chosen to walk out of the woods anyway.
He could have waited her out or howled and sent her running.
It would have been easy to grab his clothes and concoct a story as to why he’d been naked.
There was a narrow creek a short distance away.
He could have claimed he’d wanted to bathe, but idiot that he was, he’d walked out and confronted her.
That’d certainly worked out well. He snorted under his breath. At least she hadn’t shot him. He’d fractured what little trust they’d forged between them. But there’d never be a good time to drop something this reality-altering on her.
He stalked into camp and slung his backpack onto his shoulders, letting the familiar weight settle.
The light from the flashlight bobbed in the distance as she hurried to catch up.
She gave him a wide berth as she hurriedly rolled her sleeping bag and retrieved the food bag she’d stashed in a nearby tree. The scent of her fear hung in the air.
He wanted to snarl and growl, but there was no one to blame but himself.
It was a wonder she hadn’t run screaming into the night, but she was made of sturdier stuff than most. She was likely trying to rationalize what she’d seen.
It’s what most people did when faced with something they didn’t understand, something that messed with their world order.
It was a safety mechanism that worked well for both sides. Now it was a hindrance.