Chapter 17 - Wilf
The trucks turn off the ridge road just after nine.
They arrived at the cabin at first light, and we’ve been driving the back roads ever since.
I’ve done this drive more times than I can remember, but Connor was right: the snowstorm certainly left its mark; debris scatters the road, and it’s slow progress.
I can see why it took so long to get the trucks up here.
I glance at Lara in the seat next to me.
She’s looking out the window with her hands in her lap, her chin tilted, and her jaw set.
She’s scared but determined not to show it.
They brought two trucks. Connor and Bryan are taking us back first, while Caleb and Thomas secure the cabin and then follow us down, sweeping the mountain roads to make sure no one is following. I was set on running through the plan, but I should have known Connor would have it locked down.
Bryan likes to talk, and he can usually get anyone to open up, but even though he tries to keep things light, he doesn’t get anywhere with Lara. Doesn’t stop him from trying, though, asking if she wants the heater turned up.
“It’s warm enough,” she replies, not looking at him.
“Sure?” He asks, and that gets no response at all.
They probably think she’s just being rude, but I’ve clocked the tremor in her hand.
She’s terrified. Bryan and Connor lose themselves in conversation about the game on Sunday, and I chip in when required.
I’m only half listening, though, torn between reaching for her and giving her space.
There’s been no conversation about what this thing is between us, if it’s real, if it was just scratching an itch.
Everything I know about women tells me she’d make it clear if she wanted more, so perhaps she wants nothing at all.
And my wolf may want more, but the man in me knows better than to expect or hope where other people are concerned.
I know Connor scented me on her the second I stepped out of the cabin door when they rolled in.
The look on his face and smirk said it all.
There’s no issue with Shifters and humans being together in Silvercreek; Connor of all people knows that, but there is an assumption that we don’t always go together well.
The pack accepts anyone who wants to be there, but that’s not going to be Lara because she most certainly doesn’t want to be there.
I just hope she lets us help her, and in turn, that might help us deal with Cheslem once and for all, because they keep on hitting back.
We pull in at the Alpha House and get out.
Lara pauses, standing on the gravel with her arms wrapped around herself, looking lost and like an idiot.
I hesitate. Luna is already heading out and makes a beeline for Lara, coming down the porch steps with her hands out, ready to greet her like a friend rather than a problem that needs solving.
Luna has that way about her; she can make anyone feel like they might belong. It even works on me occasionally.
“Lara,” she says. “I’m Luna. Wilf might have told you I’m Nick’s mate. Come in out of the cold.”
Lara looks at me, and I nod.
“Thanks,” Lara says, her words tight but not unfriendly.
Luna walks up the porch steps with Lara, and I watch the way she gives her space, taking the exact right read from Lara, pointing things out as they go but keeping things light. I’ve always thought Luna was good in her role; now I see that she’s excellent at it.
I follow the rest in and find the kitchen full of women; it seems like everyone brought their mates, which isn’t unusual because these pack meetings often run into cookouts and general socializing.
I usually dodge that part by heading out early, but I have a feeling it might be harder to escape today with the issue of Lara dominating everything.
I also get the feeling Luna knew what was needed here, and a fellow human in the form of Fern, along with the gentle natures of Skylar and Fiona, are probably just what Lara needs. Not a room full of shifter men, but rather the presence of women who aren’t afraid of them.
Skylar immediately gets up as we enter and approaches with the steady calm that seems to denote she’s a healer. Bryan goes straight to her as usual. She greets him with an embrace before ducking around and heading toward Lara.
“Lara, right?” she says. “I’m Skylar, one of the pack healers. I run the clinic with Fern. That’s Fern.” She says, tipping her head to introduce Fern, who is sitting at the counter, and waves.
“Hey Lara,” she says, “welcome to the madhouse.”
Fiona laughs as she walks in through the doors, bringing the sound of riotous children with her from outside, where several pups are tearing around the yard.
“Very funny,” she laughs, looking back at the chaos outside, “though I must admit, they are a bit extra crazy today. I think they’re making the most of the last of the snow.
Would you like a coffee, Lara? You’ve had an early start. ”
Lara looks at the women, at me, and then at the coffee pot.
“Tea sounds good,” she says.
“Right,” Luna says, “I’ll put a fresh pot on. Wilf, Bryan, I think Connor has already gone through, and Nick’s waiting. We’ll take good care of Lara and get her caffeinated.”
I don’t argue. I give Lara what I hope is a reassuring nod and then offer one to Luna too, as if to thank her for making this easy.
I spot Thomas coming in the side door; they must have made it in good time, and he’d made a beeline for his kids outside.
Bryan and I follow, and I’m a few steps down the hallway when I hear the women laughing about something.
That’s not unusual, but when I hear Lara’s laugh, I pause.
They’ve managed to make her laugh a hell of a lot quicker than I did.
Nick and the others, including Ethan, are already in his office.
I haven’t seen much of him since he got back off the Northern Line a few weeks ago—he’s been training some of the other packs on the new wards to help with Cheslem.
Nick’s attempt at forging alliances to help stop similar problem packs from growing in the future.
It seems to be working, and Ethan appears to be doing a good job—we’ve known each other all our lives but never been particularly close, mainly because she could be a bit of pain.
But he seems to have grown out of that now.
Bryan shuts the door behind us, and it clicks almost pointedly.
“Alright,” Nick says from behind his desk. “Wilf, start at the beginning and explain who this girl sitting in my kitchen is.”
I start at the beginning. The ridge patrol, the trail, the two I killed first, even though they know those details.
Pulling her out of the hut. The cabin. Her strange voice ability and everything she told me about what happened at the camp and how we think it ties in with the talismans, and how it didn’t seem to work when they attacked at the cabin.
I tell them how the attack at the cabin went down.
The only thing I don’t tell them is how things have shifted between Lara and me; I don’t have to because any wolf within thirty feet will be able to scent her all over me. But, as much as I love my pack, it’s none of their damn business.
When I finish, Nick leans back and runs a hand over his jaw the way he does when he’s weighing up several options.
“Right,” Connor says. “So we have to work on the assumption they’re going to keep trying to get her if they’ve been this determined.”
“That’s how it reads to me,” I tell him.
“They went to use her for something,” Thomas says.
“Sounds like they want to weaponize her,” Ethan mutters.
His tone isn’t sharp, but he’s clearly got more to say.
“Wilf, everyone's being very nice about it, but someone's got to say it; is she a risk to us? She’s a human who apparently can stop wolves in their tracks, and Cheslem are the ones with talismans to stop her. If they get her, they can use her power against us. Goddess knows what else she can do.”
My wolf surges before I’ve even had a chance to process what he’s saying, and I barely hold him down. Attacking Ethan in my alpha's office isn’t going to help, but he’s already near the surface, and Ethan immediately sees it, going very still.
“She’s not a risk to us,” I snap. “She’s a person who needs our help.”
“Both things can be true,” Ethan replies, evenly. “I’m not saying we don’t help her. I’m just saying we assess this properly.”
“The only assessment involves helping her,” I reply. “Anything else and she dies. We’re not handing this off.”
“Nobody said anything about handing her off or not helping,” Nick says calmly.
“Ethan was about to,” I reply.
“Ethan is asking the questions, which is his job,” Nick says. “And you were about to bite his head off, which is not your job, not today. Settle down”
I do settle. Nick has the way of a pure alpha; he can calm his pack or rile them up with just the pitch of his voice.
My wolf drops down, and Ethan registers it, relaxing slightly too, as there’s a knock at the door.
Luna enters, holding her cup of coffee. She doesn’t sit but walks over to Nick, addressing us all.
“Lara has very kindly talked through her ability,” Luna says, “And it’s real.
I’ve got a read on the power, but she’s not a witch.
It’s old, perhaps born from an old protection spell.
The Cheslem witch obviously got a read on it, too, in order to create the talismans.
I’m sure Anya could do something similar, but there was dark magic, which isn’t something anyone wants to touch.
I’ll update Anya and see what she thinks.
“How’s she doing through there?” Nick asks his mate.
“Better than I’d hoped,” Luna smiles. “Skylar and Fern have been brilliant at getting her to open up a bit. I think she was surprised that Fern is a human, and not locked up in a dungeon.”
I nod. “She has her reasons to feel the way she does,” I tell her, and then others. “They’re pretty valid reasons, too.”