Chapter 11
RODERICK
A week after Juliet’s little camping trip, I’m still hung up on the vague answers she gave to her friend about her reasons for moving to town. The librarian is hiding something, and it’s my responsibility as leader of the Pine Falls pack to find out what.
She could be someone dangerous.
She could be delicious, my wolf adds.
“Shut up,” I mutter, the words lost in the roar of my bike as I head to the edge of town.
The sun tints the sky with brilliant colors as it sinks behind the peak of one of the many mountains surrounding Pine Falls. As evening approaches, I know where I’ll be able to find a good portion of my pack.
The Rabbit Hole. The pack’s bar. Mainly, it’s those of us who ride that chose to congregate at the old wooden building, but some other members looking to surround themselves with our kind will stop by throughout the month.
But I’m searching for one wolf in particular.
When I pull into the parking lot, I spot his bike immediately.
A royal-blue 1971 Moto Guzzi Ambassador.
Warner helped Thad refurbish the bike a few months after the wolf joined our pack.
Thad hadn’t ridden the classic motorcycle for years before moving to Pine Falls.
Apparently, the Bear Valley wolves were more selective about who could ride with them, making it clear to Thad that whether he had a working bike or not, he was on his own.
The discrimination makes me sick. Every wolf in my pack deserves my respect, care, and consideration. Sure, a few make it harder than others, but that’s to do with shitty personalities.
From what I can tell, Thad requested to join our pack in the hopes we’d be better and hasn’t found reason to regret the move.
We’re lucky for the addition. The guy is a tech wizard, and he has a great mind for money. He’s doubled the funds in the pack bank account since I handed the reins over to him a month after he joined us.
One of the best decisions I made as leader was accepting Thad into the fold.
Hopefully, the guy is feeling grateful.
When I walk into the bar, I get greetings from all different directions.
That’s the life of a leader, but luckily, no one approaches me with an issue to solve.
I’m able to hand out some nods and head to the bar, where I spot Thad accepting a beer from Moose, The Rabbit Hole’s owner and bartender.
With a single finger raised, I indicate to the hulking, tattooed brute that I’d like one too.
When Moose acknowledges my order with a chin tilt, Thad swivels on his stool. The wolf offers me a smile and a signed greeting, which I return. No indication that he’s still pissed about my dismissive treatment of the librarian. Maybe she told him that I’d reached out.
Not that my first foray to the library went well. But I fixed the electricity in that dilapidated cabin she bought, and I’m installing her fucking security cameras, so Juliet had better not be shit-talking me around town.
Once settled on the stool beside Thad, I take a swallow of my beer, and then I get straight to the point.
“I need you to find out about Juliet,” I sign.
His brows dip low. “Find out what?”
“Whatever there is to find.”
Thad blinks at me, then responds with an almost-flippant edge to his movements, “Easy. Her last name is Adair. She’s a librarian. She moved to town in May. Bought a house on Elk Road. Late twenties. Red hair. Nice to strangers who aren’t you.” He smirks. “Didn’t even have to use my computer.”
My hands are firm with demand on my next words. “Now I want you to use your computer. Look into her past.”
Thad frowns. “That’s invasive. Why would I do that?”
“She could be a danger to the pack.” I can’t be the only one to see this.
Thad snorts, the dismissive sound making me grind my molars. “The sweet librarian? The one who Hester likes?”
And how exactly does he know that Hester likes her? I wasn’t aware the woman had learned to sign. But there’s a lot Hester Willowborne keeps to herself.
“Hester liking someone doesn’t give them a free pass.” My signing is jerky, betraying my agitation.
Thad raises his brows. “And you liking someone means they need a background check?”
A warning growl rumbles out of my throat. Not that he can hear it.
“I don’t like her. That’s the problem.”
Thad’s eyes drop, as if in deference to my alpha status, but he smirks just before taking a swig of his beer.
Once his hands are free, he speaks again. “The library must have checked her out before hiring her. And I’m not hacking into some poor woman’s bank account because you don’t like her.” Now Thad’s lips twist into a grimace. “Slippery slope.”
Great. Thad decided to grow a conscience. And now he’s using it to make me feel like an ass.
“I could order you to.”
Thad’s regard turns wary. “You could. Will you?”
My role as pack leader gives me certain advantages, including an extra punch of magic. Meaning I can hand out commands that my pack members would have a hell of a time not following. But that’s a power I try not to throw around too often.
I’d rather have my wolves follow me because they trust me, not because I bend them to my will.
Instead of answering right away, I take a large swallow of beer and consider my response as the strong taste of hops rolls over my tongue. Doesn’t take me long to come to a decision.
“I’ll hunt on my own,” I say.
Thad nods slowly, and I expect him to give me another shit-eating grin, having gotten his way.
But the wolf appears unsettled, and I can’t help thinking back on the first day Thad came to live in Pine Falls.
Somehow, the wolf had found my phone number and texted me.
He asked if the Pine Falls wolves were open to taking on another.
At first, I thought he was a lone wolf, interested in the area and looking for a pack to join.
Then he mentioned Bear Valley.
In my few brief interactions with them, I’ve learned the Bear Valley pack is similar in some ways to ours, but in others, it is vastly different. Their core wolves also formed a motorcycle club, and they live in a small mountain town that is partially aware of their presence.
But the way they run themselves and the way they speak of humans is nothing like the Pine Falls wolves. True, we’re not holding friendship parades down Main Street, displaying the unity of wolf and human. But we don’t hold ourselves above the humans in the town. Just separate.
So, when I had a wolf wanting to leave Bear Valley, I figured he’d be bringing some kind of human family with him. Seemed the most likely reason. Then Thad showed up, and I realized that the Utah pack had a lot more prejudice than I’d thought.
And I suspect that no matter how comfortable Thad has become, he’s still waiting for us to turn on him like the Bear Valley wolves did.
Which means that I’m failing as a pack leader.
My main responsibility is to ensure the wolves of Pine Falls live healthy, safe lives. Thad can’t feel secure if he’s worried I’m going to tear into him the moment he questions me. I’m too used to being around my family, who meet my gruffness with exuberant disregard.
Other pack members require a different approach.
I wasn’t planning on staying at the bar for more than one drink, but I motion to Moose to bring us another round.
“Talk to me about our finances,” I prompt Thad.
His brows tick up.
With a nod, I sign, “Any new investments you’re considering?”
A reluctant curve overtakes the wolf’s mouth, and his fingers begin to move. For the next hour, my concentration is fully homed in on reading the words he speaks with his hands.
Unfortunately, an hour later, when I step through the bar’s door and head toward my bike, my thoughts return to the mysterious librarian.
Time to hunt.