Chapter 35
Finally, the members of all four cohorts pack up and leave. I haven’t seen Nikki since she blew up on me. Even Kiya, Mitus, and Lirea have gone home for the first time in weeks.
I lift myself up onto the couch in the pit after a few goodbyes.
“I think we’ll be meeting again soon. We’re staying until they make a decision about the red wolf,” says Oliver.
Merik crosses his legs. “The reports are interesting, to say the least.”
“I’d love to see it, wouldn’t you?” Iris turns to me.
“It would be something.” I smile back at her.
Stark takes a seat next to me, resting his hand on my leg.
“I have that painting, remember, Aloka? In my office. It has a red wolf on it,” says Merik.
Stark’s hand squeezes, and I let my legs flame; his grip doesn’t change.
Don’t worry, I didn’t let him kiss me.
Stark gives Merik a menacing glare, and I hold in the laugh bubbling in my chest.
“When I head home, I’ll have to check when and where it was painted.”
“Jeffery’s report is the most unusual. The ruthlessness of the red wolf does sound concerning. If they didn’t say it was red, I would’ve thought the stories were about you, Stark,” Oliver says.
“It’s not like the red wolf is going to come hurt us,” Serena adds.
Oliver taps the armrest. “We don’t know that. Think of the formations we used to attack one or two humans at a time with a gun. He managed to do it alone and take out multiple. That’s the type of speed and strength most of us don’t have on our best days.”
“He?” asks Merik.
“Well, I just assume.”
“I think the same.” Hendin joins the conversation, standing above us. “Should we organize the Elders and figure this out? I’d like to get home.”
“I’ll have them come later today.” Stark rubs my leg before getting up and walking off with Hendin.
One good aspect is they think it’s a man. I’ve never thought of myself as ruthless, but I’ve also done my best not to think of that day. Bile rises in the back of my throat. The sooner this is over the better.
When the forum is filled again, Stark stands front and center with Hendin.
Oliver walks down the steps holding a mini stack of papers.
“We are meeting to address the concerns about the red wolf. I have the compiled list of sightings. For example”—he shuffles the papers—“‘the red wolf stomped two humans into the ground while staring down a man with a gun,’ ‘the red wolf appeared in front of me and ripped two bodies in half.’ The list contains several matching accounts from different perspectives. Along with my own sighting, a few of the other Alphas also have reports. We have concluded that this red wolf was not a mirage of adrenaline.”
Stark gives him an approving nod. “Thank you, Oliver. Now, we’d like to discuss next steps. Elders, you met separately earlier today. So, if someone would like to come down and update us.”
“I got it.” Darwin stands. Stark’s body grows half an inch taller, while he walks down the few stairs on the side of the room.
Darwin takes center stage and scans the room. His gaze stops on me for a moment, I chose a seat higher up in the back today. Nothing like being in a room full of people looking for you. He clears his throat and starts speaking.
“The Council agrees with the Alphas that this red wolf does exist. We are determined to find this red wolf. Each cohort will be assigned a designated search area within our territory. This includes knocking on doors of known families for any newly turned teenagers. We do believe this werewolf is a risk to all. The myths of the red wolf vary, but we would like to detain this individual in a calm manner before taking action. So please, keep things positive with search parties. We don’t need any more deaths. ”
It’s a man hunt—or I guess a werewolf hunt. For me.
Perfect.
“Is this necessary?” Stark asks.
“Why would it not be?” asks Oliver.
Stark doesn’t back down, “The red wolf helped and is now gone. Seems like it should stay that way.”
“I agree with Stark,” Merik adds from his seat.
“The Elders decision is final. We cannot risk a rogue wolf with intense speed and possibly more along our borders,” says Darwin.
They have no intentions of letting me live. The mysterious red wolf helped them win, but it will never be enough.
Graden comes down and turns to face everyone. “Please inform your cohorts. Searches need to start immediately. You’re all dismissed.”
The Alphas all rise and group together, except Stark, who goes over to Graden and Otis. At least it means the house will be quiet.
I leave the room and go find a drink to cool down. After emptying a glass, I think that maybe a shower would be better.
I head to Stark’s ensuite, it’s even better than mine. Dual rainfall showerheads hang behind a large stone wall. I need to dye my hair too—keeping a baseball cap on until I climb into bed at night isn’t the best solution. He should be busy with the Council here for a bit longer.
My skin eases to a nice warmth under the rainfall. It will be okay, I remind myself. They have no reason to suspect the girl who could never turn.
A waste of effort. Stark’s mind surprises me.
Why? I ask.
The door opens and Stark walks through the steam to the shower entrance.
“Hunting a red werewolf. I’d say if I was a red werewolf, I wouldn’t tell anyone. Especially with the way they already want to kill it. The second you left, the Elders were debating on how to do it.”
I grab the shower knob and twist it to the coldest setting. “They’re probably afraid? They need to be the most powerful. It’s why Otis admitted they don’t like you . . .” I tilt my head back into the ice water.
“They’re not going to torture and kill me for information on how I function,” he says.
The steam grows in the bathroom. I wasn’t worried about torture . . .
“Red?”
“Yeah?”
“What is it?” He leans into the shower through the steam.
“Nothing. You know I could never hurt someone.” Unless they attacked you or killed my brother, or tried . . . Maybe my acceptable reason list is getting a bit too long.
He stares at me for a long moment as I fill my hand with soap and inhale the roses. “You’re gorgeous.” He softens, and I rub the soap suds along my legs. “I’m glad you never hurt anyone. It’s nice one of us isn’t out there with a death toll on their shoulders.”
Would he still want me if he knew how many I’ve killed? Maybe my innocence is what he likes about me.
“Have they left?”
“Yes. The house is officially empty—except Jocko, but I think we’re stuck with him.”
“I guess that’s okay,” I say and laugh. “Are you having everyone move back in for the hunt?”
He shakes his head and moves out of the shower. “No, we can meet out where we plan to look.”
“Oh, good.” I smile.
“They’ll still be here for meals, though.” There’s hesitation in his voice. I did tell him I was overwhelmed by everyone.
“Why do you feed everyone?”
“Long story.”
I wait.
“Before I became me, the towering, muscular, jaw-dropping—”
I grab the hosed showerhead and spray him. He leaps back from the shower, wiping his face.
“Mate,” he growls.
“Tell the story. I know how you look,” I say.
“You’ve never said anything about how I look.”
“Stark, I think your wolf form is breathtaking. I couldn’t get it out of my thoughts the first time I saw you on the road. Your regular body . . . that I like in a very different way.” I wink.
He leans back into the shower, just enough that his thick hand can squeeze my ass.
“Now that you feel complimented, tell me the story.”
Stark walks away behind the shower wall.
“Back then, things looked different. My mom passed before I turned. It was only me and my father; he struggled with the mate loss.” I couldn’t handle that, and I refuse to survive that.
“When I turned sixteen and still hadn’t turned, he thought he could beat it out of me.
I was weak and small from a lack of food.
He didn’t cook or buy groceries, and at school, I kept to myself.
No one offered to help or feed me, despite how skeleton-thin my arms and body were.
After a year, he ended up leaving me with Graden and going back to his original pack.
” He pauses, and I turn the water off. “Everyone should be able to have a home-cooked meal if they want one.”
He’s blocked me out of his mind, I know it.
I grab one of the small towels from the hook and twist my hair up before stepping out of the shower. Another goes around me, and I open my arms to hug him.
“So, we will feed them,” I say. I could learn to cook well for him.
He hugs my wet body back and pulls my chin up to meet his lips. I have had no energy to convince him to have sex.
I kiss him deep and tug at his damp shirt. “How long are you going to make me wait?” I ask.
“When I figure out a way not to hurt you. I found a few books.”
“On sex?” I raise my eyebrows into my toweled forehead.
“On mates having sex. There’s nothing on a werewolf mated to a . . .” He looks down at me. “I don’t know what to call you.”
“Yours,” I say.
He leans in and kisses me again.
Hours later, after the quietest dinner we’ve had—plus Jocko—Stark is under the sheets, and I turn to hit the light. I pull off my hooded sweatshirt and toss it to the end of the bed. It’s my other solution to the hat—so he doesn’t ask more questions. He’s leaving early for the hunt.
Part of it is sort of funny to me. I am right here and they’re looking everywhere else.
Stark’s arms wrap around me, and I sink into his body as much as possible, letting the tingling sensation fill me and lull me into a sleep. It’ll be okay if this is my life.
“We’ve found the red wolf,” Stark announces.
You have?
He moves back a few feet. It’s you . . . You killed all those people, and now—
Stark disappears, and Darwin comes out of the forest, a huge brown wolf. He growls.
No, I love you. I wouldn’t hurt anyone.
My body shakes and I keep myself from turning. They don’t know for sure.
You lied.
Darwin launches at me.
A scream wakes me, and I open my eyes to the darkness. My cheeks and pillow are soaked.
“What’s wrong?” Stark reaches past me and turns on the bedside lamp.
“Nothing. A bad dream.”
He cups my cheek. “Do you remember it?” His fingers tingle my scalp as he starts to stroke my hair. Red? His thoughts are no longer blocked.
“No, it’s a blur.”
His angle shifts, and I realize he isn’t listening. Fuck.
I reach over and switch off the light. The second I do, he lays flat on the bed, but he doesn’t pull me in.
“Let’s go back to sleep,” I suggest.
“I’m going to get some air.” He leans and kisses my forehead. He saw my roots . . . There’s no way he didn’t.
I roll over and hear him open a dresser drawer, then the door clicks shut behind him.