killing off the older, stronger wolves. That
way, they can be in charge. And I have an idea just who that might
be,” I concluded with a growl.
“ Your uncle.”
I nodded and rose to my feet, jamming the
papers back into the files I held. “We’ve got to stop him.”
Brock took the files before I could mangle
them too badly and proceeded to put them back in the cabinets. “If
he’s killing off the stronger werewolves, then he’s got two alphas
left here.” He glanced at me. “Do you think he’ll try to kill you
next?”
“He’s already tried.”
“ When?” Brock asked in
surprise.
“ Remember the knives when
we were attacked in the hall? Silver knives are one of Mason’s call
signs.”
Brock frowned. “But aren't there werewolf
laws against this sort of thing? Something to stop one werewolf
from becoming too powerful?”
I nodded numbly. “There are Elders who
enforce the laws. They should be handling this. I don't know why
someone hasn't noticed that all of the Alphas are being
systematically killed off.” Rage filled me so intensely that I
couldn’t contain it anymore. I left the room before I damaged
anything.
“ Where are you going?”
Brock yelled down the hall.
“ Home. I’ve got some things
I’ve gotta do,” I shouted over my shoulder. I turned the deadbolt
and shoved through the glass doors that led out of the
office.
Brock ran after me and stopped at the doors.
“Be careful, Jaze!”
I hesitated and turned. “You have a safe way
home?”
He nodded. “Mom was planning to pick me up.
Clothes shopping or something like that.” He shuddered. “Looking
forward to it.”
I nodded. “Okay, be safe. I’ll meet you
tomorrow at your place.” I turned and jogged down the street,
glancing back once to make sure that Brock locked himself safely
back in the school.
When I reached our house, I went straight to
my room and pulled out the chest with Dad’s belongings. Until that
point, I hadn’t truly wanted to believe that Uncle Mason, my
father’s own brother, was the one who had killed him. But in light
of what I had found, and with Mason showing up today, it was
undeniable. I pulled the leather jacket up to my face and took a
deep breath. Dad’s scent, the wild warm smell of the woods, the
hunt, and a touch of Mom’s flowery perfume surrounded me. I closed
my eyes tight against the tears that spilled down my cheeks.
He had been a good dad, the best a boy could
ask for. He had taken me to little league games, taught me how to
fish, catch, camp, and the intricacies involved in werewolf life.
With him, nothing had seemed impossible. Now, everything did. I
thought of Mom, the way she tried to hold everything together by
moving us to this new place. How would she feel if she knew Mason
had been the one to give Dad up to the Hunters, and that he knew
where we were now? I wouldn’t run again, but she wasn’t safe.
I leaned against the bed, the jacket across
my knees.
“ What would you do, Dad?” I
whispered past the knot in my throat. There were too many people
here who would be hurt if I left. Chet, for all his bravado and
hostility, had a pack to take care of, a pack that would be turned
over to Mason if my uncle got rid of him. Then I thought of Nikki.
What if she was there when Mason went after Chet? I had to warn
her. But how?
I put the jacket back in the chest, looked
at Dad’s few remaining belongings one last time, then shut it and
pushed it back under the bed. I surveyed the cardboard boxes around
my room, then opened the first one with the old computer Mom had
given me.
My muscles tensed when the front door
opened. “Hey kiddo, I’m home,” Mom called. The door shut and she
made her way to the kitchen followed by the sound of plastic bags
and a few paper ones dumped on the table. The scent of orange
chicken and rice wafted up the stairs. My stomach growled and I
followed it down to the kitchen.
“ I brought Chinese,” Mom
said in a muffled voice,
way, they can be in charge. And I have an idea just who that might
be,” I concluded with a growl.
“ Your uncle.”
I nodded and rose to my feet, jamming the
papers back into the files I held. “We’ve got to stop him.”
Brock took the files before I could mangle
them too badly and proceeded to put them back in the cabinets. “If
he’s killing off the stronger werewolves, then he’s got two alphas
left here.” He glanced at me. “Do you think he’ll try to kill you
next?”
“He’s already tried.”
“ When?” Brock asked in
surprise.
“ Remember the knives when
we were attacked in the hall? Silver knives are one of Mason’s call
signs.”
Brock frowned. “But aren't there werewolf
laws against this sort of thing? Something to stop one werewolf
from becoming too powerful?”
I nodded numbly. “There are Elders who
enforce the laws. They should be handling this. I don't know why
someone hasn't noticed that all of the Alphas are being
systematically killed off.” Rage filled me so intensely that I
couldn’t contain it anymore. I left the room before I damaged
anything.
“ Where are you going?”
Brock yelled down the hall.
“ Home. I’ve got some things
I’ve gotta do,” I shouted over my shoulder. I turned the deadbolt
and shoved through the glass doors that led out of the
office.
Brock ran after me and stopped at the doors.
“Be careful, Jaze!”
I hesitated and turned. “You have a safe way
home?”
He nodded. “Mom was planning to pick me up.
Clothes shopping or something like that.” He shuddered. “Looking
forward to it.”
I nodded. “Okay, be safe. I’ll meet you
tomorrow at your place.” I turned and jogged down the street,
glancing back once to make sure that Brock locked himself safely
back in the school.
When I reached our house, I went straight to
my room and pulled out the chest with Dad’s belongings. Until that
point, I hadn’t truly wanted to believe that Uncle Mason, my
father’s own brother, was the one who had killed him. But in light
of what I had found, and with Mason showing up today, it was
undeniable. I pulled the leather jacket up to my face and took a
deep breath. Dad’s scent, the wild warm smell of the woods, the
hunt, and a touch of Mom’s flowery perfume surrounded me. I closed
my eyes tight against the tears that spilled down my cheeks.
He had been a good dad, the best a boy could
ask for. He had taken me to little league games, taught me how to
fish, catch, camp, and the intricacies involved in werewolf life.
With him, nothing had seemed impossible. Now, everything did. I
thought of Mom, the way she tried to hold everything together by
moving us to this new place. How would she feel if she knew Mason
had been the one to give Dad up to the Hunters, and that he knew
where we were now? I wouldn’t run again, but she wasn’t safe.
I leaned against the bed, the jacket across
my knees.
“ What would you do, Dad?” I
whispered past the knot in my throat. There were too many people
here who would be hurt if I left. Chet, for all his bravado and
hostility, had a pack to take care of, a pack that would be turned
over to Mason if my uncle got rid of him. Then I thought of Nikki.
What if she was there when Mason went after Chet? I had to warn
her. But how?
I put the jacket back in the chest, looked
at Dad’s few remaining belongings one last time, then shut it and
pushed it back under the bed. I surveyed the cardboard boxes around
my room, then opened the first one with the old computer Mom had
given me.
My muscles tensed when the front door
opened. “Hey kiddo, I’m home,” Mom called. The door shut and she
made her way to the kitchen followed by the sound of plastic bags
and a few paper ones dumped on the table. The scent of orange
chicken and rice wafted up the stairs. My stomach growled and I
followed it down to the kitchen.
“ I brought Chinese,” Mom
said in a muffled voice,
Similar Books
