Page 5 of Red Hood, Bad Wolf

"My grandmother," Alder explained. "She knows these woods better than anyone." He hesitated, then added, "Would you like to speak with her? She might have noticed something useful."

Rowan nodded, ignoring the way her skin still tingled from his proximity. She didn’t need this attraction. It was a distraction. They had a killer to catch. Everything else was secondary.

They found Mae Blackwood in her herb garden. She was a small, silver-haired woman with Alder's green eyes. She looked up from her gardening with a warm smile that didn't quite reach those sharp eyes.

"Alder, dear." She rose slowly, brushing dirt from her apron. "And this must be the Red Hood everyone's talking about."

"Grandmother, this is Rowan. She's helping investigate the disappearances."

"Please, call me Mae." The old woman's grip was strong when she clasped Rowan's hand. "Such a pretty thing. Not what I expected from a witch-hunter."

Something in her tone made Rowan's magic stir uneasily, but she couldn't pin down why. Mae seemed perfectly harmless—just a grandmother tending her herbs and worrying about her grandson.

"Mae knows all the old trails," Alder explained. "Places tourists might wander off."

"Oh yes." Mae's smile widened slightly. "These woods can be treacherous for those who don't know them. So easy to get lost or to run into something hungry."

Rowan felt Alder stiffen beside her. "Grandmother."

"Just teasing, dear." Mae patted his arm. "Though you really should mark those trails better. Humans don't know to stay away from wolf territory like they used to." She sighed. "Everything's changing. Not like the old days."

"Have you noticed anything unusual lately?" Rowan asked. "Anyone or anything that seemed out of place?"

"Well..." Mae's brow furrowed. "Now that you mention it, I did see something strange near the old quarry last week. Looked like someone had made camp there, which isn’t usually allowed on pack lands." She shook her head. "But when I went back to check, everything was gone. Even the ashes from their fire."

Alder's hand brushed Rowan's arm. "We should check it out."

The touch sent heat spiraling through her. From Mae's knowing look, the older woman hadn't missed their reaction to each other.

"Be careful out there," Mae called as they left. "Woods aren't safe, even for big bad wolves and clever little Red Hoods."

The quarry gave them nothing new. The sheer rock walls dropped away into darkness, decades of mining leaving deep scars in the earth. No sign remained of the camp Mae had mentioned.

"Dead end," Alder growled in frustration. "We're running out of daylight."

Rowan started to respond, but movement caught her eye. "Wait—there."

A flash of red—almost like her cloak—disappeared behind a boulder. They crept forward together, Alder's warmth steady at her back. The space behind the boulder turned into a narrow crevice.

"Tight fit," Rowan muttered.

"Ladies first?" Alder's smile held a hint of fang.

The crevice was barely wide enough for one person. Rowan had to turn sideways to edge through, the rough stone pressing close on either side. She heard Alder following, his breath warm on her neck.

Suddenly, the walls widened into a small cave. Rowan's magic illuminated the space—and her heart stopped.

"Alder."

He was pressed against her back, the narrow entrance forcing them close. "I smell it too."

The cave walls were covered with photographs. Missing persons posters. Newspaper clippings. And in the center, a collection of personal items that could only be trophies—watches, jewelry, keys.

"A werewolf den?" Rowan whispered. There was a sleeping bag and the whole place smelled like wolf. Shifter magic tingled along the walls.

Alder's hands gripped her shoulders, turning her to face him. In the confined space, they were chest to chest, his power wrapping around her like a storm about to break.

"I swear to you," he said roughly, "I had no idea this was here. I don’t recognize the scent. It’s been altered by magic."

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