Page 7 of House of Wolves

I sit up, making a disgusted face as I swallow his cum. It’s warm, thick, and unpleasant tasting, but I swallow like a champ and wipe my mouth with the back of my hand. Thankfully, he’s not paying attention to me. He works on stuffing himself back in his pants. “Fuck, it’s always so hot that you get off from blowing me.” He leans over and kisses my cheek.

He misses my scrunched expression. “Yeah, that’s what happened.” I chuckle.

His radio buzzes to life as if sent from the gods to erase an impending uncomfortable silence. “Dispatch, this is 543. Be advised, we have a possible 187 at a secluded residence off Pine Hollow Road, approximately 2 miles north of Route 47. Suspected murder victim inside the residence. Requesting immediate backup and crime scene unit. Proceed with caution. Over.”

“Shit,” Straw says, gritting his teeth.

My heart hammers, pulling my skirt down and taking in my surroundings outside the car. “Pine Hollow is right down the road.”

“I’ll take you home. Someone else will assist.” He pulls the seatbelt over his chest.

“No bother, I want to go.” I grab the door handle and swing it open. There’s no chance he’s driving me to the crime scene. I’ll walk the five minutes before he has time to argue.

“Carmen, no!” he yells after me, but I’m already out of his car, slamming his door in his face. “I bet he remembers I’m a reporter now,” I say to myself, rubbing at the thin material of my sweater as I walk to the dirt road ahead.

“Unit 5-Charlie-11 to Unit 2-Adam-12, I’m in the area and moving in on foot. Should be on scene in two minutes. Over.”

I smile to myself as Straw runs up behind me, crunching the dead leaves underfoot. “Go back to the car and wait for me,” he orders.

I turn around, walking backward and holding my wrists up. “What are you going to do? Arrest me?” I smirk. “I bet you’d love to see me in your handcuffs.” I don’t miss the way his pupils blow out from my words, even if his expression strains.

“You’re going to get me in trouble,” he grits through clenched teeth.

“You didn’t seem to care too much about getting into trouble a few minutes ago.” I wink and turn back around. “Don’t worry. I won’t say we came together. You should probably arrive in your patrol car to avoid making it look suspicious.”

“I’m not going to let you walk through the woods by yourself to a murder crime scene. I don’t know if they’ve caught the suspect.” He sounds sincere and genuinely concerned for my safety. Cute. But more than that, I’m assuming he’s unaware of the culprit in this murder. He’s too dumb to lie well. The victim could be anyone, but I'm guessing it's a werewolf because the house is in a desolate area. I can’t let the panic and sorrow overtake me yet. I must keep on with my cutesy, oblivious act until I see what has happened for myself. Maybe he doesn’t know anything about the Hunters' plans, but there’s no way to tell until I can watch him on the scene.

“You don’t need to worry about me, Straw. I can take care of myself.”

“Shit, you’re fast.” He grunts from behind me, trying to catch up with my strides. He’s muscular, but I’m a werewolf, a fact he’s unaware of. I could run laps around him, but I need to slow down not to make him suspicious. If he is working with the Hunters, he’s not oblivious to our existence, and I don’t want to make myself known.

Some of the police force knows about the Weres. Much like our Human Liaison, there’s a similar status in the police force. It seems this title belongs to Brick now. Only he and a few stone-faced men under him know about our kind. I’m assuming Straw isn’t high enough up at the station to be privy to my supernatural powers, but maybe he’s just been playing dumb this whole time. I doubt it, but it would make him hotter if he were.

Emergency lights shine in the near distance. A house comes into view just a few steps down the hill. I don’t recognize it, but it’s not a surprise. Weres are secretive about their residence, even with their pack, and especially with the Human Liaison family. My racing heart can’t take my pretend speed. I pick up my pace, not enough to raise suspicion, but leaving Straw behind me.

Only two police cars are parked out in the front. They weren’t kidding when they said they needed backup, or maybe they don’t want a big crowd here. A few other unmarked cars are in the driveway: an ambulance, a coroner, and perhaps family members’ vehicles. I assess quickly, my eyes darting subtly as I march closer to the house's entrance. I can’t bring attention to myself by gawking. I keep my gaze low, trying not to meet anyone’s eyes. I nearly step over a fresh hoof print, but I don’t stop to examine it. A horse whinnies nearby, and a police officer pats the mare’s back. Okay, so there are police horses here. That doesn’t mean anything to me yet.

I make my way inside, no one noticing my presence. I have no fucking idea where Straw is. Probably still stumbling down that hill. It helps that the crime scene is fresh and so few people are on location. No one has time to pay attention to me.

I gasp once I’m only a few steps into the house entryway, covering my mouth as I stare at Jessica’s lifeless body on the rug parallel to the front door. It takes five seconds to take it all in: her slashed throat, her motionless eyes, the bloodied fingertips—Hunters did this, no doubt. Tears cloud my vision. I wasn’t close to the girl. She was about five years my junior, but I always liked her. She reminded me of myself—never backing down, never staying quiet. I can’t help but wonder if that’s why she’s here without a pulse instead of disappeared.

I scan around me, not missing the puddle of blood a few feet away from her. I’m hoping it belongs to the prick that did this to her. Although I’d much rather she be alive, a part of me revels in the fact that she fought and can only hope she made someone pay.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” A human wall steps before me, and a shadow looms overhead. My skin pricks at the sound of his voice. I know who it is immediately, but it still takes me two seconds to scan up the expanse of his broad body to meet his smokey grey eyes staring down at me. His ash brown hair differs from its usual well-kept combed-back look. It’s loose and free and shows its true wavy texture. It takes two seconds to take in his unsettled energy. I just wonder the reason for his unease.

I swallow a knot in my throat and smile, pushing down my sorrow. “Brick, how ya’ doing?”

His eyes blaze something furious, his hands clench at his side, a small notebook crushed as a result. “Carmen, what the fuck are you doing at my crime scene?” He scans me, reaching my short black skirt. He sucks in a sharp breath and clenches his eyes.

“Carm…” Straw trails from behind. I whip to the doorway to see him out of breath, eyes wide as he catches Brick staring him down over the top of my head. I turn back to Brick, his jaw twitching under his strain as he holds Officer Straw in place with his murderous gaze.

Blood and gore surround me, but I can’t help but smile at Brick’s obvious unease. I cross my arms over my chest. “Brick, I was…” I don’t finish my sentence. Brick grabs my arm and yanks me out the front door, pushing past Straw. “Fucking take evidence pictures. Don’t leave before we speak,” Brick yells at Straw as he points one massive finger in his direction, his other hand probably leaving marks on my forearm.

I can’t find a reaction to the sudden assault until I’m out in the cool night air, moonlight shining overhead. Brick releases me and I rub at the sore spot. “What the fuck?” Anger finds its footing in my veins.

Brick crouches to my eye level, now wielding the monstrous finger at me. “No, explain why you are here.”

Letting my lashes lower, I deliver a searing look. Sure, Brick is always a prick, especially to me for some reason, but he’s never touched me and usually shows his distaste with a huff and an eye roll. He’s fuming, staring at me as if I’m his petulant child who nearly ran into the road. It makes me all the more suspicious of him. Maybe I just caught him red-handed, and he’s shitting bricks thinking he’s about to get caught. Ha ha. Brick shitting bricks.

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