Page 24 of Relics of the Wolf

“Yeah. Normally, it would be a super minor wound for one of us,” Jasmine said, as if getting shot wasn’t that alarming, “but it was asilverbullet. That’s all they were shooting. And the one lodged in Emilio’s side is more problematic, and he’s already weakened from it. The pack’s wise wolf is extracting it and giving him potions to stave off a magical infection, but those guys knew we were werewolves and came prepared.”

My stomach sank. “What guys?”

“A gang of thugs. They were strong, abnormally so. At first, we thought they were werewolves, but they didn’t smell right for that. There was another kind of magic about them.”

My stomach sank further, descending all the way into my shoes. “Did one of them have long blond hair? And look like a drummer from an eighties metal band?”

Jasmine hesitated. “One did look like that, yes. I wasn’t there, but Emilio caught some of it on camera with his phone. The blond bro didn’t have a gun, but I guess it doesn’t matter. There were at least eight of them, and they were strong enough to get the best of Aunt Umbra and Lorenzo. Only because of numbers though. And silverbullets. Because werewolves are strong too.” Indignation filled Jasmine’s voice, but then it grew smaller and quieter when she added, “Aunt Umbra and Lorenzo were lucky that Emilio was there. He’d come by to fix the internet. Having another fighter helped, and Emilio called the rest of the family. When some more of us arrived and turned wolf, the guys took off.”

“I’m sorry. That’s awful. I can come up there today if… Uhm, is Augustus there?”

The pack might notwantme to come up there. After I’d been out of their lives for so long, they might object to me visiting again. Mom wouldn’t. She’d been waiting a long time for me to return to the pack—she’d said as much. It was the rest of the family I had to worry about, especially my belligerent cousins.

“Yeah, but your mom wants to see you. And I don’t think Augustus will do anything with Lorenzo there. Besides, he’d be stupid to worry about you right now anyway. The pack has a new enemy. How’d you know about the blond bro?”

“A hunch. I’ve encountered him before.” I’dencounteredhim twelve hours ago.

Had he and his thugs gone straight up to Monroe after running from Duncan and me? Why? To get back at me? They were the ones who’d started everything by stealing the case.

I slumped against the wall, hating the idea that I had, whether it had been my fault or not, somehow caused my mother to be hurt. And Emilio. A silver bullet lodged in a werewolf could be fatal. If it had struck his heart, it would have killed him instantly.

“In Shoreline?” Jasmine sounded confused.

Itwasconfusing. I wished Duncan and I had managed to subdue the blond man and question him.

“Shoreline, Seattle… The guy gets around.” I remembered the bartender’s words that those thugs were fromup north. “He stole something from me—technically from my intern. An ancient druidic case with a wolf head on the lid.”

“I’m talking to her now,” Jasmine said, her mouth away from the phone. “Luna said she’s seen those guys before.”

“Are you with my mom now?” I asked.

“Yeah. We’re in her cabin. She heard what you said about a wolf artifact and thinks you should come up here right away.”

“With salami,” came a masculine voice from the background.

“That’s Emilio,” Jasmine said.

“I gathered. If he can request meat, he can’t be that grievously injured.” I hoped.

“He’s sweaty, pale, and moaning and complaining every twenty seconds, but his appetite is okay.”

“A good sign. I’ll be up there soon.” I hung up, set the phone down, and bent forward to grip my knees.

In addition to all my other woes, the question of whether I had enough money left this month for gas and salamis trickled through my mind.

“I’ll have to dig into the emergency fund.” I cringed at the idea, but family members being shot had to qualify as an emergency. At least Ihada sufficient emergency fund these days.

Three honks sounded in the parking lot. Was that Bolin with the birds again?

Irritated, I grabbed my phone and keys, intending to tell him to answer the leasing inquiries or do something else more useful than battling nature. But when I walked outside, I found Duncan in his Roadtrek idling in the parking lot. Hadhebeen the one to honk? Bolin and his squeegee and paper towels had disappeared.

Duncan rolled down the window and waved cheerfully at me. “Do you like my new tires?”

I headed for the truck, not in the mood to banter, but I did observe, “They’re even bigger than the last ones.”

“Yes, I upgraded. In case you need to borrow my van again to run over wolves in the woods.” Duncan waved toward the greenbelt where he’d battled my cousins.

“I’m sure it would be effective, but can you move? You’re blocking me in. I need to— My pack was attacked by the same guys we fought last night.”

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