Page 34 of Relics of the Wolf

“It takes a great injury to dull a werewolf’s appetite.”

“Yes. The men took off in trucks, from what I heard.”

In the fading light, deep tire tracks in the dirt road were visible. They’d probably torn out of here at top speed.

“Is there any way you know of that I don’t that would allow us to track them back to their lair?” I added.

“A wolf could follow the scent of the trucks for a while, but… probably not once they got to main roads.” Duncan’s brow furrowed slightly as he turned the bullet over, eyeing it from all angles. “I did catch that hint of lavender again a couple of times. Our blond thug was here with the other attackers.”

“That wasn’t an ingredient in that Tiger Blood potion, was it?” I asked, though I doubted someone would smell like one of many ingredients in a liquid they’d consumed hours or days before, not unless it contained something potent, like garlic.

“Rue didn’t give us the full list, but I can ask her later. I’ll probably go back to see if she can offer any insight into this.” Duncan held up the bullet.

I touched it and felt the faintest tingle of magic. It wasn’t exceedingly powerful, less than what I’d sensed from the wolf case or my mom’s medallion, and I suspected it had a small enchantment designed to make the bullets more deadly for our kind.

“I need to find those guys—or whoever hired them,” I said grimly.

“I know. I’ll help.”

I gazed at Duncan in the deepening shadows, my mom’s warning about him coming to mind. I wanted his offer to help to be sincere—forhimto be sincere. But maybe I was foolish to think he was anything other than a treasure hunter looking for treasure. Treasure that my ex had hired him to get.

Maybe I needed to visit an alchemist myself and try to acquire something that could stop him if he turned on me. My gut twisted at the thought of attacking him after he’d joined me in so many battles. We hunted and fought well together. I didn’twantDuncan to be an enemy.

What if I could find the men and the artifacts on my own? Then Duncan’s allegiance wouldn’t matter. If Jasmine’s dad got a lead, maybe I could figure something out. Or find a store that sold lavender-scented deodorant and was frequented by men amped up on potions.

“Are you admiring my profile and thinking of how appealing I am?” Duncan asked into the long silence.

“Oh, absolutely. It’s hard for me to think about anything else.”

“Unfortunately for my ego, I detect sarcasm in your tone.”

“You’re a perceptive werewolf.”

Duncan pocketed the smashed silver bullet and lowered the pliers. “Do you need to do anything else up here? Do you want a ride back?”

“I think I’m done for now. I’m not that much more welcome here than you are. But Mom is okay, for the moment. As okay as she can be. And I… I’ve got work to do back home.”

That wasn’t untrue, as I doubtless had a long list of tenant requests after being gone most of the day, but theworkI had in mind was figuring out a way to find the artifacts.

“Of course.” Duncan gazed across the road in the direction where he’d presumably glimpsed—or sensed—whichever cousin was lurking. “Are they done harassing you? Do you know?”

“Lorenzo told them to leave me alone, but I don’t know if they’ll listen. He’s strong, but he’s older, and my cousins think they’re the young shits.”

“I noticed.”

“I wasn’t positive which one of us Augustus was after when he charged at the van.”

“Both maybe. Right before I changed, I saw him snap toward you. You were fast enough to avoid it, but he wasn’t holding back.”

“Maybe he thought they could kill me and then say it was an accident, that they were after you.”

“Even thoughI’vedone nothing.” Duncan splayed his hand across his chest. “And I’m a delight.”

I snorted. “You’re a lone wolf, and they don’t like you.”

“Such a crime to travel solo.”

“They can also sense…” I stepped closer, catching his gaze in the dying light. “Those with magic all seem to sense that you’re extra dangerous.” I decided to dive in and ask directly. “Why is that? Will you tell me?” Would he answer?

---