Page 77 of Relics of the Wolf

“Watchingoutfor you. When I can. I’m also spending time with Umbra, bringing food when she’s not up to hunting.”

“I’m sure she appreciates that.”

His white eyebrows twitched. “She assures me she’s not an invalid and is capable of fending for herself until the day she dies.”

I snorted. Thatdidsound more like the proud woman who was my mother. “Okay, thenIappreciate it.”

“Good.” Lorenzo gazed toward the empty passenger seat of my truck. “You did not bring the strange outsider.”

“No, he’s… indisposed.”

That prompted another eyebrow twitch.

“When I saw you with him near the canal,” Lorenzo said, “I did not know if you considered him a friend or foe.”

“Yeah, I didn’t either.”

“I announced myself to let him know the pack is watching over you.”

I nodded, glad it had been my mother’s mate rather than my cousins. “He figured you weren’t there for the brisket.”

Lorenzo nodded toward the box I gripped and extended his hand toward the cabin. “Your mother will be pleased to see you. And that.”

He didn’t follow me inside. I found Mom in her bedroom, the curtains and a window open, despite the late autumn chill. A cheerful bird chirped out back, and fresh air flowed in, so I couldn’t blame her for the choice.

She lay in bed with a book in hand but her eyes closed. Emilio must have healed enough to return to his own home.

Mom still looked wan, despite her regenerative magic. I reminded myself that, unfortunately, the attacking thieves hadn’t been the only thing to plague her this year. How much longer did she have, I wondered. Maybe I would call up that alchemist and ask her if there were any magical treatments to help fight cancer. Even if there were, would Mom accept them? She’d said no to the normal human offerings.

Her head turned toward me, and her eyes opened, focusing first on my face and then on the box.

“You’ve retrieved the medallion. I am pleased.”

“Good.” I smiled and set it on her bedside table, then perched on a hard wooden chair, the only seat in the room.

“It is the only thing of value that I have to leave for you. And I was sworn to keep it and protect it. It holds power for the pack, power to keep us together and protect us.”

That was vague, and I wondered if she actually knew what the magic it held could do. Unlike the wolf case, it didn’t have any inscriptions that I’d noticed. No ancient words hinting of its use.

“Losing it was distressing for many reasons,” Mom added.

“The guy who ordered it stolen is unfortunately still alive. I got into his compound and was able to find this and also the wolf case that my ex-husband stumbled across somewhere. There were other artifacts too. All with wolves carved or engraved in them. All magical. I was a little tempted to grab everything, but thenIwould be a thief.”

“If they were of the werewolf, they’ve more right to be held by our kind than by a mundane human. Or… was this thief something else?”

“He had some magical items, but I believe he was fully human.” I shrugged apologetically, wishing I’d learned more. As soon as Abrams had compelled Duncan to attack me, I’d lost interest in anything but surviving. “He also has a lot of minions that were amped up on potions. I’m not sure we’ve seen the last of them.”

“I will speak with Lorenzo, and we will prepare the pack and our territory. We will not be surprised again if men with silver bullets arrive.”

“Good,” I said, though I regretted that I hadn’t been able to put an end to the threat. At this stage in my mom’s life, preparing for battle was the last thing she needed to worry about. “I’m not sure what he wants, but he and a scientist are awfully interested in werewolves, and our artifacts, for some reason.”

“We are an interesting people.” Mom managed a smile.

“That’s true.”

“I’m glad you’ve remembered this.”

Since I’d lost it in the parking lot against those men, I was more conflicted about my decision to stop taking the potion, but the world seemed to want me to be a werewolf right now. And, since I knew it was what my mother wanted, I nodded my agreement toward her.

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