Page 22 of Welcome to Bone Town

Shutting off the water, I slowly peek around the curtain. A massive jackal is standing at the entrance to the vestibule. My breath freezes in my lungs. I’ve never seen a wild animal outside of the zoo before.

Okay, okay, this is fine. They’re not aggressive unless cornered, right? I just need to stay quiet and wait for it to leave. How the fuck did it even get in here in the first place?

Its head snaps in my direction and it yips. I jump back, scrambling to pull on my pants, but tripping over the legs. With the curtain still half open, I can see the jackal stalking toward me. He sniffs the air and licks his lips like he’s spotted his next meal. They don’t eat humans, do they?

I’m notsticking around to find out.

Giving up on getting dressed, I grab my towel and wrap it around me, tucking in the edge. The beast howls, and I have a sick feeling it’s calling in reinforcements.

My heart thuds as I stare into the creature’s eyes, unable to move.

Jackals were said to be the watchdogs of Lunara, protectors of omegas. So why the hell is this one looking at me like I’m its favorite meal? They’re also supposed to be small, something this one is not.

With shaking hands, I swing my pants at it. “Go away!” I yell, trying to make myself bigger and scare it off. That’s something you’re supposed to do with wild animals, isn’t it?

The jackal snaps its teeth, its imposing body blocking the door.

I know you aren’t supposed to run from a predator, but if I’m fast enough, maybe I can get past it. For a second, I envision how that would go. I’d dash forward, try to duck around it, trip, and end up the jackal’s chew toy. I’m a scholar, not an athlete, and I’ve always been clumsy. Outrunning a jackal is out of the question.

Smarter, not harder, my dad used to say. Gaze flying around, I get an idea.

Inching toward the showerhead, I never take my eyes off the animal. With each of my movements, its body tenses as if it’s getting poised to jump. Not willing to wait and find out, I dive for the shower nozzle and turn it on, spraying water directly at the wild dog. He howls and shakes his head, stumbling back, disoriented. But it won’t last long—neither will the water supply. Sacrificing the little bench, I throw it at him andsprint toward the exit. I see now that I left it unlocked and partially open. Goddess, I’m an idiot.

Just as I reach the door to escape, teeth sink into my heel, and I scream. Kicking out, I hit the jackal in the nose, freeing my foot.

Without looking back, I scramble to my feet and run.

20

The scream has half the camp racing toward the showers, but I’m the first to get there, entirely unprepared for what I see.

The pretty little omega is stumbling around the back of the shower building, slipping on the sand wearing nothing but a fucking towel. There’s a terrified expression on her face as she runs straight for me. Or tries to run, she’s hobbling, and before she reaches me, she trips, falling into my chest, clawing for purchase. I lose my footing and fall backward with Dr. Cora Whitlock on top of me. Rather than scrambling off like I expect, she throws her arms around my neck and hugs me, burrowing into my body as deep as she can.

“What the hell is going on?”

“J-jackal,” she says at the same time as I hear a thump from within the shower building. Bear is standing above us with his gun drawn.

“You saw a jackal in camp?” he asks, a stoney expression on his face.

“Y-yes, in the shower.” She points back at the building about a hundred feet away. Fuck, she’s shaking worse than the flags whipping in the wind above us. My arms wrap around her wet, trembling body and pull her closer.

Bear takes a step toward the showers, then hesitates.“Is she okay?”

I can feel her heart pounding as I tilt her chin up to study her face. “Hey, are you okay, Cora? Are you hurt?”

She shakes her head. I’m not sure she’s telling the truth, but it’s enough for Bear to leave and head to the showers.

“Are you really alright?” I ask again.

“J-just a little shaken.” She suddenly seems to realize that she’s laying on top of me, because she scrambles off. The quick movement drags down her towel, popping one plump breast free.

Fuck me!She has a small tattoo of a hummingbird, done in vivid watercolor, right there on the lower curve of her breast. As much as I want to get a closer look at it, I don’t want anyone else seeing her like this.

I yank her back down to my chest, using my body to shield her from the prying eyes of the people who came running when she screamed.

“Get lost!” I snarl at them all.

They flee just as Bear comes back out of the shower trailer. With everyone else now gone, I loosen my hold on Cora and look away. “Cover up.”

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