Page 88 of Wolf Cursed
It wasn’t combat training. But a quick run was better than nothing. And for the first time in, well, ever, I actually had the urge to stretch my legs this way. Hopefully, that was a good sign.
Downstairs, I stopped to slide into my shoes and then unlocked the door and slipped outside. It wasn’t quite dark yet, and the setting sun cast long shadows across the sidewalk. The chilled mountain air was perfect.
I paused at the corner to stretch. With my arms dangling and fingers brushing my toes, I jumped at the sound of a voice behind me.
“I’m not sure stretching will help your odds much. Considering.”
I straightened and whirled to see Drake slouched against the brick, eyeing me with a mixture of amusement and appreciation. It was a good bet he’d just been staring at my ass.
He hadn’t spoken to me much since the night they’d captured the hexerei and interrogated me as a possible accomplice. And I wasn’t sure I wanted to talk now. But I needed all the advice I could get.
“Whatwillhelp?” I asked.
He gave me a once over. “Calling up your wolf wouldn’t hurt.”
I sighed. “Anything else?”
“Yeah, don’t let them past your elbows.”
My expression must have given away my confusion because he added, “If they get that close—wolf or human—you’re dead.”
“Thanks,” I said dryly.
Super helpful.
“You could still leave, you know.”
My eyes narrowed. “Nice try. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”
It was an idea I’d considered more than once, but the thought of leaving Oscar made me strangely upset. He was my family. And the closest thing to a safety net I’d ever had. I couldn’t bring myself to give that up—no matter how risky it was to stay.
I pulled my ankle up behind me, stretching my quads. Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Drake. He didn’t move to leave, and I couldn’t help but wonder what his end game was. When we were alone, he talked to me like I might actually be someone he wanted to help. But when the others came around, he shut down and went right along with Silas and the rest.
I didn’t trust him.
When I’d stretched both legs, I turned and looked back pointedly at where Drake still watched me with unabashed interest. Ugh. Asshole.
“Thanks for the help,” I said, not bothering to leave the sarcasm out of my voice.
He pushed off the wall and walked over to where I stood. “Look, leaving is the only way to survive this, okay?”
“Noted and rejected,” I said, refusing to back down or look away. He held my gaze so long that I felt like a kindergartener in a staring contest. Still, I didn’t look away. Drake was a prick. But I’d hold my ground and just pray this wasn’t some distraction to keep me here until Silas and the gang could show up and kick my ass.
Finally, Drake sighed. “If I were you, I’d check out exactly what it is I’m up against.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
“You want to know what the fights are like?”
I nodded.
“There’s a large barn in the field behind Bo’s. Don’t let anyone see you.”
He shook his head like I’d brought this on myself then turned and sauntered off. I watched him go, wanting to ask all sorts of questions about what he’d just said. Like what the hell would be in that barn, for starters. But I let him go. He clearly wanted me to find out for myself, and that’s exactly what I planned to do.
Chapter Eighteen
It was probably a trap. I mean, I wasn’t stupid. Okay, maybe a little stupid. I had taken the bait, after all. Up ahead, a large building loomed in the darkness. Light spilled out from around the closed doors, and the low hum of voices reached me where I crouched at the edge of the woods.
