Page 44 of The Hunger
“No. You’re right. You have answers, and we need to talk. Just tell me where.”
“Where is a little limited to us. For some reason, the pack seems to know all my good hiding spots now.”
“Fenris, I’m sorry. I told your dad that you were using the cabin. But I only told Jenna about the hot springs.”
“I don’t want ‘sorry,’ Eliana. I want you to wake up and stop hiding from everything.”
“I know. I’m—” I blew out a breath. “I don’t know what to say.”
“You will. Can you meet me at your car in ten minutes?”
“Probably.”
“No tricks this time, Eliana.”
“None. I promise.”
Instead of ending the call with his usual playful farewell, the line went dead.
“That didn’t sound like it went well,” Mom said from behind me.
I stood and shook my head.
“It didn’t. He’s mad.”
“Hmm. That doesn’t sound like a man enthralled, does it?”
I frowned and thought about it for a moment. I’d seen Mom’s lovers go through many phases. Grief, anger, longing, desperation. But those emotions were always when they were apart from her. As soon as they were with her, or in Dad’s case, even talking to her on the phone, they were completely devoted again. That meant that Fenris was acting differently, which made this all the more confusing.
“No, it doesn’t sound like he’s enthralled.”
Mom smiled at me. “You’ll figure out what’s going on with him. And when you do, you’ll be able to breathe easier and find a way to help him.”
“Thanks. Can Dad give me a ride into town?”
Ten minutes later, I arrived at my car like I’d promised.
“Do you want me to wait until you start it?” Dad asked as I opened the door. “I don’t want you to have to walk anywhere if there’s any trouble.”
I glanced down at the pink slippers I wore before surveying Ashlyn’s vacant yard.
“Sure. But I’m going to let the engine warm up a bit before I take off, so you can go as soon as it’s started.” I gave him a quick hug then hurried to my car, unsure what to think since Fenris wasn’t there yet. Maybe someone had spotted him. How ironic would that be if I finally agreed to talk to him and he wouldn’t be able to talk to me?
The cold from the seat robbed my legs of heat the moment I sat, and I hurried to start the engine. In my mirror, I saw Dad wave and returned the gesture as I blocked all the vents from blowing more cold air at me.
My phone started to ring. I saw it was Fenris and checked my mirrors, but Dad was already gone.
Confused, I answered.
“I’m here,” I said.
“I can see that. Drive to the end of the road and turn left. Park by the trees.” He hung up on me again.
As much as I wanted answers, I wasn’t looking forward to this meeting.
Tossing the phone aside, I backed out of Ashlyn’s driveway. It wasn’t until I was pulling away from her house that I noticed the wolf on the roof of Ashlyn’s garage. Fenris’s brief and cryptic call suddenly made more sense.
Watching my mirrors for any sign of the wolf’s movement, I followed Fenris’s directions and drove around the block to the house lined with trees. The moment I parked, my phone rang.
