Page 44 of Wolves' Midlife Reunion
Back in the hall, he jogged around to a few of the classrooms that were close by. A desperate hope drove him, but he had to face the truth. She wasn’t there anymore.
And damn it, he had a good idea of where she’d gone.
Leaving the decorating behind, Dex ran out the front doors. The sun had been setting while they worked to prepare for the party, and it was nearly dark. His wolf fretted. She was too young to be out there alone! “Sage!”
Dex hurried around the corner of the building. Time was of the essence, and he threw caution to the wind as he brought out his wolf. It sprang forward willingly, rippling through his body so fast that it left him a little dizzy as he trotted through the shadows at the side of the school.
Sage’s scent was still fresh and distinct, and Dex picked up on it quickly. Just as he’d suspected, she’d headed west. Dex moved quickly, trying to keep in the shadows as much as possible as he headed to the covenstead.
16
The knockon the front door was quiet, but it was enough to make Tina drop the book she’d been reading. It was a Saturday evening, and in an effort to once again not feel sorry for herself, she’d decided to spend it at the covenstead. Not everyone had the chance to sink into the comfort of their first home, and Tina knew how lucky she was.
Retrieving the book from the floor, she set it on the side table and opened the door. “Sage!”
“Hi, Tina!” She smiled up at her as she put her hands behind her back and swiveled back and forth.
“What are you doing here? Not that I’m surprised to see you, but—” She broke off, not wanting to dive into all her private business with Dex. Tina leaned out the door and looked around. “Where’s your dad?”
“He’s at the school.”
True worry started to creep across Tina’s face. This wasn’t good. “Does he know you’re here?”
She sank her head into her shoulders. “No. I just came to see you because I wanted to show you something I figured out.”
Her heart sang at knowing that Sage still wanted to connect with her. Tina hadn’t yet figured out how she was going to fulfill her promise to herself to help Sage, but now the sweet little girl was right there on her coven’s doorstep.
It was still a problem, though. “As happy as I am to see you, I think your dad is probably worried about you. Let me get my keys, and I’ll take you back over there.”
“But I really want to show you,” Sage whined.
That same whining sound was happening inside Tina. Whatever Sage was excited about, she really wanted to see it. But if Dex didn’t know where his daughter was, it was cruel to make him wait another second.
Just then, a wolf padded out of the shadows and into the front yard. Tina’s wolf recognized him right away, but she didn’t need that fated instinct to have memorized how handsome he was in this form.
Dex phased back into his human form as he reached the edge of the grass and ran up the porch steps. “Sage! There you are! You and I are going to have a talk, young lady.”
Tina’s eyes darted to the shadows as she caught movement behind Dex. “Who’s that?”
Another wolf was approaching, and this one moved swiftly and confidently into the front yard. He zeroed in on Dex with his yellow eyes. Two lanky coyotes flanked him, looking wild and eager.
“Get inside, Sage.” Tina stepped aside just as Sage came darting past her, already sensing danger.
The new wolf twisted his head and jerked his shoulders. The coyotes did the same, and a moment later, Chris Kelly and his buddies were walking up to the porch steps. “Dexter Heywood,” Chris said in that arrogant, condescending voice of his.
“What the hell are you doing here?” Dex asked.
“Me and my boys were just out on the old field, throwing the pigskin around, when we saw you creeping around the school.”
Tina noticed Dex’s hands curl into fists. “So you decided to follow me?”
“Hey,” Chris said, throwing his palms in the air, “you can’t blame me. We weren’t all that quiet. You were just a bit distracted.”
“Well, I still am. So see you later,” Dex asserted.
“No, no,” Chris replied with a dry laugh as he took another step closer. “I told you at the reunion that I’d find you and we’d finally settle this score once and for all. And look, now I’ve found you.”
Dex stood his ground even as the trio approached. “I don’t have time for your stupid high school bullshit, okay? Why don’t you take your buddies and go find something better to do? I’m a little busy.”
