Page 5 of Wild Wolf
“Go home, tend to yourdaughter.”
He resumed his seat as Roy fled. Tomorrow Charlene and Roy would both work the vines for an hour with their daughter, to teach her the value of work and as discipline for failing to watch over the vintage Kacey hadsipped.
The ache in his chest increased. Once he’d imagined he and Jordan would have a passel of young of their own, children clustered around them like the grapes clinging to thevines.
That dream wasdead.
He turned over his cell phone. Tomorrow he’d call Aiden and give hisanswer.
Jordan would have to learn to likeprison.
Restlessness claimed him. An itching began between his shoulders, a bad omen that never failed to alert him to danger. Yet nothing was wrong. The Fae’s report last night of a disturbance turned out to be only local boys gettingrowdy.
But his guts warned otherwise thistime.
Something flickered on the distant ridge. Not a reflection of the dying sun, no, this was a wisp of smoke curling upward, tendrils of blackness inching skyward. All his instincts screamed to full alert. Fires here in this section of eastern Tennessee were taken seriously by both Others and Skins alike. Everyone remembered the devastating Gatlinburg fires that claimed lives and destroyed property. The drought was over, but still, unknown smoke struck fear into the hearts of wolf and manalike.
He ran to the brass bell hanging on the railing and reached for the whistle held in a special container above it. Nolan blew hard andwinced.
No sound came forth. None heard by Skin ears. In the distance, a neighbor’s dog howled and trees rustled. Fairy lights blinked like firefly lights in the trees as dozens of sprites flew upward, and hovered nearhim.
Nolan didn’t waste words. He pointed. Dozens of sprites raced toward the smoke, while others darted back into the trees to warn their more powerfulqueen.
He could do nothing but watch and wait. That ridge was nearly impassable. Calling the local Skin fire department would waste time. The Fae could extinguish the blaze by the time dispatchers put out thecall.
A few minutes later, the smoke turned white, and then vanished, indicating the Fae had succeeded in extinguishing theblaze.
Night began falling in earnest as two sprites flew back to him, their gold and blue lights faded. He sat on his rocker and waited for them to make the first move. They would not until the Fae leaderarrived.
She appeared as a shining silver light, faint as a moonbeam. Two attendants materialized before she did, bowing low before their Faeleader.
Nolan’s heart raced as he stood and whistled. One of the younger pack members hurried outside with the silver cup of wine the Fae leaderenjoyed.
The silver light grew stronger and then shimmered into the form of a petite adult woman clad all in silver, her long hair burnished with silver, her eyes glowingblue.
He gestured for her to sit and handed her the cup. She drank deeply, then handed it back tohim.
Nolan motioned for two additional cups for the attendants. Risa and Elaine were loyal to their queen and always refused to drink before shedid.
They politely thanked him for the offer and drank as they stood by Selene’schair.
“You are too kind to us, Nolan,” Risa told him, her green gaze filled withadmiration.
“And so handsome as well,” Elainegiggled.
Uncomfortable, he nodded at them. The two Fae were Selene’s favored assistants, but they had a crush on him that made things…awkward.
Selene frowned. “Ladies, I need a private word with the alpha. Go attend to yourchores.”
The pair sighed. “Yes, yourMajesty.”
They turned into glowing bubbles of light andvanished.
“This is the second fire this week. They are growing stronger.” The Fae leader studied himquietly.
Henodded.
“It took ten of us to extinguish the fire. Our magick isdepleted.”
