Page 39 of The Night Wolf
Wolfgang chuckled. “Thank you for asking. I’d love it.”
He hung up, and Gareth went back to his paperwork with renewed vigor. Now that he had his blinders off, he could actually see a lot clearer.
A knock at the door surprised him. People normally didn’t show up when he was working, and they never came without scheduling something with him.
“Come in.”
The door swung open, and Lyram stood there, pale and shaky. Gareth surged to his feet and rushed to his Beta.
“What’s wrong?”
“I…. We….” He swallowed hard. “I need you to come with me. Don’t tell anyone where we’re going, though.”
“Okay.”
Lyram didn’t say anything until they were out of the house. “We have a problem. It’s not a small one either.”
“Okay, tell me.”
“It’s Ethan.”
Oh, that was good. Maybe now they could do something about Ryker. “What did he say?”
“Nothing. He didn’t say anything at all.”
“What’s going on? What aren’t you telling me?”
They arrived at Franklin’s clinic. As soon as the door swung open, the scent of decay washed over Gareth. Before he could question it, Lyram opened the door to the exam room. Frank stood at the table, his brow furrowed. He looked up when they stepped inside.
“Oh, Alpha. I—” He took a deep breath. “I thought you wouldn’t want this getting out, so I asked Lyram to fetch you. This morning when I arrived at the clinic, there was a package at my door. It wasn’t unusual, and I thought nothing of it. I picked it up and brought it inside. When I opened it….” He pointed to the table.
Gareth closed the gap between them and his stomach lurched. “What the fuck?”
There on the table was Ethan. At least, his head. His mouth, which was always quick with a charming smile, was open wide and his teeth had been pulled out. Blue eyes, which had been warm and friendly until you pissed him off, were now frozen in fear. Ethan’s throat had been ripped out and his head torn from his body by someone with incredible strength.
“Ryker.”
The word came out as more of a growl than anything else. Gareth’s wolf tore through his mind and came out, snarling. Ethan had been in the pack for thirty years, and he deserved so much better than this. Lifting his head, Gareth howled for his lost packmate and friend.
When his wolf calmed, Gareth shifted back.
Lyram draped an exam gown over his shoulders. “What should we do?”
“First we’re going to bury Ethan. Then we’re going to celebrate his life.”
“And then?”
And then?
“Then we’re going to war.”
SEAN HADnever been to a funeral. He was at a loss as to why so many people were showing up, until he met Ethan’s wife and children. True, they were all grown, but the kids were taking their father’s death hard. Still, when Sean managed to get a glimpse of them, they were huddled together, comforting one another, and that made him feel better.
A hand on his shoulder startled Sean. He turned and found Gareth standing behind him. “We need to talk.” Gareth’s voice was like gravel, deep and broken.
“Yes, Alpha.”
He followed behind Gareth, who took him into the office. Lyram was there, standing beside the desk, his hands folded in front of him.
