Page 58 of The Wolf's Surrogate

“I smell a human,” Fred observed. “It could be someone from the pack, so I wouldn’t freak out just yet.”

Kylie started packing up the picnic. “You guys go ahead. I’ll grab this stuff.”

Fred snarled. “I’m not leaving you here, genius.”

I spun around to face them. “We’ll leave together. As a team. Alright?”

Every head nodded at once. My heart raced as I faced the trees again, eyes sensitive to every little movement the branches made. When everything was packed, we headed as a unit toward the path that would take us back to the fields. I led the group with Anita behind me, Kylie behind her, and Fred at the rear.

Anita held my shoulder. The way her fingers shivered right through my windbreaker made me irate. Jermaine would have alerted us if Phil had gotten through the secure perimeter. There was no way it was him.

But I didn’t want to take any chances.

As soon as we made it to the fields, I relaxed a bit, sensing that the rest of the crew was still on high alert. I wrapped my arm around Anita’s shoulders and kept her sandwiched between Kyle and me. Fred protectively did the same with my sister.

Once we reached the greenhouse, I felt much better. Anita sighed with relief as she hugged Kylie and then Fred. Though Fred was shocked by the hug, he gave her some awkward pats on the back in return. Which was about as affectionate as the guy was going to get with anyone other than my sister. I considered it a good sign.

I waited until Kylie and Fred were inside before guiding Anita along the tree-lined path next to the community center. On the other side of that, the well-lit sidewalk wound toward the neighborhood, illuminating our way back home.

Anita shivered as she snuggled into my side, working double to keep her pace with my long strides. “Liam?”

“Yes, baby?”

She perked up. “Did you just call me—?”

Her phone went off just as mine chimed. We both drifted apart a few inches to check our phones. Jermaine was texting me an update about Phil Martin. I grabbed Anita just as she grabbed me.

I opened my mouth to speak but stopped when I saw the terror on her face. I shoved my phone into my pocket and held her by the shoulders. “What’s wrong? What is it, baby?”

“My apartment…”

I gave her a quick shake to break her out of her weird trance. “Your apartment?”

Her lower lip quivered as she took a shaky breath. “My apartment is on fire.”

Chapter 18 - Anita

Sirens blared around us as Liam pulled up to the building across the street from my apartment. Flames consumed the windows, scaling the brick up to the roof that billowed black smoke. Thick clouds of it filled the sky, blackening the sunset with a haunting darkness that made me sick to my stomach.

That was my apartment. Those weremy thingsin there. I hugged my shoulders as Liam turned off the car and sat quietly next to me. From here, I could hear the crackle of the fire eating the building from the inside out.

“Stay here,” he instructed. “I’m going to find out what happened.”

I parted my lips just enough to croak, “Okay.”

Heat blanketed the passenger window. Jesus, it was hot. The fact that the flames could penetrate the cold and reach me from across the street was terrifying. Two fire trucks pulled up as a few police cars started roping off the roads. People were watching from the sidewalk.

My old neighbor was out. ThankGodfor that. I rubbed my forehead while trying to figure out what to do. It wasn’t like the things in that apartment couldn’t be replaced. A bed, a dresser, and a handful of thrift-store appliances wasn’t a lot to lose.

No, it wasn’t that. It was the troubling thought of what might have happened to me if I’d still been in my apartment with Memphis. I watched firefighters dash from the truck, hauling a massive hose. Another truck pulled up. News vans appeared.

This was a nightmare. I sank into my seat while covering half my face, hoping that it was dark enough for no one to notice me. It wasn’t like anyone knew I had once lived in that building. Still, I couldn’t shake the suspicion that someone was watching me.

My phone screen lit up in my pocket. I fished it out and studied the screen, noticing it was a private number. I sent it to voicemail. Numbly, I realized why I was receiving a call as I watched the fire twist and turn, blasting the windows and turning the red brick to ashen black.

Another call came through. I ignored it. I searched the growing crowd for Liam, trying to find that conventionally handsome hunk that stood out among the rest. He wasn’t hard to locate. All I had to do was think of home and he appeared, standing just outside the passenger door with a grim look on his face.

I rolled down the window. “What is it?”

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