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  “She's not descended from him. My Hunter family fights Savages because they're ashamed of coming from the other guy,” I say. “Or at least, that was their reason at first.”

  “It might be worth a shot?” Leonora asks.

  “If you guys can find Remus,” I add.

  “Well, since he hasn't had a cult feeding him for centuries, it's taking a while,” she says. “Uncle Edwin has the family meet five times a week in the woods. They meditate and work on new rites to summon Remus. Uncle Edwin has spent a lot of money—”

  “Magic needs money?” Cayden asks.

  “Well, he ordered a small statue of the wolf twins from Amazon—”

  “From Amazon!” Cayden bursts out laughing.

  “Hey. Let her talk,” Everly says.

  “Edwin says it was a concentration aid. We use those in rituals to get in the right state of mind. He's also bought tons of mythology books because we lost a lot of our old ones. Roman style swords. Anything to get us closer to what Remus would have been.”

  “Makes sense,” I say, trying to cover for Cayden.

  “And we're still having trouble,” Leonora says. “Edwin thinks Remus might still be out there, but he might have moved on to some other spirit world or he's weakened so much he's dormant. Something's not connecting.”

  I swallow. “Idea. Maybe you need something that's actually connected to Remus?” I hold up my hand, flexing my fingers. Though I'm not sure how Remus would save Callie from infection, or at least give her peace of mind, it's worth a shot.

  Leonora's jaw drops. “Why hasn't Edwin thought of that?”

  Tension gathers in my gut, so I rest my head on Cayden's shoulder.

  He speaks for me. “Is it because he knows Brie came from two families that shouldn't have come together?” Unlike Alex and the Guardian Wolves, he would know about my real parents.

  Leonora doesn't answer at first. She pales and picks at her food instead, which just makes the tension river in my stomach turn to a raging river. “Maybe,” she admits. “Edwin doesn't talk about it much. He's kept it quiet and I haven't heard him calling the Hunters or anything.”

  “Are you sure?” This is why my nerves are exploding. Edwin could reveal everything and I don't have the power to stop him.

  “If he was going to tell Alex and the Guardian Wolves about your real parents, he would have by now,” Leonora says.

  “In other words,” Cayden whispers in my ear, “he doesn't think you're a threat they can't deal with.”

  “When is your next meeting?” I ask. “I'm supposed to work at the store tonight since we're still hanging on, but only for a couple of hours. I'm sure Aunt May would take my place if she understands.”

  “Or she could go?” Leonora asks. “I have to work, too.”

  I forgot. “Oh. So the next session is tonight?” I'm beginning to wonder if Edwin left town years ago for reasons other than the Russells' mistake. Maybe he's not the jerk I thought he was.

  Maybe he was trying to protect me from the rest of the Order?

  “Yeah. We're going to meet at seven.”

  “That gives me time to go home and have dinner,” I say.

  “No dinner,” Leonora says. “If you're going to participate in magic, it's best you don't eat beforehand. Afterwards is better. You need to have your energy freed up before you come and digesting food takes a lot of it. Oh, and take a bath beforehand, too. When you do, focus on clearing any bad energy you might have.”

  “Should be able to. Aunt May mans the store from five to nine, so I'll have the house to myself.”

  Next to me, Cayden grins. My heart races even faster. Electricity pulses under my skin. I know what he's thinking.

  My throat goes dry. “Is there anything else that might interfere with magic?”

  “Come in a good mood,” she says with a wink.

  Chapter Seventeen

  I man the counter in Sterling Grocery, and as expected, the time creeps down slower than it ever has. I'm looking forward to that coveted alone time with Cayden, now that I know we won't have any unpleasant interruptions. Aunt May's still at home, taking a much-needed break, and she'll be here at five to relieve me and Leonora. I rock on the stool, listening as she rearranges the display of fresh tomatoes for the second time. Business is still slow, but at least the older ladies keep coming in. We're staying afloat so far.

  Especially since I'm still working for free.

  Cayden sweeps into the store, walking across the old boards with grace as I ring up Mrs. Fogerty. She smells of cats and heavy perfume and has now taken to feeding her pets organic meat with supplements.

  “...and Mr. Whiskers has lost his belly since I started feeding him this way,” she finishes. “Their coats are incredibly shiny...”

  Cayden waves from behind her and I struggle to hold back a smile. He has something behind his back, and I smell chocolate. Milk chocolate, a forbidden substance in Sterling Grocery.

  Mrs. Fogerty keeps me occupied, talking about cat health for the next five minutes, and at last, she takes her paper bags of groceries and leaves. Cayden sweeps into her place with a perfect smile. “I figured that as a way to keep all the dark spirits away from us and to keep ourselves from getting possessed, I'd use a new weapon.”

  “Just show me the candy bar,” I say.

  He does. He's brought me a bar the size of Montana.

  “Cayden!” I leap over the counter and give him a hug.

  “I figured we could share,” he says.

  “Sounds great. I have thirty more minutes before I get out. Leonora said I shouldn't eat, though—”

  “Just not a big meal,” she says from deep within the store.

  Cayden plops onto the stool beside me, the flowery one, and we take turns biting out of the bar. Everything's perfect for once. It's as if the universe is rewarding me for casting out Romulus. And it wasn't even that hard to do.

  He has no right to call me weak.

  By the time Cayden and I finish, Aunt May sweeps through the door. “I've brought relief,” she says with a wink. “Here you go."

  I love her. She's not dumb and knows Cayden and I will be having fun when we get to the house, but she also trusts me not to be stupid. Besides, things are different after turning. Maybe Aunt May would have been more uptight as a regular human. I don't know.

  We depart together, and Leonora leaves the store with us. "See you at seven?"

  "See you at seven." I can't contain my grin.

  Hand in hand, Cayden and I run back to my house, taking a trail we've taken many times. My heart races with anticipation and the minutes stretch out as we take the two-mile trip back. We bolt past the back of the school and cross the paved trail leading to the park. At last, we reach the woods behind my house.

  And I freeze, still holding Cayden's hand. Dread explodes as a familiar scent washes over me.

  "Lawrence was here."

  I sniff as my guts turn over. The musky, salty scent is almost overpowering. And it gets worse as I step out of the woods and into the field behind my house.

  "I smell it now," Cayden says. "Please don't go inside by yourself."

  My house is dark and quiet. I don't hear anyone shuffling around inside, but I do hear the back door swinging on a squeaky hinge. It's open slightly, waving in the wind. Like someone broke the lock.

  Aunt May left maybe half an hour ago. She walked to work. That left ample time for someone to have come in and out.

  "Lawrence. We're driving him out," I say, breaking into a run. I crash weeds as I lose all grace.

  "Brie!" Cayden follows.

  We reach the back door at the same time. Though it looks shut right now, a pull confirms the broken lock. How else could another Wolf have gotten in here? I sniff the doorknob. Yes. Lawrence for sure. "I thought he was a smart guy, but I guess not. He could have worn gloves." Quaking anger fills me.

  "I agree," Cayden says, stepping into the house behind me.

  My heart aches as I eye the books
helf and the ten thousand old books thrown on the floor. Some have landed on their backs while others lie open, displaying pictures of ships, drawn houses, and fancy letters. Drawers lie open in the kitchen. Lawrence has thrown silverware and old appliance manuals on the floor.

  "I'm going to kill him!" I shout. "He's definitely breaking pack law!"

  "No kidding." Cayden follows me as I storm up the stairs to my bedroom. "I'll help."

  "What is he doing?" I ask, hating the high pitch of my voice. "Does he think he's going to find some dirt or proof I cheated—"

  I freeze at the top of the stairs.

  The attic door lies open, with the ladder drawn. Ice fills me at the sight. It's as if Lawrence was looking for private things, family secrets...

  Does Lawrence know I'm from a forbidden union?

  Cayden wraps his arms around me from behind and pulls me close. He knows, too. "Your box of your mom's things. We need to check it."

  "That's under my bed. Not the attic." I put the stairs up and close the attic door. Rage pumps through me, at both my ruined fun with Cayden and with the violation of privacy. So much for going to Leonora's in a good mood.

  As I walk to my room, Cayden keeps his arms around me, so we move as a unit. That's the closest we're getting to intimacy today. Sad. The thought makes me want to throttle Lawrence even more.

  But not as much as the fact that my bedroom is trashed. Trashed as in, my mattress is halfway off my bed and my bed sheets are thrown over my computer desk. My closet lies open like it's vomited the contents into my room. Clothes. Underwear.

  In shock, Cayden releases me. "Lawrence dies."

  I whirl to face him. My throat hurts with my racing pulse. "Why make this obvious?"

  "He was in a hurry," Cayden says, kneeling on the floor and peeking under the bed. He throws the mattress back onto my bed in one swipe. "The box. It's gone."

  "Shit!" I pace around the room, mind spinning. All Lawrence has to do is take the box to Alex and then the truth will come out. Alex will come for me, and there's not much Callie can do to stop it. Lawrence will unseat me with a single move, and worse, the new pack members won't question it. Not if Alex does the deed.

  Cayden straightens up. "He can't be far. He has miles between him and Colling. Maybe we can catch him if we can hop on the quad. Even as a Wolf he wouldn't outrun that."

  "How does pack law work on this?" I ask.

  "Lawrence stepped out of line, and you have the right to kill him."

  I swallow as a chill flows through my limbs and settles in my chest. He's still a Noble Wolf, and I fear hurting him will bring Romulus back. What if the Savage King is still bound to me? Or worse—what if I have to fight Alex? I will if Lawrence reaches the Hunter in time.

  "The quad," I say, running down the stairs.

  Cayden left it parked in the back. We have to go for it. I tear open the back door, letting it swing in the wind. The house is already ransacked. Why bother to secure it?

  The quad waits, and as I approach it, Cayden pulls the key out and shouts a terrifying sentence:

  "We're on fumes."

  We never filled the quad back up. That's why Lawrence didn't take it back. Though I know we don't have any gas cans lying around, I scan the back of our house, anyway. Or do we? The lawnmower would have to—

  "Where are you going?" Cayden shouts as I bolt around to the garage.

  I'm not sure if it's the right kind of gas, but I sigh in relief when I spot the red can lying next to the mower. I thank Aunt May for not hiring the mowing out and for being cheap this year. Gas sloshes in the can as I run back to the quad. "We're saved."

  "Great!" He takes the can and pours it into the quad. Tossing it down, he hops on. "Ready for the most insane driving I've ever done?"

  I hop on behind him and wrap my arms around his torso. "Mow him down if you have to," I say.

  "Believe me, I will."

  Closing my eyes, I pray the protective spirits come through. The curse will nail Cayden for hurting Lawrence. Hard. I sense darkness gathering around us, like a cloud of dark insects. The curse is licking its lips, ready to eat Cayden alive. They already sense his urge to protect me.

  The light has to be there. And as soon as I think of the sun overhead, I feel it. The warmth, gathering around us and forming a protective sphere. It has to work.

  The quad roars to life, and Cayden drives forward.

  We have nothing but scent to follow. Lawrence, I'm guessing, must have left fifteen minutes ago at the most. He could be a few miles away by now.

  How did he know about me?

  "His scent's that way," Cayden shouts, turning to the right.

  We flatten weeds and drive into the woods. Branches slap at me, dripping water, as the wheels kick up mud. The ground's slippery, but Cayden maintains control. Lawrence's scent mixes with mud, melting snow, and pine needles. He's left it on the ground, on the trees, on the underbrush. The scent's fainter than it was at his old territory border, which tells me he's in human form. Of course, a Wolf can't carry that box in his jaws.

  And fresh scent rides on the wind. Fortune's in our favor. Lawrence is somewhere straight ahead, and I'm satisfied he knows we're coming. He must be running for his life.

  Cayden speeds up, pushing the quad to the max. We duck together, dodging tree branches trying to impale us. It's a dangerous ride. The quad bounces up and down, trying to throw us off, but Cayden maintains full speed. And at last, I spot the form of a man running through the trees ahead. Lawrence looks back at us and ducks, upping his pace. He's fast—Olympic fast—but he's no match for the quad.

  "Time to kill him!" Cayden shouts.

  Something tells me that's not a good idea. A voice screams at the back of my mind not to hurt him. "Not yet!"

  Cayden follows my words. He cuts past Lawrence and then cuts in front of him, spinning to a stop and throwing mud into his face. Good.

  I jump down. Cayden cuts the engine.

  Lawrence stops. He pants, out of breath, for a second before gripping a tree trunk with one hand and thrusting his other hand into his jeans pocket. Sweat clings to his shirt as it did this morning.

  Something's wrong.

  He doesn't have the box.

  My heart leaps in panic as I take a step toward him. "You were in my house."

  To my shock, Lawrence nods. "I can't really hide that, can I?"

  "What's the point of this?" Cayden asks, joining me. We stand between him and the quad, and Cayden tucks the key in his pocket. Lawrence will have to fight to get it back.

  "Where's the box?" I ask. It doesn't make sense. Lawrence couldn't have given it to anyone from the time he left to the time we caught him. We would have smelled whoever he gave it to or seen them. Something's not adding up. "I'm missing a box of stuff from under my bed. Where is it?"

  Lawrence looks at the tree like he's thinking. "I'm not allowed to say."

  "Not allowed?" I ask. The mystery is the only reason I haven't attacked him yet. "What do you mean, not allowed? Tell me. That's an order!"

  Lawrence sighs like he expected this. And I don't like that.

  "Tell me!" I shout.

  He flinches, no doubt feeling the same power I once felt from Cayden. Lawrence has free will, but he has to bend. I repeat the order, and he blinks.

  "I didn't take anything, alpha. I was just there to get my scent all over the place to mask who did."

  My hearing picks up no lie. "Were you masking something?" I ask. "Someone?"

  He bites his lip and stares me down. Hatred fills his gaze, but also confusion. "I threw off your trail."

  "For who?" I demand.

  Cayden balls his fists and does the same. I grab his arm, because despite the protective light shell I sense around us, the shadows still dance. There isn't much good here to feed the light spirits.

  "For who?" I repeat.

  Lawrence flinches like the answer's going to hurt. "My grandmother!" And with those two words, he drops his face to his now-open palm
s.

  I stand there, shocked, as the birds start to chirp again. "Abigail? She stole my stuff?"

  Lawrence pulls his face from his hands. It hasn't been easy for him to out her. "I don't know what she wanted or why she was there. Or why she wanted me to tear apart your house. But she promised me I'd be alpha again—"

  "The box!" I shout, whirling on Cayden. "Abigail took it because she knows about me! She wants proof so she can turn everyone against me."

  Cayden's eyes widen. "She's old. She'd know the history of Breck better than anyone."

  Lawrence flies out of my mind as I race for the quad. Cayden hops on and I hold him around his torso.

  "No!" Lawrence shouts, rushing us. His eyes widen with terror and self-hatred.

  Terror overtakes any guilt I might have. I won't feel sorry for him now. I shove Lawrence back as Cayden starts the quad, and even though he's bigger than me, Lawrence stumbles.

  We let Abigail into our house. I welcomed her. She got in with smiles and understanding. Lawrence is just a jealous Wolf Abigail used for her own devices. We'll worry about him later. And I sense he'll never tell us where she went, no matter how much I try to command him.

  Cayden revs the engine.

  I know what our hope is and where Alex is stationed. We have to get there before she does.

  "Colling!" I shout. "We have to reach Colling!"

  Chapter Eighteen

  "Hold on!" Cayden shouts.

  As we scream through the woods, I realize I forgot to relieve Lawrence of his cell phone. We leave him behind, and over the engine, I can't hear what he's doing. He's already sent a message for sure. Going back would just waste time. Assuming Abigail isn't phone phobic like the Russells, she'll know we're coming.

  But so long as she doesn't find Alex before we do, we'll make it.

  The trip to Colling seems to take forever, even if it only takes half an hour. We cross out of our normal territory and cross the neutral zone. My ears ring by the time I spot the first exhaust fumes coming from the town. I smell cheap burgers. Greasy fries. Callie's back to work despite her injury. I have to reach her first. She's the one who can help.