I smiled to myself while I brushed Soren. My morning had been relaxing, talking with Shane about my research. I liked the man.
There was this little niggling thought in the back of my mind, though, that kept telling me I knew him from before, but I couldn’t for the life of me remember from where. Sometimes it was his laugh, or a turn of phrase, or even how he would hold his head. If he reminded me of someone, it had to have been someone from my far past. He didn’t look like anyone I knew now.
“There, you are! Tangle free and nice and shiny!” I picked up the male pup and placed him on the ground. He made a little hop as if he would scamper away before walking solemnly towards his sisters.
I sighed. I was glad about the progress the pups were making – they were sleeping with me and eating food, but there still was this heavy sadness hanging over them.
I reminded myself that it had only been a few days since I had gotten them to this point. Tonight was the last night I would sleep outside with them, though. The deck just was too uncomfortable and my back ached. I hoped that they could sleep out here on their own.
I moved towards the house, slipping inside as my phone rang. Locating my bag over near the couch, I answered it without looking to see who was calling.
“Good evening, Holden.”
I stopped, my heart stuttering.
I hadn’t heard from Edward in three months. The last time I had seen him had been at my husband’s funeral. Thomas had loved his brother, but something about him just rang every warning bell in my head. It wasn’t anything he did or said, but I had caught him watching me from time to time. It was like there was another, more evil person, looking out of those bright blue eyes. And I was the moth he wanted to pin to a poster board.
“Edward. How did you get my number?”
“Blunt and to the point like always, dear sister-in-law.” His chuckle sounded forced.
“I am busy, Edward, what do you want?” Instead of picking up my sleeping bag, I dropped onto the couch, wondering if I could just hang up on the man. He would just call me back and keep calling until I blocked him.
Then I felt guilty because, while I had lost my husband, he had lost his brother.
“Well, I haven’t seen you since Thomas died. I was wondering how you are. It appears you haven’t been at home the last week. When I talked to your boss, he said that you had extended your sabbatical to take on a short research project. Where are you?”
I felt the hairs on the back of my neck rise. I didn’t like this man. It felt like he was stalking me. Calling my boss? Checking out my house? I shook my head, my guilt fleeing.
“Edward, I am doing what I need to take care of myself. I loved Thomas. His accident devastated me. I need time.”
“Which is why you concern me, Holden. I want nothing to happen to you because of his death. He had told me how he had met you. After you had lost someone else close to you. I am worried. Why don’t we meet in town and have coffee? Just talk with me and let me see that you are doing okay.”
“I am not in town right now.” I grimaced. I hadn’t meant to tell him that. I didn’t want him to come around now. Or ever. “We can meet when I get back. I will call you then.”
I pulled the phone away from my ear and glowered at it. I would call him when hell froze over. I put the phone back to my ear.
There was silence on the other end. I waited. Finally, he sighed and conceded. “Okay, okay. I will give you more time. Just know that I care about you. Thomas was my only brother and when you married him, you became, in my mind, my sister.”
I kicked myself. His brother’s death would have impacted him as much or even more than me. Perhaps I was reading this all wrong. My voice softened. “Sorry, Edward. I didn’t think about that and I should have. He was your brother for much longer than he was my husband. I will let you know when I am back in town and we can talk.”
“I look forward to it. Good night, Holden.” He hung up.
I held my phone in my hands, thinking. Thomas had talked little about — or to — his brother during our marriage. Yes, they were family, but they didn’t seem to be all that close. Or at least, that was my impression. There were eight years separating them, so they hadn’t grown up together. In the six years of my marriage, Edward hadn’t visited our house once. We had seen him at their mother’s house only a few times.
The call seemed a bit out of character, but nothing he said could account for why I didn’t want to meet with him.
My phone vibrated. Opening it, I saw I had received a text from an unknown number. I absently opened it, still thinking about Edward. It took a few minutes for what I was seeing to sink in. Once it had, my breath left me.
It was just a picture. A picture of Thomas’ accident. And one I hadn’t seen before, not that I had seen many.
It was from close up, close enough I could see the deep indentation where the other car had hit his driver-side door. I could see my husband’s face, a look of pure anguish, pain and surprise on it. Blood was pouring down his head, only one blue eye staring out, cloudy with pain. He was facing the person who had taken the picture and I could see the recognition in his face, his mouth opened as if he would say something.
I covered my mouth, the tears falling as I stared frozen at my screen. Thomas had died, not alone, but with someone watching him, taking pictures, not helping him, while he was in extreme pain.
I screamed.
Lexi
I heard the scream, and it thrust me back into memories of being in that awful place. Hearing the whines of unseen wolves and the screams of humans as the bad people did horrible things. My mind went there immediately, my body dropping down to cower. Then I noticed my brother turning his head and looking towards the house.
This was not that place. This was the nice woman. Holden. I ran to the door to the house and pushed against it. She had shut it. I saw that she was lying on the couch, crying, holding her phone tight.
I didn’t want to shift, though. Papa had told us to only shift when we were safe. Mama had told us to keep what we were a secret.
And yet, Uncle Shane was here. Was it safe here? I wasn’t sure.
I heard a noise behind me and whirled around. Soren pulled a small stool over to me, with Betta pushing from the other side.
Quick. She is crying. Something scared her and we have to help. I urged my siblings to move faster.
They helped me pushed the stool against the glass. I hopped up on it and then stood on my hind legs. The stool was unsteady, but Soren and Betta leaned against it to help steady it. I couldn’t reach the handle, though. I was too small.
Let me, Lexi. I am bigger. Soren’s solemn voice interrupted me. He always was so serious now. He had taken on the mantle of head of our Pack, except it devastated him he wasn’t able to save us.
I was glad we had brought Uncle Shane into our bond. He was a good wolf. He would be a good Alpha. Our Pack was slowly being built – with him as Alpha and possibly including the woman who was more than human. Who right now needed us.
I jumped down, and he climbed up to replace me. Soren barely reached the handle, scrabbling a little to pull it down.
The door opened, and he lost his balance, since he had a paw on the glass. Betta moved enough to help cushion his fall while I leaped over them both to enter the room.
I jumped up on the couch and sniffed the woman. She shook, her skin clammy and tears ran down her face. I glanced around, wondering where the danger was. Looking around, I caught a quick glance at her phone. She covered the picture with her hand, but I saw an injured man staring out of it. The man’s eyes made me shiver.
Betta and Soren moved closer, their movements tentative. What is it, Lexi? Danger? Betta sounded so lost.
Bad man. Someone hurt someone who looked like Bad Man. I replied, my mental voice a whine.
Poor Holden. Soren’s voice dripped with sorrow.
I wasn’t sure what to do. The woman stared blankly at nothing, her eyes not seeing us. I didn’t know what to do since I wouldn’t — couldn’t — shift to talk with her. I bumped my head against her hand, but she just kept on crying.
Uncle Shane! Uncle Shane!
Our weak Pack bond with him didn’t allow me to know if he heard me.
I pushed in closer and finally the woman saw me.
“Lexi!” The woman gasped out.
I stretched my head up and licked her face, tasting the salty tears that were there.
We’re here. We will help you like you help us. We are here, Mama Holden.
I knew she couldn’t hear me — she was human. And yet, something inside me said that she would understand. That what made her Holden would hear my heart crying for her, trying to console her. Similar to what she has been doing for us.
She dropped her phone and wrapped her arms around me, burying her head into the soft fur on my neck.
“Lexi.” She mumbled, as she cried.
Shane
I returned to the enclosure that evening and found Holden and the pups on the couch. All three pups were hovering around her, while she slept, tear still falling down her face. Lexi lifted her head and whined at me.
Putting my finger to my lips, I covered the four with a nearby blanket. Soren and Betta were at her feet, so I placed the blanket so they could breathe.
I sat on the coffee table, near Holden’s head. “Lexi. What happened?”
The pup whined again and shook her head. I gently touched her, reaching for the Pack bounds, trying to communicate via our fledgling connection.
Lexi?
Uncle?
I exhaled in relief. Touch helped our communication. The bonds must have strengthen as the pups healed.
Lexi, do you know what happened?
She screamed. Holden screamed. I think something bad happened. The pup whined and turned away from me, pushing her nose up under the woman’s chin.
I sat up and looked around, confused. Noticing Holden’s phone was on the floor, half under the couch, I picked it up and held it, thinking.
What happened?
Bad picture on her phone, Uncle Shane. Lexi whined to me.
Her phone? How can I check? Right or left?
Her right hand was peeking out of the blanket, falling to the floor. Picking up her hand, I pressed her thumb to the button. Nothing. Damn.
Lexi shifted a little, exposing Holden’s left hand, which had a death grip on the pup. I lifted it, working her fingers out of the pup’s fur. Placing the device on the pup, I pushed her index finger down onto the button. It flashed open.
Inch by inch, I pulled her phone out from under her hand, pushing it back into the pup’s fur. Holden let out a little sigh as she gripped the pup tighter.
Looking at the screen, my stomach turned, souring.
This was a horrific picture to send to anyone, but given that it was her husband, made it even worse. Someone had been trying to get an emotional response from her and had gotten it. Anger built in me. I fought my wolf for control, given he wanted to hunt and kill whoever had done this to his mate. My mate.
I checked the rest of the statistics. She had received a phone call from a…. Edward Black, just about ten minutes before she had received the picture. Edward Black, Edward…. Black. I knew that her husband’s name was Thomas. Who was Edward? A relative?
I stood and moved over to my computer on the island, powering it up. I also checked her other texts and calls. I knew I was violating her privacy, but I couldn’t help myself. Anyone who tried to hurt Holden….
My wolf possessiveness showed as he growled in my head. She was ours to protect from harm. This anonymous person who sent the picture had harmed her. My wolf was ready to hunt.
“Wait.” I mumbled.
I first searched for Edward Black, but there were too many entries. I then searched for Thomas Black’s accident. There, in one article, it mentioned his family; his wife, Holden, and his brother, Edward. That must have been whom she spoke with earlier.
I wondered what they had talked about. She hadn’t mentioned the man in the time she had been here. I brought up the surveillance tapes of the cabin and fast-forwarded through the last few hours until I got to where she received the call. Slowing it down, I could only hear her side of the conversation. I hoped that at some point the man would have spoken loud enough that my wolf could hear him.
I heard the wariness in her voice when she had answered her phone. I could see the agitation in her movements as the call continued. I rewound the video and put on my headset, turning up the volume.
There! His responses were faint, but I could catch most of what he said. There wasn’t anything one could call suspicious in what he said, but when combined with Holden’s responses, I felt the hairs rise on my neck. Something wasn’t right there. She didn’t seem to like the man. She hadn’t mentioned where she was nor what she was doing, even though we had said nothing about this project being secret. She was hiding from him.
I sat thinking, letting the video run on until something caught my eye. I rewound it a few minutes and hit play again. She received a picture… I watched her swipe. There was another one. How had I missed it?
I picked up her phone, catching it just as the light on the display dimmed. Still unlocked — good. I glanced at the text message and pulled up the added picture. The one that some asshole had sent to her. It was a close-up of her husband’s face. His pleading expression full of pain and despair. As if he had known the person who was taking the picture and was pleading for them to get help for him.
Why had someone simply stood there and taken this picture? I could only think of one reason.
His death was not an accident, but murder.
Someone had rammed Thomas Black’s car and then had stood around long enough to take pictures. They now had extended the pain and suffering by sending them to Holden, his wife.
Thomas had seen his murderer. And that murderer was stalking Holden.
No wonder she had broken down.
Someone was hunting my mate.
The question was, though, why now?
