I'm Not Afraid of Wolves (The Cotton Candy Quintet Book 4) by Erin Hayes

suspicious activity.”
    After the initial, proper greeting, Vicks went into casual conversation with Colton. “Do you remember Connie Sue at the Gas ‘n Pass?”
    Gas ‘n Pass? Why did that sound familiar?
    “Yeah,” Colton said into the handset.
    “Well.” Vicks hesitated. “Godwin saw a bunch of wolves go in there early this morning. Connie Sue was on duty and didn’t report anything.”
    Colton’s face darkened. “Do you think she got the alert to look out for a bunch of wolves too late?” he asked.
    “If so, why hasn’t she reported it since?” Vicks asked.
    “True. You’ve got a point.” Colton accelerated the Jeep to go even faster and we began bouncing down the road at an even faster clip. I held onto the frame for dear life as we flew down the road. “Heading out her way. Will let you know what comes out of it. Good job, Vicks.”
    “Thanks.” The other man sounded grateful for the compliment. It was direct evidence of the pack structure. “I’ll keep an ear out for any more.”
    “Over and out,” Colton said for good measure.
    He put the handset down and looked at me. “We’re going back to the gas station from yesterday,” he said evenly. “And Connie Sue, the attendant that you met? She’s a wolf herself.”
    I remembered the attendant that flirted with Colton. They seemed more familiar than just a park ranger and a gas attendant. They were in the same pack.
    I froze remembering that Andrea ran in ahead of us. And it had been her suggestion to stop there, as it was “on the way”. She must have run in there, alerted Connie Sue or called someone from the Atlanta pack before Emily, Sara, and I went in there.
    “So if she didn’t report a bunch of werewolves after receiving an alert,” Colton said, gritting his teeth, “then we have a traitor on our hands.”
    “There are quite a few traitors in Werewolf-Town,” I whispered. Colton glanced at me. “I think Andrea ratted us out even then. They were working together. They knew we were coming.”

Chapter 14
     
    “Officer Donnelly,” the attendant hailed from the counter as we entered the convenience store. “Two days in a row. I should be honored. And you,” she said, her gaze falling on me. “Welcome back!”
    She seemed just as cheery as she did yesterday, which made my stomach twist into knots. Maybe this was all a big mistake. And maybe Colton and I were going to entering a trap by coming in here and threatening her.
    But he proceeded anyways.
    “Did you get my alert?” Colton asked. “About the persons of interest and kidnapping?”
    Connie Sue nodded gravely. “Absolutely. Terrible situation, that.”
    Colton glanced at me, and I could read it in his eyes. Lying . I moved closer to the entrance of the store. I didn’t know if there was a back entrance, but I wanted to make sure that she wasn’t leaving through those barred doors.
    “So why,” Colton asked, turning his attention back to the attendant, “would Godwin have spotted a pack of seven werewolves—fitting my exact description—stop at this gas station, and I haven’t heard anything from you?”
    I saw the immediate change in Connie Sue. The cheeriness evaporated like water on a hot stove, replaced by unadulterated fear. She knew she was caught.
    And she chose that moment to bolt.
    Faster than I could follow, Colton reached out, grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her over the counter, snarling in her face. He had partially shifted; his hands were both long, with monstrous claws and his face was an anthropomorphic wolf’s.
    All the better to see you with, my dear.
    “That was all the answer I needed,” he said. “Connie Sue, you have betrayed our bloodlines, our faith, our trust—”
    The woman screamed, something between a howl and shriek. It split my ears, making my headache worse. He held her fast, but she twisted away, shifting into her wolf self as she did so. Apparently, the entrance wasn’t the only way out of there, because she scrambled