them used, but judging by the way his two friends held the guns, they must have had other unpleasant experiences with carnivores.
“Back off, fucking dogs,” Nicolas said with a frown, “or else we’ll have to check if you’re so clever with a round of silver inside you.”
The amusement vanished from the wolves’ demeanor and they tensed. “You’re playing with fire, hummingbird,” one of them said.
But even with the warning, neither of the two tried to approach him further. Instead, the second wolf added, “Look, we’re not going to push your hand, lamb. If you don’t want to come, that’s fine. But remember, you won’t get this chance again.”
Carson bit his lip, more than ever yearning for his connection with Brody, needing a piece of advice. He couldn’t trust these men, no.
Still, he was afraid of what the wolves’ words meant, what they implied. Had he been right to fear Brody’s behavior would be sanctioned, perhaps even with death? If so, Carson didn’t think he could live without Brody. This might be his last chance of seeing his wolf.
“Okay,” he answered. “I’ll come with you.”
The Lamb Who Cried Wolf
79
“What?” Shiloh turned toward him, gaping in disbelief. “You can’t be serious. Once you’re out the door, they’ll kill you.”
“I’ll be fine,” Carson answered with more certainty in his voice than he actually felt.
“The hell you will,” Shiloh shouted at him. “If you’re insisting on this folly, I’m coming with you, and so is my trusty shotgun.”
As much as Carson appreciated his friend’s support, he didn’t know how this would all turn out. If he did indeed die, he didn’t want to drag Shiloh down with him. His friend had done too much for him and still needed to live, to love, to find his place and his purpose in life.
“No, Shil.” Carson shook his head. “This is something I have to do.” He hugged both Shiloh and Nicolas. “Thanks for everything, both of you,” he whispered.
“Don’t say good-bye,” Shiloh murmured back. “Don’t you dare say good-bye.”
So Carson didn’t. Instead, he embraced his friends tighter, then broke away. “See you later,” he said.
The wolves didn’t comment and waited for him patiently. At last, they left the shop, whereupon Carson defeated his instinctual feel and inquired, “Can I drop by my apartment to grab a few things?”
One of the wolves shook his head. “You won’t need them.”
That didn’t sound very encouraging, but it was too late to go back.
Suppressing a shudder, Carson allowed the wolves to lead him to a black van. His entire being screamed, No. Don’t. Never get inside the van. But he guessed that those people who said sheep were stupid must be at least half-right, because he didn’t back down. Then again, it might have been just his need to see Brody. Their connection—
however strained and dim—had kept him going, as much as he hated to admit it. If he lost that, he might as well stop breathing altogether.
The doors of the van opened, revealing a couple more wolves inside. Probably if Shiloh and Nicolas had insisted on keeping him inside the shop, the other predators would have burst inside. In fact, 80
Scarlet Hyacinth
Carson would have bet money that even if he’d decided not to come with the wolves after all, they’d have forced him. In the end, it didn’t matter. Either way, the result would be the same.
Without protesting, Carson entered the van and sat next to the wolves. He willed himself to calm down, even if his every instinct shouted at him to get out of there. Thankfully, the predators ignored him, even if Carson could still sense their hostility toward him. The car started, but with the van having no windows in the back, Carson couldn’t see where they were headed. He closed his eyes and focused on not having a panic attack. As a rule, sheep were taught from a very young age to avoid that sort of thing, but in such circumstances, it might prove
“Back off, fucking dogs,” Nicolas said with a frown, “or else we’ll have to check if you’re so clever with a round of silver inside you.”
The amusement vanished from the wolves’ demeanor and they tensed. “You’re playing with fire, hummingbird,” one of them said.
But even with the warning, neither of the two tried to approach him further. Instead, the second wolf added, “Look, we’re not going to push your hand, lamb. If you don’t want to come, that’s fine. But remember, you won’t get this chance again.”
Carson bit his lip, more than ever yearning for his connection with Brody, needing a piece of advice. He couldn’t trust these men, no.
Still, he was afraid of what the wolves’ words meant, what they implied. Had he been right to fear Brody’s behavior would be sanctioned, perhaps even with death? If so, Carson didn’t think he could live without Brody. This might be his last chance of seeing his wolf.
“Okay,” he answered. “I’ll come with you.”
The Lamb Who Cried Wolf
79
“What?” Shiloh turned toward him, gaping in disbelief. “You can’t be serious. Once you’re out the door, they’ll kill you.”
“I’ll be fine,” Carson answered with more certainty in his voice than he actually felt.
“The hell you will,” Shiloh shouted at him. “If you’re insisting on this folly, I’m coming with you, and so is my trusty shotgun.”
As much as Carson appreciated his friend’s support, he didn’t know how this would all turn out. If he did indeed die, he didn’t want to drag Shiloh down with him. His friend had done too much for him and still needed to live, to love, to find his place and his purpose in life.
“No, Shil.” Carson shook his head. “This is something I have to do.” He hugged both Shiloh and Nicolas. “Thanks for everything, both of you,” he whispered.
“Don’t say good-bye,” Shiloh murmured back. “Don’t you dare say good-bye.”
So Carson didn’t. Instead, he embraced his friends tighter, then broke away. “See you later,” he said.
The wolves didn’t comment and waited for him patiently. At last, they left the shop, whereupon Carson defeated his instinctual feel and inquired, “Can I drop by my apartment to grab a few things?”
One of the wolves shook his head. “You won’t need them.”
That didn’t sound very encouraging, but it was too late to go back.
Suppressing a shudder, Carson allowed the wolves to lead him to a black van. His entire being screamed, No. Don’t. Never get inside the van. But he guessed that those people who said sheep were stupid must be at least half-right, because he didn’t back down. Then again, it might have been just his need to see Brody. Their connection—
however strained and dim—had kept him going, as much as he hated to admit it. If he lost that, he might as well stop breathing altogether.
The doors of the van opened, revealing a couple more wolves inside. Probably if Shiloh and Nicolas had insisted on keeping him inside the shop, the other predators would have burst inside. In fact, 80
Scarlet Hyacinth
Carson would have bet money that even if he’d decided not to come with the wolves after all, they’d have forced him. In the end, it didn’t matter. Either way, the result would be the same.
Without protesting, Carson entered the van and sat next to the wolves. He willed himself to calm down, even if his every instinct shouted at him to get out of there. Thankfully, the predators ignored him, even if Carson could still sense their hostility toward him. The car started, but with the van having no windows in the back, Carson couldn’t see where they were headed. He closed his eyes and focused on not having a panic attack. As a rule, sheep were taught from a very young age to avoid that sort of thing, but in such circumstances, it might prove
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