problematic.
He didn’t know how long the trip took, too concentrated on not losing himself to the panic. He only became aware that it had ended when he sensed the car slow down and stop. Somehow, he managed to muster the courage to ask, “Are we there?”
One of the wolves who’d come after him inside the bookstore nodded. “Good luck. You’re going to need it.”
Carson blinked in surprise, unsure of how he should interpret the wolf’s words. He didn’t have much time to dwell on it, however. The door of the van opened, revealing even more predators. Great, just great. Taking a deep breath, Carson followed their instructions and left the car.
He found himself in the middle of a grove. How strange. He must have been so lost in his musings that he didn’t even notice the shift from asphalt to dirt road. With a mix of dread and curiosity, he looked around, trying to figure out his current location. His heart began to beat faster when he felt a familiar presence nearby. The wolves hadn’t lied about one thing. Brody was here.
Unable to contain his enthusiasm, Carson broke free of the wolves and ran in the general direction where his senses told him he could find his mate. He froze in his tracks when the tall figure of Brody’s father appeared in front of him.
The Lamb Who Cried Wolf
81
“Stop right there, lamb, if you want to live,” the older man said, narrowing his eyes at Carson. “It’s too late to change your mind or run away.”
“I don’t want to run,” Carson answered. “I merely want to see Brody.”
Perhaps confessing his need for his mate’s presence wouldn’t earn him any points, but he doubted he’d be able to hide it anyway. Oddly, the wolf didn’t seem angry. Instead, he almost looked thoughtful. “So you sensed he is here. Very good. Did my men tell you I decided to give you another chance?”
Carson nodded, even if he didn’t trust the wolf. The elder had been the one to separate him and Brody in the first place. Why would he change his mind?
“I see in your eyes that you doubt me, Carson. That’s your name isn’t it, Carson?”
Carson just stared and, through a miracle, managed to reply, “Yes, it is. And yes, I just can’t believe what’s going on.”
“Entirely justifiable.” The wolf grabbed Carson’s arm as if they were old pals intending to go on a walk. “You know who I am, I take it?”
Carson suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. However stupid these wolves considered sheep to be, the connection with Brody and the time he’d spent by the man’s side two years back had given Carson a pretty good clue about the man’s father. “Yes, sir,” he answered, the respectful word tasting bitter on his tongue.
“Very good.” He paused, as if to heighten Carson’s anticipation or highlight whatever he intended to say. “You see, Carson, I’m both a concerned father and an Alpha with a duty. I am forced to do certain things that might seem cruel to outsiders. Above all, I believe in nature following its course.”
The man stopped speaking again, and Carson took his cue to say,
“I don’t understand. Where are you going with this?”
82
Scarlet Hyacinth
“My men told you I intend to give you and Brody another chance, yes?” When Carson nodded, the elder wolf continued, “Before we go on with anything, I want to ask you a question. Do you know what happened earlier today?”
Carson hesitated, uncertain what the wolf expected or wanted him to say. In the end, something in the other man’s eyes told him to go with the truth. “About what Brody did? Yes.”
The elder pulled him away from all the other wolves, then in a whisper, asked, “Tell me exactly what you felt.”
The wolf’s attitude confused and intimidated Carson and he stammered through an answer. “I…uh…In a way, I sensed it when he…attacked you, and sort of…Well, tried to…”
The other man nodded, thankfully not requiring him to be more coherent. “I see. And you did
He didn’t know how long the trip took, too concentrated on not losing himself to the panic. He only became aware that it had ended when he sensed the car slow down and stop. Somehow, he managed to muster the courage to ask, “Are we there?”
One of the wolves who’d come after him inside the bookstore nodded. “Good luck. You’re going to need it.”
Carson blinked in surprise, unsure of how he should interpret the wolf’s words. He didn’t have much time to dwell on it, however. The door of the van opened, revealing even more predators. Great, just great. Taking a deep breath, Carson followed their instructions and left the car.
He found himself in the middle of a grove. How strange. He must have been so lost in his musings that he didn’t even notice the shift from asphalt to dirt road. With a mix of dread and curiosity, he looked around, trying to figure out his current location. His heart began to beat faster when he felt a familiar presence nearby. The wolves hadn’t lied about one thing. Brody was here.
Unable to contain his enthusiasm, Carson broke free of the wolves and ran in the general direction where his senses told him he could find his mate. He froze in his tracks when the tall figure of Brody’s father appeared in front of him.
The Lamb Who Cried Wolf
81
“Stop right there, lamb, if you want to live,” the older man said, narrowing his eyes at Carson. “It’s too late to change your mind or run away.”
“I don’t want to run,” Carson answered. “I merely want to see Brody.”
Perhaps confessing his need for his mate’s presence wouldn’t earn him any points, but he doubted he’d be able to hide it anyway. Oddly, the wolf didn’t seem angry. Instead, he almost looked thoughtful. “So you sensed he is here. Very good. Did my men tell you I decided to give you another chance?”
Carson nodded, even if he didn’t trust the wolf. The elder had been the one to separate him and Brody in the first place. Why would he change his mind?
“I see in your eyes that you doubt me, Carson. That’s your name isn’t it, Carson?”
Carson just stared and, through a miracle, managed to reply, “Yes, it is. And yes, I just can’t believe what’s going on.”
“Entirely justifiable.” The wolf grabbed Carson’s arm as if they were old pals intending to go on a walk. “You know who I am, I take it?”
Carson suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. However stupid these wolves considered sheep to be, the connection with Brody and the time he’d spent by the man’s side two years back had given Carson a pretty good clue about the man’s father. “Yes, sir,” he answered, the respectful word tasting bitter on his tongue.
“Very good.” He paused, as if to heighten Carson’s anticipation or highlight whatever he intended to say. “You see, Carson, I’m both a concerned father and an Alpha with a duty. I am forced to do certain things that might seem cruel to outsiders. Above all, I believe in nature following its course.”
The man stopped speaking again, and Carson took his cue to say,
“I don’t understand. Where are you going with this?”
82
Scarlet Hyacinth
“My men told you I intend to give you and Brody another chance, yes?” When Carson nodded, the elder wolf continued, “Before we go on with anything, I want to ask you a question. Do you know what happened earlier today?”
Carson hesitated, uncertain what the wolf expected or wanted him to say. In the end, something in the other man’s eyes told him to go with the truth. “About what Brody did? Yes.”
The elder pulled him away from all the other wolves, then in a whisper, asked, “Tell me exactly what you felt.”
The wolf’s attitude confused and intimidated Carson and he stammered through an answer. “I…uh…In a way, I sensed it when he…attacked you, and sort of…Well, tried to…”
The other man nodded, thankfully not requiring him to be more coherent. “I see. And you did
Similar Books
