I stood outside the open wrought-iron gates, staring at a property that was really just an expanse of woods. There wasn’t a building in sight, which had me confused. Violet said this was where I’d find the Alpha of the Moon Guardian Pack. I was no expert in how werewolves lived, but surely the pack didn’t live outdoors.
Pulling the piece of paper Violet had scribbled on from my back pocket, I checked the address again. I was in the right place. Clutching my backpack, which I’d been carting around everywhere, I advanced onto the property. I swept the place, looking for something to point me to where the pack was, then I laughed at my foolishness. I doubted there would be a sign broadcasting that a werewolf pack lived in the area.
The road I followed wasn’t paved but seemed to have been created by tires and feet over time. I walked for about three minutes before I saw any sign of the property being a residence. I emerged into a clearing where there were individual houses scattered about. They weren’t too close together—just the right space to afford each home privacy.
“Wow,” I whispered, doing a three-sixty. So, this was how a pack lived. It was a small community. A family. I liked it. The thought of meeting the people my mother once considered family sent excitement coursing through my veins. It was nice thinking that I didn’t have to be alone anymore. There was that strange sense of feeling safe and being where I belonged again, the same sensation I’d felt when I first met Cole.
My steps faltered. Did that mean he was here? It would make sense, considering he was a part of the pack. Despite the harsh way he’d dealt with me yesterday, I still felt an eagerness to see him. Perhaps our next interaction wouldn’t be so hostile.
I understood that he didn’t know me, and maybe he might be wary of strangers. Maybe all werewolves were cautious about outsiders. After much-needed sleep and a long hot shower, I felt much better and ready to meet my mother’s people.
It was almost four, the time Violet told me to show up, but I didn’t see anyone. However, I got the eerie feeling that I was being watched. As I warily scanned the area, wondering what to do and where to go, someone finally appeared. A man walked down the steps of the biggest building that stood almost in the middle of the other structures. The closer the man came, I had to crane my neck to look at his face. His windblown, dark blond hair was almost shoulder length. He bore a striking resemblance to Violet. They even had identical green eyes.
This man’s eyes weren’t as twinkling and friendly as Violet’s, though. They were slashing, assessing, and cold. There was a cynical twist to his lips, and something about him told me he could be ruthless. When he was inches away from me, I wanted to take a step back out of sheer self-preservation, but I forced myself to stand my ground and square my shoulders.