The next few days I go to the neighboring packs (except Gerth Hills) and talk to their Alphas, and am instantly relieved when I find that they are just as disturbed by these murders as I am. So we all update our borderlines and build shelters at the perimeter.
Once the work is done at Fault Lake, I finally feel like something heavy is off my shoulders. I've also recruited more men for patrol. This should do.
At night I look at my phone and pull up Jackson's number. Not once he had called me or even sent a message asking how I was doing. It's amazing how much he's good at ignoring his mate.
I call him. He picks up. Good, at least he did that. "Hello," he says.
"Missed me?"
"No."
"Really? I miss you though. Terribly," I say, sighing and lying down on my bed, "What wouldn't I give to see that pretty face of yours."
He doesn't say anything. "Are you there?" I ask. "Hmmm," he says, and I hear papers rustling.
Great, he must be going through files while talking to me. "Jacky," I say.
"What?"
"Do you like me?"
"No."
"Do you know I like you?"
He doesn't say anything. The man only replies when the answer is convenient for him.
"It must be tough for you, Jacky," I say to the silent man, "being an Alpha of that large of a pack."
"Threatening didn't work," he says, "Guilt tripping didn't work. So you're trying to use compliments now?"
I chuckle. "A girl can dream. I just wanted to tell you that, that's all. Take care out there. I'll let you go now. Good night."
Lately, I just have been thinking about everyone in my pack who are my responsibility, and the thought that the stabbed victim could've been one of my people scares me. If something bad happens to them because of that monster I won't be able to ever forgive myself.
I wake up early morning from a sleep full of nightmares. To get the blood flowing, I decide to walk to the lake and check the trap Ivan put up for the new croc that's residing in the lake.
When I reach there, I see the croc is on the shore. Thinking it sure is ballsy enough to be sunbathing I go near it, and the closer I get the clearer I see the blood on its back.
There are deep claw marks all over the croc's still body. And large bloody paw prints head towards the trees at the side.
Shakily I grope the inside of my jacket that I thankfully wore, and take out my gun.
I point it at the trees while also looking around for signs of what did this to the croc.
My phone rings, startling me. It's Jackson. Great, the first time he calls, and he has the worst timing ever! I pick it up, "Jackson, I can't talk to you right now. I'll call you la— fuck!" I say and drop the phone. A large grey wolf comes out of the trees. Blood is dripping from its mouth and it's paws are fully covered in it.
The second it starts to run towards me, I start shooting at it, leaving no breaks between my shots. The animal stops. And before I know I'd emptied the twelve bullets. Quickly I take out a new magazine from my jacket and replace the empty one with it. I point the freshly loaded gun at the wolf. The wolf seems to have hurt because it whines as if it's in great pain.
I hesitate, but then I look down at the lifeless croc. Screw it, I think, before starting to shoot at the wolf again. This time it runs away. As soon as it's gone, I pick up my phone. Shit, Jackson must be still on it.
"That was nothing!" I say into the phone while fervently looking back as I walk towards my car, "I'll call you later!"
I run into the car and close it shut. I notice my hands are shaking. Damn that thing was scary. I call Ivan and Chloe and tell them to come. Then I call my dad.
Soon a large hunting group is put together. We can't let it run freely around. We follow its tracks up to our pack's border where we lose it.
"Fuck!" I say, kicking down at the ground.
My dad pats my back. "I'm sure we'll get it if it comes near our land again. We'll increase the men around the borders. More shifts," he says.
"We've to put them in groups of three. Fully armed," I say.
We send most of the hunting party back. At the end Chloe, Ivan and I are the only ones loitering around our borders for any clues.
"It's not a coincidence. First the dead rogue, and then this wolf," Chloe says.
"This wolf was large," I say, enacting how big it was with my hands. "Its fur was like all pointing up as if it was rabid or something. I don't think Hermann's wolf could be this big. You know how he was like when we were kids. He was a scanty boy."
"I agree," Ivan says, "I saw him last year as well. I don't think his wolf can be as big as Leah describes."
"But you're right," I say to Chloe, "it can't be just a coincidence."
"Well," Chloe says, "at least it took care of Mrs. Treckkett's new problem."
"Yeah, she'll be happy."
We head back to our homes. Around midnight I hear someone knocking on the front door. I quickly get off my bed to head down before they wake up my parents. I pause at my room door, run back and get my gun just in case.
When I open the front door, half expecting a large ass wolf to pounce on me, I see three boys.
"Jackson!" I whisper, loudly. I quickly close the front door and tell him, "What are you doing here?"
End of chapter
