Lone Wolf (First in Lone Wolf Series)

Chapter Nineteen

“How did you manage to escape, Puppet?” Farrah asked as she stood with her back against the far wall. Trig was sitting against the wall, propped on up pillows and looking very pampered. Brie was seated on the sofa with a plate full of the ham and potatoes leftover from their dinner the evening before and Nickolai was behind her, as if standing guard while Grange and Dawn sat curled up together in the large chair.

“Her name is Brie.” Nickolai quickly corrected and Trig grunted as he adjusted himself against the pillows.

“Farrah didn’t mean nothing by it, Nickolai.” Nickolai’s brow rose a fraction in response and Brie smiled apologetically at Farrah.

“The Master was so upset about you leaving that he became blindly focused on figuring out where you went. I took advantage of his distraction and the lack of guards and snuck away.”

“And how did you find us?” Dawn asked. Grange kissed her hair.

“Her wolf would have brought her right to Nickolai. The same as Farrah’s cat brought her to Trig. And the same as you were drawn to this tiny nowhere town because I was here.”

“I didn’t realize Master would even know I was gone.” Farrah said and then she looked at the walls around her. “They don’t close in here.”

Grange shook his head, wondered what he did to deserve such a crazy person in his pack and then turned back to Brie.

“Do you know what ‘masters’ name is?”

“I was forbidden to ever say it but, yes, I heard others call him by it. His name is Faugrimm.”

Grange, Trig and Nickolai all shared looks but neither had heard the name before.

“How far from here were you?” Grange asked, looking at both Farrah and Brie.

“I ran for nearly three days to get here. It wouldn’t have taken as long as a wolf but Master… I mean Faugrimm, taught us quick that we are not allowed to shift at will.” Brie replied and Farrah nodded.

“It took me less time but I shifted and came as a cat part of the way.”

“What about when you had to shift?” Trig asked Brie as he picked at his bandage and Farrah reached down and smacked his head. He glared up at her but the glare quickly turned into a goofy grin when she smiled down.

“He would put us in chains, in a cage, and he would watch or assign someone to watch.” Brie stated simply.

“How long did he have you?” Nickolai, who had been silent for a long time finally asked. Brie seemed to think for a long time and then she looked back and up at him.

“I don’t know for sure.” she replied. “A long time. I remember a man, a wolf, the one who told me you were dead and he called me daughter… Yes he was my father, I’m starting to remember more now.” Brie pressed her fingers into her tempers and closed her eyes as if in pain. Nickolai’s hand closed gently around her shoulder and Dawn stood quickly.

She poured Brie a glass of tea and took her now empty plate to the kitchen before going back to Grange in the chair.

“Thank you.” Brie said gratefully as she sipped at the tea.

“What did your father tell you happened to me, my Brie?” Brie sighed and leaned back against his touch.

“It all just seems like a dream now but I know it wasn’t. I was in our room, pacing, wishing you were not so overprotective of me so that I could help you. That stupid wolf you told to guard me kept opening the door every single time I breathed too loudly just to make sure I was okay. Father came to me and he looked tired, bloodied and sad. He told me you had been killed and I remember falling to the floor and sobbing…”