We left the wolf packs' land just after sunset, with Nick promising to return as soon as he could. He was still smiling. I, on the other hand, was preoccupied with my conversation with Daniel.
It wasn't uncommon for acts of aggression to occur amongst humans, especially in small towns with large numbers of Coth population. There was plenty to study on the topic but seeing drawings on yellowing paper was different than being the person responsible for solving the problem.
What made me nervous was the nature of the attacks. The Children of Man would be my usual suspects, but it seemed even Alpha Daniel doubted that, so I was left in the dark. I would be starting from the beginning and have to deal with the problem like an outsider, unbiased and unattached.
Anya had noticed my sullen attitude and left me to my moping. I couldn't blame her. If I had a friend who looked like they carried the weight of the world on their shoulders, I'd let them be. In my case, this was true.
I was probably being dramatic, but I couldn't help thinking someone was out there watching me struggle to balance my life.
"What's going on?" The car shook to a crawl as Anya rounded the corner, and a beat-up red pickup truck came into view.
Police tape sectioned off a twenty by forty-foot area, and spotlights had been set up, illuminating the base of a tree where a cloaked body lay. Even from a distance, I saw a faint red stain on the sheet.
It was the park where the attacks had happened and, from the looks of it, there had been another one.
"What is it?" Nick asked, but no one answered. We didn't need to.
"Pull over," I commanded, moving to unbuckle my seat.
"What are you going to do?" Anya kept her speed steady.
"I need to investigate. Take Nick back to campus then return home. No detours. Treat this like a command from your alpha. Trust me, it is."
I watched the hesitation in her eyes, but Anya pulled over. She didn't put the car in park, almost like she was giving me the chance to change my mind.
"I can wait around, give you a ride." Her hand hovered over the safety lock. "You don't have to go alone."
"It's safer for all of us if no one suspects your connection to the wolves. Besides..." I smiled, attempting to relieve the worry in their eyes, "...it won't take me long. I got this. FBI remember?"
"Make sure The Children of Man don't see you," Anya stressed. "I don't need that on my conscious."
"I'll stay safe," I promised, knowing I wasn't the one who would be able to decide that.
Nick shifted in the back seat. "Stay safe, Lexi," he said.
Anya unlocked the door and I slipped out. It took them another minute to drive away, their faces hidden by foggy windows.
I pulled the thin jacket around my chest, wishing I had thought to bring something warmer. It was spring, but nights fell into the single digits here.
As I drew closer to the line, a cop stepped in front of me. He smelled like cheap cologne, and his handlebar mustache hung lopsided over a scowl.
"Kids aren't allowed here. Move along, this is a crime scene."
"What's going on?" I asked, letting my voice catch so I sounded younger. "Is someone hurt?"
"Check the news, kid. Move along and hurry home. You shouldn't be out alone."
"My phone died, and I caught a ride with a friend who got scared. Could I wait around here and ride to the station so I can call my mom?" I rocked on the back of my heels, my lower lip trembling. "I'm scared, and I feel safe with the police. Please, I won't cause trouble."
The cop looked from the body to me before sighing. "Sure, kid. Just stay by me and I'll give you a ride in a few minutes."
"Thanks, sir. I'm Alex Mathews." Fake name. Fake girl. Fake story. I would appear and disappear like the ghost of a girl I had created.
"Officer Reese." he rubbed the bridge of his nose like Alpha Daniel had only hours before. "I'll confirm it with my leader, then finish up here. Make sure you stay away from the line. You don't want to see it, trust me."
"I will." I plastered a sugary smile on my face, my hands locked behind me. It was my best attempt at looking young and innocent, and the cop seemed to believe it.
He walked away, disappearing into the crowd and flashing lights.
After a moment, I crept closer to the line, keeping my back to the scene. If I needed pictures, I could always ask Uncle to find them. What I needed to do was eavesdrop.
"I didn't know it would be so bad." The gruff voice of an older cop sounded whinny. "I wouldn't have eaten such a big dinner if I had known. Stupid werewolves. I bet it was one of those flee bags."
"Nah, the witness said it looked human. I don't know how a human could do that though."
Sadly, I knew how they could do it. Humans were probably one of the more dangerous species on the planet. At least Coth kept to themselves for the most part.
"Damn, guess we've got a real mystery."
"Yeah, let's hope the capital gives us permission to start questioning people. He's an idiot trying to keep it from everyone."
"Hell, someone should tell the school this place isn't safe. Isn't this where all the kids come?"
"You're right. I had a daughter who attended. They used to come here all the time."
"Well, this better be the last time. The school has to do something now. This one's actually dead."
My heart froze. If the school knew there were attacks in the area, their eyes would be open wide and cautious. It would be harder to sneak around and avoid people's gazes.
Shit. My heart hammered for a moment. Nick needed to shift tomorrow. I would have to have a clear head with this new, bigger threat on the horizon.
"You ready to go, kid?"
Officer Reese looked sickly as he led me to his patrol car, opening the back door so I could climb in. It smelled like vomit and cheap air freshener.
"I'll take you to the station and you can call your mom. I can't watch you closely, but you can hang around my desk if you promise to stay out of the way." rode
His eyes met mine in the rearview mirror. "I promise, sir."