“Hey, Grant!” Will called across the street. “What do you see?”
A man on top of the garage lowered a pair of high-powered binoculars. “Nothing but the wind.”
Will looked down at me again. “We sure they’re coming?”
I looked at Gavin, who nodded tightly. “Yeah. We’re sure.”
Will spat over the side of the building. “How many?”
“Quite a few.”
He tapped the barrel of the shotgun against his shoulder. “Gonna get ugly.”
“I know.”
“Ox? The others? They all right?”
“Yeah,” I said, because it was easier than to say otherwise. I hoped they were. “On their way.”
He whistled lowly. “Probably won’t get here before. We’ll be in the thick of it by the time they show up. Think the wards will hold?”
“They better,” I said grimly. “If not, we’ll be ready.”
“That we will,” he said. “Carter?”
“Yeah?”
“Your daddy would be proud of you.”
I looked up at him again.
He said, “It might not be my place to say as much. But I know it’s true. You’re a good man, Carter Bennett. Proud to know you. We’ll do what we can. Ain’t that right?”
The men and women of Green Creek raised their weapons and cheered.
Will tilted his head back and howled.
“Let them come,” I whispered as the others followed Will’s lead. The sounds of humans singing the songs of wolves echoed up and down the street.
IT WENT LIKE THIS:
Rico stood with Bambi, Joshua in his arms. He kissed his son’s forehead, muttering sweetly in Spanish. Bambi touched his arm. “You better not do anything stupid. I’ll do what I have to in the bunker, but I swear to god, Rico, if you get yourself killed, it’ll be the last thing you ever do.”
“Uh. That’s pretty much the point—”
“Rico.”
He winced. “Sorry. I’ll do my best not to die.”
“Damn right you will,” she snapped at him.
And then he said, “I don’t say this often enough. I know I don’t. I swear I’ll get better at it. But I need you to know I love you. You and Joshua both, more than anything in the world. You gave me life. You gave me purpose. I would be nothing without you. I don’t know why you decided to hitch yourself with an old redneck, but I won’t question it. Thank you for putting up with all my shit.”
She sniffled. “You’re lucky to have me.”
“I am,” he agreed.
“And you’re a daddy now.”