Ravensong (Green Creek 2)

“About?”

“Grumpy old man.”

“I will light you on fire right here. Right now.”

Joe laughed quietly before he looked back out toward the forest. Whatever it was, Omega or something else, it was getting closer. Overhead, the sky was fading and the first stars were coming out.

“Mark’s coming,” Ox murmured.

I popped my knuckles.

Joe snorted, shaking his head.

I heard him before I saw him. I would recognize the sound of those large paws upon the earth anywhere. I told myself to stay where I was, to keep looking straight ahead, but there was brother in my head, and love and pack and markmarkmark as the other wolves picked up on the thread from their Alphas.

Even the humans heard it, faint though it was. I was tied to the pack because of my magic, which is why I could hear the songs in my head.

My mother’s voice whispered to me, reminding me that wolves used and they lied, but I pushed it away. Whatever Thomas knew—or didn’t know—no longer mattered. He was gone, and Ox had been turned.

Carter said, “Must have left his car at—”

“Shut up, Carter,” Kelly hissed.

“Oh. Shit. Right. That of which we do not speak so as to not hurt Gordo’s feelings.”

“He can hear you!”

“We can all hear you,” Elizabeth told her son.

“Someone needs to say it,” Rico muttered. “He’s stupid.”

“How’s that nice girl of yours?” Elizabeth asked him.

“Which one?”

“Melanie, was it?”

“Oh. Fine. I think? I mean, I haven’t spoken to her in a few months.”

“He’s on to Bambi now,” Tanner said.

“Bambi,” Robbie said. “That’s… I don’t know what that is.”

“She’s hot,” Chris said. “She’s got a huge set of—”

“You’re not at the garage,” Jessie reminded him.

“—of feelings. That. Are nice.”

“Good save,” Tanner muttered.

“She’s got the biggest feelings,” Rico said. “Like, sometimes, she puts her feelings all over me—”

“We need more women in the pack,” Jessie said with a sigh.

“I think we hold our own,” Elizabeth said lightly.

I turned and looked over my shoulder.