Lone Wolf (The Pack 5)

Chapter Five

Dru

“You’re late, Paige,” Gran intoned, also projecting her voice mentally for Paige’s sake. Gran’s double voice grated against my sensitive hearing, aggravating me more than normal. Paige curtsied, her smile full of apology as she came to a stop in front of the table. She knew there was no point in sitting down until Gran gave her permission. “You know dinner is served precisely at seven o’clock. Your tardiness has forced us to wait. Dare I ask what you thought was more important?”

I stopped by chapel to light a candle for Sister Margaret and lost track of time, Paige answered, her dulcet tones soothing the raw edge of my temper. She’d never once spoken aloud, but I was positive I would be able to recognize her voice in the loudest of rooms. I stared down at the empty plate in front of me, the delicate porcelain china out of place in the rough stone and wood house, and fought a smile. Paige had figured Gran out by the time she was two, and where I had a tendency to butt heads with Gran, Paige somehow always managed to escape her wrath.

It is truly a good thing I adore you, little sister, I told her as Gran harrumphed, but gestured for Paige to sit.

Why? She questioned me privately and I shook my head.

“The prisoner is injured. That should even the odds,” Gran announced as she served herself. Paige’s eyes rounded in panic and I surreptitiously kicked her ankle.

I assumed a puzzled expression as I turned to Gran. “Injured?” I questioned, accepting the dish she handed me.

“He was wounded by one of the traps,” she stated, her fierce hawk eyed stare daring me to contradict her. “The trap had blood all over it.”

“From the deer,” I answered, careful to keep any hint of argument out of my voice. My gaze flashed to Paige, warning her to play along. “A deer had tripped the trap where we caught the intruder sniffing around.”

“I saw no deer,” Gran answered, her voice echoing dangerously. She spoke both mentally and aloud, never making an exception for when it was just the three of us, so I was forced to endure her words doubly.

It had escaped, Paige joined in, blinking innocently. Dru followed the blood trail after you subdued the man.

“Drusilla,” Gran barked, causing us to both jump. “Why do you persist with these ridiculous nicknames?” She seethed, distracted from the injured prisoner by one of her most famous pet peeves. “She is not a man. You do not call her DRU, you call her by her proper name.”

Yes, Gran, Paige bowed her head, by all appearances contrite, but I knew it was mostly to hide her smile. Gran’s ice blue eyes burned, but she let it go, turning instead to me.

“Where is it?” She snapped and I played dumb.

“Where is what?”

She exhaled, her mouth pulling down as she lost patience. “Don’t play the fool, Drusilla. The deer. If it was a deer in the trap, where is the deer?”

It ran off, Paige answered, desperately trying to save me. Remember, I told you, Dru…silla followed its trail, she added, quickly correcting herself.

“And Drusilla wouldn’t leave a wounded animal to die in the woods. Nor would she allow meat to go to waste when there are hungry bellies to feed,” Gran replied, her eyes cold enough to freeze my insides.

I’m sorry! Paige’s remorseful apology blasted through my brain as I held Gran’s expectant gaze.

Its fine, I replied to Paige, dismissing her apology. We were who we were and not even Gran’s constant attempts could change that. Paige was going to heal any wounded creature she came across, Captain America included, and I was going to do whatever it took to protect Paige.

“I brought the deer to Strickland so he could process it and pass the meat to the most needy,” I answered Gran and only the tiniest twitch of her eyebrow told me I’d surprised her. Clearly, she hadn’t had the chance to talk to Strickland yet, but I knew she would demand a detailed description of the deer carcass. I whispered another apology to the poor deer whose leg I had butchered after killing it, grateful Gran’s sense of smell wasn’t good enough for her to detect the difference between human and animal blood on the trap itself. I’d cleaned it, but another wolf would be able to tell and could potentially out my lie.

I stared hard at the plate, the faded rose pattern blurring as I considered the punishment she would mete out if she discovered this lie. I wasn’t sure even Paige’s healing ability would be enough to save me.

“I’ll speak with Strickland after dinner,” Gran stated, effectively ending the conversation. I picked up my fork, careful not to betray my shakiness, and started to eat.