Big Bad Academy

Quickly, we explain our theory. Someone read my books and is trying to replicate one of the stories. He’s capturing the wolves and is hiding them away in a tower in the woods.

“Runestone Tower,” the two men say together.

“Where’s that?” I ask.

“It’s in the darkness of the forest,” Gerald says. “Nobody goes there anymore.”

“Well, this guy is after Flynn, and that’s where he’s going to take him.”

“We’ll go at once,” Gerald says.

“You have to take me with you,” I say.

Both of the men laugh.

“There’s no chance of us taking a human out there with us,” Maxwell says. “And I don’t say this to be offensive, love, but you’ll slow us down.”

“Not if this guy is some sort of fan. If he’s replicating my books, then I’d venture a guess that he wants me alive.”

Gerald looks at me curiously for a minute, and then he speaks.

“Flynn came into some new information. Did he tell you?”

“No.”

“Someone was reaching out to different packs to find out which ones had academies on-site. He actually met with a few of the clans to try to acquire information in person.”

Suddenly, my body feels hot and cold at the same time.

In the book, the kidnapper isn’t a villain. He’s a hero. He doesn’t actually kill the wolves. He just takes them away to a weird sort of shifter prison where they’ll live out their days in peace, but unable to hurt people.

Something tells me the real-life “hero” isn’t quite as humane.

Besides, what kind of person sees himself as a hero but captures wolves?

“You know who it is,” I say.

“We know what he looks like.”

“Tell me.”

Both men and Lily watch me carefully as Gerald speaks, giving me a description that makes my blood run cold.

“Tall man with a wolf tattoo. Shaggy hair. Dresses to blend in.”

“The tattoo,” I say, swallowing hard. “Is it on the inside of his right wrist?”

The men exchange glances before Maxwell nods.

“It’s my stalker,” I whisper. It’s the guy who is the reason I use a pen name and why I’m so private. It’s the guy who tried to get to me once before and I have a restraining order against.

It’s Blake Gregory.

“We have to get to him now,” I say. “We have to save Flynn.”

“You need to stay here,” Maxwell says again, but this time, I stand up, march over to the desk, and slam my hands on top of it.

“Flynn is my fucking mate,” I tell them. “Now take me to him.”