“NOBODY MOVE,” the sheriff barked. “That includes you, Pauline. Everyone stay still, stay human, and keep your hands where I can see them.”
Slowly, Ryan shivered, and shifted. His two conscious friends did the same. The first wolf that Carlos had taken out was motionless on the ground. The sheriff motioned her deputy over to him.
The man crouched next to the fallen wolf and reported, “He’s alive. Not in great shape, but alive.”
“Good,” said the sheriff. “All right. All of you are coming in with me to explain what happened tonight.”
“The kids are inside,” Pauline said.
The sheriff’s mouth went grim. “Well, that’s going to affect how kindly I take to the aggressive parties,” she said. “All right. Everyone to the station. Now.”
Another car turned into the drive, and she spun around to face it, then relaxed. It pulled to a stop with a spray of dirt, and out jumped Ken, Nate, Lynn, and Stella.
“Is everyone okay?” Stella ran forward.
“Everyone’s alive, and everyone who needs medical attention is going to get it,” Sheriff Dale told her. “I might want to deputize one or two of you to help me with this.”
Ken and Nate stepped forward immediately, but the sheriff pointed at Lynn. “You, come on.”
“We can help,” Ken insisted.
“I haven’t known you since you were five years old,” Sheriff Dale said, “so forgive me for choosing the person I’m most confident in. Let’s go.”
Lynn knocked her shoulder against Ken’s as she passed by; Carlos interpreted it as partly, Sorry you don’t get to help, and partly gloating.
“Come on, all of you,” the sheriff said. “We’ll sort it out in town.”
But Carlos could see the expression on her face as she looked at the wolves—and how that expression changed when Drew appeared in the doorway with Val in his arms, holding Troy’s hand.
“Hi, guys,” Dale said, her voice suddenly much gentler. “Everyone okay? Anybody hurt at all?”
Drew shook his head. “We’re okay,” he said. His eyes flickered over the people gathered out front. “One of the wolves came to the back window. But Pauline fought him off.”
Carlos turned to Pauline, full of a sudden, intense mixture of pride and concern. “You—”
“I’m fine,” she said. “He didn’t touch me.”
Carlos pulled her into a hug. “Brave.”
The sheriff had come up to greet Drew at the door. She crouched down to say hello to Troy. “We’re going to make sure that nothing like this ever happens again,” she said. “I promise you. Okay?”
Troy hid his face in Drew’s leg, and the sheriff stood up. “I have to apologize to you,” she said quietly. “I let you go thinking that you’d be safe. I mistook the amount of danger you were in. I should’ve taken you and your siblings into custody and kept you there until the danger was gone.”
“I didn’t think, either,” Drew said faintly. “I didn’t realize they’d look for me here. I thought we’d be safe.”
Carlos’ heart broke. He squeezed Pauline’s hand and came forward. “Well, we can all go to the police station together, huh?” he said to Drew. “And then we’ll definitely be safe.”
Drew’s eyes went wide as he looked at Carlos, who was, he realized, alarmingly bloody. “Are you okay?”
“I’m completely fine,” Carlos said firmly, which was a bit of a lie, but one he felt no guilt over whatsoever. “You ready to go?”
Drew looked at the sheriff, then down at Troy, and then at Carlos and Pauline. “Yes,” he said. “Let’s all go together.”
“Great, glad we agree,” said Sheriff Dale dryly.
***
Pauline