Blooded Mate

Chapter 7 - Intruder

After three days and crossing eight state lines, Jan found himself in the dead center of lupine territory for the first time in half a century. The dominant werewolf pack on the east coast, the Snow Pines, claimed these woods as their home.

Had he known where Gaia was leading him, he would have dragged Ivan along, but it was too late. Going back the way he came was just as risky as staying put. So he proceeded with his original plan: investigate the source of that disturbing call, then make a beeline for the southbound highway and the closest safe house.

He would be out before the wolves detected him. Or so he hoped.

Jan hid amidst the thick branches of trees that enclosed a glade with a large cabin at its center. Though the waning moon illuminated the clearing ahead of him, Jan buried himself so deep within the leaves that none of Luna's light touched him. A breeze fluttered around, and he kept himself upwind of the house.

He trained his ears and nose on the cabin, picking up three voices.

The excited high-pitched speech marked two of them as early adolescent boys. The other had a calm, even tone, broken on the cusp of manhood. Flavors of a musky smell carried in the air, and it told him at least two of them were wolves.

He switched trees to get a better view through a kitchen window. The young boys huddled around an island counter, fidgeting with some device. But it was the older one who caught his attention. Tall and thick with broad shoulders, he had the build of a burgeoning vanguard warrior.

What in Luna's knickers have they been feeding these wolves? They just keep getting bigger and bigger.

There was an aura about the little giant that made it difficult for Jan to look away. He walked around the kitchen with a slight limp, favoring his left side. Yet, he carried himself with confidence and authority that overshadowed any sign of weakness. The boys deferred to him to solve their issue, oblivious to Jan's presence.

Which of them worked for the witches? And how did the witch get this deep behind wolf borders? The damn mongrels were so territorial it had sparked the American Race War.

Nevertheless, his gut told him that the source of the spell was here. In the absence of visual or olfactory cues, Jan could only confirm his hunch through Gaia's channels. But that left him vulnerable to attack. So, he scanned the area, sniffing the air to ensure no other wolves were in the vicinity.

Just as Jan was about to descend from his perch, he heard the sound of an engine approaching. A silver SUV pulled up the driveway and parked in front of the house.

A wiry man in a plaid shirt stepped out, grabbing some papers from the car. His wet-dog smell was so strong, Jan almost gagged. This was an old wolf. Jan kept stock-still, as a mature wolf was liable to pick up on his presence.

Quickly making sure no one else had followed, he slithered down his tree, almost one with its shadow. His movements made no noise. Then he crouched and slipped his hand into the soil, feeling the thrum of Gaia's energy channels. He closed his eyes and focused on that internal hum, lowering his awareness through the link that connected him to the earth's energy. It blocked out all his physical senses.

He was right; the witch must be nearby. As his conscience floated on the energy waves, he could still feel the tug in the house's direction, but the effect was diminished. In its place was a fiery orb that marked the summoner's conscience, and the channels vibrated with his nearness to that source. The summoning spell cast on him was very potent indeed.

Have I just walked right into a trap?

He released the connection to Gaia, allowing his consciousness to travel back up into his body. The sounds, smells, and colors of the world around him came back to life as his senses reconnected.