Chapter 63: Chapter 63

There's something lurking in the forest.

I, Ruby Bennington, was almost eaten alive. From everyone else's point of view, though, I'm stark raving normal. I'm a senior in high school, I live on a farm, and that night in the woods, it was probably just a bear.

One day, my world changes again. When I intervene in what looks like a mugging in an alley, I meet Josh-a gentle young man with stunning blue eyes. I don't believe in love at first sight or those kinds of things, but I've never met anyone like him. However, we keep bumping into each other, and I make a horrifying discovery.

Josh is a werewolf that has no qualms about killing me-and that's not all. Soon I'm caught in a feud between him and the vindictive local werewolf pack, and one of their members in particular gazes hungrily at my throat . . .

I'm scared. For my life, for my loved ones, and for Josh, who seems to be getting swallowed by his inner beast. I'm starting to wonder how much I can trust this man I'm falling for.

Can I even survive loving a werewolf?

***

The barking from the lower floor tore me from my sleep that night. The sound blended into my dreams and made me jump up in horror. It took me a moment to really wake up. The darkness of my room still surrounded me with the feeling of sleep and made my limbs heavy.

Instead of getting up and rushing downstairs, I just sat in my bed for an eternity, staring at the clock. 3:04. The dial of the alarm clock shone neon green and looked a little pale—it probably needed new batteries soon.

The noise remained in my head like a singsong.

The dogs.

Now I understood why I had woken up in the first place. Charlie and Jamie were barking about something. This wasn't the first time they'd had a bark fest in the six months we'd had them, but today something seemed different. When I staggered out of bed and stumbled over the floor, I realized why. They sounded so angry. Their barking intensified the closer I came to the door, and in the corridor I finally heard it clearly.

Paws struck the front door, followed by claws hammering on the glass window, but those noises almost vanished under the dogs' barking. It almost reminded me of screaming. One second of the thunderous, aggressive clamor brought me to my senses. Hoping they wouldn't wake up my parents, I hurried downstairs to the kitchen-living room.

"Stop it!" I hit the light switch.

Neither Charlie nor Jamie noticed me. I was just a drowsy pack leader with wild hair and a thin voice—I probably wasn't very impressive tonight. Instead, the pointer crossbreeds raged on and kept jumping against the front door as if sheer anger would unhinge it.

This was the first time their behavior had frightened me. They were usually lovely and well-balanced dogs who rarely broke anything, but tonight they seemed wild and uncontrollable. They weren't themselves.

I looked at the damage they had already done. Dining chairs were upended, jackets had slipped from the coat rack, and the umbrella stand was lying somewhere under the stairs.

A last, furious jump of the dogs against the front door made me gather myself together and do my duty.

"Enough!" I jumped between them and the door to claim it for myself. "Sit!"

My voice seemed to have returned to me, because the dogs followed my instructions and calmed down. Jamie was panting so hard that I could see his red tongue, and his drool had even beaten a little foam. Charlie seemed less excited, but he squeaked incessantly, as if trying to tell me something I didn't understand. At least not until I followed his gaze to the window on the front door.

The forest, I thought. They must have sensed something in the forest.

With our house so close to the Canadian wilderness, it was normal to see a forest animal stray near the farm from time to time. I often looked out the window in the mornings and silently greeted the deer, who probably liked the grass here better than what they could get in the forest. Wild boars or even bears were nothing unusual. Definitely nothing that Jamie and Charlie hadn't seen at least once since Dad had bought them half a year ago. Today, however, they were acting like there was no deer, no wild boar, no bear waiting out there, but something else. Something they considered dangerous.

The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I took a look through the window myself, hoping everything was all right with the horses. The darkness swallowed the view outside, and in the reflected light from the ceiling lamp I saw only myself. In an act of stupidity, I grabbed the knob and opened the door to have a quick look at the stable. At this moment the dogs leaped up. They shoved past me and disappeared barking in the night. A worried neigh from the stable followed them before the scene became deathly quiet.

"Damn!" I slipped into my jacket and rubber boots. I'd screwed up. Whatever might be out there, the dogs thought it was a threat. If it was a bear, it could beat them up if they attacked it. I grabbed the flashlight from the windowsill, then I strapped the dog leash on before I went after Charlie and Jamie.

The night was freezing. I could see my breath as soon as I closed the door behind me, and under my soles the frozen ground creaked with every step I took. It had been a dumb idea to run off in just a nightgown and coat, but I didn't want to turn around either. Maybe Charlie and Jamie were still in the area.

I pursed my lips to whistle for them. Romeo was the only one who answered me. He snorted from the stable as if in warning.

"No worries," I called to the horses. I didn't want them to panic and kick the walls. "I got this."

Unfortunately, I wasn't so sure. The bright full moon helped me to see enough, but the forest was large. Looking for two dogs here could be pretty hard if they didn't want to come. I also needed to be cautious in the darkness. The long grass had wilted in autumn and lurked in the thicket, reminding me of snakes. That was pretty much the worst thing I could imagine, spending the dark night with a broken or swollen foot, waiting for Dad to carry me home. I might be only twelve, but I had seen enough scary movies to make my mind work for itself.

What if it was a human being who was hanging around the forest? One with bad intentions?

I shook my head and raised my hand to my mouth. "Jamie! Charlie!"

Nothing. No barking, no whimpering. It was so quiet, it was as if the two of them had ran miles away. A restless wind swept over the area and made the remaining grasses dance like the surface of a dark ocean. I felt every draft down to my bones. I had to keep my teeth from chattering. I hurried to the edge of the forest, without letting the paddock out of my sight, and looked between the massive trees. The dense treetops blocked out the moonlight. Leaves and needles rustled around me as I moved forward step by step.

"Here, boys!" I called the words as long as possible, but again I didn't get an answer. For a minute I listened intently into the night, then I cursed and finally turned back. I had to get Dad.

Apparently the dogs had already run farther away than I'd hoped. I imagined what would happen if they messed with a bear or simply chased a deer to the next street. What if they were run over?

They were better at obeying my father. Together we'd find them for sure.

I had just turned back to hurry past the stable and back into the house when the bushes rustled behind me and a black and white form jumped out.

"Jamie!" I'd never been so happy to see him. He was only nine months old, but he had already reached the maximum size that was normal for a pointer. His broad chest was wet with saliva as he hurried toward me from the edge of the forest. While I stroked his fur, I felt his heart thudding under my hands. He must have really been hunting something. His tongue was still hanging out of his mouth.

"Good boy," I whispered and rubbed his ears. "Where is your brother?"

I looked around, but there was no sign of Charlie. Usually when I called one, they both came back. How come Jamie had shown up without him? The joy of my reunion with Jamie was now mixed with more concern for Charlie. Had he hurt himself and was now waiting for Jamie to take me to him?

With a quiet click I fastened the dog leash around Jamie's neck. I was chewing on my lower lip. What should I do? I could go get Dad to help me find Charlie. I wouldn't be able to carry Charlie if he were hurt. But Jamie began to pull and led me toward the forest. He whimpered nervously.