A Knight's Purpose (Book 1) ✔️

Chapter 6 - Blood on my Hands

The next two months fall into the same pattern. I work and write and on my off days I take long hikes in the forest, often accompanied by a silent wolf or two. Not a black or red one, which tells me Waters has anyone who has time keeping an eye on me, possibly even on days I work. I've spotted a few obtrusive figures following me but generally they've been pretty good.

I haven't had to go to any more Pack functions which supported my belief I'd be free for the foreseeable future. That is honestly the only reason I remained in Tershaw. Unfortunately, nine weeks after the anniversary of Dan's death, my uneasy peace is broken when I'm called back to the Pack house.

Waters strides in and stalks through the aisles until he finds me near the back, flourishing a letter. A quick glance has me growling in annoyance. In the letter the owner of Paint and Build orders me to take the day off. Clearly, the man was Pack but for the life of me I couldn't remember seeing him in the Pack house last time. Admittedly I was pretty focused on the kid and holding in my unease at being put in front of such a large group. Waters waits for me to crumple the note before falling in at my side as if he's ready to grab me if I bolt which put's the thought into my mind for the first time.

I ponder the idea as we walk to the front of the store. Until, as we walk past the register Margret gives me a wide eyed look but stays quiet. It's probably not the best idea to bolt in a town full of humans - it would stop the wolves from doing anything too obviously supernatural but all the humans would also be on the side of the law enforcement officers who all happened to also be Pack. Not the best situation. It would be better to make a run for it when I was alone with the wolves where I can outclass them without prying eyes. It would leave an impression I didn't want to leave however which left me in a bit of a predicament.

I get through the train of thought as I'm escorted to the car, not a cruiser.

"Collins not joining us today?" I slip into the passenger side and Collins shuts the door.

He slides into the driver's seat and starts the car. "He's already there with the rest of the Pack."

We take the in silence.

I stand from the car on my own when we reach the house, not waiting for Waters who hustles around and huffs at me, but I notice there are strange new scents layered here. Definitely wolf, but more powerful than the scents I'd smelled before and something else. Waters grips my elbow and leads me up the front stairs, but this time his hold isn't proprietary it's to keep me from running.

"What's going on, Waters?" My muscles ratchet tight. Nothing good could be coming of whatever waits for me in the front room.

He hesitates a brief moment before we turn immediately left and into the same room where I met Rose the first time I was here. "Someone is here to meet you."

Not helpful.

My hackles are raised and I can feel my incisors trying to lengthen as I step into the room. Waters releases my arm and moves behind me to block the exit. Wolves stand along the perimeter of the entire room while Rose and a strange man pulsing power wait in the middle. The power screams wolf.

Alpha Bluecreek eyes me and I notice that I've settled into a comfortable stance, relaxed and ready to respond to anything. My nerves are sparking but my habits override them.

"This is Eve Rutledge." Alpha Bluecreek introduces me with a short nod in my direction. "We have given her asylum in our territory. Eve, this is our liaison to the Council, Camden Downs." While every Alpha was part of the Council network, only ten sit on the wolf Council and only one of that number sits on the Caucus. A liaison was the wolf who met with multiple packs and fed that information back to their appointed Councilmember.