The Bad Wolf

by Michelle Clay

  Sheriff Mackie’s cruiser rolled to a stop next to the hatchback. He hitched his gun belt up then strode toward the clinic with a sense of purpose.

  Karen met him outside. “They made a mess and let some animals out of the kennels. I think there may be some tranquilizers and other medication missing.”

  Sheriff Mackie didn’t comment, but Chloe could swear she saw him tilt his head to sniff the air. His gaze slid toward the side of the building she was hiding behind, but she ducked away just in time.

  “I know where the dog is,” Ryan said from somewhere in the dense trees.

  Chloe turned to look for him, fully expecting him to be in human form now. Instead, the shiny black wolf trotted out of the undergrowth.

  “Did you do this?” She had to know.

  Ryan made a sound of disbelief. “I can’t believe you’d ask me that.”

  “What am I supposed to think?” she whispered, afraid Mackie would hear them. “You’re conveniently behind the clinic.”

  “I heard the alarm,” he said with just a touch of hurt in his voice. “I thought you or your mom might be in trouble.”

  Chloe had nothing to say. Did he think he could get back in her good graces just because he did something nice?

  Ryan walked just ahead of her as she navigated the path through the trees and thorny bushes. Finally, Ryan stopped and the air around him seemed to shimmer as if his very image had begun to melt. In a blink of an eye, he was there, fully in human form. And he was naked!

  Chloe wanted to look away. She knew she should look away, but just couldn’t. The smooth curve of Ryan’s back and buttocks drew a sharp gasp from her. He glanced over his shoulder at her, a slight smirk on his face. Had he purposely wanted her to see him naked?

  He bent to pick up a pair of shorts he must have discarded earlier. He slipped them on then turned to face her. “The dog is over here.”

  Together they moved toward a pile of brush and downed limbs. The dog whimpered and the swish of his tail swept the leaves out of the way.

  “Hey Buck,” Chloe cooed in the most friendly, nonthreatening voice she could manage. The dog was older, his chin and ears beginning to grey.

  Buck’s ears lay flat against his head and a low growl issued from his throat. Though the golden retriever’s tail wagged, his eyes conveyed the fear and pain he felt. Chloe felt every bit of it as if it was her own.

  Ryan’s hand gripped her arm, keeping her from getting too close. “Careful,” he warned. “He’s hurt and scared.”

  Chloe glared at him. Like she needed Ryan to tell her this? She spoke softly to him then held out her hand. The dog stopped growling. Tail thumping the ground, he whined again then licked her hand. He inched forward as his intelligent brown eyes searched her face for any threat. When he saw none, he inched a little closer to her.

  Eventually Buck crept out into the open where she could look him over. His wary eyes stayed trained on Ryan. His entire body quivered, reminding Chloe that dogs were afraid of him.

  The pad of Buck’s left front paw was cut. He must have stepped on some broken glass when he’d run from the building. Blood trickled from the paw and he held the leg up to prevent his weight from resting on it.

  “Please tell me you didn’t do this, Ryan.” She was desperate to believe he hadn’t.

  He seemed offended. “Of course I didn’t. Why would you think that, Chloe? Is it because of what Amy said?”

  Chloe didn’t answer.

  “She was lying.” Ryan rested a hand on her shoulder.

  Chloe shot a glance at Ryan then shrugged his hand off her shoulder. “Go get my mom.”

  Ryan stared at her for a moment and seemed on the verge of saying something more. Finally, he turned to hurry back down the path, snagging his shirt from a tree branch on the way. He pulled it over his head then slipped on a pair of flip-flops before disappearing through the trees.

  Moments later, Karen moved cautiously down the path. Coach Lewis was right behind her.

  Chloe’s stomach knotted and an intense anger overwhelmed her. At this point, she was unsure whether it was Buck or she who was so upset at seeing the coach.

  “Let’s get him to the clinic,” Karen said. “I need to clean his paw before he can be stitched up.”

  Coach Lewis carefully picked Buck up then carried him back up the path.

  Karen practically tripped over herself as she followed close behind him. “Put him in exam two.”

  Within seconds, they disappeared into the clinic.

  When Chloe rounded the corner of the building, she saw Mackie talking to Ryan. Ryan’s blue gaze slid in her direction and her heart skipped a beat.

  Sheriff Mackie was angry, she could tell by the squint of his eyes. His hand rested on his hip, close to the gun hanging from his belt. As she got closer, she could hear the simmering anger in his voice. “And what were you doing here?”

  Ryan sighed. “I was in the woods when I heard the alarm. I came to check it out.”

  Mackie’s gaze slid in Chloe’s direction, but he didn’t call her over. Though she wanted to listen to their conversation, she went inside instead. She picked up the things scattered in the waiting room and righted the shelves.

  Besides, Sheriff Mackie was probably just telling Ryan he wasn’t doing a very good job of pretending to like her.

  Outside, Mackie said, “Amy said you aren’t seeing that girl any more. Is that true?”

  Chloe frowned then peeked through the blinds. It probably made Amy’s day that they were no longer continuing the charade.

  “Yes,” was all Ryan said then shoved a hand through his thick, dark hair. As if he sensed her peeking, he glanced at the building. Chloe jerked away from the window, fearful they’d notice her.

  “Good,” Mackie said. “She isn’t our kind.”

  Ryan said nothing in Chloe’s defense.

  Sheriff Mackie stared at Ryan for a moment then said, “What happened at the lake today? Travis is pretty banged up and you don’t look too great either. What were you fighting about this time?”

  “Nothing important,” Ryan answered with a quick glance at the clinic.

  Mackie grimaced then glanced at the clinic as well. Returning his gaze to Ryan, he said, “I should never have asked you to keep an eye on her.”

  Even though Chloe knew Ryan had been told to be nice to her to keep her from blabbing, the hurt was still there. Mackie’s words just solidified the knowledge and pain.

  “Now that’s over, you’d better clean up your act, son. The pack isn’t going to tolerate this kind of behavior.” Mackie scrutinized him a moment before saying, “I can’t help but wonder where your loyalties lay, Ryan. I didn’t expect you to get hung up on that outsider.”

  “I’m not,” Ryan said through gritted teeth.

  “Will she be a threat to our secret?” Mackie asked.

  Chloe didn’t like the sound of it. The sheriff’s words were so cold and calculated. He sounded like a mafia boss assessing a threat. As if the conversation between them hadn’t hurt her enough, Mackie’s next words made her stomach tilt.

  He said, “You know the pack has plans for you and Amy. Stop messing around with that human girl before you blow everything all to hell. Things are just going to get harder for her and the other outsiders. Don’t get in the middle of it.”

  “I know,” Ryan said in a miserable voice. “Chloe doesn’t mean anything to me.”

  Grabbing a broom, Chloe began sweeping up the spilled kibble. Silent tears leaked down her face as betrayal and loss shook her to the core. She’d been nothing more than a passing whim. Obviously Ryan and Amy had history and the pack expected them to pick up wherever they’d left off.

  This time, she couldn’t blame her crippling emotions on any of the animals in the clinic. This soul crushing hurt was all her own.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Ryan cursed beneath his breath then watched Sheriff Mackie go inside the clinic.

  This was exactly the reason why he didn�
��t like being a part of the pack. The alpha got to tell him what to do, who to hang out with, etc. Besides, the pack rules shouldn’t even matter to him. They’d kicked him out like yesterday’s garbage. No matter how much Mackie tried to strong-arm him, he and Amy were never getting back together. She was a mean spirited bitch who manipulated everyone, including her father. She was so hung up on Ryan that she must not see that he felt nothing for her but disgust.

  Amy could crook her little finger and daddy-dearest, who was also pack leader, would fall all over himself to carry out her every wish. And for some reason unbeknownst to Ryan, she’d decided she wanted him as her beloved. No way in hell would he allow that to happen!

  Chloe passed the doorway, glanced out then turned her back on him. Had she heard the entire exchange between him and Mackie? He knew for certain she’d at least heard some of it because he saw her peek out the window. Mackie had probably planned it that way, the conniving bastard.

  Ryan knew it was reckless, but he had to make her understand. He hurried over to the doorway and stepped inside the building. Chloe was there, crouched next to a shelf of overturned cat and dog food.

  “Can I talk to you?” he asked hopefully. “Please?”

  Chloe’s head snapped around to glance at the back of the office. He presumed Mackie and the others were back there.

  She sat a can of cat food aside then stood. Her face was neutral, but he could see the tear streaks that still wet her cheeks. Remorse clutched at his heart. This was his fault.

  Before he could stop himself, he enveloped her in his embrace. One of his arms tightened around her waist while the other hand stroked through her silky soft hair.

  Chloe’s body stiffened and she brought her hands up. Her fingers ran across his chest before she rested her palms flat against him. Her voice was deadly serious. “Let me go, Ryan.”

  “Chloe…”

  She ducked her head and pushed him away. “Just leave me alone. I don’t want to play your games anymore.”

  “Let me explain,” he said in a quiet voice then tried to pull her closer.

  Chloe pushed away from him then practically ran for the back of the clinic. She couldn’t stand to be near him now. Everything was broken between them.

  Mackie stepped out of one of the exam rooms, crossed his arms over his barrel chest and frowned.

  Ryan didn’t care that he’d seen him and Chloe together. It should make the alpha happy that she had rejected him. Cursing, he kicked a box of dog bones that lay at his feet then hurried out of the building.

  He didn’t go straight home. Instead, he jumped into the Jeep then headed for the national forest. Ryan needed to clear his head. He couldn’t go home like this, not when he was this hurt and angry. Besides, there were several trails that he hadn’t explored yet.

  Ryan transformed shortly after he parked the Jeep at the foot of the mountain trails. He ran and explored for hours, desperate to forget about all the wrongs that had befallen him. Try as he might though, he couldn’t forget the wounded look that flickered in Chloe’s eyes. The damage he’d inflicted might be irreparable.

  He darted between trees, leapt over fallen limbs and scurried down dirt trails. The run was exhilarating, but still thoughts of Chloe nipped at the back of his brain.

  When he reached the reservoir, he crouched in the weeds close to the bank to watch two fishermen in a canoe. A lone lantern lit their way across the water. The men spoke in excited voices as they talked about the fish fry they were going to have later. As the canoe drifted, Ryan tracked the movement. That is, until a rodent of some sort caught his attention. Then, the chase was on.

  Ryan returned home close to midnight. Jenna’s bedroom light was on so he attempted to sneak past. He didn’t want to listen to her chew him out for hurting her best friend’s feelings. Chloe had undoubtedly called her already.

  He’d just crept past the door when it jerked open and she pushed her face into the hallway. Without warning, she gripped the back of his t-shirt and dragged him into her bedroom.

  “What have you done to her?”

  Ryan frowned. “What are you talking about?”

  “Chloe!” Jenna growled her friend’s name then finally let go of his shirt. “She overheard you talking to Sheriff Mackie today. She told me everything.”

  He shrugged as if he could care less. “So?”

  “So, you’ve pretty much broken her heart.” Jenna put her hands on her hips and glared at him.

  “I can’t help that,” he said in frustration. “It’s for the best. She’s an outsider.”

  “You sound just like them.”

  “I’m trying to protect her,” he said through clenched teeth. How dare Jenna compare him to Travis and his miscreants.

  “Because Sheriff Mackie told you to?” Jenna asked in challenge.

  “No, because I care about her.”

  Jenna rolled her eyes. “You sure have a strange way of showing it.”

  Ryan clapped a hand to the back of his neck then stared at the floor. “Do you think it was easy, Jenna? It damn near killed me to say those things about her. Now she won’t even talk to me.”

  He hung his head and stared at the scuffed toes of his tennis shoes.

  “What if she really is the one you’re supposed to be with, Ryan?” Jenna grasped his hand. Her eyes were full of patient understanding. “Can you ignore that? Would you rather be saddled with psycho bitch Amy instead?”

  Ryan turned from his cousin and slung the door open. He didn’t have to listen to this. “Just stay out of it.”

  “How can I? Chloe’s my best friend.” Her voice caught on a sob. “I love you, Ryan, but you’re being a total idiot.

  He stepped out into the hallway then glanced toward Frank and Trudy’s bedroom. The light was still off, perhaps they hadn’t been disturbed.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Out.”

  Jenna frowned. “You just got back!”

  He paused in the hallway and hung his head. “Look, I just need to clear my thoughts, okay? I’ll be back soon.”

  Ryan wandered the woods between his house and Chloe’s for what seemed like forever. No matter how long he spent out here amongst the night creatures, he knew his head wasn’t going to clear up. Things were just too screwed up right now. A human girl, someone who shouldn’t even make a blip on his radar, might be the one he was supposed to spend the rest of his life with. How could that be possible? It seemed less and less likely when he considered the fact that she hated him now.

  With the excuse of checking on her, he sat just inside the tree line and watched the house. When Chloe passed the window of her bedroom, she peered out at the dark woods and frowned. She was already dressed for bed in a tank top with miniature, rainbow colored skulls and a pair of pink sleep shorts.

  Okay, if she could hear animal thoughts, he’d send some.

  “I wish you hadn’t heard what I told Mackie.” He waited for a moment, but didn’t receive any kind of acknowledgment. Thinking he might be too far away for her to “hear” him, he crept closer. “I didn’t mean what I said.”

  Suddenly Chloe was at the window. An angry frown darkened her features as she reached out to shut the curtains and hide him from sight.

  “Wait! Please?” He even made the little puppy dog whimper sound in hopes she’d have mercy on him.

  Chloe eased the window open as quietly as she could. Leaning against the sill, she peered down at him. “I don’t have anything to say to you, Ryan Neal. Go away before my mom comes to see what all the noise is.”

  Her whispered words were full of heated anger, however, he continued to inch forward until he was just below the windowsill. He tilted his canine head and peered up at her. “Will you please just hear me out?”

  “Not like that.”

  Mrs. Williams called goodnight from somewhere in the house. Chloe returned the sentiment then quickly crossed her bedroom to shut and lock the door.

  By the time she turned around, Ryan
had already transformed. He hurried to slip on a pair of shorts he’d hidden in the bushes days ago. Chloe grimaced at him.

  He offered a charming smile. “I was hoping you’d let me sneak through your window at some point.”

  “Funny,” she said as she plopped onto the bed. “You’ve got five minutes to explain yourself. Then I’m yelling for my mom.”

  When he drew near, she cringed away. Okay, so he wasn’t going to be able to touch her yet. That was okay, he’d just have to use words, not his hands. “I don’t know where to start,” he said in hopes of stalling time.

  Chloe glared at him. “I wish I’d never met you.”

  That hurt. A lot. “Don’t say that.”

  “Why not. It’s the truth. Ever since I met you, you’ve done nothing but twist my emotions and lie to me. The only reason you were ever nice to me was because the head honcho told you to be. I heard everything the two of you said today.”

  “I only said those things to keep him off your back. If he even thinks for a minute that the pack’s secret is threatened, they’ll do what they have to do to keep it safe.” His voice shook with emotion as he tried to make her understand. “I was nice to you even before the alpha told me to keep an eye on you. I didn’t think it was right for Travis and the others to pick on you. It’s not like you can help being what you are.”

  She turned her face away, refusing to listen.

  “Listen to me, Chloe. Mackie only asked me to make sure you didn’t say anything about our kind to anyone. We’ve struggled to keep Hunde a haven for the wolves. It’s become harder and harder to keep secret as your kind continues to flood in”

  “Outsiders,” she hissed. “Yeah, I know how you and the pack feel about outsiders.”

  “Mackie never told me to fall in love with you.” Cold dread trickled through him. He hadn’t actually meant to say that part out loud. But if he were going to make her listen, to make her understand how he felt, he would have to tell her so much more.

  “What?” Chloe gasped as her hand coiled a strand of hair around her finger. “What did you just say?”

  Ryan took her hand in his. “I’m going to be completely honest with you, okay? It may not be what you want to hear and you may still hate me even after it’s said, but I have to say it.”