Cold Mercy (Northern Wolves)

by Sadie Hart

  “You were the start.” She reached for him and Bay launched into control, jerking the wolf’s body backwards and out of range. He would not let her touch him. Teeth bared, he scrambled away from her, only to watch as the other wolves rung around her, ready to defend her. She laid a hand on the one closest to her side, reassuring her pack even as she spoke to Bay. “Enough of this. You are mine. You do as you are told. I am your Queen.”

  Not my Queen. The thought resonated through him and he could feel his wolf’s surprise at that thought, but the beast didn’t fight him. Not now.

  Morrigan lifted one cool eyebrow at his defiance. “Come here.”

  The words came wrapped in a velvety command, one he was damn well meant to obey as her gaze jerked from his eyes to the barren snow in front of her. The wolf shivered, muscles clenching and bunching in preparation to move. There was no way he could just stand there against the force of her order. No way could he stop himself from moving. But he’d be damned if he went to her.

  Pain lanced through him, burning hot through his veins as Bay took a step forward, fighting the lure of her power—a siren in the middle of a winter’s forest. And she would be the death of him. He knew it. Maybe not now, not while she still needed him like all the others, but insolence like his could not go unanswered. Not by a cold-hearted bitch like her.

  Bay dug his paws into the snow and whirled, launching himself into the forest. Sharp icicle laced branches snapped at his face, but he drove through them, pouring himself headlong into a run. Fear pounded in his heart, a wild staccato beat, like the sounds of wild horses, and suddenly the wolf-spirit was helping him, pouring raw fear into the mixture until he couldn’t hear Morrigan screaming behind him.

  God help him, but he was probably going to die over that.

  He ran until he couldn’t breathe past the ice in his lungs and he staggered to a stop, his long jaws opened wide as he gasped for air, his sides heaving. A tremor ran through him and Bay closed his eyes. Behind him, still somewhere in the distance, wolves howled. A throaty hunting cry that sang between them, and fear latched onto the tension between his shoulders and lit every nerve in his body on fire. He knew what they were hunting.

  Him.

  ***

  Merry laughter bubbled out of her as Eden strode out of the house, nine dog bowls stacked on top of one another in her arms. It was an art form, each precariously perched on the one below, but time and practice had made her movements easy and efficient as she went from house to house, doling out food. The dogs barked, bouncing at the ends of their chains as they each waited for her to get there and pass them their nightly rations.

  The school trip had been a success. The kids had each gotten to take a turn on the sled one by one. Max and Kona, her two lead dogs, had been great sports and had pulled the sled around perfectly. Just fast enough to keep the children laughing, but easy enough that no one got bounced out of the basket. The rest of the dogs had succumbed to pets and had even doled out their share of kisses.

  Stuffing her hands back in her pockets, Eden watched as the dogs chowed down, tails wagging as they shoveled down their food. She couldn’t have asked for a better turn out to the day and with Dee and Rowan coming over to round out the night, things were only looking up. Max was one of the first done, nosing away his stainless steel dish, and Eden reached to pick it up when a roar thundered through air.

  She ducked, instinctively collapsing into the snow, even as her head jerked around to see what had made the sound. Wood splintered and cracked, the sound lifting hairs down the back of her neck as she turned towards the tree line. A huge white...beast ripped up a tree. Claws gouged through the wood as easily as one might tear paper, spitting bark and splinters with the sheer force of it. A wolf the size of a bear and now this? Whatever this was.

  Her breath shorted out in her lungs and Eden lay there, not daring to move a muscle. The dogs had gone silent around her and her gaze flicked towards Max only to see him holed up in his dog house, plastered against the back of the kennel, shaking. Her heart rammed in her throat. The monster turned, its gangly arms spread wide, and it roared in the direction of her house. Vicious looking teeth gaped from its mouth.

  Every muscle in her body screamed at her to run. To get up, bolt for the house, and lock herself inside. But she couldn’t do it. She couldn’t leave her dogs out here, not as the monster staggered a few steps away from the trees, surveying the small kennel yard. Quivering, Eden watched as the monster took several more steps towards them, its bulbous nose letting out a sharp blast of air. Was it scenting?

  Shit, but she hoped it couldn’t smell worth a damn. She’d just fed the dogs, the stench of raw meat no doubt one hell of a lure to a monster like that. She bit down on her bottom lip to keep from whimpering. No sounds. It might only draw the beast closer. A faint echo of a howl sounded from in the forest and Eden caught her breath.

  She wasn’t crazy and yet, none of this could possibly real. But it is, her brain niggled at her. Surely even hallucinations weren’t contagious to other people or animals. And her dogs were definitely scared shitless. No, she wasn’t imagining this. The two-legged monster gave one last snort and shambled back into the trees. Eden waited, refusing to move. Not yet. It could still be there, watching and waiting. She couldn’t take that risk.

  She didn’t know how long she lay there in the snow, but the sun had begun to sink in the sky, the bright blue of day slowly turning into the dusky color of evening. Slowly, Eden crept to her feet and glanced at the doghouses. Not a single dog had crept from its kennel. She didn’t blame them. On shaky legs, Eden started for the trees. She had to know. Despite the fear clamoring in the back of her skull, scraping against her nerves with her brain still screaming for her to run, she had to know.

  Relief left her hollow and she stood there, staring down at the huge foot prints left in the snow. Bigfoot had nothing on this beast. But there was proof. Undeniable proof. Eden drew her phone out of her coat pocket, and after pulling one mitten off and stuffing it under her armpit, she snapped a picture. There.

  Snow crunched behind her and Eden turned to see Kennedy’s truck pulling up alongside hers. The door shut and the other woman waved, a curious tilt to her head. Eden started towards her and stopped, glancing back at the tracks, almost scared to leave them. What if they just disappeared?

  “You all right?” Dee called as she tromped across the lawn towards her. “And where are all the dogs? Can’t remember the last time I showed up and not a single one barked. Actually, I don’t think ever has been a time where that happened.”

  She frowned and glanced at the doghouses, obviously confused.

  “Kennedy.” Dee glanced back at her, both eyebrows lifted. Eden took a deep breath and pointed towards a perfect footprint in the snow. “Do you see that?”

  “Shit.” The word came out on a startled breath and Kennedy jumped back a step before leaning forward. “Holy Hell.”

  Relief flooded her and suddenly Eden wanted to curl up and go to sleep. Kennedy on the other hand was glancing wearily at the forest. “What the hell made those? Or are you shitting me?”

  She looked a little hopeful with that last question, no doubt hoping it was Eden’s way of a poor joke. Eden shook her head. “This isn’t a prank, I swear. And I have no freaking clue what made these. It was huge. Scared the hell out of me and the dogs—”

  “You saw it?”

  A laugh, exhausted and brittle with fear, wrung its way out of her mouth and Eden felt her shoulders sag. She jerked her head in a slight nod, just as the howls started again. Eerie and dark, they sang through the forest somewhere in the distance, leaving Eden shivering in the sudden onslaught of cold night air. She wrapped her arms around herself.

  “Is it just me or did it just drop ten degrees?” Kennedy said, watching the shadows of the trees fearfully.

  Eden huddled down into her coat and turned towards her house. “Let’s go. We’ll wait for Ro, then I’ll rehash everything. But I want to be insid
e.”

  They headed towards the house kennels, fetching each dog from the yard and leading them inside. Rowan wouldn’t be thrilled to have nine furry canines traipsing around the house, each one wanting to smell her because of her cats, but Eden couldn’t leave them outside. Not now.

  She wrapped her hand in Smuggler’s collar, ready to lead him back towards the house, when movement along the tree caught her eye. Her heart beat wildly in her breast, suddenly making it too painful to breathe. Smug whined and pressed against her knee. There, dancing amongst the darkness in the trees, huge shapes paced back and forth. Moonlight glinted off their yellow eyes.

  It could have been bears, they were all big enough. But bears didn’t travel in groups. Bears didn’t move with the low slung trot of wolves. And bears didn’t tilt their head back and howl. Trembling, Eden shoved Smuggler inside and slammed the door shut, dead bolting it behind them. Her forehead touched the cool surface of the door and she let out a long breath.

  But even inside she could hear the eerie song rising out of the forest.

  Chapter Seven

  A knock sounded at the door and both Eden and Kennedy jumped, startled squeaks sounding from both of them. White knuckled, Eden gripped the armrest of her couch, only to hear the sharp rap of knuckles again. “It’s probably Rowan,” she said, but her legs still trembled as she rose and headed for the door.

  For the first time, not a single dog barked. They’d all huddled together in a heap in the spare room and not even the sound of someone arriving managed to lure them out. Not that Eden could blame them. She was still fighting the urge to hide under a blanket like she had when she was a child trying to convince herself that monsters didn’t really live in closets. After tonight, she wanted to give in to the hysterical urge to laugh. What had her parents known?

  Her nine-year-old self could have been right. She hadn’t known monsters lived in the woods outside her house until just recently, so maybe they really had lived in her closet and under her bed. Nothing would surprise her anymore. Flipping open the locks, Eden opened the door and let a surprised Rowan inside.

  “Dee gave me the weirdest phone call ever. But I brought pizza as asked, which I exchange for information.” Rowan lifted the box, but when the scent of food did nothing to rouse either woman, she frowned. “What the hell happened?”

  Eden angled her head in the direction of the couch. “Sit. I’ll spill.”

  Rowan shoved the box onto the table and headed for the sofa, her appetite obviously forgotten. Eden sank down next to her and relayed the afternoon. Her head slumped back against the cushion when she was done. “I don’t even know what it was. A monster. Fuck. But I’m too old to believe in shit like that, but I’m not making this up.”

  “I saw the footprints,” Kennedy said voice soft and Eden dug out her phone, only to pass it to Rowan.

  “Damn.” Her friend whistled.

  “The wolves started howling after that. We’d just moved all the dogs inside too and I could see them pacing out along the edge of the forest—”

  “Your dogs are inside?”

  “Ro they’re not going to bother you, they haven’t even gotten up—”

  “Jesus. You’re not kidding. I’ve seen your dogs barking their fool heads off at bears wandering into your yard. Nothing scares those lunatics.” She shoved off the couch and Eden watched as she poked her head into the hall in the direction of the guest bed room. She turned back to them. “I mean I believed you, but damn.”

  Rowan slumped back against the wall, her face angled so she could look out the window. “Did you report it? Wait. Never mind. Who do you even report loose monsters too? And not end up in a straight jacket getting fed little blue pills?!”

  Eden couldn’t help the smile that stole over her lips then. Despite the shared horror stretching between them, there was still enough energy in the room to crack jokes. “Ghostbusters,” Kennedy said, her eyes closed but she was smiling too.

  Eden chuckled. “I think the things we’re dealing with are a bit more solid in the flesh. But I’m thinking of investing in some really big bear traps.”

  The three of them glanced between each other and Eden had never been more thankful for her friends. Rowan raked a hand through her hair and shoved away from the wall. “So, any chance you can kick the dogs off the bed and find us some blankets?”

  “We’ll bunk,” Dee said with a shrug.

  They weren’t going to leave her. Not without knowing what was out there. They had each other’s backs, and in the end, they were all in this together. And for the first time that evening, Eden felt safe again.

  ***

  Smuggler woke her, his wet tongue swiping over her knuckles before he nudged at her hand. Insistent. The puppy gave a half-hearted whine and Eden finally jolted away, blinking blearily into the still-dark room. She let out a groggy groan and slid off the bed, wincing at the cold bare floor under her feet. The pup whimpered again, his small body leaning in the direction of the door, and she sighed.

  Potty break. The joys of puppyhood.

  It probably wasn’t even morning. She scrubbed at her face, trying to get up the energy to walk across the freezing floor and take the dog outside into even colder weather. “This is why you normally sleep outside,” she muttered and ran a hand through her snarled mass of hair.

  Smuggler whimpered again and she couldn’t refuse him. If she went back to bed he’d pee on her floor and the only person she could blame then was herself. Eden dragged herself out of bed and followed him out into the hall. One quick peek into the guest room and she spotted Rowan and Dee amidst a few of the dogs, still snoring away with the early morning.

  The rest of her pack was sprawled out across the living room floor, not a single one so much as flicking an ear her way as they passed. She glanced at the clock over the TV. Just past six. Considering she’d pulled the dogs inside almost twelve hours ago, Eden couldn’t help but be surprised the little guy had managed to hold it.

  She leaned down to scratch behind his ear before she shoved her feet into her boots, grabbed her jacket, and hustled them both out into the chilly morning wind. Drawing her coat tighter around herself, Eden followed the pup off the back steps and into the yard. “Hurry up.”

  God it was cold.

  But despite the frosted landscape and the merciless bite to the morning wind, it was beautiful. The view from her porch was fully capable of stealing her breath right out of her lungs. Dawn leeched out over the sky, the first tendrils of sunlight slipping between the barren treetops. It lent the fresh fallen snow a blueish tint, and the doghouses were all haloed with fog. An eerie quiet stretched over the yard.

  Smuggler glanced at her over his shoulder and whined, his raccoon-style mask heartbreaking as he trembled and Eden sighed. “What?”

  The pup darted towards the woods a few steps and paused, tail tucked. An image of Lassie barking flickered through her mind and Eden ignored it. Real dogs didn’t do things like that. “Go potty.”

  Sometime today. Before I freeze to death. She shivered into her coat and started to wander the yard, her gaze flitting over dreary morning landscape. The doghouses looked creepy, empty as they were. Ro and Dee’s cars were parked beside hers. The dim lighting off the barn swathed the area in a thick haze, like ghosts stretched out over the yard. The wolf lingered amongst the dim light, a pale eidolon in the morning, standing just outside of the forest watching her. Eden froze, her heart pounding, fear making her chest clutch. Shit.

  Real dogs didn’t play Lassie, but they damn well knew danger when they saw it. She swallowed. The wolf staggered, wobbling and for a moment, Eden expected to see a splash of red on the white fur. The canine’s head was held low, ears folded back, and the animal’s mouth was opened wide...gasping?

  “Smug,” she whispered, but the pup wasn’t running scared back to her. No, he was creeping closer to the wolf, his tail still tucked under his belly. Stupid dog. “Smug!”

  She said his name sharper this time and he p
aused, his little head twisting back to look at her. He whimpered. Eden pointed at the ground in front of her, knees quaking. She wanted nothing more than to bolt back inside the house and grab her rifle. But she’d be damned if she could leave a puppy for mincemeat. “Come here.”

  She glanced up at the wolf and fear fanned through her like a flash fire, molten and hot, and suddenly her legs wanted to give out underneath her. It was trotting closer. In slow, sloppy strides that had the oversized wolf tripping in the snow—nothing like the graceful creature that had attacked her in the forest. Different one then, her brain decided. This one was probably sick.

  Shit. Did possibly hallucinated or mythical creatures get rabies? She checked the mouth, hysteria bubbling away in her chest. No froth. God. That wasn’t the only symptom of rabies, but she couldn’t think beyond that. The only thing she knew was that there’d be no running to the door now.

  Predators liked prey. And running was a damn fine way to get herself killed. So was screaming. Eden scanned her surroundings, looking for anything that might be feasible as a weapon. Max’s house was less than ten feet to her right, and the one-inch thick metal chain might be handy. If she could pry it loose. Eden edged a step to the right.

  Smuggler had dropped to a belly crawl, whining as the wolf made its final approach. Please don’t kill him, she begged silently, her hand finding the frozen metal. It felt rough against her palm, sharp shards of ice pricking at her fingertips as she ran her hand over the latch that connected the chain to the doghouse. The wolf seemed to shiver as it slowed, ears pricking forward as Smuggler came into range.

  “Hey!” Eden called out, her voice faltering a little. She tried again, the word stronger this time. The wolf looked up at her. The animal’s sides heaved, and she could see the violent puffs of breath that rushed out between pearly teeth.

  Smuggler leaned in as close as his trembling body could stretch without taking a step, then he started to wiggle and suddenly the pup was jumping up at the wolf. A surprising yap of delight bounced from him. Eden’s hand caught over the chain as the wolf startled backwards, tripping over its own feet. She jerked at the metal, feeling the latch catch. Frozen. She yanked harder just as Smuggler’s front feet landing against the wolf’s shoulder. The animal staggered and shuddered, its head whipping around.