Page 100 of Wolf's Fate

“He can’t attack him,” I whispered fearfully. “We’ll never get him back.”

“Think that boat sailed, girlie,” Doc spoke from behind me.

No. I refused to let it. “Caleb!” I saw the wolf’s head snap in my direction before returning to fix on Cannon. “Caleb, don’t fight him!” I pleaded, ignoring the hushed warnings of Royce and Doc. “Go. Go now!”

Caleb’s head lifted slightly, and I could almost feel his indecision.

Stepping away from the men behind me, I inched forward. “Please, Caleb. Go. Don’t do this.”

The wolf straightened, his attention shifting between me and the alpha in front of him.

“Go, Caleb!” The voice didn’t sound like my own as I screamed the desperate plea. Caleb jumped backward. I felt the attention of them all on me as I screamed across the clearing. “Just go!”

He turned and ran, and I felt my racing heart, pounding in my ears, finally slow down. Cannon changed form, and I averted my eyes as the broad alpha stood naked in the snow.

“What was that?” Doc asked me, coming to stand beside me as Royce handed his alpha a pair of sweatpants.

“Luna,” the shaman spoke from behind me. “The power of the Goddess was in your voice, child.”

“The power of desperation was in my voice, sir.” I hung my head tiredly. “That’s all it was.”

“Now what?” Royce askedgruffly.

“We leave,” Cannon said to the shaman, who nodded.

“Leave him to his madness?” Doc asked skeptically.

“He isn’t mad,” I protested, but I wasn’t even convincing myself.

“Pack up, child,” the shaman said quietly. “We’re leaving now.”

My feet refused to move. One by one, I felt them turn their attention to me.

“Willow?” Doc spoke, his voice low and gentle. “You can’t save him.”

Yes, you can.

My gaze flicked to the shaman before returning to look at the spot in the trees where Caleb had vanished. “Yes, I can.” My voice was strong and steady. “I’ve got to.”

It didn’t matter what Doc argued or Royce added reasonably, I wasn’t leaving this mountain. Not without Caleb. Cannon said nothing, just went into the cabin, and when the others realized he had unpacked all the food Doc had brought into the kitchen cupboards and fridge, the others said nothing.

“Left a phone on the counter,” Cannon told me, his voice gruff, his face unreadable. “You have one week. There’s enough food to get you by. After a week, if he’s not back and willing to listen, I will remove you myself.”

“He’ll come back.”

I could see not one of them believed me. Turning my attention to the shaman, I didn’t know what to say.

“You said I sounded like Luna. Why would I sound like a Goddess?”

The old man had his head tilted to the side as he considered the question. “You are a mystery to me, child. You seethings you should not, you speak with a power you do not hold. I do not have an answer.”

“Well, that’s comforting,” I grumbled.

All too soon, they were gone, leaving me in a cabin, in a place where only the dead had walked for ten years.

I’d made this decision. I knew it was the right one. I knew he would come back to me when he knew they were gone.

I knew it.