Lib Novel Page 146
His actions are considerate, but his voice is furious. Grumbling under my breath, trying to combat the fear, I mutter, “What’s his problem? It’s not his favorite mug that broke.”
By the time I return, Noah has wiped the tea off the floor and put the paper napkins he used into a small bag, which he’s shoving in his pocket.
I glance at the wastebasket by the door and point at it. “You can throw that away right over there.”
He shrugs. “I’ll toss it in the garbage can outside.” The pieces of the mug are still on the ground when he says, “I’m going to head out now.”
I stare after him, confused. Why make such a big deal out of the broken mug and then only wipe up the spilled tea?
Shaking my head, I sweep up the mess and throw it all in the trash. After locking the door to the apartment, I finally turn my attention toward the items in my bag that I took from Rita’s house.
I put the small cactus in my kitchen window so it can get some sunlight. As for the diary, I look at it once I’m in bed. All the things Rita wrote in it are cryptic at best. Even though she liked to journal her thoughts, she was careful not to leak any identities through her writing. A smart move, but it’s not helping me find her killer.
She keeps referring to a girl, and I have a feeling it’s the Silver Wolf. If Rita was recruited to find out the identity of the Silver Wolf, it makes sense that she was also tasked with building a relationship with that woman. I’m assuming. There are a lot of assumptions at play here.
If I can find out who Rita was close to, I may be able to help Alex find the wolf.
Pulling the blanket over myself, I’m about to put the diary in my bedside table drawer when I hesitate.
The girl Rita mentions, who could it be? I try to remember the females Rita interacted with in town. I can’t think of anyone she was overly focused on. She used to meet some older women in the park for board games, but the few times I saw her with them, she was more fixated on the game than on a particular person.
Rita always made it a point to come by the bar, and she was sweet to Eve. I remember Rita leaving a rather generous tip for her a couple of times, and the two of them had some conversations. I wish I had paid more attention to what they discussed.
The only other people I know for a fact Rita was close to are Elsa and me. Elsa is human; she told me her species when we first met. Plus, it’s common knowledge around town.
That leaves me.
For a brief moment, I amuse myself by toying with the idea. But there is no way I could be the Silver Wolf. My wolf is latent. Even if I can feel it inside me now, it’s weak, and I lack the ability to shift.
But the dreams I’ve been having…
I stop myself before I can finish the thought. I’ve been obsessed with the Silver Wolf lately. No wonder I’m constantly dreaming about one. It’s all in my head.
I picture myself in a lineup for the potential identity of this mysterious wolf. Finding the very idea ridiculous and laughable, I reach over to turn off the lamp.
But when I sleep, I dream of that wolf in the dungeon. This time, it’s looking at me and crying. And once again, no matter how much I try, I cannot break the bars of its cage.
When I wake up, the sun is out. My face is wet with my own tears, and my heart is aching.
*** **
When I head over to Alex’s motel this afternoon, I’ve already glimpsed the dark circles under my eyes in the bathroom mirror. I look like death warmed over. My wolf is feeling agitated, and not even the prospect of seeing its mate is cheering it up. Ever since I felt my skin ripple when it tried to break free last night, my wolf has been acting oddly.
I have to make sure I’m not being followed. I’m constantly looking over my shoulder, paranoia building up inside me.
I should’ve asked Noah why there were people from the pack security team stationed outside my building. But I was so desperate to get him out of my apartment that I never got around to it. This morning, though, there was nobody in sight when I looked out the window. Maybe they left after what happened last night.
There aren’t a lot of people around when I enter the motel. I don’t want to run into Julia, so I quickly leave a message with the person at the front desk for Alex to meet me in the woods. While I know Noah and his people are still looking for the black wolf, the place I have chosen is one they would not bother searching. It’s on the edge of town, a small patch of land surrounded by poison ivy and stinging nettles. Wolves aren’t immune to such plants, so they generally avoid this area. I rarely venture here myself, but when I do, it’s because of the privacy it affords. If I avoid the nefarious bushes, it’s safe enough.
With Rita’s diary in my small satchel, I wait, certain that Alex and I will not be seen together here. I don’t have to wait long because I hear somebody approaching. I turn around, Alex’s name on my lips, when I freeze in shock.
The person emerging from the thicket isn’t Alex, but Nathan.
Immediately on my guard, I take a few steps back. “What are you doing here?”
“You left a message—”
“Yes,” I say, tightly. “For Alex.”