Page 20 of Broken Moon

I climbed to my feet. “I’llneed to get outfitted. My things are in my car.” I didn’t know what I was upagainst or what I’d need to fight it, so I wasn’t taking any chances. I’d takeeverything I had. Surely something in my kit would kill the asshole.

“Kaitlyn,” he said.

I turned back before I reachedthe door. “Yes?”

“Your money,” he said, somewhatdryly, and strode toward me, and envelope in his hand.

“Thanks.” I slid the envelopeinto my pocket without opening it. I knew the alpha wasn’t going to cheat me.“I’ll come back to report after my initial look.”

“You don’t believe you’ll catchhim tonight?”

I shrugged. “Anything’spossible.” Then I hurried through the doorway and out of the building, eager toget started. As always, the pain was there, but it was eclipsed by myexcitement. It was time to hunt, and my entire body was lit up.

Several wolves watched me as Ijogged to my car. Not one of them called out a greeting or offered a politesmile. They just watched, dark, suspicious, and contemptuous. I’d never livedown my father’s betrayal or my banishment.

Fuck ‘em.

When I reached my car, therewere two wolves leaning against it. Young males, one with thick, dark blondhair, the other with bright red hair cropped short. Late teens, early twenties,and apparently in dire need of a lesson in obedience. The alpha had assured menone of his wolves would mess with me, and I didn’t believe they would.Actually, he’d said none of his wolves would touch me. I guess that didn’t meanthey wouldn’t harass me.

“Get the fuck off my car,” Itold them.

They laughed and pushedthemselves away, but their laughs weren’t nice or apologetic. I sighed. Thosetwo assholes were going to cause me a little trouble. Not that I couldn’thandle two dumb males.

I lifted the hatch and reachedin to drag my kit toward me, already in work mode. I completely ignored the twowolves as they walked casually over to stand at my back, much too close. Iwasn’t a fan of strangers getting in my space, and I definitely wasn’t happywith two hostile wolves at my back.

“What are you doing there,sexy?” Red asked, his voice low.

“She’s sexy all right,” the blondagreed, “but she’s still a traitor. We don’t like traitors.”

I slid my somewhat bulky coatfrom my shoulders—as they catcalled like a couple of morons watching astripper—and pulled on a thinner, longer coat with many pockets and a splitback hem. Not only was it fine to fight in, but its many loops and pockets heldextra items. Also, my specially made items belts fit well over it.

As the young men watched, Ibuckled on the belts. They crossed over my chest and fastened at the sides, andhad loops and compartments for small vials, packets, and other necessities.Then I buckled my stake belt across my hips. I dropped a silver cross necklaceover my head, despite the cross tattooed on my left hand.

“Why are you dressing for afucking vampire hunt?” one of the wolves asked. “Vampires don’t fuck with thispack.”

I scoffed. Boastful lies. Iknew very well how vampires would creep into pack territory to cause trouble.

“She doesn’t know what goes onin the packs,” the other said. “Banished wolves are as ignorant as humans.”

There was a cruel anger totheir taunts, as though someone had pissed them off most of their lives andthey’d decided to take that anger out on me. I continued to ignore them as Iconcentrated on getting outfitted for my hunt.

I thought maybe if I spoke tothem, explained what I was doing, they might lose some of their hostility, so Igave it a try. “We don’t know what’s waiting in those woods, so I want to beprepared for anything. It could be a—”

“The alpha has his own peopleto chase down and kick the killers ass,” Red muttered. “We don’t need you here.We don’twantyou here. You’re tainting Gray Shadow land by steppingfoot on it.”

The blond pushed a littlecloser to my back, his body brushing mine. “You should probably leave beforeyou get hurt,” he said quietly.

I stuck six stakes into mybelt—three on one side, three on the other. Three were silver and sharp, threewere old and made from wood. I preferred the wooden ones, honestly. The feel ofthem in my hand, fat and warm and deadly, couldn’t be matched by the coldsilver.

I slipped a long, powerfulflashlight into a loop on my belt and then filled every pocket, compartment,and loop with items I might need. Salt, holy water, blades—my boots had not sosecret sheaths on the outer sides for small blades—a small stun gun, baggiesand tweezers, my cellphone, of course, a compass, lighter, a small axe, even asyringe filled with holy water and miniscule silver particles.

My long hair was already in itscustomary braid and hanging down my back, and when I stepped back, as preparedas I was going to be, and slammed shut the hatch, one of the wolves grabbedthat braid.

For a second I was too stunnedto react, unable to believe that one of them would do something so…stupid, butthen he tugged on it, and not gently, and I lost my shit. I was aware I hadanger issues, but I’d made great strides over the years in controlling it. Buta guy pulling my fucking hair?

Yeah, that was going to piss meoff.

I turned on them then, nearlyyanking my hair out at the roots but barely feeling it as I—and my hobbledwolf—snarled in rage and pulled the heavy, spiked truncheon from my belt. I wastaller than both by an inch or two, and despite the fact that I didn’t have thefull weight of my wolf to aid me, it didn’t matter. I was strong enough, and Iwas certainly mad enough.