Page 82 of Silver Claw

I wasn’t convinced.

The cottage was in nearly perfect shape. Jared made sure it was kept up. The kitchen was the biggest room in the place, with curved windows and beautiful wood floors. There was a fireplace in the living room, tons of natural light, and the smell of fresh paint.

“I love it, sweetheart,” she said, patting my arm. “I truly love it.”

She was happy. She was also an adult and could make her own choices. If something dire did rise up in the house, she was surrounded by wolves who would rush in to protect her.

And she was close to Jared, the biggest protector of them all.

My breath caught and it didn’t matter that he’d just left my bed hours ago. I missed him fiercely. I texted him the second I was outside.

Checking in, Alpha. Everything good?

He didn’t return the text but called me as I was driving out of Shadowfield. “I got a lead on Voss’s location,” he told me, his deep voice causing goosebumps to pop up on my arms. “He wasn’t there when we arrived, but there was no doubt he’d been living there. It looked like he’d moved on.”

I nodded. “He won’t be staying in one place for very long. He’s smarter than that.”

“He’s enjoying every second of this,” he said. “He likes that I’m hunting him while he’s hunting you.”

“He’s all kinds of fucked up,” I told him. “I’m sure he’d like it better if I were running from him. After I see what the council wants, I’m going to go after him, Jared.”

“You can hunt with me,” he said. He wasn’t going to argue. He’d rather I hunt with him than be hunted without him.

“I will,” I said. “I’m just leaving Shadowfield. I stopped by to see my mother. I’m not sure it’s a good idea to let her move into Lennon’s house.”

“She wanted it, Kait. I’m not telling her no. Every wolf in the village loves Susan. We’re not letting anything happen to her.”

“I know. I just…it’s weird.” I sighed. “But then, so is my mother.”

He laughed. “Where are you going?”

“I’m having dinner with the mayor.” I glanced at Zach, who’d put his seat back slightly and appeared to be sleeping. “Zach’s with me, and Rick will be there. I’m going to talk to Bastien tonight, too.”

I could hear the frown in his voice. “Bastien?”

“I’ll explain when I see you. I need to tell him about a ghost.” I hesitated. “Let’s have an autumn ceremony, Jared. In October…at Silverwood. Is that okay with you?”

“Whatever you want, Kait. I don’t care where it is, as long as it happens.” He paused, and in the silence was a whole world of emotion. “I love you, Wolf.”

In October, I would marry my alpha.

Despite everything—the loss of my blade and my magic, Voss causing issues, and what appeared to be another Jakeston serial killer—I was so very happy.

And I ignored the growing sense of unease in my gut.

Life was good.

No one was taking that from me.

Chapter Thirty-Two

I was on my way to the mayor’s house when Anika Draper called. “Your stalker wolf is good, kitten. Obviously he’s gained a lot of experience over the years. I can’t find the bastard.”

My immediate knee-jerk reaction to her voice was to get angry, but it was less savage, tempered by time.

“Jared’s hunting him as well,” I said, distracted. “Voss is going to show up. I’m just not sure when.”

Maybe I should have canceled dinner. I didn’t want to take Voss to the mayor’s house if he was inclined to cause that kind of trouble. But he couldn’t possibly have known I was having dinner with Louis and Amy.