Wolf Bound

Chapter 20: Playing With Knives

I traced my fingers over the living room window, drawing my name in the cold fog frosted over the glass with rain. It would seem mother nature was shooting for a record of five solid hours filled with non-stop rain today. I'd figured out what the cause of all this rain was when the news alerts blew up my phone. We had a hurricane passing through New York. It was only what was left of the gruesome storm, but it was still brutal on us.

I blew out a breath and tilted my head against the glass, whispering to myself, "I hope you're both okay." Neither of my parents answered the phone when I called. My father was probably busy at work. My mother might've been asleep. They were both deep in the city. It shouldn't have been too bad down there. As long as the city still had power to function in most parts.

I frowned and glanced at the stairs. "Geez, they've been talking for a while now. . ." I removed my finger from the window, clicking the power button on my phone to check the time. My butt was starting to numb on the edge of this window sill. Only half of it fit. But for some reason, I sat here anyway.

I'd lost count of how long Dimitri and Vincent had been locked in Vincent's office. It was getting pretty late. What was it, nearing four in the afternoon now? It was about three something when Vincent disappeared behind the doors with Dimitri.

I had no idea what they were talking about. I assumed it had something to do with the change in sweeps today. Maybe they were lowering the number of wolves that would participate tonight. Maybe they were starting earlier than usual. Usually, Dylan was also around when Vincent was giving orders. Both of them were supposed to be the lead warriors of the pack, after all.

However, Dylan wasn't anywhere in sight. That piqued my curiosity. A lot.

"Why so gloomy?"

"Eek—!" I slapped a hand over my mouth, forcing my scream to stop. "Shit, Amaury. That was close! Vincent could've heard me."

"I apologize," Amaury said, chuckling.

"That's not funny." I huffed. "You're always scaring me when you do that."

"It's not on purpose. I can promise you that. Is there something in particular bothering you?"

"No, not really." I puffed my cheeks out, then deflated them. "My mind has been wandering a lot lately, and I can't help it."

"I'm here to listen if you need someone to. Would you like for me to listen?"

"Actually, there is something I wanted to talk to you about. . ." Amaury went quiet. I lifted one of my legs onto the window sill, stretching it outward. "Vincent knows about the shadows now. They all do."

"Oh? Is that so?" Amaury hummed in tune with his words.

"Yeah. He knows I didn't have anything to do with your murder now. I know we agreed that I would tell him when he learned to trust me more, but we're past the hate stage, I think. He's been opening up to me. And it feels like we've really made progress.

"It's not exactly the ideal relationship at the moment. But I think he recognizes me as his ally now. I was able to convince him the shadows exist with the help of another witness. It was some beta—I think his name was Odin? Uh, of the Lichen pack?"

"Beta Odin has seen one for himself?" Amaury's voice perked up, as if he was alarmed.

"Yes, that's right. Do you know him? Wait, what am I asking? Of course, you do."

"Lichen is a close ally of Calamitous. My father and Alpha Garrison—the former alpha of Lichen—have been close comrades and friends, for as long as I can remember from young," Amaury filled me in.