Hunter's Moon

Nineteen: Riley

Donovan Campbell was not what I was expecting.

Now that I think about it, I didn't really know what I was expecting. I guess I was thinking that he'd be angry and sour, but he was smiling and extremely charismatic. If it weren't for the stench of rage and hatred that surrounded him and filled his office, I might have been swayed to join his pack.

I let the smell of his anger surround me, allowing it to remind me of my mission. Surveillance, I reminded myself. I needed to know what kind of pack leader he was, and where his home was located. I needed to know what areas to avoid if I ever got the chance to run freely through the woods.

I couldn't help but think of what it would be like. If running as a human was any indicator, I had to know what it would be like to run as a wolf. I longed to run faster than I ever had before, to unleash all of the pent-up energy. The only time I had been a wolf, I was trapped in my bedroom for several long, painful moments before engaging in battle with Drew. With the full moon looming closer, I was starting to feel like a wild animal trapped in a cage.

I was in the office I had seen in the vision I saw in Drew's head. It looked different now, with the light from outside filtering in through the windows, rather than the dim shadow of a memory. Donovan casually sat on the corner of his desk and I perched on the edge of my seat, ready to spring up and flee at a moment's notice. He smiled down at me and said, "How are you feeling?"

I frowned, taken aback by the question. "Fine, I guess?" I said, more as a question.

He chuckled. "I only ask because your first full moon as a wolf is approaching, and at this stage, new wolves can be... distressed."

I forced myself to laugh, even though my veins felt like they were on fire. "I'm fine," I said. "I mean, I'm hungrier than normal, and I just..." I stopped.

He nodded. "You want to run," he murmured. "I understand. Riley, as a brand-new werewolf, I care about you. I want the best for you. Now, I could never understand what it is to be human one moment and then to have one bite change everything. I just want you to know that you don't have to do it alone."

I stared at him. I couldn't explain it, but some casual power seemed to settle over me and I leaned back in the chair, arms crossed over my chest, though my knee did start to bounce with nerves. I wanted to ask him what it was that he wanted, but instead, a different question burst out of me. "What about my aunt?" I blinked, surprising myself with the inquiry. In all of the craziness that had been happening, I had almost forgotten about her. I instantly felt like shit. She worked so much at the hospital, and I wanted to tell her everything, but...

"Ah, yes," Donovan murmured, distracting me. "The enchanting Katherine Black. Does she know about you?"

I shook my head. "No," I said. "I want to tell her, but I figured I should wait until this whole... rogue werewolf thing is over."

Donovan nodded. "Yes," he said. "My brother, Dominic. I am sorry that you had to suffer his bite. It's always been worse than his bark. But enough about that." Donovan slid off the corner of his desk, moving around to sit in his chair. He pulled himself closer, resting his forearms on the desk as he said, "What's done is done, and all we can do is move forward. And I would like to talk to you about your future, as well as your aunts'."

He reached into his desk and pulled out a manilla folder, my name scribbled in black marker on the front. He unfolded it, and I saw several papers and packets held within. "First, I want to tell you about what being a member of the pack would mean not only for you, but for your aunt as well. I have ties to everyone in this town, every business. Even to the mayor.