The Better to Bite (Howl #1)(54)
“My family…” My dad spoke softly as his fingers curled around another bullet. “We’ve always been hunters.”
Hunters, not witches. My heartbeat began to slow a bit.
“The wolves cross the line, every now and then.”
And they start killing humans.
“When they do, someone has to stop them.” He snapped the weapon back into place with a fast, fluid movement of his arm. “The stopping—that’s what my family has done for centuries.” He met my stare. “We put down the ones who are dangerous. By any means necessary.”
A hunter. His sheriff’s badge gleamed.
“Dad…” I wet my lips, but I had to tell him. “Rafe and Brent are wolves.”
He didn’t look surprised. “I know about them.”
“And you don’t think—”
“I’ll kill only when I’m certain of my prey.”
My teeth snapped together even as fear unfurled in my stomach.
He secured the last bullet, then his hand lifted and curled around my chin. “I have to stop the werewolf making these attacks.”
I knew that. I wanted him to stop the beast before anyone else died. I just didn’t want my dad dying in the process.
“Don’t go into the woods today, Anna. Keep your mace close.”
I’d already put it in my purse. I’d figured out that the secret ingredient in that mace was liquid silver.
“If you get scared or if you need me, call.”
“I will.” But I wasn’t worried for myself. I wasn’t the one going into the woods to face off against a werewolf. “Rafe’s dad…he’s like Rife, right?”
A grim nod.
“How can you trust him? How can—”
“I’ve known him since I was a kid, and he’s the best tracker I’ve got.” His jaw locked. “And all wolves aren’t evil, baby. Just like all humans—”
“Sure aren’t good,” I finished in a whisper.
It was a lesson we both knew.
***
A line of yellow police tape blocked off the entrance of Granny Helen’s shop. I slammed my car door and stared at the darkened building.
Granny Helen had been there yesterday, bustling around in the back, warning me about the dangers coming my way.
Had she known about the threat that stalked her?
I’d be willing to bet my life that she had. A woman like her would have known death when it brushed close to her.
You knew all about the wolves, didn’t you, Granny Helen? Everything about them.
I was going into her shop. If I was right, she would have left something behind. Some info, some clue. Something.
I started walking across the street, and then I saw someone else head toward Granny Helen’s shop. Someone with bright, blonde hair, someone who was too annoyingly familiar.
Valerie stopped in front of the shop window, and she peered inside, pressing her nose close to the glass.
What the…
I knew why I was there poking around, but what was Ms. Perky-Pain-In-My-Ass Cheerleading Captain doing?
I hurried my step. “Valerie!”
She spun around, and I was surprised to find tear tracks on her face. “A-Anna?”
I stopped just a foot away from her.
“Wh-what are you doing here?” She demanded as she curled her arms around her stomach and pressed her back against the shop window.
My head cocked to the right. “I was going to ask you the same thing.”
The street was deserted then, almost too quiet.
Valerie glanced to the left, then to the right. “You wouldn’t understand.”
At this point, what wouldn’t I understand? “Try me.”
“She was helping me.” Said in a rush with another nervous glance that fired down the street. “She said I was in trouble, and she was trying to keep me safe.”
She had my total attention. “Keep you safe from what?”
Her smile was just sad. “Anna, do you believe in monsters?”
I looked past her and saw the broken remains of Granny Helen’s shop. “Yes,” I said definitely, “I do.”
Stunned silence. Then, “Good. Because Haven is full of them.”
And I realized I’d finally found someone else how knew the real score about this town.
A motor growled in the distance.
I pushed past Valerie and took out a special set of tools I’d picked up in Chicago. A girl needed some hobbies to keep her busy.
“What are you doing?” Valerie’s voice was a shocked whisper.
Right, the girl who knew about monsters was shocked that I could pick a lock. Figured. A few quick adjustments and the shop’s lock snicked. I glanced back at her. “I’m finding out just what Granny Helen really knew about the monsters in Haven.” Then, not waiting to see if she followed, I ducked under the yellow police tape and hurried inside the now open shop.
My feet immediately stepped on broken glass. Good thing I’d worn my thick sneakers. The place was a total wreck. Shelves overturned. Books shredded. Statues and figurines smashed.
I whistled. I was my dad’s daughter, and I knew what I was looking at. “A whole lot of rage,” I murmured.
“What?” Valerie asked. The door closed behind me with a light click. There was no soft jingle of a bell. I looked back. The bell was gone. Maybe it was in the rubble some place.