The Better to Bite (Howl #1)(58)

I wanted to be in that theater, too.

Dad lifted one brow. Crap. I knew that look. “Do I have to handcuff you to my chair?” He asked, voice flat.

He’d do it.

But then, I’d just roll the chair right out of there. I tried a smile. He liked my smiles. “No, I just—”

He moved fast. Should have expected it. He didn’t handcuff me to the chair, though. Instead, he hooked me to the giant filing cabinet to my left. Snick.

“Seriously, Dad? Seriously?” I yanked. The filing cabinet was way bigger than me and weighed a ton. No dragging that with me. But maybe a drawer…

“You’re staying in here.” An order now. “And keep quiet. The less attention we attract from this group, the better.”

So he said.

My dad slipped from the room. I glared after him. Protecting me was sweet, but annoying. He knew how much I wanted in on this part of the action. After everything that had happened, I deserved this. I’d found the journal—the journal that was now locked in his desk drawer. He hadn’t even thanked me for discovering that vital book. I’d found the key to their identities, and now—

I wanted to see the wolves.

I stretched, pointing out with my shoes. My bag was on the floor, just a few feet away, just a few…

The tip of my sneakers brushed the bag.

I smiled. My lock set was still in my purse. Sometimes, it paid to be prepared.

I would have been such a good girl scout.





Chapter Fourteen


I slipped out of the station. Getting past Shirley at the front was too easy. She never even glanced back as I crept from the office. She was too busy checking her social pages on the computer.

I headed out the back door and kept to the shadows as I made my way to the theater. The voices were muted now that everyone was inside, and I could barely hear a thing.

But that was okay. Soon, I’d be seeing plenty.

I pressed against the cold, stone wall of the theater. I rose onto my toes and glanced in the window. There were about a dozen people inside. Men, women. Pacing. Pointing. Looking very, very uncomfortable—

Oh, crap, that was the principal! Mr. Knoxley! He was a wolf? I’d flipped through the book too fast to see his name.

Rafe’s dad was there. Brent’s mom wasn’t. Not a real surprise. She was from out of town, so I hadn’t really thought she’d be cursed. Deputy Jon had taken up a position by my dad’s side, and my dad, well, he looked furious. He had his hands in the air, and I saw his lips move as he barked, “Calm down, everyone.”

A twig snapped behind me. I froze. I was in the shadows, so I didn’t think I’d been spotted. I hoped not.

Slowly, carefully, I turned my head.

And I saw Cassidy. She was moving fast, hurrying toward the entrance of the theater, and, oh God, she had a gun in her hand.

A gun.

I leapt from the shadows. “Cassidy!” Her head jerked at my cry and the moonlight fell on her tear-stained face. Her eyes widened, and she started running for the theater door.

Sissy’s father had wanted revenge when he found out a wolf killed his daughter. He’d gone into the woods, shooting at every wolf he saw.

Cassidy didn’t have to go into the woods. All the werewolves were waiting for her, trapped in that theater.

Rafe. Brent. Mr. Knoxley. “No!” I screamed as I raced after her. I moved faster than I’d ever moved. So fast. But Cassidy beat me to the door.

I knew what would happen when my dad and Deputy Jon saw her with a weapon. I knew.

Even if she was too far gone with grief to understand.

You’ll die, Cassidy. I leapt into the air just as her hand slammed into the door and shoved it open.

Gasps filled the air. Cassidy yelled, “Monsters!” And she raised her gun.

In that split-second, time slowed for me.

“Drop it!” My dad’s snarled order, but Cassidy wasn’t dropping that gun. I couldn’t stop myself, either. I was in the air, flying toward her. Her hand was up, her fingers tight around the butt of the weapon. I heard a deafening boom even as I slammed into her back. We both hit the floor, hard enough for my bones to rattle.

Silence.

She still had the gun. I yanked it from her fingers and tossed it to the side. Everyone had turned toward us. Brent and Rafe rushed toward me. I didn’t think anyone had been shot, but that blast—

“Anna.” My dad reached me first. “Baby, it’s going to be all right.”

Sure it was. Cass hadn’t hurt anyone—that I could see—and she was okay, too. She was rising, pushing up and…

Why couldn’t I feel my arm?

I glanced down and realized that someone had been shot. Me.

My dad grabbed my wrist and clamped his fingers around my upper arm. My blood immediately stained his hand, and he swore. “Dammit, Jon, get me—”

“I’m so sorry!” Cass’s desperate voice yelled. “Anna, please, I don’t—”

I looked up. Jon had her. He’d already cuffed her. The others just stared with wide eyes and flashes of fangs. Rafe looked like he wanted to tear someone apart, and Brent’s glare could have burned the skin right off Cass’s face.

“Did you shoot?” I asked my dad.

He nodded.

He’d shot at Cass, and I’d taken the bullet. Because when I’d plowed into her, I’d knocked her out the bullet’s path.