The Better to Bite (Howl #1)(63)

“That’s Brent’s shirt,” Valerie said as Katie left.

I blinked and followed her gaze. Sure enough, what was left of Brent’s shirt—stained with my blood—had been folded and put on a nearby chair.

I heard the edge of sadness in Valerie’s voice and didn’t know what to say. She wasn’t the wicked witch of Haven anymore. Hell, with my family background, maybe I was the witch.

Valerie was just a girl. Hurting. Scared. I wanted to make her feel better.

But then she moved, too quickly, and grabbed the shirt. “Why is there blood on the shirt?” She spun back to face me. “Is Brent—”

“The blood’s mine. He was just helping me.” This wasn’t my truth to share, oh, damn, it wasn’t, but I could tell by her expression that she understood—

“He’s…one of them.” The shirt fell to the floor. She stepped back, fast, and she bumped one of the machines near me.

I didn’t speak.

“Tell me!” Her voice was close to a yell.

“You need to talk to Brent.” I kept my own voice low.

But she shook her head. “He was so mad at me this summer. He found out about me—me and Rafe. Brent knew that I’d cheated on him—”

Whoa, whoa, hold up. She’d been with Brent and Rafe?

Valerie stumbled toward the door. “I was going to meet Rafe that night, at the Fourth of July party. Maybe Brent knew, maybe—”

“Brent is not the wolf who has been making the attacks!”

She stopped her too-quick speech and blinked at me.

“The car accident,” I dropped my voice, not sure just how thin the hospital walls were. “He was with me, remember? He was hurt in that accident, and while I was trapped in the truck, the wolf came at me. It’s not Brent. It’s not.”

I noticed that her hands were shaking. “I don’t know who to trust anymore.”

“You can trust me.”

She held my stare.

“I saw Brent that night. He’s not the wolf hurting those people. The wolf I saw then, it was big, black, with glowing yellow eyes—”

“All of the wolves look the same,” she whispered. “Granny Helen told me that. When they change, it’s nearly impossible to tell them apart.”

Was that true? That would sure make hunting the rogue a whole lot harder.

“So maybe Brent wasn’t the wolf that night, but how do you know he didn’t go after Helen? Or some of the others? What if it’s more than one wolf?” Valerie’s face flushed. “What if it’s all of them?”

Yeah, okay, that was not a good thought. Because if she was right, and my dad was heading out into the woods with those wolves, then he’d be heading right for death.

“OhmyGod!”

I’d know that shriek any place. Jenny, armed with two bright balloons, had just pushed into my room. “I heard you were shot! Shot!” She rushed toward the bed. “What can I do? What can I—”

Valerie swiped beneath her eyes, and I knew she was trying to hide her tears. I forced a smile for Jenny. “Actually, could you do me one huge favor?”

Jenny blinked her big, wide, blue eyes. “Anything.”

“How about you let Valerie sleep over at your place tonight?” Because I didn’t want either of them alone. They were becoming my friends, and I wanted them safe.

Jenny’s eyes got even bigger. “Uh, sure. But I don’t think Valerie’s gonna want to—”

“I want to,” Valerie said quickly.

Perfect. “And just stay in tonight, okay, Jenny? Watch a movie, eat popcorn, and stay in.”

Jenny’s smile dimmed. “What’s going on, Anna?”

I glanced at Valerie. Maybe Jenny wouldn’t believe us. It didn’t matter. She needed to know. “There are monsters in this town,” I told her. “And when the moon comes up, they’ll be hunting.”





Chapter Fifteen


My cell phone vibrated, then rang with a loud peel of sound. I reached for it, yanking too fast with my arm, and I felt the sting from the stitches immediately. Jenny’s number flashed on the screen.

I shoved the phone up to my ear. “Hello? Jenny?”

“She’s gone.” Jenny’s voice. Nervous, soft.

“What?” I glanced toward the blinds. The sun had set, and I could see the darkness waiting outside.

“Rafe came by and picked Valerie up a few minutes ago.”

I frowned and my hold tightened on the phone.

“It just it all seemed weird.” Her voice was hushed, and I had to strain to hear her. “I thought she was scared, so why’d she go and leave with him?”

Because she thought Rafe was safe. Because she didn’t know he was a wolf, too. I hadn’t told her about him.

“What should I do?” Jenny asked. She’d been scared after I told her about the wolves in town. Not just scared, freaking terrified, and she’d believed every word I said. What a change, to finally have someone who believed me so absolutely. “Should I get my dad’s car and go after—”

“No!” Maybe that came out too hard, but I wouldn’t risk her, too. “Just stay home tonight, okay? I’m sure everything’s fine.”