Burn Bright (Alpha & Omega #5)(69)

Anna thought of the way the wolves all watched her last night as she came in from the truck where the body of one of the people who had abused her rested. She understood exactly why he didn’t want people talking about it.

“You said ‘manner and matter,’” said Sage thoughtfully. If she was as affected by his story as she’d looked in the beginning, she was hiding it better now. “Does that mean that you know how to make the collars?”

Wellesley’s eyes grew cold, then lightened to icy gold. “It is something that does not concern you.”

She put her hand up. “I only ask because if someone thinks you know how to make them, you have a target on your back the size of Texas.”

Anna remembered Charles saying that there were wildlings here who knew secrets that people would kill for. If Wellesley was the only one who knew how to make those collars … he’d be hunted by every black witch on the planet.

Wellesley didn’t seem worried about it. His shoulders relaxed as he told Sage, “We all of us werewolves have a target on our back. It’s not a matter of if but when someone pulls the trigger.”

“Cheerful thought,” drawled Asil. “But let us put that one aside—since there is nothing we can do about it that we are not already doing. What does that have to do with Rhea Springs?”

Wellesley shrugged. “I don’t know. Charles said to begin where my wolf told me to—and that’s where my wolf told me to begin.”

Charles was watching Wellesley with a thoughtful expression.

Wellesley shrugged. “As I told you, I really don’t remember a lot more about Rhea Springs than I did before Anna broke the curse. Not much at all, really. I remember going there—and I remember your spiriting me out of that jail. But I still don’t remember much in between, just bits and pieces.” He bowed his head. “I remember the witch’s face but nothing else about her.”

Charles said, “Maybe you should—”

The phone rang.

Wellesley rose from the table and glanced at Charles—who shrugged. He put in an earpiece and hit a button on the phone.

“Hello?” he said, and listened a moment.

He’d found a way to have a private conversation in a room full of werewolves, Anna thought, delighted. She’d have to find out what he used.

He hit another button, and asked, as he lifted the handset, “Could you repeat that, please?”

Leah’s voice, breathless and hoarse, replied. “I asked, are Asil and Anna there?”

Asil took the phone from Wellesley. “We are here.”

“I’m calling from Jericho’s phone,” she said. “We’ve got bodies here but no Jericho. You should come.”

“Charles and Sage are here, too. Do you want us all?”

She made an exasperated sound. “What did you do? Decide to get together for a party? Never mind. Yes. Everyone should come and help me search for Jericho. We don’t want him running around loose—or in someone else’s hands, for that matter.”

She left them in a fit of dial tone.

“Are you up for this?” asked Charles.

It took Anna a minute to realize he was asking her.

She put her feet on the floor and stood up. “I’m okay,” she said. “I won’t be up to a wild hunt, but I’ll be fine.”

Wellesley said, “I need to eat and rest.”

Asil gave him a frown. “You weren’t invited, my friend. I’m very glad that your wolf has evidently been freed from a witch’s curse—but that’s a long way from being safe and dependable.”

Wellesley laughed, but his eyes were wary. “I suppose it is.”

“I could stay with him to make sure he’s okay,” offered Sage. She gave the artist a brilliant smile. “I’ve been a fan for a long time. I’d love to commission something if you are willing.”

Wellesley shook his head. “I’d rather be alone if you don’t mind. I have a lot to absorb. A little rest and a lot of food will see me right as rain. As far as a painting is concerned—I’ll get back to you on that. Most of my paintings were done to stave off madness. I don’t know what I’ll want to paint now.”

“Leave him,” said Charles.

“Come on, children,” said Asil. “You are dawdling.”

? ? ?

WITHOUT DISCUSSION, CHARLES climbed into the driver’s seat of Sage’s SUV, setting the Viking’s axe in the back. He nodded to Anna to get into the passenger side. Evidently, the keys were in the SUV because it started right up. Sage didn’t look happy about her car being co-opted—or maybe just about being left to ride with Asil. But when Anna started to get out, Sage waved her hand and gave her a quick grin.

There was no room to turn around, which didn’t seem to bother Charles a bit. He gunned the engine and backed up the twisty, scary, narrow track up the cliffside about thirty miles per hour.

Anna choked back a laugh, made sure her seat belt was tight, and closed her eyes. “I hope Sage has good insurance,” she said.

“I don’t like this situation at all,” Charles said instead of responding to her banter—unless he had flashed her that quick grin of his. Had she missed it by being a coward?

The SUV took a sharp turn and reversed directions. She opened her eyes, and they were back on the safer track, headed down it at what would have been a crazy speed if anyone else were driving.