I sat on the barstool to the left and tossed a peanut at him. “So what’s been going on around here lately? I feel out of the loop.”
Maizy put her pool stick in the cue rack. “Katharine’s been teaching Mel how to shoot with an arrow. She’s pretty good at it, but I don’t think she has the heart to kill an animal. Meanwhile, poor April hasn’t been able to eat anything Katharine’s cooked. She goes to her room during dinner so she doesn’t offend anyone. She’s afraid the main course will be one of the critters that hangs out at the squirrel feeder.”
Wheeler poured himself a glass of whiskey in front of me. “Reno should take her out to a restaurant instead of sneaking food to the bedroom.”
I rolled my eyes. “You know April doesn’t like eating out.”
Denver leaned between us and grabbed a bowl of honey-roasted almonds. “Yeah, she’s afraid someone’s going to hock a loogie in her food.”
Wheeler knocked back his drink. “I don’t see what’s wrong with Ma’s food. She cooks a mean venison chili. You could use some of that meat on your bones, Lexi. You have two to feed now.”
I shrank in disgust. “I’ll be the first to admit I’m spoiled with prepackaged food. Why hunt if you can buy it at the grocery store?”
“Because one day there might not be a grocery store. You might be in a situation where you have no choice.”
“Well, if there’s a food apocalypse, then my wolf will hunt and eat for both… oh wait.”
Wheeler licked the rim of his glass with the tip of his tongue. “See? It’s all dandy when it’s just you, but you can’t shift anymore until that baby’s born. It’s too dangerous, and your wolf won’t let you anyway.”
Every hair stood on end when a faint scream cut through the chatter.
We sprang from our chairs and hurried through the hall and down the stairs. The scream intensified, becoming recognizable as one of the children. Wheeler shot ahead of us and flew out the front door, jumping off the porch and moving on instinct. It took me a minute to get my bearings and find out which direction it was coming from.
My blood ran cold when I saw Hope, Lorenzo and Ivy’s only child, emerging from the high grass on the left. Melody was two steps behind, looking over her shoulder as if someone was following them. Hope’s face was stained with crimson, and Wheeler almost stumbled backward when he saw her. After he glanced at Melody to be sure she was all right, he lifted Hope into his strong arms.
“Call a Relic!” he bellowed, sprinting toward the house.
“On it!” Denver disappeared behind me, bumping into Maizy and my mother, who were both coming outside.
They rushed toward the blue-haired teenager. Mel carried a look of horror on her face as she stumbled into my mother’s arms. Uncertain of the danger, they led her back to the house as quickly as possible.
Wheeler hurried past me, and I caught a glimpse of blood as he went inside.
Melody ascended the steps, but her eyes were fixed on the grassy field. A gust of wind blew her razor-cut hair in front of her face. “It happened so fast,” she said, her breath shaky. Melody gulped some air and took a step away from my mom. “One second we were playing down by the oak tree, and the next… he attacked her.”
“Who?” I asked, rage heating my veins like lava.
Her large green eyes glittered with memories. “A wolf. A Shifter. I could sense him, and he went right for her. I grabbed a stick to beat him off, and when she screamed, I guess it startled him, and he ran away. Shifters aren’t supposed to attack girls, are they?”
No, they weren’t. Even in animal form, Shifters were reluctant to turn on women or children, not unless they perceived them as an enemy.
“Everyone inside,” I growled.
***
Only a few minutes had elapsed since the rogue had attacked the girls. Wheeler placed Hope on a sofa in our downstairs study so Katharine could assess her injuries.
Melody peered into the room. “How is she?”
“Come with me, sweetie.” Maizy led her out of the room and closed the door behind them. I turned my attention back to Hope, who was lying unconscious on the small sofa. She was the embodiment of innocence and wisdom, and it tore me up to see that someone had hurt her.
“What did you give her?” I asked Katharine.
“Something I always carry with me. Once you have your own children, you’ll learn that the most crushing experience a mother can endure is to see her child in pain.” She stanched the bleeding by pressing a bloody towel against Hope’s temple. “I’ve given her just enough to let her sleep peacefully while we control the bleeding. Head wounds always look worse than they actually are. I don’t want to traumatize the poor dear.”
“What kind of depraved animal would attack a little girl?” I asked.
William stood by the window, keeping watch. “Someone who’s trying to pick off the weaklings from the herd. Have you ever watched how lions hunt?”
“That’s sick.”
“Indeed.” He pivoted around, his tattered black jacket swirling with him. William’s head was a mess of waves and curls, and I could barely see his eyes.