Chapter 2

• Slinging his bag over his shoulder, Asher stepped outside and closed the door. The snowbanks were a lot higher than in the last few years. The storm had been insane. It was the first time he’d been happy not to be driving. Unfortunately, he’d been stuck here for two days because of the weather and was more than ready to get back on the road.
• Going over, he opened the van and tossed his bag inside. He should probably spend some time cleaning it out, but there was always time for that when waiting at safe houses and when the teams were gathering to take down more of Tomas’ places. Jesse told him that things were on the upswing now, and they were going to be able to tear down what Aiden Tomas’ family had built, finally. He looked forward to that. In fact, it was all he looked forward to.
• Closing the door, he glanced across the road at the house. He started toward it and then stopped three steps later. He still couldn’t bring himself to go inside. That house was filled with happy moments if he stayed out of it. He could see pictures, family games, movie nights, and big Sunday dinners. As soon as he stepped inside, it all vanished, and the empty space would remind him of reality. It wasn’t as if he could forget. Eighteen years later, he could see his parents and brother lying in their own blood.
• That day had been a family outing, as they’d always done together. As hard as he tried, he couldn’t recall the reason. Was it berry picking or were they just going for a hike? he wasn’t sure. A few families were there, so it must have been for berries or some other harvesting. He had been chasing his little brother and annoying his mother by doing it when the first screech had paralyzed their movement. His mother rushed over, scooped up Cyrus, and told Asher to run and hide. Even a child knew when the tone in a parent’s voice told them it was of the utmost importance to listen. He’d listened without question.
• He couldn’t hear her voice anymore, and he missed it. How far he’d run, he didn’t know. He’d hidden in the base of an old hallowed-out tree and had stayed there until he heard the sounds of creatures around him again. Had they really stopped during that time? Were no birds or critters making a sound, or had the adrenaline blocked out everything? When his patience ran out, he emerged and wondered why his father hadn’t come and gotten him. He checked in shrubbery and overgrowth for his mother and brother as he retraced his steps back to where they had been.
• They hadn’t gotten away or hidden. They had barely made it fifty feet from where he’d been when she told him to run. Asher had stopped behind a tree and watched men check the bodies on the ground. He didn’t know if they were looking for one in particular or what they were doing. For a fleeting moment, he had thought they were there to help until a wolf, with blood all over its face, strolled over to one of the men and growled. The men spoke to it, and then they left together.
• Asher had almost died that day too. He’d started to rush to look for his mother when someone grabbed him from behind and covered his mouth. He hadn’t known until they spoke to him that it was his clan’s Alpha. Shortly after that, others had come running, and the only glimpse he’d gotten of his family was looking over Alvin Cain’s shoulder as he carried him back to their village. Four had vanished that day. The rest were slaughtered.
• “I guess you’re leaving now that the roads are open.”
• He spun around to see his grandmother standing on the steps, a big blanket wrapped around her shoulders. He loved her dearly and was glad his aunt and uncle were still here, so she wasn’t alone. As far as blood relatives, those were all he had left. His ‘adoptive’ family had taken him in when he couldn’t handle being in this village, and despite having a brother and nephew not of his blood, he really only had his Nan left. “Yeah, I’m just waiting on word of which way I’m going.” He hoped that Zain or Illias would get back to him soon. He just couldn’t be here. Now that the work was done and things were dug out, the memories made him edgy. “Listen,” he went over and looked down at her weathered face; she was his sunshine in the otherwise dark world he lived in, “about the house.” He watched her look over at it and could see it still got to her as well. “I think, with all those we’ve been finding, we should clean it up and let some move into it.”
• “I always thought you’d want it someday.” She looked at him for a moment and then nodded, “Okay, I’ll tell Alvin.”
• “Tell Alvin what?”
• They turned to see their Alpha coming toward them.
• “If it has anything to do with a shovel or a snowblower, I don’t want to hear it.” He smirked.
• Asher couldn’t help but grin, he’d had his fair share of shoveling in the last few days, along with most of the clan.
• “Asher wants us to open the house to those in need.” She looked up at him, and he thought it was pride in her eyes but couldn’t think why, “give some family a little more space than bunking in with others.”
• Alvin stopped and studied him, “you sure, son?”
• Asher nodded, “I’m on the road, I don’t need a big house.” His Alpha was the only reason he was alive today, and sometimes Asher wasn’t sure if that was a good or bad thing.
• “All right, I’ll get someone in there to clean it up.” He nodded, “We’ll store anything personal.”
• Asher shrugged. He didn’t need it and doubted he’d ever want it.
• Alvin inhaled slowly and then blew it out, “I’m looking for Journee. Have you seen her?”
• “Journee?” His grandmother frowned, “I haven’t heard that name in—” Her eyes widened, “she’s here?”
• Asher thought the name was familiar, but he wasn’t sure who she was. His grandmother told him of all the comings and goings, her words, but he couldn’t keep it straight.
• “You remember her, don’t you?”
• He looked at Alvin.
• “She was with the group the day…” Alvin cleared his throat. “She showed up in the middle of the night, I was over helping Len get his generator going. When I got back, she was sleeping on the couch, and Maeve told me to leave her be until morning.” He rubbed the back of his neck, “she said she had something important to tell me.”
• “Did she say how she got back? Where’s she been?”
• Asher realized this girl had gone missing the day his family was killed. He looked around, there were too many traitors to trust she wandered into the village after eighteen years.
• “I have no details yet, Inez. That’s why I’m looking for her.”
• “Alpha Cain.” One of the men came running over. “There’s a hurt cat at the bottom of the river hill.” He held up a worn backpack, “I’m guessing she’s one of ours by this.”
• Alvin took the pack. “It’s Journee’s. I tripped over it by the door last night.” He started walking toward the hill.
• Asher looked down at his grandmother. “Go inside and stay warm. I’m going to see if I can help.” She nodded.
• He caught up to his Alpha. “So, she just showed up? Has anyone heard from her all these years?”
• Alvin glanced at him, “I know what you’re thinking, but Maeve says she looked soul weary tired, her clothes were tattered, and her eyes were haunted by demons.”
• Asher sucked in a breath. “We shouldn’t share too much with her, just in case.”
• The Alpha nodded, then stopped and walked slowly along the path across the top of the hill.
• “Just down there.” The man caught up to them and pointed.