“One step at a time. Let’s just find her friend first. I know this girl, Allie. Grew up with her too. You and GiGi track here in town. Work with Pam on any other sightings of that SUV. We’re headed south to those other rest stops. I want to be sure they’re the same mages.”

He checked in briefly with Pam, but the coroner had shown up and she was far too busy to say much, which was fine. His mind was already on Michelle.

That was a lie.

His mind had never left Michelle. His skin still burned at the small of his back where she’d touched him. Her scent had pushed even the pervasive and horrifying stench of death from his nose.

He wanted her. So much he had to force the need from his mind with other things. He remembered that body in the convenience store. He hoped like hell that wasn’t Allie’s fate. He’d die before he let it be Michelle’s fate.

“Ready?” he asked, sliding into his seat and fastening his seatbelt.

“Yes. I checked in but there’s nothing new. Kathy, that’s Allie’s mom, she’s got her sister staying with her and the coven is in touch with Owen. No one else has gone missing, though I find it hard to believe they just stopped off in Roseburg, kidnapped a witch like a cup of coffee on a road trip. This seems far more organized than junkies grabbing a fix.”

“Yes. The fact that they’re working together with turned witches and have started targeting Weres points in that direction.” There was silence for a while and he wanted to fill it. Wanted her voice.

“So, since your cop boyfriend moved away, has there been anyone else?”

“I’ve been on nights for the last few months. My turn I guess. It’s hard enough to date when you’re a cop. Your schedule is already sort of wonky as it is, and then once you add night shift, it sort of kills your social life. I work, come home, go to bed, get up, eat, work out, go to work. What about you?”

“I go out here and there, but nothing serious.”

“Wolves mate for life right? I mean, that would have to be weird when it comes to dating.”

“It’s complicated, but yeah. I tend to date only other wolves. It’s hard to explain to humans, hey look, I already know up front this won’t be permanent and I could meet that forever person at any point so hey let’s keep things light.”

“All I know is what I hear about in the news or whatever. And it’s always so sensationalized it’s hard to know what’s true and what isn’t.”

“So ask. I’ll tell you.”

“You got bit you said. Wolves tell the media all the time that they’re safe to be around. Clearly that’s not the case.”

He treaded carefully here. “That’s partially true. I was bitten by a wolf who had really poor control. Most of the time when a human is changed, or when a natural wolf hits maturation, they’re guided through it by older, stronger wolves with a great deal of control. But the guy who bit me hadn’t told anyone he’d been bitten when he’d been on a camping trip. The day he attacked me had been his very first shift. To their credit, when Pacific heard they came to get us both. Being turned at my age is hard. Being nineteen is hard enough, you’re still a teenager, on your way to manhood, all those hormones. It wreaks havoc, and most humans that age who want to be turned are refused until they’re at least twenty-five. After I was bitten, I lived in the Pack House for eight months as I worked on my control and I shifted regularly in the company of other wolves. It’s not a perfect system. Accidents do happen. But we work as hard as we can to ensure they don’t.”

“And you didn’t hate them? I mean you ended up one of their leaders even after they changed you without your consent?”

“It’s complicated.”

“Lots of that going around.”

He snorted. “Life is complicated, I suppose. But what was I going to do? I wasn’t good enough to play professional ball. My grades were okay but nothing spectacular. My parents couldn’t have cared less about where I was going or my plans for the future. I had a dead-end in my past but a freak occurrence opened up many doors for my future. I was strong. And fast. I could control my shift early on. Pack life can be pretty disciplined and regimented. I…took to it. I thrived. Each time I challenged for a position and I won, I earned respect. It was a totally different world, but it feels natural to me.”

“So you advance by fighting?”

He shrugged. “Sometimes. I ended up as Enforcer without a fight. I was second-in-command to the Enforcer who is now the Alpha. I ascended and no one challenged me. I’d earned the respect of the pack.”

“That means a great deal, I imagine.”

“Yes.” It meant everything.

“I’m glad you have a good life.”

“Yeah? Even if I was a dick to you before?”

She snorted. “Even if you were a dick to me before. Why would I wish a horrible life on anyone, much less someone I cared so much about once?”

“Only once?”

“I knew Josh the jock. I don’t really know Josh the Enforcer. But I appreciate the help in finding Allie. That’s a start.”

It was.

They got off the freeway south of the first rest stop and then got back on heading north so he could pull into the northbound one. He caught the scent right away. The mages had a rotting meat stench.

“Their energy is still here, faint, but here.”

“I can scent it. It’s the same as the convenience store.”