Engulfed

“Why Canada? I don’t want to go to Canada. It’s cold, and snowy, and they talk about hockey and boots all the time. They can’t even do bacon right! I’ll probably get bitten by a rabid moose or something.”

“Sure Dante, you’re going to be turned into a were-moose-dragon,” Azlynn said dryly.

“I said rabid moose, not were-moose,” Dante corrected.

“Fine. A rabid were-moose-dragon.” Azlynn barely glanced up from the map she was studying, chewing on the end of her braid.

“How much further til we reach the frozen north?” Dante asked after a few moments of fiddling with the radio and getting no reception.

“About an hour and a half.” Silence settled over them, making Dante feel restless. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel.

“So, about last night,” he said finally. Azlynn raised her head from the map and cut a glance at him. “What about it?”

“Why didn’t you call me?” Dante asked. “I would’ve walked with you. Could have avoided that whole thing.”

“I get that you want to play that whole knight in shining armor thing, but of all people do you really think I need protecting?” Azlynn asked. “Besides, I thought you and Drew wanted to pretend that women didn’t exist,” she added, her tone going terse.

“That was a joke between friends, and you know it.”

“Oh, now suddenly you believe I know everything?” Azlynn turned in her seat to face him, violet eyes narrowed. “Because you didn’t seem to think too highly of my knowledge when I told you Ted killed the nuns, or when I told you the church was about to explode.”

Dante heaved a long sigh. “It’s a lot to take in. I mean, the guy has been MIA for the last eight months. Why would he pick now to start shit? And why just a bunch of nuns? Also, nuns are supposed to be protected by God, right? Where were your angel buddies?”

“He waited because he knew we were onto him, he was lying low to regroup and form a new plan,” Azlynn snapped. “They were not ‘just a bunch of nuns;’ they were from a very old order of nuns that has been around since the Crusades. They were highly dedicated, and powerful with heavenly magic. And to answer your last question, my angel buddies are a bit focused on protecting Heaven from being invaded by an ancient and powerful egomaniac hell bent, no pun intended, on slaughtering every last one of them.”

“Well shit, I’m sorry,” Dante grumbled. “I was just asking a question.”

“Yes, a very snide question,” Azlynn said, crossing her arms. “You know I am one of those angels you think so little of, Dante. Do you consider me a failure too?”

“I never said that,” Dante said, gritting his teeth.

“Not in so many words,” Azlynn replied coolly. She turned her face away and stared out the window. Dante cranked up the heat and stared gloomily at the road in front of him, not sure what to say to that.

“What is your problem lately?” Azlynn burst out suddenly, whipping around to glare at him. “You’ve been fine for the last few months, acting like your usual douchey but lovable self, and then all of a sudden it’s like the balls of your personality decided to drop and now you’re all, ‘Hi, I’m going to be a big dick now.’”

“Oh, so I’m puberty now?” Dante said, wrinkling his nose.

“You’re sucking about as bad as puberty lately,” Azlynn muttered.

“Well if you must know, I do have a problem.”

“No shit, Sherlock.”

“The thing is, you take off like every night, you don’t tell me where you’re going or what you’re doing. You come back and you smell like blood, or fire, or both. And you act like nothing happened. And you don’t tell me anything. If I ask you, you blow me off; act like nothing’s going on. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. If you need help, I will help you. That’s what I’m here for. And if you’re afraid that I’m going to be shocked or disgusted with it, don’t be. I’m a lot more understanding than a lot of people give me credit for. At least I like to think I am. Basically, I just want to feel like you need me still. Like I’m not just your pet.”

Azlynn gave him a long measured look, not saying anything. “I can’t be saved, Dante,” she said finally.

“And why not?” he demanded. “I saved you before, when you thought you couldn’t be saved. I can do it again.”

“That time you saved me from someone else,” Azlynn said, her quiet tone making him uneasy.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It’s much harder to save someone from themselves.” Azlynn continued to stare at him, something sad and lost flickering in her eyes for a moment. Dante was about to ask what she meant, but just then her cell phone rang, and she started talking to Will. They caught up to the giant black SUV at the border checkpoint, and handed over their passports, while Dante’s car was checked for contraband. They drove the rest of the way in silence. Azlynn wound her long braided hair into a bun on the back of her head, and then proceeded to check her pockets and boots for all her weapons.

“Why didn’t they check you for contraband?” Dante muttered. “They took all my booze.”

“Angel,” Azlynn said simply. “Compulsion. Besides, I look like a sweet and innocent young girl. You look like a hoodlum.”

“Fair enough. But could you at least get my Jack Daniels back?”

Azlynn threw him an exasperated look as they rolled into the town of Lupus Lake, where the head pack of Canada lived. A tall, wiry blond guy was there, already talking to Will and Drew. Several other wolves flanked him.

“Christ, it’s cold.” Dante shivered, pulling on a heavy parka over the sweatshirt and jacket he already wore. He zipped it up to his chin and pulled a black beanie low over his forehead. “I can feel my nipples poking through my shirt.”

Azlynn rolled her eyes, climbing out of the car after him; wearing no more than a brown leather jacket over a thin shirt, jeans, and high-heeled brown boots. Dante stared at her incredulously. “How the fuck can you-never mind.”

The two of them made their way to where the others were standing. Dante prickled slightly when the wolves’ eyes roamed over Azlynn. For her part, she seemed oblivious to the attention.

“And this is Dante DeMarco and Azlynn Doyle, the other two members of our team,” Will said as they approached. Azlynn is a wonderful soul tracker, and DeMarco…well, he has his talents.”

“Cold, dragon?” A dark-haired wolf smirked at him and Dante tensed.

“Must be,” he replied smoothly, “if those too-tight pants of yours are any indication.”

Azlynn snickered faintly beside him, and he could sense Drew, Rico, and Even Will holding back smiles. The wolf’s eyes narrowed to slits and color rose in his cheeks. He snarled low in his throat, fists clenching at his sides.

“Down boy,” Dante said. “Don’t make me get the hose.”

“I will rip your head right off your-”

“Jae, enough.” A white-haired man, clearly the leader from the way the others responded to him, glared at the dark wolf, who stepped back, but continued to glare daggers at Dante.

“Apologies, Alpha Firn,” Will said, half-heartedly. “DeMarco is quite unaccustomed to manners or civilization.”

“Quite all right,” the white-haired wolf said. “My pack ought to know better than to bait outsiders.” He threw Jae a look, and the wolf lowered his gaze.

“So, what exactly are the details of this case?” Drew asked, ever the peace-keeper.

“Come, let’s talk inside. You must all be freezing.” He cast a slightly curious look at Azlynn, who was the only one among them not shivering and turning slightly blue. She smiled sweetly back. Firn led them inside a spacious cabin. A stone fireplace took up nearly an entire wall, and a cheery fire was roaring within it, filling the room with warmth. A long wooden table was laden with food; fresh rolls, hot stew, and several giant plates filled with venison. Dante pulled his head out of his coat, nose-first, and beamed.

“Oh, you are a wise and merciful soul,” he told Firn, taking the old wolf by the shoulders and hugging him.

“Is he allowed to do that?” he heard Rico ask behind him. Dante jogged over to the table and started heaping piles of food onto a plate. The others soon joined him, and Firn began filling them in on all the gruesome details.

“So you’re telling me a teenage girl did all this?” Will asked, looking stunned. Firn nodded gravely. “I’m afraid so.”

“Any idea who she is?” Azlynn asked. A strange look passed among the wolves, and Dante noticed Azlynn toying with the hems of her sleeves, where he knew she hid several knives.

“She is the sister of a human we took in,” Firn said, and Dante got the feeling he was weighing his words.

“Is that a normal thing?” Azlynn asked casually. “Werewolf packs fostering humans?”

“No, but this human specialized in a service we required.”

“May we speak with this human?” Azlynn pressed.

“I’m afraid she’s feeling a bit under the weather right now,” Firn said. “She’s not up to seeing visitors. I’m sure you can understand, given the situation.”

“Quite the contrary,” Azlynn said, meeting his gaze squarely and not backing down. “She should be eager to speak with us, given the situation. Surely she wants her sister found.”

“It’s rather complicated.”

“You called us up here to find the person responsible for murdering your pups. Speaking with her sister would help us find her faster.”

“Perhaps later, when she’s feeling up to it,” Firn replied, a dark glint in his eyes. His tone was firm; the tone of someone used to being obeyed.

“Later might be too late.” Azlynn’s tone was a challenge.

“Azlynn,” Will said in a low voice. “Don’t pester the Alpha-”

“He’s keeping something from us,” Azlynn interrupted. “They know exactly who slaughtered their children, but they’re giving us almost nothing to go on. Why did you call us here if you have no intention of giving us what we need to find the murderer?”

“I was of the assumption that your team was the best, Miss Doyle,” Firn said. “Can’t you track with the barest of information?”

“Of course I can,” Azlynn said. “But having all the information always makes it easier.”

She and Firn continued to stare at each other, and Dante could feel the other wolves in the room growing restless and on edge. He imagined they weren’t used to seeing the head of all the Canadian wolves being stared down and questioned. The tension in the room was thick as butter.

“You may speak to her in several days, after you have all the facts of the case, and after she is feeling at full strength again. But not a moment sooner.”

“Suit yourself,” Azlynn said. “It’s your pack that’s at stake.”

Firn suddenly rose from his seat, eyes blazing and his hands morphing into wolf claws. “Are you daring to insinuate that I don’t take care of my own?” he thundered.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Azlynn said, meeting his stormy gaze without so much as flinching. Dante tensed, ready to spring if Firn or any of the other wolves made a move towards Azlynn. They were spared a brawl, however, when the door flew open and a stocky wolf came sprinting inside, eyes wide.

“Alpha Firn! It‘s Red; she’s missing!”

“What?” Jae suddenly sprang to his feet, eyes wild.

“She somehow put a sleep spell on Drift, and she slipped out! She’s escaped!”

“You were holding her prisoner?” Will asked, aghast.

“Sounds like she’s feeling better,” Azlynn said flippantly.

“I think she’s gone after Amanda, sir,” the stocky wolf added nervously.

“Amanda?” Will was suddenly on his feet, looking suspicious.

“Henry what are you still doing here?” Jae snapped at the shorter wolf. “You should be out with a search party looking for Charlotte!”

“Charlotte?” Will and Drew shouted simultaneously. Will’s face was a mask of stunned fury. “You were trying to hold my little sister here against her will?”

Dante dropped his knife and fork. “Oh, fuck.”