Chapter 17

• Two days later
• I walked in the quiet before sunrise with my chestnut horse. The ranch Marcus rented for us in rural Texas felt peaceful after the turmoil at the werewolf party. A light breeze blew by, carrying the distant sounds of howling animals. It made me feel free.
• As the first rays of sunlight began to pierce the horizon, the howls tapered off into a hush, swallowed by the burgeoning day. I knew without seeing that Xavier and the others were close; their presence was a pulsing undercurrent beneath the serene surface of the ranch.