xia

and floor peanuts, but I had

ties that had choked me for years. I hadn't made it to Vienna yet. My savings

d Grayton, just inches outside the Pack's territory border. It was

illed spirits, and the E-flat was flat in the literal sense, but the humans didn't care.

no Man' again!" a drunk pat

ers finding the familiar,

f rain and wind blew in, carrying a

ked pine

co

died under

of place in his tailored Italian suit among the flannel and d

angry. He loo

ring the bartender who sh

ed, stopping right

g the piano between us like

, his voice low and intense. "The Pack... the h

noise machine

lvet box. He snapped it open. Inside sat a diamond necklace

d animal. "To make up for the... misunderstanding at the party. Come home,

. They glittered coldly

dry sound. "Is that the corporate

ted to be useful. You wanted to help the Pack. Remember? You t

rage. "I told you my dream was to find my family. My *real* family.

t remember. He had rewritten m

said. "I have a plane ticket t

eyes. "You can't. You

y of the bond sparked, but instead of

a normal ringtone; it was the emer

fumbling and putting it on

erical and high-pitched. "Help me! Rogues! They've breached t

cob's face. The old mill

dra," h

second, I saw the conflict. He was h

I said

n't check if I was safe. He turned and bolted out of t

tender yelled.

illights disappe

It wasn't a Pack howl. It was the discordan

cl

ext to me ex

h the glass, snarling, foam dripping

mans s

grabbed the only weapon I had-the heavy velvet box Jaco

ell them. They weren't just at

ad taken th