Valor groaned a little, then smiled a thank you.
“And there was more than one wolf attack?” Brax asked.
“Yes. Immediately after returning home, I was contacted by a long time friend, who suffered a similar situation. He handled his wolf, but received great injury by doing it.”
“Jesus,” I exhaled.
Kyden gave my hand a squeeze, feeling the trepidation right along with me. Crazed wolves on the loose killing humans—talk about one hairy situation.
“What are your thoughts on this?” Talon asked Valor.
He shrugged, his expression completely baffled. “I have never met a wolf who was capable of attacking me. My strength is unrivaled. I have no understanding of what is going on here. Why our wolves are attacking humans with such rage and at these staggering numbers are beyond me.”
It was only three, but even that was an outstanding number in such a short amount of time. Wolves were generally gentle creatures—nothing of this capacity.
“Hmm…it is quite the problem.” Zade pondered. “What could be their motive behind it?”
I interjected. “What reason do any of them have—they’re all nuts!”
Kyden laughed deeply. “Well said.”
“We must return to the scene, recreate it, see if there is anything we can learn from the events that transpired,” Zia said.
“Right,” Valor agreed. “I believe that is our only choice. I am at a total loss about these incidents. Hopefully your insight will shed some light here.”
“Go on then, all of you,” Talon commanded. “Find some answers as quickly as you can.”
Briggs looked utterly tormented. He had himself wrapped around Rynn protectively. “Boss…” he started.
Valor raised his hand to stop him. “As of tonight, I release you from your duty to me. Your place is with her now.” He rested his hand on Briggs’ shoulder, gave him a soft smile. “Your position will be waiting for you when you are ready to return.”
Briggs exhaled a deep breath. “Much appreciated.”
“Make it right for her and that is all the thanks I will need,” Valor said softly.
Briggs gave a gallant nod.
On my way out, I hugged Rynn. “Will you be okay now?”
She hugged me back and whispered. “I think so. Thank you so much for everything.”
Before I could respond, Valor shouted, “Isla, go home.”
She scowled and yelled in return, “If you think I am not taking part in this…”
In the quickest of moves, Valor pushed her out of the Council’s Hall. Seconds later, loud screams and too many obscenities to count echoed through the hall just before a door slammed loudly.
A moment later, Valor came back grinning. “We can leave now.”
Chapter Six
The surroundings looked very similar to Valor’s ranch, mountain skyline with lush wilderness. Actually the landscape where we presently stood reminded me of an episode of Little House on the Prairie. It just had that old feel about it. “Where is your home from here?” I asked Valor.
“This is Hyde Park. It is only a few hours away from Cache Valley.”
A small house was nestled in a surrounding forest—almost a mirror image of my Carson City home. A bit rundown, but full of character with white washed wood paneling, black windowsills, and an old rickety swing sitting on a large porch.
“It is best that I speak to the family before we go around back.” Valor told the group, then looked at me. “Would you mind coming along?”
“Not at all,” I stepped forward.
“I will wait here for you,” Kyden said, giving my lower back a light rub.
I smiled, returning his as if that is even a question grin.
Just as we walked away, I heard Haven say. “Oh Finn, look, it’s so pretty here.”
I smiled, hearing the awe in her voice. Utah was beautiful—an outdoor enthusiast’s playground.
Valor climbed the old rickety steps, knocked on the door, and it immediately flew open. A woman stood before us, trembling, eyes rimmed red and her face was stone white. “Valor,” she said with a deep sniff. “Please, do come in.”
“Thank you, Ayan.” He glanced back to me. “This is Nexi.”
She smiled softly. “Welcome to our home, Nexi.” She waved us in. “Please, won’t you come sit?”
Hospitality right to the core, even when all that surrounded her was despair, she was still using manners. It made this entire situation all the more bizarre. How could a wolf that came from this woman be capable of such brutality?
After Ayan sat down, Valor and I followed suit, opposite her on the flowered couches. Valor looked around. “Is Narn not here?”
Ayan shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “I do not know where he has gone. He…is,” she raised a tissue to her nose, “not handling the death of our Rhoden well.”
Without hesitation, I stood, then knelt down in front of her and took her hands in mine. “I’m so sorry for your son. Believe me, Ayan, we will find out what has happened here.”
She squeezed my hands, her palms clammy. “You are a Guardian?” she asked.
I nodded softly. “Among other things.”
“Then, I trust that you will keep your word. Our Rhoden would do nothing of this cruelty. There must be an explanation.”
“May we go around back?” Valor asked.
She nodded, releasing my hands to wipe her nose. “By all means, do whatever you need to catch the one who did this to my son.”
After a few reassuring words from Valor, we exited the home. Kyden met me at the door. “Alright?”
“Yeah.” I waited until Valor joined us before I filled them in on what I knew. “She truly believes that he is innocent,” I told everyone. While I held her hands, I read her a little, searching for anything that could help us. “From what I saw, her son definitely didn’t seem the type to do something this vicious.”
Valor sighed, and gave his head a rub. “Let’s go see.”
When we reached the back of the home, there was a little vegetable garden off to the left and an uninhabited area filled the rest. Sitting next to a rock was a man, sobbing hysterically.
“Narn, I take it?” I asked Valor.
Valor nodded, then approached him. “Narn,” he said loudly.
The man lifted his face, heartbreak aligning every part of his face. I froze where I stood. I had seen eyes like that staring back at me in the mirror just after Gloria and Frank died. They were completely desolate.
“Valor…I…apologize you are seeing me this way,” Narn said, desperation hitting every note.
Valor helped him to his feet, his hand tight on the Narn’s shoulder. “Think nothing of it. I would be in no better condition.”
“Narn, do you think it wise that you stay for this?” Dante asked him.
“I must be here,” Narn replied, his tone firming with each word. “I need to be here to see what happened to Rhoden.”
I understood why. The unknown is always the worse part of loss, the hardest thing to get over. He was searching for a reason, needed to find some sense in all this tragedy. My eyes connected with Haven’s and I gave her a nod to proceed.
She stepped forward, raised her hands to the sky, and within seconds the scene was before us. The Earth element gave her the gift—which Zia also had—an ability to manipulate time and bring a moment back. They could recreate past events that happened, imprints on time that showed exactly what had taken place in this backyard.
What we saw wasn’t good. A woman, knocked out cold, was lying on the grass as Rhoden growled fiercely beside her. His teeth were pulled back in a snarl as salvia poured from his mouth. I’d never seen anything like it. His expression was crazed and he looked rabid.
Suddenly, the woman stirred, moaning as she awakened from unconsciousness. She turned her head slightly. When she saw the wolf, she scrambled away, only to be stopped by Rhoden.
He bit into her calf, forcing her still. She screamed out loudly as Rhoden went wild on her. Tearing into her slowly, he ripped pieces out of her flesh.
Terror and horror shot straight through me, but it wasn’t all mine. I turned to see Finn grab Haven and cover her ears with his hands as she hid against his chest. I glanced back to the scene as the woman was mauled to death, piece by piece.
By the time it was over, all that remained was her skeleton. My stomach turned. “He ate every piece of her?” I said to Kyden, aghast.
He nodded grimly. “Indeed he did.”
Haven sobbed in Finn’s arms. She never could deal with this part of our jobs. Hell, I wasn’t sure I could deal with it. Gruesome never did sit well. Usually that part was easy to get past, when the need to stop the one who did it began to consume me.
The wolf lay next to the bones, stared intently at his kill. “When I found Rhoden,” Valor said. “He had not moved. He was still in this exact same position.”
Narn stepped forward, wiped tears off his face. “His eyes are not his. None of my son lies in there.”