The Wolf Crown (The Wolf Kings #2) (MLM)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO.

                "Mira!" Tiberius growled. "Wyatt!"

"Sir!" they snapped to attention at once, transforming on the spot.

"Everett," Tiberius warned, "do not let Jack out of your sight!"

Everett managed no more than a nod before Tiberius was transforming as well.

"Tiberius," Jack tried, "wait—"

The ground shook so violently that Jack stumbled. Everett caught his arm, and held his hand tightly as the wolves surrounded them. Tiberius, the largest of all of them, hovered closely over Jack, growling menacingly under his breath, his gold eyes glowing and narrowed.

With his free hand, Jack rummaged through his satchel as he scanned their surroundings. Pines were still falling and though they were still within earshot of the town, gone were the distant rumblings of traffic. Even the birds had turned silent, waiting with bated breath for what happened next.

What did Jack have that could help him now? He still had his gold hairbrush, the paperclips and flashlight he'd taken to keeping at all times just in case, a scarf, a rope, a camera, his camera flash and its trigger, extra pens and notepads, his baseball, and a polaroid of him and his parents . . .

An inkling of an idea started to trickle in just when—

BOOM!

The ground erupted apart, enough for a shadowed spine to show itself and sink back into the earth. The others whirled to attention at once, Tiberius stepping forward so that he was standing on top of Jack directly. Jack could feel him vibrating, more than anger coursing through his veins.

He's scared for me, Jack thought, just as the ground erupted again. He lost his footing, but again, Everett caught him. Jack caught the slivers of a shadow in his peripheral vision, but when he turned to look, it was gone.

Jack yanked his hand out of Everett's and started pulling things out of his satchel. There was no time to think things through, he had to act.

"Damn thing's toying with us," he grumbled, pulling out the rope. It had once been in his apartment, tying his white sheets together during that French bohemian phase when he'd thought he'd give painting a try. Before he realized that having a talent in writing did not extend to art, and his sheets ended up having more use during Tiberius's latest visit.

So, you know, waste not, want not.

"Why's it here?" Everett demanded. "Didn't Prince Quartz say it was likely to attack you last?"

"Maybe it's not attacking us at all," Jack said, working quickly. "Maybe it's just trying to psych us out."

"You willing to bet on that?"

Jack scoffed.

"And what are you doing?"

"I have no idea," he confessed.

A paw burst out the ground, uprooting a pine tree that would've collapsed on top of Wyatt, if not for Mira who lunged in and shoved him out of the way. They toppled over one another, battered, but at least still in one piece. Jack had no idea he'd frozen until Everett knelt at his side, face red, and demanded, "All right, what's your idea?"

Jack shook himself out of it. "Huh? O-Oh, uh . . ." he held up his camera. "It—It's going to sound a little insane."

Everett, who'd been looking over his shoulder to make sure Mira had gotten to her feet, whirled around. "What of your ideas isn't?!"