The silent call was more powerful than ever before. Alexandra had been his anchor, but he must cut her free. And run again, to a place he had never been. A place where there might be others like him. Others who would know what he was. Who would be his match. Whom he could not hurt if he were mad, who existed in a place where, in his deepest soul, he knew there would be an ending.
He would not change to wolf, not even to make his journey faster. But he could still run as a man. He would find the way.
He took one step, and then another, each longer than the last until he was running. Running northwest. Lovell, Alexandra had said. Still hundreds of miles away. But he never doubted he would find it.
In silence he ran, and in silence he mourned. For Peter, for Lori, for the unknown Ojibwe girl. For Alexandra, who had given him one night of wholeness.
They were lost forever.
Chapter 17
Alex pushed open the door of the cafe, assaulted by heat, the scents of bacon fat and strong coffee. A pair of truckers sat at the counter putting away platefuls of scrambled eggs, while the waitress talked to someone in the kitchen.
Alex found a booth out of the way and waited for the waitress to notice her. No point in calling attention to herself. The smell of food made her stomach churn, and even the idea of coffee was thoroughly unappealing.
Her gaze strayed to the window, across the road. Surely Kieran would turn up any moment. She had to be ready to leave when he did. They’d taken enough risks already, spending over thirty hours in this motel.
“Hey, didja hear the news?”
She looked up. A man had entered the coffee shop—skinny and middle-aged, a sheepskin coat hung over his lanky frame. He strode to the counter and pulled up a stool next to the truckers. The waitress hurried over to him, and the truckers put down their forks.
“I just caught it on my radio,” the newcomer said. ‘They found a body down the road about a mile—girl, all torn to pieces. Seems someone reported it anonymously just after dawn, but didn’t hang around until the cops showed up. I heard it’s pretty godawful—”
Alex felt her body go numb with a wash of adrenaline.
“Do they know who it was?” one of the beefy truckers asked. “The girl, I mean?”
“No, but she wasn’t from here. They think she may have been hitchhiking when it happened, and it wasn’t naore’n a few hours ago. Dark hair, white boots.” His voice dropped to a dramatic whisper. “I heard the boots were covered with blood.”
“Jeezus,” the other trucker said. “Here?”
“I heard already that it almost looks like some kind of animal did it. But it would have to be the size of a bear, and there ain’t nothing here that big, not that anyone’s seen. They think it has to be murder.”
Alex tried to push herself up from the table. The muscles in her arms gave out, and she sat down again.
“Hey, honey… you okay?” The waitress had finally arrived, at exactly the worst possible moment. “Can I get you something? Sorry I didn’t notice you earlier, but—”
“I’m fine,” Alex managed. “I… just feel a little queasy.”
“No wonder, honey.” A gentle hand touched Alex’s shoulder. “Isn’t it horrible? A young girl killed here… it just doesn’t happen. Used to be you could go anywhere with anyone and not have any reason to be afraid. Lord, what’s this world coming to?”
Alex got her legs to work and slid sideways from the booth. The waitress steadied her.
“Sure I can’t help? Something to settle your stomach?”
“Thanks, but I think I’ll be better if I just—” Alex gestured helplessly and walked out of the cafe as fast as she was able. The truckers had already abandoned their half-finished breakfasts and hurried to their trucks for more information. Alex nearly ran back to her room. She slammed the door closed and leaned against it, sliding down until she sat on the worn carpet.