Prince of Shadows by Susan Krinard

Luke had been the first to tell Alex and Kieran that he, his cousin Philippe, and two others of the loup-garou would accompany them home, to reinforce Alex’s testimony of Arnoux’s confession to the murders of Peter Schaeffer, Lori Carstens, and Julie’s cousin. There was never any risk that the loups-garous would be exposed for what they were; they had learned long ago how to protect themselves, and Kieran could control his shifting now.

There’d been an investigation, of course. Police, and lawyers, and time spent in jail before the hearing. But Kieran hadn’t been alone this time. He had faced his brief imprisonment with unshakable calm.

The facts of Lori’s death had come out, including tissue samples taken from her fingernails that confirmed Arnoux as the murderer. A maid from the Merritt Motor Inn had come forward with a report of having heard Arnoux and Peter arguing in Peter’s room only a day before his murder.

In the end Kieran had been cleared of all charges. But Arnoux had become the source of endless speculation.

Alex could still remember the restrained amazement on the judge’s face when the witnesses related the bizarre story Arnoux had confessed before the villagers. That he’d believed he could change into a wolf, had gone mad and died of that madness.

Not of madness, but a massive heart attack, according to the coroner in British Columbia. His dying declaration had suggested a rare modern case of lycanthropy, the knowledgeable agreed. A man who’d believed he was a werewolf. Who’d killed the parents of a young boy and kidnapped him, murdered others, and tried to blame those murders on his former captive.

So the affair had ended. If the people of Merritt weren’t entirely won over to Kieran and Alex, some were beginning to come around. Alexandra found more allies in her crusade for the wolves.

And there was Julie’s family, who had at last been able to end a tragic chapter in their lives. Cheryl’s murder had been solved. “The circle has closed,” Julie had said. She explained how she’d sensed a connection between Alex, Kieran, and Cheryl’s death almost from the very beginning but had been convinced of Kieran’s innocence and the importance of his part in learning the truth.

She’d been right, as she was right about so many other things.

“All right, then,” Julie said as Alex returned to the present. “I’ll expect you two at Mom’s house tomorrow night. Or should I say ‘you three?’ ” She looked at Kieran with a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “The twins and Bobby can’t wait to play horsey with you again.”

Kieran glanced at Alex, who made a helpless gesture. “Don’t look at me. I can still remember how fascinated I was with a certain wolf when I was a child.”

They gazed at each other, sharing memories. Julie coughed.

“Uh… I think I’ll be going now,” she said, backing away. “See you tomorrow night!”

Alex made a vague wave in Julie’s direction. She was distantly aware of receding noise and the dissipating smell of gasoline and hot metal. Then there was only Kieran. She stepped into his arms.

“How did the tracking go yesterday?” she asked, nuzzling his neck.

“Very well. The pack allowed me to approach closer than ever before.” He drew back and brushed his knuckles along her jaw. “They’re accepting me, Alexandra.”

“I think I know why.” She looped her arm around his waist, hooking her thumb in a beltloop, and pulled him back toward the cabin. “When the wolves tried to attack you before, it wasn’t because you weren’t either a man or a wolf. It wasn’t because you didn’t belong as a part of nature they could recognize.” She leaned her head against his shoulder. “It was because you didn’t accept yourself. They sensed that. And now—”

“Now they feel the difference in me,” he finished.

“You still may never run with the pack,” she said softly. “You’re still not exactly what they are. Does that bother you?”

“How could it?” He swung her to a stop and kissed her brow. “I have my pack here. My home, and my world.”

Her eyelids fluttered. “It’s funny. Even the people of Merritt are starting to see us differently now that we’ve come to terms with ourselves. Maybe wolves and people aren’t so different after all.”

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