“Are you sure that’s smart?” Her tone screamed I was suicidal. “You’re injured, and he’s…”

“I don’t have much choice. I’m not staying out here forever, and he seems calm enough now.” My fingers curled into my palms, the urge to stroke his fur and find some shred of Graeson lingering in his eyes overwhelming. “Tell my family to stay with Meemaw tonight.”

Rude as it was to presume she had room for guests, I would use Dell as leverage mercilessly. I had brought her little girl home, and Meemaw would grant me this favor in kind. None of the wargs would want to see Graeson harmed on my account, and the good ones wouldn’t want him to wake from his fugue with my blood on his teeth.

“Okay.” She bobbed her head. “Are you sure you don’t want to wait for Bessemer?”

“No.” A snarl laced my voice and perked Graeson’s ears. I’d had about all I could take of the alpha’s interference. “I’m good.”

That Bessemer hadn’t put in an appearance all these hours later made it clear to me that his hopes aligned with Imogen’s. He wanted me gone, and he wanted his beta cowed. Two birds, one stone.

I planted my boots and tested my weight on them. The wolf sat up to see what all the fuss was about, but seemed more curious than anything. Pushing to my feet in slow motion, I gave him plenty of time to protest. He sat there until I managed to stand, and when I wobbled, he darted next to me. I leaned on him with a grimace, afraid I’d draw back a bloody nub, but the madness that had seized him seemed to have abated now that he had a captive audience of one.

I waved at Imogen, hoping it wasn’t a true farewell, and found her eyes as round as saucers.

Graeson hadn’t killed or maimed me…much. Clearly that shocked her.

That made two of us.

Together the wolf and I picked our way back to the trailers. The homestead was as we’d left it. The driver-side doors on Isaac’s truck still stood open, and a basket of laundry had exploded over the ground. Aunt Dot must have dropped it when we peeled into the clearing.

I grabbed the plastic bag Mai had smuggled from Edelweiss, shut the doors and locked the truck. My leg wasn’t up to gathering the clothes. Those would have to wait until tomorrow.