Free Darkest Powers Bonus Pack 2 by Kelley Armstrong

Carter was a lot closer to me.
    I slowed and crept through the undergrowth until I could see him. He was standing behind a bush, peering over. I could tell by Chloe’s smell that she was about a hundred feet away—in the direction he was looking.
    He was watching her. Spying on her. Stalking her. I fought a surge of rage by telling myself that Chloe was safe. I could get to her before he could. As I worked on a plan, something kept distracting me. His scent. I could still smell cologne, but now, when I was in wolf form, I picked up more of his natural smell. It seemed . . . familiar.
    The other day I’d wondered if there was a reason Carter was wearing so much cologne. If he was covering his scent, that might mean he was connected to the Edison Group. Someone I might have smelled at the lab. I had decided I was being paranoid, but now I knew better. I recognized his scent.
    Except I didn’t. It smelled familiar and yet it didn’t. How was that possible?
    I could work that out later. For now, I just needed to get this guy away from Chloe. While my gut urged me to take him down—jump him, pin him, let Chloe escape—my brain said that wasn’t necessary. I could sneak around and warn Chloe, and we could get away together.
    We’d go back to the house and I’d tell Dad. Then we could go after Carter together as I tracked his scent. I’d let Dad handle him. It was the smart thing to do. When Dad realized I’d walked away from a confrontation, he’d understand that I was still me in wolf form, capable of rational thought. More capable of rational thought than I’d been when I’d attacked that kid in Buffalo.
    I started around Carter, making a wide circle so he wouldn’t catch a glimpse of me. That shouldn’t be hard, considering I’m a black wolf and it was night. Still, I stayed close enough to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn’t go after Chloe.
    I passed parallel to him, maybe fifty feet away. As I did, I heard him inhale sharply. I stopped and turned to peer at him. He was still behind the bush, but he wasn’t looking in Chloe’s direction. He was looking in mine.
    I eased behind a low bush. Carter wasn’t looking right at me. Just in my direction. Had he heard a twig crack? I didn’t think I’d made any noise. So what had—?
    He tilted his head and his nostrils flared. Sniffing? No, that wasn’t poss—
    It hit me then. What I’d smelled in his scent. What made it familiar. The underlying scent of a werewolf.
    I’d smelled it once before, with two guys who’d come after me. I’d figured out fast what they were. With Carter, even after I detected his real scent the cologne tainted it. But now there was no doubt. Carter was a werewolf.
    He sniffed again and his lips parted in a, “Shit.” He peered into the darkness. Then he looked toward Chloe. Back at me. More cursing.
    I knew then what I had to do. Get him away from Chloe. Chase him away from her. And when she was safe, I had to take Carter down and hold him until she could bring my dad. If a werewolf had found us, we were in real trouble, and I couldn’t let him escape until we knew what the hell was going on.
    I continued toward Chloe. Then I cut on a diagonal, heading for Carter’s position, creeping along silently until I was about thirty feet away. I paused, hunkered down. Then I shot from the brush and barreled straight for him, making all the noise I could.
    He stumbled away and seemed ready to run for Chloe. But he was too far away. And I was between him and her. One last regretful look her way, before he turned and ran.
    I let out a snarl. Chloe scrambled from her hiding place. I glanced back and caught a glimpse of her. I didn’t stop. She could see I was running the other way. Hopefully, she could see who I was chasing. She’d get to safety and bring help. I continued after Carter.
    It wasn’t a fair race. He was fast, but in the forest, having four feet and running lower to the ground gave me the advantage. He kept having