Free The Wolf in His Arms (The Runes Trilogy) by Adrian Lilly

join our side,” Alec said.
    “What?”
Jared asked.
    “Like
you did me. Look, Darius said we’re the pack. The best. Powerful. What if we can convince the others to fight the good
fight? Maybe we can stop the bad guys or, well, werewolves. Whatever they’re
planning.”
    “We
don’t even know who we’re up against,” Lucy said.
    “Not
yet.”
    “I just
had a thought,” Jared cut in. “What if forming the pack is our trigger? What then?”
    “What
if wearing purple on the third Friday of the month is your trigger?” Lucy
snapped. “I’m so sick of guessing. Guessing when you’ll change. Guessing if the
door will hold me in. Guessing when the werewolves will make their next move.
Let’s do something.”
    “She
has a point,” Jared said, standing. He looked down at Lucy. “As abrasive as
that point might be.”
    “So
we’re going to try to hunt the members of the pack down and convince them to
join us? To fight against the werewolves?” Alec asked.
    Jared
nodded.
    “But
first we have to convince them that there are werewolves. Even though you and I
can’t change.” Alec shook his head and frowned. “Great plan.”
    “Instead
we let the wolves get to them first? Kill their families? Their friends?” Jared
reached out and took Alec’s hand. “This is what we agreed to do. To fight. To
try to stop them.”
    “Who in
their right mind would listen to us?”
    “I
don’t know. But he’s out there,” Jared said.
    “Or
she,” Lucy added.
    *           *           *           *
    The
drive to The Fullerton Building would take about 45 minutes. Tristan stretched
out in the backseat, fiddling with his camera, as Molly sat in the passenger
seat, watching the world whiz by her window. In the driver’s seat, Kevin enthused,
“I’m so fucking stoked.”
    Tristan
reached his head into the front seat between them. “I know I’m gonna get great
shit tonight. Greee-ate!”
    “Dude,
are you stoned?”
    “Maybe.”
    “Seriously.
Are you serious?” Molly yelled, smacking his shoulder. “We agreed. No pot.”
    “Dude,
I’m just really excited. And I needed to chill.”
    “This
is our first night excursion. We don’t need you breaking a leg because you’re
baked,” Kevin said, his voice thick with disdain.
    “No
more,” Molly said. “Give me your bud.” She thrust out her hand angrily.
    “You
have it in my car? Asshole!”
    Tristan
handed the small stash to Molly. “Generally, I’m like, I’m so lucky that my
boyfriend’s best friend isn’t an asshat. This is not one of those moments.” She tucked the bag in the side
compartment of her door. “Total asshat.” She dragged her hand across her
forehead, pulling her bright red-dyed bangs out of her eyes.
    “Whatever.
Sorry. My buzz is already gone,” Tristan said, sulking into the backseat. His
mop of curly hair bounced on his head as he slammed his back against the seat
like a pouting child.
    After a
few moments of silence, Kevin said, “So you have cameras for all of us?”
    “Yeah.
If you want them,” Tristan said, still sulking.
    Molly
rolled her eyes to Kevin. “Just because you’re an asshat doesn’t mean I don’t
want to help you ghost hunt.”
    “There’s totally gonna be one!” Tristan rebounded,
his face thrust happily between them once again.
    *           *           *           *
    In the
dark of winter, Lucy demanded to be in the safety of the vault by the time
night fell, long before the full moon rose. She sat in silence in the backseat
of Jared’s car, her eyes closed, listening to the classical music playing in
her earphones. Alec sat in the passenger seat, looking out the window at the
vacant buildings around them, fiddling with a flashlight. Jared pulled the car
into an empty lot and turned off the engine. “Here we go,” he said.
    Lucy
already had her earphones out and was opening the car door. Jared popped the
trunk on the car as he exited. Alec climbed