“Because a few of his pack have left, and he always worries they will wind up under me.”
“Yeah, I’ve noticed how you seem to make an impression on the ones I send you,” Johnathan said.
Caspin laughed, and it degraded into a cough.
“You think he told Isaiah where your den is located?” Johnathan said.
“Isaiah came in a truck with Merle’s scent all over it. I thought it was him until I caught the scent of one of Isaiah’s betas, and then Isaiah showed up at my den.”
“Can you think of anyone Merle might have told about Isaiah looking for you?”
“Merle is his own wolf. He holds no alliances except to protect his people. He doesn’t have a lot of money, but he has an extensive network due to the size of his pack and they are fiercely loyal.”
Which meant getting anyone to talk would be difficult, if not impossible. At least without resorting to violence.
“Do you know where Isaiah is now?”
“He will abandon the truck far away. Push it into a pond or set it on fire, then travel on foot. As for where? Back to Merle. Somewhere else. Your guess is as good as mine.”
“And you’re going to move your den,” Johnathan made it statement.
“As soon as I can travel. The church is far enough away from my den, it’s unlikely they will look here. The reputation of my gluttonous wolf is preceded by my wolf’s distrust of most humans.”
“How do you manage to get it to go near the church?”
“Most,not all. It likes the priest, and I trust my Fenrir’s judgment. They are smarter than any Varu and incapable of being corrupted.”
Johnathan couldn’t argue. While wolves loved strength, it was always based on the desire to protect its host or its pack. They didn’t build empires and conquer civilizations. No matter the species, those weaknesses belonged to mankind.
“But if they have a Mah powerful enough to make that many curs and send them to hunt me down, they will make more.”
“They weren’t made by a Mah. At least not directly.” Johnathan told him about Phillips, the Senate, and Dr. Dante’s hypothesis around the curs.
Caspin’s exhale rattled the speaker. “That could explain why they smelled wrong.”
“What do you mean?”
“Their scent tasted chemical and mixed. As if they’d been sleeping within a pack of different Mah, not at the feet of a single master.”
Johnathan had no idea if that supported Dr. Dante’s idea, but it sounded like it could.
Which was bad for all of them.
“If the Senate sent curs to stop me from giving you information, they could send curs to stop you as well.”
“I know.”
“Then I suggest you relocate as quickly as you can, my brother wolf.”
“I’d planned on leaving today, but there’s another storm moving in. It’s too risky to fly.”
“Then you might want to take one of those foul-smelling, loud, obnoxious metal boxes you drive around in and make as much distance as you can.”
Seung met Johnathan’s gaze. The look on her face said she agreed.
“We will.”
“Good.” Caspin’s breath hitched.