Instinct by J.A. Belfield Page A

for the tiniest
twitch of a lie.
    “Not before
yesterday.”
    “Did you tell
her, Sean?”
    I went to shake
my head but paused. If I told him no, he would demand to know how
she had found out. Sharing the Wolfsbane information would bring
certain death for Jem’s entire family. Holding my tongue, I sent
him a nod.
    “She could have
imparted the information to others by now.” His quiet voice did not
fool me into believing he remained calm.
    I stared him in
the eye. “She will not tell.”
    “You cannot
know that.”
    “I know Jem.
She is loyal to me.”
    “Which is more
than you have been to us .” James’s voice notched deeper, and
a mumble rolled along the table, as Philip sounded his
agreement.
    Before I could
snap out my opinion of his interference, I met Giles’s gaze. He
gave a slight shake of his head.
    “You will not
meet with her Tuesday next.”
    I spun back to
face James.
    “Leave it with
me,” he continued. “I shall meet with her, and I will take care of
this situation you have gotten us into—”
    I shook my
head. “No.”
    “You have left
me no choice. Tuesday next, I shall ...” He trailed off, as my
focus flicked toward the forest, and when I looked back, his gaze
locked onto me. “You did not plan to wait that long to meet with
her ... did you, Sean?”
    “I have only
ever met with her on a Tuesday,” I managed, despite the roaring
inside my head.
    James’s chair
scraped back, as he pushed to his feet. “Perhaps I shall see for
myself.”
    I remained
rigid in my seat as he rounded the table.
    He paused at
the exit and turned back. My swallow sounded loud to my ears, as I
watched him. In return, James’s gaze travelled over my body, across
the tension in my shoulders, the prominent tendons even I could
feel showing in my neck, to my hands, which tightened along with my
jaw. With a small smile, he tugged open the door and disappeared
outside.
    Three pairs of
eyes stared toward James’s departure. Only Giles remained facing my
way.
    I knew not what
his expression intended to relate, but his slight head inclination
toward the open door reminded me of the others’ distraction.
    Without further
consideration, I leaped onto and across the table. My chair toppled
to the floor in my haste, and I threw myself outside before any of
them had a chance to respond.
    James had
already hit the trees, his receding back visible amongst the bushes
and leafy trunks.
    Rain pelted me
as I raced across the garden, adhering hair to my brow and sending
my bare soles slipping on the wet grass.
    Pummelling feet
followed, calls to come back echoing behind.
    I ignored them
and ducked into the forest, taking a more direct route than
James.
    Knowing where
she would wait gave me an advantage—and not my only one. Wolfsbane
had taught me that I could change whilst mobile, an ability none of
the others had ever tried to master.
    As my feet
drummed the muddied ground, understanding my speed would be far
greater as wolf, I called forth my change.

10
    I soon left the
others behind and, thankfully, did not cross James’s scent on my
route to the fallen trunk. Although I slowed my pace before
nearing, the consideration did nothing to eliminate Jem’s startled
expression, upon seeing me arrive as a wolf.
    She looked
beyond me for a moment before turning back with a frown. “Sean?”
The unsure smile she attempted reflected her confusion.
    Head down, I
padded toward her, the thoughts that had dominated my mind during
the run continuing to scream. Yet, within seconds of Giles’s words,
I had known I would do it.
    She peered off
again, as though expecting to see the reasoning for my form. “Are
you in trouble?”
    My attention
did not leave her whilst I struggled to win my inner battle, but I
had no choice.
    I continued
forward until close enough to touch.
    Her head
whipped back to me, and as I held her eyes to mine, she seemed to
sense my uncertainty. She reached out a hand, offering comfort and
convincing me