Read The Devil Inside (Wolf Guard Book 1) for Free Online Page B

was insane...and yet I followed his
dementia to the cabin, curious and slightly awed.
    He sat me down with a gentle nudge to the
table and resumed stirring the pot on the stove before placing a dish piled
high in front of me. Steaming hot goodness that forced saliva to form in
appreciation. The window arching over the wooden table showed the sun setting
over distant trees. I'd been asleep far longer than I thought.
    He sat his own plate down opposite me and
gave me a silent gesture to eat. I picked up my spoon and shovelled a mouthful,
it seemed I'd found a new love for stew.
    After a few minutes of settling the gnawing
hunger I looked at the strange man in my company.
    "You're Sam, right?"
    He wiped a hand on his faded jeans and held
it out in front of him. "Sure am. Pleased ta meet ya."
    I took his warm hand curiously and narrowed
my eyes at his."So, what are you?"
    He chuckled, a deep gruff sound that
reminded me fondly of my father.
    "Werewolf, obviously."
    I raised an eyebrow, the man was at least
sixty years old, did he think I was stupid?
    "Now dun go lookin' at me like tha'. I
been around a long time, seen many things." He swallowed another mouthful
before continuing. "Then you get ta be around too long. My babies grown,
their babies grown. Lost my Amelia in tha war of '98. Dun want nobody else. Ya
stop shiftin' fo' long enough ya start agein'."
    I looked at his long face, I didn't realise
that was an option.
    "Eat up girlie, we talk on tha porch
afta', got me some whisky go real good wit' stew."
    I rolled my eyes at his obvious habit and
managed a few more spoonfuls before my stomach protested.
    I stepped on the porch, the setting sun low
in the sky. A burnt orange on the horizon. Two rickety old chairs sat in the
corner and I claimed one before Sam joined me with tumblers of gold.
    He had an old pipe in one hand and tapped
it against the rail before refilling the tobacco. The monotonous sound of
lighting and sucking at the pipe lulled me to relaxation, the whisky doing the
rest. He started talking as a cloud of smoke billowed around his head. I was
glad I was upwind.
    "Met my girl in my two hundredth year.
Had nigh on two hundred an' fifty years wit' her." He chuckled at the
memory shaking his head. "Woman was crazy. Gave me a heart attack more
often en' not. Came over here in tha seventies." He screwed up his face a
little at the thought. "Worst decade eva'. Them damn peaceables wit' their
drugs an' free love. Amelia got so high on acid one day, thought she could fly,
damn near hurled herself off a cliff."
    My jaw was hanging down and he gave that
chuckle again at my reaction.
    "Oh I saved her tha' time." His
forlorn expression came so suddenly my stomach sank. "Lost her head in
tha' war. Packs became greedy, tryin' ta take what wasn't theirs. A boy, no
olda' then you, not shiftin' long, came at her. She didn' even raise her hand
at him, dun think she coulda. He took her head easily enough. I knew tha moment
she went."
    He puffed a little on his pipe as we sat in
silence, I had nothing to say to that; loss is a given. He gave a bellowing
laugh and I frowned at the tears streaming down his face.
    "She was tha ugliest thing ya eva did
see as a werewolf."
    I stared at him in shock.
    "It's true, I swear down. Snaggle
toothed if ya can believe it. Drooled so much I bought her a bib one year. Took
a picture ta show tha kids. She dun speak ta me for a week!"
    His tears were falling freely now, not
sadness but joy, a sparkle in his eye when he remembered. I wondered if I'd
ever have that feeling.
    "Dun you worry nun, she got hers.
Shaved my damn ass when we was sleepin' in tha forest. Only werewolf in tha
whole country had a pink ass when he bent ova'."
    I spat my whisky out in a cough and a snort.
Spluttering over the jeans I still wore.
    "I loved tha' woman." He sighed
into his glass. "I been waitin' ta see why I'm still here. Seems I been
waitin' on you."
    I peered at him, his cheeks still wet with
laughter. I could tell