Darkest Powers Bonus Pack 2

SevenWhen I smelled Carter’s scent threading through Chloe’s, I wanted to tear over there, take himdown and save her. I’m sure that’s what Simon would tell me to do. Play the hero. Save the girl. Winher undying love. Except racing through the forest meant Carter might hear me and grab her as ahostage, which would be a whole lot less romantic. Even if I did manage to take him down, I was inwolf form. That would be kinda hard to explain. Worse, I could hurt him, like I had that kid inBuffalo. Time to calm down and proceed with caution.While I worked this out, I loped through the forest, getting to Chloe as quickly and quietly as Icould. Soon I was close enough to tease both scents from the air and realize they weren’t actuallytogether. They were just coming from the same direction. 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 hewas looking.He was watching her. Spying on her. Stalking her. I fought a surge of rage by telling myself thatChloe was safe. I could get to her before he could. As I worked on a plan, something kept distractingme. His scent. I could still smell cologne, but now, when I was in wolf form, I picked up more of hisnatural smell. It seemed . . . familiar.The other day I’d wondered if there was a reason Carter was wearing so much cologne. If he wascovering his scent, that might mean he was connected to the Edison Group. Someone I might havesmelled 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 guturged me to take him down—jump him, pin him, let Chloe escape—my brain said that wasn’tnecessary. 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 hisscent. I’d let Dad handle him. It was the smart thing to do. When Dad realized I’d walked away from aconfrontation, he’d understand that I was still me in wolf form, capable of rational thought. Morecapable 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’tbe hard, considering I’m a black wolf and it was night. Still, I stayed close enough to keep an eye onhim 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 andturned to peer at him. He was still behind the bush, but he wasn’t looking in Chloe’s direction. He waslooking in mine.I eased behind a low bush. Carter wasn’t looking right at me. Just in my direction. Had he heard atwig 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 awerewolf.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 towardChloe. 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