Liv twisted the knob of the back door and slowly pulled it open. She stuck her head out and looked around. Cold air slapped her face, and a chill ran down her spine. The temperature had dropped at least twenty degrees since the sunset. That, combined with the adrenaline pumping through her body, made a jittery combination.

“Do you see anything?” Cassie whispered, and Liv jumped.

“Don’t do that,” she hissed and jerked her shoulder, pushing Cassie off her back.

Liv pressed the flashlight mode on her phone and shone a bright spotlight toward the darkness. It was eerily quiet, and Liv suddenly wondered if Cassie was correct. Maybe they were the main characters in the next sequel of Friday the 13^th and about to be slaughtered by a crazed lunatic. She shook her head, pushing aside the irrational thought. She didn’t believe in that crap, unlike her scaredy-cat friend.

She moved her hand, scanning the area with the light from her phone. Off to the side, she spotted a large metal trashcan. It was tipped over, and a raccoon was rummaging through what appeared to be decaying trash.

“Looks like I found our serial killer,” Liv said and stepped out into the backyard.

Cassie followed but remained glued to her backside as she peered over Liv’s shoulder. “Hey, don’t underestimate those fuckers. They’re evil,” Cassie whispered.

“You’re pathetic. Look at the cute little guy,” Liv replied as she watched the beady-eyed critter scatter garbage across the ground.

“Have you seen what rabies does to a person? Foaming at the mouth, convulsions, paralysis. I wouldn’t get within twenty feet of that infected varmint,” Cassie explained and turned to walk back into the house.

Suddenly, a loud bang echoed. Liv glanced at the raccoon and watched it scurry into the darkness. “That wasn’t our furry friend,” she whispered and flashed her light toward the sound.

Liv saw a shed not far from the cabin. She recalled Henry telling Lawson that was where the firewood was stored. A gust of wind whipped through the trees and blew the shed door open. It slammed against the side of the small building, causing a loud bang.

“Okay, I think our spookometers are in overdrive. You and your talk about Jason and Crystal Lake. You need to stop watching those ridiculous movies, Cass. Come on. I need to secure that door before the wind blows it off its hinges,” Liv informed as she walked toward the shed.

“Yeah, why watch Netflix when we’re living with people that can turn into the worst nightmare imaginable,” she muttered as she tiptoed beside Liv. “I’m getting my froggie slippers all dirty,” she complained.

“Shut it and come help me. We’ll throw your booties in the washer, and they’ll be good as new,” Liv said as she grabbed the latch on the shed door to close it.

A low rumble had Liv’s head snapping to the side. She put her hand up, shining the light toward the noise.

A tan-colored wolf stepped forward and growled. Its brown eyes pinned Liv, and she froze. This wasn’t a typical wolf. It stood nearly five feet tall. This was a shifter.

“Whatever you do, don’t move,” Liv ordered as she tightened her grip on the knife. She prayed the creature would see they weren’t a threat, and leave them be.

“Fuck that shit. I’m outta here,” Cassie said before she took off running toward the cabin.

The wolf charged toward Cassie, and Liv shouted, “No! Leave her alone!” as she ran after the two, cursing her friend for not listening.

Without warning, the wolf lunged and pounced on Cassie, knocking her to the ground. Liv screamed again, and a rush of energy took over as she watched the animal sink its large canines into Cassie’s lower leg. Liv’s heart hammered against her chest as she raced to her friend.

Cassie was on her stomach, the wolf pinning her to the ground. She was trying to crawl to safety, but the wolf wouldn’t allow her to budge.

As soon as Liv reached them, she raised the knife and plunged it into the wolf’s hind leg. The animal released Cassie and lifted its snout to the sky, howling in pain. Cassie scrambled away. Without stopping, Liv grabbed Cassie’s hand and yanked her to her feet. They took off toward the cabin, running like their lives depended on it.

Liv didn’t look back. She couldn’t hear the wolf, but that didn’t mean it wasn’t right behind them. She dashed ahead of Cassie and flung open the back door when she reached it. As soon as Cassie crossed the threshold, Liv slammed the door shut and bolted the lock. Liv fell against the door, her chest heaving as she tried to catch her breath.

She leaned over and peered out the window, trying to see if the wolf followed them. She didn’t see or hear anything and hoped the animal left. Liv turned to Cassie who was bent over, lifting the pant leg of her pajamas.

“Holy shit, look at my leg,” Cassie shouted, and Liv rushed to her side.

Blood trickled from the wound. It wasn’t deep, but Liv needed to clean it so she could get a better look at the injury.

“You go to the bathroom, and I’m going to double check all the locks in the house. That was a shifter which means it can get inside,” Liv said in a rush as she made her way to the front door. She twisted the deadbolt then checked all the windows in the cabin to make sure they were locked, as well.

Once they were safely locked inside, Liv made her way to the small bathroom. Cassie was sitting on the edge of the tub, her leg positioned under running water.

“Shit, this hurts. Do I need stitches?” her friend gritted as she inspected her leg.

“Let me see,” Liv answered and sat beside her on the bathtub. “I don’t think so, but I need to see if they have a first aid kit around here,” she explained and stood, walking to the nearby linen closet.

She searched the shelves but didn’t see anything. “I’ll be right back. It might be in the kitchen,” she muttered and walked down the hallway.

“Bring me that bottle of wine,” Cassie shouted after her.

Liv rummaged through the cabinets and finally found a white box with the familiar red cross on the lid. She opened it and was immediately impressed. This was not your typical kit with bandages and antiseptic spray. No, shifters apparently went to the next level with medical supplies. It contained surgical scissors, a skin stapler, and scalpels, just to name a few. There was also prescription strength antibiotic cream, which would come in handy with Cassie’s wound. She grabbed the entire box, along with the bottle of wine, and rushed back to the bathroom.

“Here you go. I’ll go get your glass,” Liv offered as she handed Cassie the wine and set down the kit.

“Don’t bother,” Cassie replied as she turned up the bottle, taking a long swig.

“Well, alrighty then. Good thing Lawson bought several bottles,” Liv said with a laugh.

She went to work treating Cassie’s injury while her friend guzzled wine. “You know, you’re a total badass,” Cassie said as she watched Liv cleaned her leg.

“No, I’m not. I was scared shitless out there,” she admitted as she applied the ointment, wrapped gauze around the wound, then grabbed the medical tape.

“It didn’t show, girlfriend. You went all samurai warrior with that knife. You were like, hi-yah motherfucker!” Cassie said and waved her hand, slashing the air. “I’m serious, you’re my hero,” she added.

Liv secured the bandage then leaned back against the wall and straddled the tub. She reached for the bottle in Cassie’s hand and took a deep drink. “Yeah, that’s me. Wolf-slayer extraordinaire,” she joked.

She was the last person Cassie should call a hero. Liv was the weakest link at Safe Haven and was pretty sure everyone knew it.

“Hey, how about we move this party to the living room? Give me your pants and slippers, and I’ll throw them in the washer. I’ll see what food Lawson bought and meet you by the fire,” Liv offered as she stood.

“Works for me,” Cassie replied as she slipped off her bloody pants and muddy slippers. Cassie hobbled down the hall while Liv cleaned the mess in the bathroom then dropped her friend’s soiled items in the washer on her way to the kitchen.

She returned the first aid kit to where she found it then glanced out the window to see if the shifter was anywhere in the yard. A curse left her lips when she couldn’t detect anything through the darkness. She couldn’t hear anything, either. Hopefully, the wolf was wounded badly enough that it had to crawl off and heal.

Liv turned around and rifled through the bags on the counter. Microwave popcorn, chips, a box of crackers, and some granola bars, along with wine and bottled water. She opened the fridge to put the water bottles inside and spotted a few more snacks. Assorted cheeses, grapes, yogurt, and a six-pack of beer. She acknowledged Lawson was pretty decent at grocery shopping. At least he covered the main food groups. Alcohol and protein.

Liv threw a packet of popcorn in the microwave and set the timer. While that cooked, she cut up some cheese and washed the grapes then arranged everything on a platter. The bell dinged, and she threw the popped corn into a bowl then made her way to the living room.

Cassie was wrapped in a plush throw, sitting by the fire with the bottle in hand. “Well, isn’t this romantic?” Liv said with a snort.

She walked to the large window and peered outside, hoping their four-legged friend had moved on. She wished Lawson would hurry up and return. She would feel safer once he was there.

“Hey, I’m not complaining. Come and cop a squat,” Cassie said and patted the rug in front of the fireplace.

Liv sat cross-legged and placed the food between them. “Enjoy my gourmet spread,” she teased and grabbed a handful of popcorn.

Cassie shoved a cracker with cheese in her mouth. “It’s perfect. So, any thoughts on who that wolf was? I can’t help but wonder if it was Ryan, but why would he attack me?” her friend asked as she munched on her snack.

“I thought about that. Surely, it wasn’t Ryan. Although, the coat of the wolf matches his hair. Lawson’s fur matches the color of his eyes, but I don’t know if that means anything,” she explained as she considered the possibilities. “I wonder about Annette’s sons. Maybe it was one of them, protecting their property. But, if that’s the case, why hasn’t he let his parents know he’s alive. None of it adds up,” Liv divulged as she grabbed another handful of popcorn.

Liv heard a sound and her head jerked toward the front door. The knob jostled as if someone was trying to get in.

Fuck. Had the wolf shifted and was coming after them? She quickly scanned the room, looking for a weapon. She grabbed the poker by the fireplace and stood up, preparing to fight.

A loud rap to the door was followed by a gruff voice. “Liv, open up,” Lawson barked.

Liv released the breath trapped in her throat. She rushed to the door, unlocking it. Lawson opened the door and stepped inside before Liv slammed and locked the door behind him.

“What the hell’s going on? Why did you lock me out, and why are you holding that poker?” he asked and Liv tossed the metal stick aside then threw her arms around his neck, squeezing him tight. “Babe, you’re trembling. What happened?”

Liv grabbed his hand and pulled him over to the fireplace, telling Lawson about their run-in with the wolf. As soon as she finished her long-winded story, she sputtered, “So, you think it was Ryan?”

Lawson scrubbed his jaw. He was in desperate need of a shave, but she found his rough look incredibly appealing. “From your description, I’d say yes, but unless I see it firsthand, it’s hard to be certain,” he replied and met Liv’s gaze. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine now,” she replied with a tilted smile.

Truthfully, she was shaken to her core, but she didn’t want him to know that bit of information. He was a shifter, and the last thing she wanted Lawson to think was that she feared his kind.

“Hey, what about me over here? I’m the one who was mangled by your brother, the man I’ve been bumping pink parts with for the past few months,” Cassie interjected as she pulled the cover from her leg to show Lawson her wound.

“Trust me, Cassie. That’s just a scratch. If it was Ryan, he held back so as not to hurt you. He could’ve ripped your leg from your body if he wanted,” he explained.

“So, I take it you didn’t see him when you went to the lake,” Liv assumed and pursed her lips. This wasn’t as easy as she hoped it would be.

Lawson shook his head and replied, “No, which makes me think it was him tonight at the cabin. I’m going to go outside, and look around to see if I can find anything. Will you be okay?”

“Are you kidding?” Cassie blurted. “Liv is a total badass. You should’ve seen her wielding that knife,” she recounted and hacked the air like it was her enemy.

Lawson cocked a brow at Liv. “Is that so?”

“Don’t listen to her. She’s drunk,” Liv said with a laugh as she watched Cassie take another long drink straight from the bottle.

“I see that. Decided glasses were a waste of time?” Lawson teased and reached for Liv’s hand. “I don’t think you give yourself enough credit, Sunshine. I saw how you reacted against Ryan at the lake. Your instincts are spot on. You’re braver than you realize,” he declared, and she smiled wide at hearing his praise. She had no idea he saw her as brave, and it felt good. She wanted him to be proud of her.

“Okay, you do your thing, and I’ll get Tipsy to her bedroom,” Liv announced and got to her feet.

Lawson tugged her to his chest and leaned down, placing his lips to her ear. “Keep the bed warm,” he whispered.

“Mmm, deal,” she replied then offered a helping hand to Cassie. “Come on, Wine-o, let’s get you to bed.”

“Thank God I’ve been drinking,” she said and grabbed the near-empty bottle of wine and guzzled what was left. “I hope I pass out because my room is right beside yours, and I really don’t want to hear you two jerkin’ and twerkin’ all night,” Cassie muttered as she stumbled down the hall.

Liv locked eyes with Lawson, and he smirked. Yeah, she hoped Cassie passed out soon, too. Her nerves were frayed after the altercation with the wolf, and now her need was at an all-time high.

“All night sounds good to me,” she muttered then kissed him like she meant it.