CHAPTER 17
Clio woke to a hulking wolf nudging her head and whining. She sat up, pushing her hair back out of her face. For a second, she was completely disoriented. This wasn’t her room. Then the memories came flooding back. They were at Callie and Hunter’s place. Trinity and Tera were sharing the futon in Callie’s office.
She scratched behind the wolf’s ear. “What’s wrong?”
His hackles were up, a deep growl rumbling in his chest as he stared at the door. Adrenaline surged through Clio’s bloodstream as she got out of bed in the guest room and reached for the doorknob. The wolf was right beside her, ready.
She held her breath and opened the door.
No one was there. A sigh of relief escaped her, but the wolf trotted to the front door, his growl becoming a snarl, his lips pulling back to expose deadly sharp teeth. Clio hesitated, glancing down the hall. If there was someone out there, Hunter might be able to hear the thoughts of their intruder, and he had weapons training.
Clio balled her hands into fists. Last night, she’d faced Pamela with this wolf at her side, and she was still standing. She didn’t need to be rescued then, and she wouldn’t need it now. She and Mason were a team, whatever form he was in.
At the door, she rose up on her tiptoes to peer through peephole. No one. She crept to the living room window and peeked through the slats of the blinds. She frowned. Zack was outside on the lawn.
How had he known where to find her? Maybe he’d asked Lia. Or maybe being the ruler of the gods gave him powers she didn’t want to contemplate. She went to the front door. Quietly, she and her wolf slipped outside. The growling wolf approached Zach, and Clio didn’t try to stop him. This was the man who had the power to bring Mason back to her, yet he’d refused. She didn’t owe him anything.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
His blue eyes traveled down to the wolf and back up to her. His expression was grim, but not angry. “He killed Pamela.”
Clio blinked, frowning. “How do you know that?”
“Because when an immortal leaves this plane, the rest of us feel it.” He glanced up at the house. “The others are still sleeping?”
Clio crossed her arms. “If you’re here fishing for an apology for wiping out an immortal, you’re going to be disappointed. Pamela was going to kill an innocent little girl. We did what needed to be done.”
Zeus crouched down to the wolf’s level so they were eye to eye. “He’s a wonder.”
“He was even better as a man.” She raised her chin. “Why are you here?”
“Because I’m not the only one who will have sensed Pamela’s exit.”
Clio’s breath caught, stealing some of her bravado. “Kronos will know, too.”
Zack nodded slowly. “I wanted to warn you without the others discovering who I really am.”
“How are we supposed to fight off the Father of the Gods? We’re down to four Guardians now.”
Zack reached out to the wolf. The animal snapped at his fingers, but he didn’t pull back. “He’s very protective of you.”
“Mason thought the wolf recognized me as his mate. That’s how he was able to shift back during the fire…” Her words drifted off as her mind toyed with the information. “The wolf understood he could only get me safely out of the burning building as a man… Wait.” Her pulse took off at breakneck speed. “Could it work again?”
Zack looked up at her with a twinkle in his eyes. “Such a brilliant girl.” He got to his feet with no effort. “I can’t use my powers without revealing myself, but I can tell you that love is its own kind of magic. If both the man and the wolf love you, anything is possible.”
For a moment, Zack’s facade faded away, revealing the all-powerful light of the God of Olympus. And then he was a simple senior citizen with a purple hat once more.
Clio wrapped her arms around him, coaxing a chuckle from Zack as he patted her back and whispered, “If immortals come seeking to avenge Philyra’s death, only this wolf will be immune to their magic.”
Clio stepped back, sobering. “Are you trying to tell me the only way to be sure everyone is safe is to keep the wolf?”
“That’s not what I said.” He glanced at the wolf and back up to Clio. “I’m telling you that if your Guardian can find a way to work with the wolf instead of succumbing to him completely, it could save you all.” He squeezed her hand and then tightened his grip on his gold cane. “Be careful.”
He turned and tottered out to the street. No one would ever believe her when she told them the mighty Zeus just got behind the wheel of a gold Prius and drove away.
Clio chuckled, shaking her head as she looked down at the wolf beside her. “When did my life get so strange?”
She turned toward the house, and for the first time since Mason had shifted, there was hope in her heart. At least a glimmer. All she had to do was figure out a way to make the wolf and Mason understand that she needed them both.