The Shepard's Agony by Mandy Rosko Page A

everyone else in the room bowed their heads, their expressions grave.
    A chill went up her spine. That book in the wrong hands could hurt so many people, not even her home would be safe. Did David know it was gone? Would he have told her if he did?
    “ We don’t know if the hunters found it and took it, but it isn’t where Bill usually keeps it . Since we can’t find it , we can’t take the risk.”
    “ Where’s everyone going to go? They can’t all go h ome,” Gwen said, trying to think of possible solutions to the problem or anyplace the book might be that no one checked. “How could the hunters have found it anyway?” she asked. “It’s locked up, isn’t it?”
    Larry nodded. “In Bill’s desk, but the lock wasn’t broken and it wasn’t in there.”
    Bill took a wheezing breath to ready himself. “That’ s why we think someone from our side had something to do with this and why it’s important to question the Shepard. Gwen, even if I were to choose to agree with you that he saved you because he didn’t want to see you hurt, it doesn’t make him any less guilty for the things he's done with that family of his,” he spoke softly . He had to because of his condition, but his words were like a blow to the chest. Evey stared hard at her.
    Gwen tried to think of anything that could point the finger away from David. She didn’t want to believe that saving her had more to do with creating a distraction amongst the pack than her actual safety. She wanted to trust him so badly, but , the fact of the matter was, she was likely staring at him with rose colored glasses.
    Unable to think of a response, Gwen slowly nodded. “Okay. Bill?”
    He turned his head slightly.
    "You said I can have a few minutes alone with him?"
    He managed a weak nod, too exhausted from talking.
    That was good, she wanted to tell him herself. When she left the room, she did so with a heavy heart. Evey followed her out, placing her arms around Gwen’s shoulders when the door was shut behind them. She tried to draw some comfort from her friend, but it was little help.
    “ It’ll all work out in the end, ” Evey said.
    “How?”
    Evey didn’t respond, she just gave her a gentle squeeze and walked off.
    “ Thank you, ” Gwen called sarcastically.

Chapter Eight
     
    He knew it was petty, but Shepard was glad the cocky wolf got his ear blown off . He hoped it was Allen who did it , too . Payback for all the times he was forced to knock him unconscious. It was something nice and horrible to think about while he leaned against the wall and scratched at the cut on his arm ; a cut that had begun pulsing painfully some minutes ago.
    Then , his ears perked and his nose twitched. Gwen was coming, he could smell her from down the hall.
    Shepard didn’t want an interruption, so he and ran into the men’s room . When Gwen was passing, he surprised her by dragging her inside and locking the door.
    “What are you doing!” she screeched when he released her, checking the stalls to be absolutely sure they were alone.
    “You couldn’t smell me waiting in here? I could smell you a mile away.”
    She flushed. “I was … thinking.”
    “ Great,” Shepard slammed the last stall door shut, convinced they would now have their privacy. “You have a bad habit of keeping things from me.”
    Gwen tensed and was suddenly aware of the tightness in his shoulders. “Like what?”
    “ Don’t play dumb.” He approached her and she backed into a cold wall. Shepard knew he was radiating an angry aura, was probably scaring her, if she was capable of being scared, but he didn’t care. Instead , he put one hand on either side of her head.
    “We were in the car, sitting right beside each other and you couldn’t even mention there was a chance I might not survive the … change.”
    It wasn’t a question, it was an accusation.
    He could see the light bulb go off in her head. “Ah, so now you know what I’m saying.”
    “David it’s not like