1302 The Alpha (The 13th Floor) Read Online Free PDF Page B

something so easy for him was so hard for her. “Maybe it would be easier if we went somewhere else. I was starting to get the hang of it upstairs.”
    “That’s because your apartment smells like you. It’s easy for you, but you aren’t always going to be in your apartment. This is a city. Lots of concrete and pollution. Breathe in your surroundings, smell everything, let yourself meld with it.”
    Stefanie grunted and took in a deep breath. Concrete. Cigarettes. A hint of blood. That made her frown.
    “Concentrate,” James said.
    She could smell it all, but that didn’t mean she could make herself smell like it. It was all unnatural. She wasn’t a city gal even after living here a year.
    “Let’s go to the woods. I feel more comfortable there.” Stefanie started down the stairs before he had a chance to reply.
    “Wait! Are you crazy? Your pack is looking for you. And it’s more difficult to do this out in the woods. Too many other scents. Really, it’s best if we try it here where we’re safe.” James hurried after her.
    He had a point. A big point. It wasn’t that she wanted to put herself in a spot to get caught, but it made more sense to her to learn to do this in the woods. That’s where she felt at ease. The pack couldn’t be everywhere at once.
    “Were you raised in the city?”
    “What?” He caught up to her. “Well, yes. Why?”
    “I was raised in the woods. The city doesn’t smell right to me. I know all the smells of the wild. I’ll be able to do better there.” Stefanie nodded more to convince herself than him. She could stay holed up in the building, send him out for food, but she hated to be pent up. She needed to learn to do this even if it meant taking her chances.
    “I think it’s too risky. You need more practice.”
    “And I need to get out into the woods.” She reached the bottom and pushed open the door to the lobby. Outside, the city was in chaos. She stopped and James bumped into her from behind. “What the hell?”
    “It’s like World War Three out there.” James slipped around her and walked to the lobby windows. “Or the zombie apocalypse.”
    “Smell that.” Stefanie ran out the front door. Her stomach clenched. “Flesh, fire, and death.” Was this the pack’s work? A wave of fear washed through her. Would they do this to draw her out? It was horrific.
    Sirens blared from a few blocks over and the sound of gunshots echoed from the opposite direction. There were buckets of fire attached to some lamp posts. James jogged over to one and peered in. His body jerked and hand flew up to cover his mouth.
    “What?” Stefanie tensed.
    “It’s a head. A human head.” He’d paled and looked like he was barely holding in the contents of his stomach.
    “A head.” Not for a second did she think he was lying no matter how it sounded. Did Wyatt send her a message? Did he track her to the building and couldn’t find her? Was it her sister’s? Her heart hammered, and she grabbed James’ forearm to steady herself.
    No. Looking up and down the street, she saw buckets all over. From the sounds of it, the whole city was going crazy. The pack couldn’t do this on their own. No matter how gruesome it was, it wasn’t Wyatt’s style. He’d just toss the head into the building lobby and wait outside for her to show.
    “Maybe we should go back inside.” James broke her train of thought.
    “No. Something else is happening in Carmine. I don’t know what, but it doesn’t matter.” Okay, it did matter. It mattered if the city burned to the ground. A city she’d grown to love. How many plumes of smoke did she see? Too many to count. “The woods will be safer.”
    She started to run. Normally, she would go around the block a few times, step on other stoops, and zigzag through the streets to confuse anyone who might scent her trail, but she wasn’t going to waste any time tonight. Something big was happening, and she couldn’t afford to get caught up in it.
    Offering