“We’re going to get the caravan in Ambleside.” I let out a breath. “Then we’re going to Scotland.”
“What for?” Kage asked.
“That’s a good question. We have to find faie again for one thing. I’ll scry for them. There’s more there. Unfortunately, my memory of the conversation is not exactly dynamite thanks to the circumstances in which I was trying to listen.”
“We’re going to find two young wild mages,” Jason said. “Calum and Frim in the Highlands. The magical community should know about them, but this is going to be a challenge if we’re not talking to anyone.”
We all looked at him. Myself in particular.
“How on Earth to you remember that?” I said at last. “I had no idea what names he said. And I thought you were just about unconscious at the time?”
“I guess that helped me listen.”
After another pause, I looked around to the seven at the table with me. Gabriel had brought two extra chairs.
“That’s what we’re going to do,” I said. “We believe they are at the very least mercenaries working for the killers, if not more directly involved. There are very few casters capable of creating reavers. When we find these mages, we’ll find the killers, one way or another.”
“How do you know they’re in Scotland?” Isaac asked.
“We don’t,” I said. “But we’re almost certain they live there. That’s how we’ll find them, even if they’re in Cumbria or Brighton right at this moment.”
“It wasn’t a waste then,” Kage said, dragging his eyes from Jason to look at me. It was like a question, like it had a “please” at the end of it.
My throat felt tight. “No, it wasn’t. We shouldn’t have done it. I wish we hadn’t. But it wasn’t a waste. We know what to do.”
He nodded.
When no one spoke, all plates empty, most people looking at them, I added, “No more splitting up the pack.”
They looked at me.
“We’re staying close and we’re going to find these people while there are still wolves left in Britain to save. Because we’re right beside them. I can feel it. It’s like they’re at my shoulder and every time I turn around, they’re just out of sight. We already know… Remember? Is everyone ready? Can we start out today? I don’t know how all seven of us are going to fit in the Jeep, but the bikes—”
“Eight.”
Silence.
We all looked along the table.
“What?” I said.
“I’m coming with you,” Gabriel said.
More silence.
“You … are?” I said.
“I’ve been making the arrangements. I can leave in the morning, if that’s all right. However, with eight I’ll want my motorbike. There are others still at the property if anyone wants his own. I’m unsure which or how many were badly damaged, only that many of the vehicles were saved.”
“I don’t know, Gabriel,” I said slowly. “You’ve done so much for us already and it wasn’t your fight from the start. This is very dangerous—”
“That’s why I’m coming. That’s why I was in Paris. It would be simpler for my schedule to take the holiday time now and accompany you in the first place.”
“Want to show me how to use the gun?” Andrew asked.
Kage and Jed jerked their heads around.
“He has a gun?” Kage asked.
“Yes, I’ll be glad to, Andrew,” Gabriel said. “I think that would be prudent. And perhaps someone else?”
Isaac was nodding.
“Can you get another one?” I asked. “From your source?”
Again the heads turned. Everyone in the room stared at me.
“I’ll see what I can do,” Gabriel said.
“What did you say?” Kage asked. “All right to start shooting people now? You didn’t want to help in the first place because you were afraid we’d hurt some murdering bastard who’s been picking us off.”
I looked at him, at Gabriel, at Jason, at the thought of myself having the gun and all the men I could have killed without a qualm, without hesitation, without remorse, to get my pack out of Paris.
Finally, I answered Kage. “That was a long time ago.”
Chapter 53
Eight. It wasn’t wanting a gun or wanting an extra member that kept me from arguing with Gabriel anymore. It was the number. That, in fact, made me sure he did need to come with us. It wasn’t a just-growing fetus at all. This was a living, breathing, walking, helping eight.
We cleaned up and Gabriel had to leave us for a few hours of work before we drove down—all of us, with Zar riding with Gabriel on his motorcycle—to the coast.
The territory was black, desolate. I knew better than to let them stay. The grief, the emptiness, would be overwhelming. Possessions of any value had already been picked through by the pack, cleaned out of damaged homes where things could be saved and locked up to be stored in those still whole. There were only ashes and memories to pick through for the passerby.
It took my breath, left me reeling—and it wasn’t even my home.
We stayed together, sparing only a few minutes for the brothers at their place and for Jason to find Spike. His and Kage’s home was damaged but still standing. He brought the charred antler along. Likewise, Zar found the black and badly damaged shell of a once silver flute in the wreckage of their place. His books were all gone. He ran to discover Atarah’s home was also standing—some of their old texts and unique documents had survived.
Isaac, Andrew, and Gabriel helped keep everyone moving. A pause, a moment of silence, a few items picked up from ashes, and we made our way first to the bike shelter that had been destroyed, with many motorcycles ruined, then to where many more had been saved at the back of the property.
They had to poke around for whose were there and also what keys they could find to match. This brought the selection down to almost nil since keys had also been locked up where they’d been on hand. Jed’s bike was there, but he couldn’t find the keys in the ashes. Jason found his keys at home, but his bike was one of the burnt ones.
Eventually, though, Andrew found his own bike and was able to get into his room with his house key. This discovery led to the selection of Thomas’s bike as well. Andrew presented this to Jed, who seemed to think Andrew was playing a trick on him. Kage suggested they might find proper motorcycle trousers and jackets at their place since the bedroom had been intact, Andrew also got extra clothes and found his and both his parents’ helmets. We gradually made our way out with all the extras we could carry.
We gathered on the pitted, rough road alongside the broken-down rail fence. The fire had not spread to the field, the dirt road having acted as firebreak. After the bustle of getting ready, loading the Jeep, bringing the two bikes around, we all just looked for a long minute.
Jed walked up the road and gazed across the field toward the wood.
Everyone else looked at the devastation until they started returning to the Jeep. Andrew pulled on his helmet and threw his leg over the bike. Kage and Jason climbed in the Jeep with me. Gabriel walked Zar back to it, hand on his shoulder.
Isaac was also walking slowly for the Jeep when Jed said something, and he turned. I couldn’t hear what, but watched them from the passenger seat as Zar climbed in silently behind me.
Jed, hands jammed into his pockets, thumbs sticking out the tops, said more to Isaac while looking at the gravel by his own feet.
Isaac stood there, as if confused, then shook his head, saying something back.
Jed looked away across the field.
A pause, then he turned for the bikes. He stopped, walked back to Isaac, and offered his hand, saying something else short. Just a word or two.
Isaac shook with him, then watched, clearly bewildered, as Jed walked to the loaned bike by Andrew.
Isaac returned to the Jeep to drive. Kage, still not at his best, had also never driven a four-wheel in London and hadn’t objected to my suggestion that Isaac drive. In fact, I
don’t think Kage had wanted to. He got into the back, staying close to Jason.
Only once we’d pulled away and they’d had a last look did I ask Isaac what that was about with Jed.
“Oh… He said he was sorry for what he did in Ambleside. Then just … thanks. And shook my hand. I don’t know what that was about at all. Two things I don’t think I’ve ever heard Jed say before.” Isaac frowned at the road.
We returned to the city and had a final night to prepare, pack, discuss, and go over ideas for how we were going to find who we wanted while talking to the least possible number of people—and no longer able to ask druids, vampires, or anyone we already knew for help.
Gabriel was out most of the evening. The rest of us ordered pizza and stayed at his place. We gradually stopped talking about tomorrow and talked about food and Scotland and Kage’s healing and how different pepperoni tasted in fur compared to skin. This started because Jed abandoned the pizza party to change for the evening.
I went to my bag, but I didn’t have the slicker brush. It was in Ambleside with my other things. I got my own hairbrush from the bathroom and returned to sit on the floor with Jed, the others around complaining about the TV or just sitting.
Jed was only lying behind the couch, digesting his meal, chin to the side of his forepaws on the carpet, but I sat and waved him over. He lifted his head and looked around to see who I meant, then came slowly.
I brushed him while Jed sat stiffly. It seemed he still didn’t believe me, maybe waiting for a lecture.
“You’re a good person,” I murmured, brushing down his throat and chest.
Jed blinked and met my eyes.
“Has no one ever mentioned that to you before? Well, it’s about time. I think you’re loyal, smart, observant, loving, skilled in your work and interests—be that leather craft and driving your motorbike, or hunting and tracking; strong in both forms. I think you’re a good person who’s taken some bad turns now and then. Just like the rest of us. Just like all good people who make mistakes.”
I brushed over the spot where I’d cut off a chunk of his fur in Portland, still short but mostly hidden. Then cupped his chin in my free hand, looking into his eyes.
“But you know what? It shouldn’t matter what I think. Or what your brother, or your family, or your pack thinks about you. They are not writing your story unless you allow them to. You are, Jed. It matters what you think. Does that make sense?”
He watched me.
I kissed his whiskers and let him go, brushing down his shoulder. “Why don’t you and Zar stay up here tonight? If you’re both okay in the room with me and Andrew, it would be nice to give Kage and Jason a little alone time with the regular hotel room.”
Jed was losing interest already, eyelids sagging with the brushing. He gradually lay down alongside me for sweeping strokes down his back and sides.
Isaac stepped in from the kitchen to ask how I was feeling—and did I need anything?
“That’s a … weird question,” I said pointedly. “I’m fine.”
No one could stop thinking of all the raindrops, of course. Of their destroyed homes, dead relations, their own healing wounds and the task at hand. Yet it helped, it almost made it seem we could walk between the drops, to talk, share pizza, a brush, a bed.
Zar and Andrew stayed with me that night. Jed sprawled on the floor. Isaac slept again in the living room.
Gabriel came in late. Where would we be without him?
I meant to search for faie in my dreams, get into lucid dreaming again, keep busy. But Zar’s grief was like a shroud and I only ended up holding onto him, Andrew at my back, until I blinked and it was morning.
We left London in another drizzle, the bikes ahead so we could keep an eye on them, all our phones turned off. It should be enough to deactivate any location related features, but we were going to start to overcompensate whenever we could.
I didn’t know when I would talk to Stefan again. I didn’t text Rowan or Gavin to say I was breaking off communication. I didn’t know if the pups were safe or how Melanie was doing.
It was time to go back to what we knew, to each other, to faie and balance and survival. Had it been worth it? True, I could feel the nearness of our foe. But that didn’t mean it had been easy, or I didn’t have regrets.
I spent much of the long car day in the back with Kage and Jason, leaning on Kage in the middle while he told us about his boring and frustrating recovery with Madison, Jed, and Storm. I was so full of gratitude listening to him, feeling how warm and solid and right here he was, hearing Jason laugh at his story of attempting to chase the impassive cat, that I started a gratitude list in my notebook. The list mostly just came down to being seven names, though. Then I remembered to add Madison and the unborn baby and Nana and Stefan.
I dozed with them, held on, listened, and imagined the white light shield around us. Drawing all of us together, protecting, getting us through another rainstorm.
A week ago I might not have thought I could make a shield so big. Now I knew better. I knew, at least, that I had enough imagination to try. Plenty of imagination for magic I’d never dreamed of: powers I looked forward to discovering. Plenty of imagination and magic and strength—and love—in this pack to succeed.
Dear Moonlight Pack
Thank you for running with the pack!
The hunt is almost over—but still loads of romance, adventure, and stories to be told in the final two Witch and the Wolf Pack novels! The next book, Moonlight Magic, is now up on Amazon.
Between books, please take a moment to post a quick review, and sign up for the mailing list! Why join when your inbox is already overrun and you can’t take one more newsletter? I’m glad you asked!
With a couple of clicks you can join the Moonlight Mailing List through kralexander.com and instantly receive a free WatWP prequel novella, plus more freebies in the future. Subscribers then receive release news and exclusive content, including the latest about my new reverse harem trilogy—and members will always be the first to know!
Thank you! Looking forward to continuing this journey together!
Until our next hunt,
Moonlight Whispers: A Reverse Harem Shifter Romance (The Witch and the Wolf Pack Book 8) Page 36
