by Kat Bostick
Clem’s downcast countenance immediately shifted and it was obvious by the sparkle in her eye that Mari had her attention. Sometimes the alpha’s daughter was a little too easily intrigued by witchcraft. Mari assured herself that she wasn’t technically manipulating Clem. The she-wolf was interested in observing more spellcasting and tonight was the perfect occasion for it.
A witch was strongest on the full moon, after all.
An hour later Clem followed Mari and the rest of the pack out the back door and to the meadow where they changed before a hunt. By the gleeful look on Charlie’s face, it had been a very long time since Clem last joined them out here. Mari hoped that if tonight went well, that would change. Clem was pack and whether or not she could run on four feet, she was a wolf.
This was the first of many projects Mari had taken on. Now that she was the official Wolfseggner of the Humble Springs pack—whatever the heck that entailed—it was her responsibility to guide them. She figured that she probably needed more seasoning before she was rockin’ it but this was good a start.
She might have started working the she-wolf over and convincing her to join the pack on runs sooner but, as it turned out, recovering from blood loss took forever. Thanks to Jasper’s werewolf healing mojo, her shoulder injury and the slice on her arm were no more than pink scars within a week. Sadly, her tattoo was still ruined but it could have been worse. She could be dead.
Unfortunately his healing abilities mostly worked on a surface level so her skin was better but her body had a lot of work to do to make up for losing several pints of blood. The blood transfusion did seem to speed up the process but not nearly as much as Mari would have liked. If the pack tried to force one more disgustingly undercooked steak down her gullet, she was going to bite all of them.
Mari and Clem played with a few theories to see if they could make werewolf healing more effective internally but they both concluded that the options were gross. Well, Clem didn’t seem to think asking Jasper to spit in her mouth or give her some blood to drink was nearly as gross as Mari did but she didn’t push it. Worse, his saliva was apparently much more effective when he was in wolf form.
Nope. Mari decided to get better the old fashioned way. Rest and relaxation and lots of bad monster movies.
Hopefully she was recovered enough to enjoy the night. It was a special occasion. Though she was technically initiated into the pack on the harvest moon, Mari felt like it was more official now. She’d been on the fence then, too afraid to make a decision, and almost ruined everything. Those reservations were replaced by resolve tonight.
Besides, all that down time gave her a chance to study her craft more. After Lyse and most of her coven were killed, Clem searched the cabin they’d rented and found an incredible collection of spell books and history. She and Mari spent hours poring over each page, studying every word. Clem had to translate a lot of it from German but eventually, Mari learned some useful information about herself.
There were a handful of pages that were sentenced to the fireplace. In the end Clem agreed with Mari’s decision but the she-wolf was very distraught about destroying such rare texts. Truthfully, Mari was pretty sad about it too. She loved books and it felt like sacrilege to harm a grimoire. It was the right thing to do, though. The spells written on those pages shouldn’t exist. She didn’t want to risk anyone ever getting their hands on them and cursing a wolf like Lyse had cursed Jasper.
The same went for the enchanted dagger crafted by Lyses’ mother. Much to Mari’s disappointment, the destruction of magical items was more complicated than melting it in a fire. Clem researched to the best of her ability but from what she gathered, it would require another enchantress to disenchant the item. Since Mari was none too keen to let anyone ever know about the dagger, she agreed to let Charlie keep it somewhere safe. Leave it to a thief to know how to protect priceless items from thieves.
Mari did her best to forget about that scary thing. It was powerful. Like way-overpowered-powerful. The fact Lyse had used it so sparingly was a testament to the sliver of good that lingered in her heart. Sure, she did cut Mari’s vein open with it to steal her magic and also tried to stab it through her heart but Lyse didn’t do that to the countless other witches she encountered. She totally could have. She could have stabbed every magic person she came upon, sucking up their power like a creepy witch vampire and becoming an unstoppable evil force.
Recognizing that was about as close to forgiveness as Mari came. In a lifetime, she might actually forgive the whole stabbing thing. Water under the bridge and all that. If werewolves could let hard feelings pass, so could she. Just not yet.
Mari would never be able to forgive what Lyse did to Jasper and Gran, though. No one should be robbed of their willpower or their magic. The wolves deserved freedom and respect. They weren’t tools and they weren’t animals blind with lust for blood. Someday she would make the world of magic folk see that.
The pack was enraged when Mari broke Lyses’ hold on them. During that time they proved they were not blood-hungry beasts by showing mercy in their killing. Each wizard and witch that went down did so swiftly and with little pain. Some of them even got away. The wolves could have ruthlessly mauled the coven but they didn’t. Yes, they died but the pack was only defending themselves. Hell, even a court of law would probably side with them.
Eh, on second thought, they should probably avoid human law enforcement.
“Oh, I guess it’s that time already.” Mari blushed and turned slightly away as the pack began stripping in unison.
Nudity was quickly becoming a norm in her life. Thankfully the clothing optional rule only applied outside the house and even then, the weather was getting too cold for naked jaunts in the woods. Unless you were Cash because apparently the man couldn’t feel any temperature change until it dipped below zero.
Mari was definitely feeling the temperature change tonight. The brisk October air was much sharper this far north. She didn’t have to undress in order to perform her moonlight worship but it was more effective if she did. Something about open energy flow and surrender. And she would do it anyway in solidarity with the pack. If they had to freeze their junk off, she would too. Clem didn’t feel the need to join in on the sufferfest.
Though she was trying not to stare, Mari got distracted after removing her sweater and jeans. Jasper was a few feet from her, gloriously naked and pale in the darkness. In the last two months he’d gained back most of his lost weight and the muscles on his back, shoulders, and arms were quite impressive. And those thighs, sweet furry Jesus. They were so firm it was probably immoral for him to continue exercising. Someone might walk into traffic while staring at those quads.
The attraction, it would seem, was mutual. Jasper made no attempt to hide his arousal when he stalked over to her. He tugged her into a hard kiss, pressing his burning skin into hers and effectively blocking her from view so that the pack couldn’t see her half naked form. It was fine for him to strip down and show that friend under his zipper to the whole world but if she wanted to do it he got all growly.
“Get a room!” Cora yelled. Deak echoed the sentiment with a hand slapped over his eyes.
“You heard ‘em, Red. Get outta here.” She wasn’t huge on public displays of affection in front of the pack anyway but it was a tad more embarrassing when they were both nude. That didn’t stop her from squeezing his butt to make her point.
Jasper gave her bottom lip one more jolting nip before lowering himself to the ground with the rest of the pack. Mari quickly finished undressing, berry sized goosebumps rising on her tan skin in the cold. She took her place near the pack, rapidly calling words of worship and gratitude both to Moon Mother above and Earth Mother below. Once she was finished she grounded her feet firmly in the soil, lifted her arms to the air, and drew on her power. This part was becoming easier every time she did it.
Thanks to some of Lyses’ books and a several willing volunteers, Mari had figured out a song that called on the change
in the opposite direction of the moon song from her rites. She’d never used it on so many wolves at once—her maximum was two—but it should make their change move smoother and quicker. Readying herself with one final inhale, Mari began her foremother’s Kulning.
Jasper’s change was by far the fastest. The redhead had a natural ability to shift with more ease than the others but Clem suspected Mari’s connection to him as a mate aided that even more. Tonight, with the power of the moon filling her lungs and pushing the pack to take their wolf skin, Jasper’s change lasted little more than a minute. Cash was a few minutes behind him, followed by Charlie, and then the others.
Mari opened her eyes and smiled at the wolves in front of her. They stretched their legs and shook the last of the pain from their coats, eager to begin their full moon romp. Based on the happy energy thrumming around the meadow, Mari’s magic had done its job.
“That was incredible.” Clem said as Mari quickly yanked on a pair of joggers and a sweatshirt, surprised that for once, she wasn’t dizzy after casting. “It felt like…like coming home to mother’s arms.”
“Oh, good. I was worried you were going to tell me I’m as tone deaf as Cash.” Mari joked, dodging a vengeful nip from the black wolf.
“I am definitely going to want more demonstrations of that.” The she-wolf clapped her hands together excitedly.
Mari laughed and plopped down onto the ground so Jasper could greet her—as if he hadn’t just been kissing her two seconds ago—and go through his scent rubbing ritual. She tussled with him for a moment before urging him on. The rest of the pack was pacing, ready to move. As soon as Jasper was with them, Charlie took off at trot into the trees. Mari watched them move as one, trailing their alpha wherever he led.
She extended a hand to Clem and smiled cheekily. “Well, shall we?”
“Shall we what? You want to go inside already?” The she-wolf took her hand.
“Of course not. The moon is barely out.”
Clem yelped in surprise when Mari yanked her in the direction of the pack. The she-wolf hesitated for a couple of steps but she soon found her footing and in no time she was jogging up beside Mari. Once they left the meadow and the canopy grew thick, Clem overtook her. Unlike Mari, Clem could see in the dark. They switched positions, Clem guiding Mari through the trees at top speed. Roots and shrubs snagged her tennis shoes but she put her trust in Clem to show her safely through the forest.
They caught up to the pack quickly. Charlie and Cash darted in circles around Clem, whining happily at her. She glanced back at Mari once or twice, a wolfish grin on her face.
“Thank you, Mari.” Clem panted when they stopped where the trees thinned at the base of a grassy hill. “I needed this.”
Mari had never been this far into pack territory before and she was awed by the beauty of the untouched land. She gave her attention back to Clem in a nod of acknowledgment. Then she darted up the hill, Jasper hot on her heels. She leapt gracefully onto a large boulder just in time to avoid being tackled. He growled his frustration at missing his prey. Mari shook her head at him and laughed.
She was so happy. Happier than she’d ever been. Happier than she thought possible.
Overhead the Blue Goddess made her presence known with a brilliant show of opalescent light. The wolves below shivered ecstatically under the caress of the silvery magic. They were happy to play but Mari could feel the drive to hunt growing within them. It was the perfect time for a hunt. The moon overhead was the hunter’s moon, after all.
Today was supposed to be the day she made a life changing choice. And she had. Mari looked out over the beasts circling the hill. She glanced at Clem, who had climbed up beside her. Then her gaze found Jasper. Perfect, beautiful Jasper. This was her choice. She chose Jasper. She chose family. She chose to run wild with the wolf pack, the rest of the world be damned.
The red wolf met her gaze, his eyes glittering with joy at her resolve, and threw his head back in triumphant howl. A chorus of howls echoed his cry of victory. Even Clem let out a wolfish scream.
This is my choice. Mari told the moon.
Then she cupped her hands around her mouth, lifted her lips to the heavens, and sang with the wolves.
A Message for My Lovely Reader
From the time I learned to read, I lived for books. A story felt like a magic portal to another world that I never wanted to leave. As a child I hid flashlights under my pillow so I could stay up late reading and was frequently scolded in class for hiding a novel under my desk when I was supposed to be paying attention. The only thing I dreamed of more than those characters in those unique worlds I read about was creating my own, sharing a fictional place that enthralled others the way so many had captivated me. If you’ve made it this far then I hope in some way my story has touched you. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart for reading my work.
Until next time,
Kat Bostick
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About the Author
Kat has always believed in magic, if only the kind that flies from fingertip to keyboard and then onto paper, enchanting a reader and giving them a brief respite from the mundane world. As a writer, it’s her wish to bring more happy endings to the world, both for her characters and for the readers that enjoy them. When she’s not writing Kat is a full blown homesteading, crunchy-as-all-get-out granola mama, raising a baby, dogs, and any plant she can grow in the cloudy Pacific Northwest.
For more information about Kat visit her website, www.katbostick.com
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