Anchor

by Jorrie Spencer

  Not that they didn’t need to take care of Davies, but first things first.

  Trey pulled Angus aside and their focus slid away from Sally. Trey was shaking his head, a kind of disbelief still sitting on his face, no matter what this week had proved. “We learn something new every year, but this is incredible. I used to think finding a lynx shifter would be the biggest news in our world.” His mouth quirked, acknowledging how personal that discovery was.

  Angus had met the lynx, and Trey’s husband, once. He had yet to meet a cougar shifter, though a handful were around southern Ontario. “I remember being shocked by the existence of cat shifters myself, and that was only ten years ago.”

  “And now we’ve got ourselves a dream wraith.”

  “I’d heard of the rumor or the myth, or whatever you want to call it, of dream wraiths.”

  Trey scratched his jaw. “In those stories they were always too powerful and too vulnerable. Perhaps that’s why they seem to have disappeared.”

  Angus felt a shiver cross his back. “Are you saying they might have been killed off once they were identified?”

  After a pause, Trey shrugged. “I doubt we can ever know what happened in the past. But you need to keep a guard on her, keep her protected. This is going to freak out some wolves. And this knowledge isn’t going to stay between you, me and a small number of wolves, not with her contacting Sally and Caleb. Not with this recent dragnet we executed. Not with the way people in your town talk.”

  “I started this.” He’d brought Mala out into the open.

  “No,” Trey said. “Don’t give yourself too much credit. You and I both know who started it. Mala herself. She came searching for Wolf Town, for Caleb, for answers about her life. No doubt these are answers she needs to continue to function. Think about what it’s been like for her.”

  The nightmares had probably been debilitating. Angus recognized that. Nevertheless, he didn’t like what this all meant for Mala, and he was ready to jump in the car and drive back immediately, ensure she stay safe, make himself her personal guard, even if his new motto was supposed to be delegate, delegate, delegate.

  But he couldn’t leave until Jancis arrived. And Mala was being guarded. Among other things, he’d asked his beta to watch over her. He trusted Teo. “There’s one thing I don’t understand.”

  “Only one thing?” Trey drawled.

  Angus ignored the comment. “Why wolves? It’s not like humans aren’t terrorized too. Why isn’t she drawn to their fear in her dreams?”

  “Do the blood test.”

  So Trey thought Mala might carry the wolf gene. “Jancis has no such dreams. Of that I’m certain.”

  “No, not everyone who’s a carrier is going to be a wraith. But about fifteen years ago I ran into an old wolf who told old stories. And he talked about dream wraiths. I paid attention, even if I didn’t believe, because some of our elders have knowledge that has been lost.” Trey’s mouth kicked up into that half-smile of his. “He had a theory about vampires too, which I’ll tell you about sometime.”

  Angus felt his eyes widen. “They’re not real.”

  “No. He figured they used to be.”

  “But he thought dream wraiths were related to wolves?”

  “Yes, though he may not have meant by blood. The wraiths were a way of communicating back in the day when wolves had to be careful. But they were feared too. The power was mishandled, sometimes by the wraiths themselves, sometimes by those who controlled them.”

  “Mala only communicates with wolves who are being brutalized. At least, I believe that’s how it goes.”

  “Mala also thought she was having nightmares. She hasn’t been self-aware. She’s been told her entire life that there’s something wrong with her, has probably tried to find ways and means to end the dreams, avoid them. I doubt she’s explored them or reached anything like her potential.”

  Angus didn’t quite like Trey’s tone, contemplative, but something extra too. As if Mala was a tool to be used.

  “She’s good,” Angus declared. “Of that I’m certain.” The first time he’d told Trey about his nose, years ago, he’d been less than impressed.

  But times had changed and Trey dipped his head in acknowledgment. “Excellent. She can become a valuable part of our shifter community then.”

  As they heard a car drive up to the house, they both turned towards the front door. Jancis, Angus hoped. He didn’t want to wait any longer. He needed to get home. On top of everything else, Caleb deserved a guardian who stayed around.

  Trey touched his shoulder. “I’ll come visit. Keep in touch, keep me informed.”

  Angus nodded and moved to the door, suddenly filled with pleasure at seeing his daughter on the front step.

  “Thank you for coming.” He stepped forward and hugged her. “How’s Mala?”

  She tilted her head, puzzled by his first question—and a little resentful. “Mala is fine. For some reason Aileen loves her, probably because you told her to and Aileen does anything you ask her to do.”

  Not anywhere near the truth, but Angus smiled and didn’t respond to Jancis’s resentful statement. Instead he asked, “How’s Caleb?”

  This question Jancis received with more approval, and Angus couldn’t help but think Jancis didn’t understand the scope of Mala’s abilities. “Rory and Scott are taking good care of him.”

  Angus nodded. “As I thought.”

  “Where is she?” Jancis asked, done with pleasantries, the she referring to Sally.

  “I’ll introduce you, and then we need to leave.”

  The introductions were straightforward, with Sally looking wary, Jancis being interested but not effusive. Despite her at times abrupt manner, Jancis had a calm center that could draw people to her when she chose. As it happened, Sally was easily drawn. It was clear Sally wanted to find people whom she could trust. The weak smile, the worried eyes, even while she attempted to put on a game face, showed how vulnerable she felt.

  A number of Angus’s people had already headed home to Wolf Town, some with instructions to make sure Mala and Caleb stayed safe. So in the end four of them, including Jancis and Sally, piled into Jancis’s car and started the long drive through the night, Angus at the wheel.

  Veronica and Trey stood on the doorstep, Veronica waving, as they drove away.

  Chapter Twelve

  Mala stayed up until Angus called in with the news that they’d found Sally and she was safe, and Jancis was driving down to meet them. It was over, and Mala, with a bit of a pang, suggested that tomorrow it was time she go home.

  Both Aileen and Eden looked alarmed, if not horrified, by the idea of it.

  “Why?” Aileen asked, not a wail exactly, though if Aileen were the type to wail, it would have been.

  “Honey,” said Eden, who’d taken to calling her honey since she’d woken up from the second Sally dream yesterday. “You look terrible. You need to rest, not travel.”

  She wanted to sleep at home. But it was true, making that trip seemed close to impossible now, with her lack of energy. “I don’t like sleeping,” she muttered.

  “You don’t have to worry about Sally anymore,” Aileen pointed out. “Angus is with her.”

  Eden nodded her agreement emphatically.

  “Besides, Angus wants to see you again.”

  Yes, Angus and his wants. Very important around here. As it happened, Mala rather wanted to see Angus again. And Caleb. But first she’d like a little R and R from the B and B in Wolf Town, which had proved to be an incredibly draining experience, given her dreaming and her newfound realization of what her dreaming meant.

  “I’d come back,” Mala offered. But her words were weak. She couldn’t face bussing over to North Bay and down to Toronto tomorrow. And no one was exactly chomping at the bit to offer her a drive home.

  Eden frowned. “Do you have family in Toronto who are worried about you? Your mother?”

  Mutely, Mala shook her head, unwilling to get into her relations wi
th her family who all lived on the west coast anyway.

  “Then you’ll stay and we’ll take care of you,” Eden declared. “You’re one of us now.”

  Mala realized she was gaping. The concept that she belonged somewhere, well, it made her laugh. Okay, she was getting punchy. So tired that she was in danger of becoming overly sentimental, maudlin even. Her chest seemed to swell with emotion.

  Aileen swept Mala’s bangs off her forehead, a soothing gesture. Wolves were very touchy-feely. Mala was surprised she didn’t mind it.

  “I’ll stay next door,” Aileen assured her, as if Mala was depending on her presence. “Knock on the wall if you need me.”

  “For goodness’ sake, I don’t need a keeper,” Mala protested, gazing into the faces of two women, young and old, who both appeared utterly unconvinced by that statement. Which meant she must look a complete wreck.

  Okay, sleep tonight, she told herself, and figure out your place in the world tomorrow. Or at least figure out a way to get home. The bigger issue of where she did and didn’t belong might have to wait.

  This active dreaming took such a chunk out of her, no question. Sometimes she thought she’d fade away with it.

  But not this week. This week she had done some good and that fed something deep inside her. Gave her hope, though hope for what, she wasn’t sure.

  Short-term what she hoped for was dreamless dead-to-the-world sleep, sleep that would allow her energy to rise again. She’d need it if she ever wanted to leave Wolf Town.

  As he approached home, Angus found his worst fear was that Mala would have bolted. Aileen had been left with instructions to do all she could to prevent such a leave-taking, and Angus had made it clear this was as much for Mala’s sake as anyone else’s. But Aileen had issues over any confinement, and her tone had said as much.

  Angus’s beta, Teo, was also keeping an eye on everyone, but if Aileen decided she was going to help Mala escape, it would be game over.

  Angus rolled his eyes at himself in the car. The rest of the occupants slept as he drove through the night, and early morning was threatening the dark now. Since when had he turned into such a worrier? Perhaps the day he’d taken on the project of Wolf Town. But Mala and her powers were bigger than anyone realized—that he felt in his gut. He reminded himself that she’d told him she would wait till he returned, and the promise would mean something to her.

  He’d made the decision to assign Aileen to Mala because he believed Aileen would be the most likely person to persuade Mala to stay put, and he had to have some fucking trust in his own judgment.

  Just like he’d been right to put Caleb into Rory and Scott’s care.

  It was an hour later when he pulled into his driveway, and Jancis blinked awake. He let his daughter rouse Sally and lead her into the house, while he went in to check on Caleb.

  “He’s fine, Dad.” Rory emerged from the guest bedroom, fully alert despite having just woken up at their entry. “I think he missed you, even if Scott and I played a lot of three-handed Euchre, and Scott taught him World of Warcraft.”

  “World of Warcraft?” Angus groaned.

  Rory grinned. “Don’t be a dinosaur. I don’t know why you have this thing against these games. It’s not bad, he’s interested and…” Rory lowered his voice to almost subvocal, “…it forces him to read.”

  “I suppose,” Angus allowed grudgingly. And he did appreciate Scott’s efforts though he had to be careful how he worded that appreciation, because Rory was quick to defend any perceived slight against his boyfriend. Even if Angus had gotten over Scott not being wolf months ago. So he nodded and said, “Thank Scott for me, if I don’t get a chance to. But also? You two have to vacate that room. We’re going to install Sally here.”

  “You bet.” Rory didn’t say it, but he’d be happy to return to the privacy of his own house.

  “Okay, I need to give Eden a call and wake her up.” But when Angus dialed through, she was up, preparing for the breakfast run at her restaurant.

  “Mala is sleeping,” Eden said, no preliminary greetings or welcome homes.

  Relief swept over Angus. “Did she make any attempt to leave, do you know?”

  “She talked about it in a halfhearted way, but the poor thing’s too worn out to travel. Besides, she lives alone, with no one waiting for her back in Toronto.” Eden’s tone signaled disapproval, not of Mala, but of Mala’s family.

  Angus figured this dreaming had isolated her. Well, that was one thing she had in common with shifters, feeling separate from the main population, having difficulties maintaining relationships with family and friends. With lovers.

  “I don’t think this dreaming stuff is good for her.” The disapproval increased in Eden’s voice, as if Angus were personally responsible for Mala’s talent. Then again, he had asked Mala to search for Sally.

  “I’m glad you’re taking care of her, Eden. When she gets up, give me a shout, tell her I’m coming over to see her.”

  “All right.” The dubious words were such a contrast to a few days ago where Mala was the interloper, not to be trusted. Now Angus was the one on the receiving end of Eden’s mistrust. He didn’t bother to defend himself. For one thing, he wanted Eden to feel protective of Mala. For another, he couldn’t regret having found Sally.

  So he hung up and refocused on home. A call came in from Trey who wanted a brief update, and then Caleb was up and awake, trying not to look excited by the fact Angus had returned.

  When Angus gave the boy a hug, Caleb hugged back hard, clinging for a brief moment, and Angus smiled. “It’s good to see you.”

  At that point, Caleb’s expression turned bashful so they focused on food and eating, while Sally was introduced to everyone, including Caleb. No one bothered to point out they’d both been terrorized by Davies, though Caleb, at least, knew as much.

  Eventually Caleb went off to school, rather reluctantly, so Angus accompanied him on the walk over. Then Sally went to sleep in the guestroom, Rory and Scott left for their house, and Jancis and Angus did some work from home.

  “Work” was becoming something of a misnomer, given that of late Angus did little of it. Though that would change in the next month or so, when renovation contracts picked up.

  By noon, Eden still hadn’t called and Angus decided that instead of eating at home, he’d lunch at Eden’s and find out what was what with Mala. Perhaps see Aileen.

  As he walked into Eden’s, she announced, “Mala’s not up yet.”

  “Yes, thanks, Eden, I figured as much.”

  “Aileen needs a break.”

  Angus lifted his eyebrows. With all that had been going on, he hadn’t given careful thought to Aileen’s unusual needs. She’d been human for all of…five days? He rubbed his forehead. Time was all running together, with nights spent driving or running as wolf.

  “Where is she?”

  “Upstairs, in the room to the right of Mala’s. Aileen told Mala she’d stay and watch over her while she slept. I’ve kept Aileen fed, but she’s pacing the floor like a caged animal.”

  “Give me my meal and I’ll take it up, boot her out of there.”

  Eden gave a curt nod, and not too long after, Angus was walking up the stairs, tray in hand. He knocked and Aileen answered, looking a little wild-eyed, her body vibrating with unused energy. Time to go, honey, Angus thought.

  Without preamble, Aileen declared somewhat desperately, “I told Mala I’d wait here until she woke up.”

  “I’ll take your place, keep your word for you.”

  Aileen paused, her body tightening, caught between her promise to Mala and the lure of freedom. Sometimes she took things too literally, and sometimes not literally enough.

  “Mala is counting on you in particular being here when she wakes up?” Angus asked.

  Aileen frowned. “I don’t know. She said she didn’t need a keeper, but she liked the idea of me waiting. When I assured her I would be, I smelled relief.”

  “Okay. But Mala is comfortable wi
th me. She’ll be okay with the switch, don’t you think?”

  Aileen pulled in a breath and gave a sharp nod. “I think so. I’d stay anyway, I don’t like to break my word but I…” Her shoulders sagged in defeat. She usually didn’t give a damn that she didn’t function well as human, but for once it mattered to her. This was progress.

  He placed a hand on her shoulder. “Hey, you did good.”

  She slid her gaze up to his. “I could have done worse.”

  “Everything takes time.”

  “Right. In three decades I’ll be normal. Maybe.”

  “None of us are normal, Aileen. Not even Mala.” He tipped his head towards the door. “Now, get out of here.”

  Aileen didn’t bother with her jacket but sped out of the room and down the stairs. Whatever chill she picked up would soon be dispelled by the heat of her shift.

  Once she was gone, Angus sat down and listened. The walls weren’t thin, but his hearing was enough that he’d pick up noise if Mala was moving about. He heard nothing.

  He wondered how long she would sleep. Then he wondered how healthy this dreaming was for her. It was noon, and if she hadn’t woken by four p.m., he’d enter the room—after a brief knock—and make certain she was okay. It was a fine balance between respecting her privacy and ensuring that she hadn’t sickened from these wraith visits, the last of which had been demanded by him.

  Less than two hours later, Mala stirred. No footsteps, but Angus was glad she had a bed that creaked, however softly. When nothing more came of it, he decided it was time. He left his laptop in Aileen’s room and walked the very short way down the hall to Mala’s door.

  At his rap, the bed creaked again, and she cleared her voice before she got out an “I’m awake, Aileen,” her tone welcoming.

  He liked the trust in her voice. Aileen had done better than she knew. Turning the knob, he warned, “It’s me.” He stepped into the room.

  She sat, eyes widening as if he were an alien of some sort, and the wan expression on her face spoke volumes. “Where’s Aileen?”

  “She had to go,” he said dryly. How to explain Aileen’s drives and needs to a non-wolf? “It’s too easy for Aileen to feel claustrophobic when she spends time inside.”