by Macy Blake
Teague rolled his eyes. “It all exists, Cody. But save your questions for Sol. We’ve gotta keep Walt calm, too.”
Cody’s eyes widened, and he turned to Teague. “That’s what happened. I remember now. He used to have a prosthetic leg! What...what…what?”
“Long story. But yeah, he’s one of us now. And it’s weird that you remember. Tell Sol about it when he gets back.”
“Sure. Hey, Teague?”
“Yeah?”
“Sol’s going to be okay, right?”
“He’ll be fine.”
“How do you know?”
“We’re tough. We’ve got to be. It’s our job.”
Cody sighed. “So many questions.”
“And he’ll answer them. Go on. Everyone’s worried about you.”
“Yeah, well, I’m worried about me, too. This is some crazy shit, Teague. Freaky scary crazy shit. That guy was… wrong. I don’t know. But he was wrong and he hurt Sol. And I’m just….”
Teague grabbed his shoulder and squeezed. He immediately felt a little better.
“Is that a pack thing?”
“What?”
Cody moved his shoulder, drawing Teague’s attention to his hand.
“Oh. Yeah. Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. I’m putting pieces together. It’s interesting and terrifying. So many questions.”
Cody pulled in a breath and opened the door separating the back room from the main area of the bar. He took one step inside before stumbling backward into Teague.
“Um, Teague?”
There were…other things in the bar. Not human things. Things with horns and…fur?…and trees?…and wings?
“You can see them?”
“You can’t?”
Teague snorted. “Of course I can. Idiot. But you can?”
“I just said that, didn’t I?”
Teague pushed him forward. “They’re friends.”
“Code-ster!”
Teague groaned. “Why does he always turn up like a bad penny?”
“Cosmo? You’re… holy shit, what are you?”
Cosmo stumbled to a stop with his eyes the size of saucers. “You see?”
“You look like that guy…what’s his name? The one with the flute thingy. That’s not a flute. What’s that thing called?”
“A pan flute?” Teague asked.
“Right. Oh… Pan. Like the Greek god. Wait. Was Pan a god? I’m so confused.”
“You see,” Cosmo gasped. “You know the truth! Cosmo is so happy for you!”
The Pan-Maybe-God-Horned-Guy pulled Cody into a hug. Cody was pretty sure his day couldn’t get any weirder.
“Cody!” Shelly ran for him, and Cosmo quickly stepped out of her way. “Goddess, you scared me. What happened?”
“Circle flamey thingy. Scary guy who hurt Sol and made him… shift? Is that the right word? I think I need to sit down.”
“Oh honey,” Shelly said gently. She led Cody to one of the tables at the back, the same one he’d eaten a chimichanga with Sol at not so long ago. He swallowed hard and tried to breathe normally. “We’re gonna get you a drink.”
“That’d be good.”
“Just breathe for me, okay?”
“Do you see them, Shelly?”
“Yeah, honey. I see them.”
“Are you scared?”
“For them? All the time.”
Cody pondered her words for a second. “They won’t let anything happen to us.”
She grinned as Walt appeared with a steaming mug of tea.
“Drink,” Walt ordered.
“You’d think becoming a super-powered, hell beast guy would have made your mood improve.”
“What can I say? You bring out the worst in me,” Walt said. He arched a brow, begging Cody to argue.
“Shut up, Walt.”
Walt smirked and walked into the kitchen.
Cody took a sip of tea. He actually hated tea pretty badly and should probably let them know. But he drank it anyway because shock was a thing and his knees were still shaking. “How did you get here?”
Shelly ran her hand over his hair. She was blocking the view of him for most of the other things… people? People. Definitely, even if some of them looked less than human at the moment. “The same way you did.”
Vague enough, but also answered his question while adding more. But also told him to not say much. Shelly was good at this. He wondered how long she’d known. He didn’t think it had been forever. He glanced toward the kitchen then back to her. Probably about the time things changed between her and Walt. It made sense.
His breathing settled and he wasn’t as hot as he’d been so his blood pressure was probably coming down. But he still felt like he might pass out. So not so great, but could definitely be worse.
Solomon
Solomon’s patience was at its limit. He settled in front of the gate with Achim at his side.
“Breathe, Sol. We’re on her time, not ours.”
Sol was very well aware of that fact. It didn’t mean he wasn’t ready for the goddess to show up and fix him. He could feel the tendrils of the aswang’s magic lingering on him. It wasn’t done with him yet and he wanted it gone. He wanted to get back to Cody. He wanted—
He felt her presence before he saw it, and he closed his eyes. It always humbled him. He breathed and sent a wordless apology to her through the air. Protecting humanity was an honor and a privilege, even if it didn’t always come with the easiest circumstances. Challenges were part of the role. If it were easy, it wouldn’t require the amount of power she’d gifted to them.
“Solomon.”
Her voice sent a chill down his spine. He lifted his head and stared at her through his beast’s eyes.
She frowned and came to him, laying her hand gently on his head. “What has happened to you?”
“Aswang, my goddess,” Achim answered. “One who could do magic. It forced the shift, and Solomon revealed himself to one of our human pack members.”
She returned her attention to Solomon. Simply being in her presence eased the layers of anxiety and fear which had built up over the past few weeks. “Return to me, my hellhound.”
Solomon’s body changed, taking on his human form once more as her magic washed away the last of the curse that still clung to him. “Thank you, my goddess.”
“Aswang,” she snarled. “Again. I should banish them all to hell for this. They have been warned. Show me.”
“Yes, my goddess.”
Solomon closed his eyes and opened his mind to her. She touched his head gently and reviewed his memory of the attack. She also noticed his feelings for Cody, and although she didn’t speak the words, he sensed her approval. When she removed her hand, he opened his eyes once more. He could never see her clearly; no one could see a god or goddess in this realm unless they were heavily glamored. She rarely visited the human realm simply due to the amount of power it took to maintain a human visage. But she’d allowed him to see enough. She touched his mind once more and smiled. Congratulations, Solomon. I am well-pleased with your choice of mate.
Her power rolled through him once more, healing the last of his injuries. He hadn’t realized his ribs were still a lingering ache until it disappeared. He felt almost giddy with the strength coursing through him. “Thank you, my goddess.”
“Tell me about this other threat on your mind.”
“I know little. One of our human pack members was attacked by her human ex, but he’d been infected by magic. The magic we’d seen before, both with the Jerrick cubs and the human who tried to attack the Chosen One. We took the human to the coven, but as with the other cases like this we’ve seen, he remembered nothing. Our pack can feel the strangeness hovering in the air, a dim threat, but a very real one that seems to be growing. Combine this with the recent banshee attack on our alpha’s nephew, and I believe we have a force working heavily with magic behind the scenes. But their purpose is not clear. We’ve learned that others in the human r
ealm fear the return of the aswangs, and I have seen for myself with this attack that they are after our power. They have access to dark magic, my goddess.”
She hummed. “My champion told me of this banshee attack. He is concerned the fae are involved, but that is not our primary concern. Gather information on the aswang threat for me. You called in some of the other champions. Utilize them in this cause.”
“Our alpha?” Sol asked hopefully.
“Will be away a while longer.”
She offered no further information so Sol clamped down on his urge to beg her to bring him back. Shaq had entrusted the pack and their safety to him, and he would do his best to do as he’d been commanded.
She hummed once more before moving away from them. “Return to me in two days time, Solomon.”
“Yes, my goddess.”
She disappeared from view, and Solomon let out a sigh. Achim made a similar noise beside him. “This is gonna suck,” Achim said quietly.
“Pretty much.”
“Did you really call in some of the other champions?”
“Yes,” Solomon answered. “We are too divided. The aswang threat is too great. But honestly, I’d called them in before, after we sensed the change at Shaq’s house. This dark magic concerns me.”
“No kidding,” Achim said. “Why now, Sol?”
Solomon opened a portal to their home realm and clapped his hand on Achim’s shoulder. “Because we are chess pieces on a larger board. We do our part to protect our queen so she is free to maneuver and accomplish her goals.”
“That’s a terrible analogy, Sol. Because those are all the pieces that get sacrificed.”
Sol didn’t think his analogy was terrible at all. A true leader knew when to sacrifice for the greater good. He had no doubt that his goddess would do the same if the time came and her hand were forced. “Let’s go inside. I’m sure Cody is freaking out right about now.”
Achim grunted but followed him. The number of others in the parking lot had more than doubled since he’d last been at the bar. He set aside the worry and focused on his pack. The moment he opened the back door, all eyes were on him. Cody hopped up and ran, thumping against Sol’s chest and wrapping his arms around his waist.
“Thank God,” Cody said. Then he slapped Sol on the ass. Hard.
“What was that for?” Solomon griped as he cupped Cody’s face in his hands.
“I’m mad.”
Sol couldn’t help but grin down at him. “Yeah? And you think touching my ass is going to…what?”
Cody scowled. “I didn’t think that through. Dammit, Sol, you scared me.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
Cody sighed and leaned into his hand. Sol couldn’t resist leaning in and stealing yet another kiss. He understood now why Shaq couldn’t keep his hands to himself with his mate. He wanted to touch Cody every chance he got, merge their scents together until no one would be able to tell them apart.
“Do not be cute right now. It isn’t going to get you anywhere,” Cody said. He’d narrowed his eyes and glared, even though he hadn’t pulled away at all.
“I’m not cute. I’m scary.”
“Sure. It’s your story. You tell it how you want it.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You used to be scary. Now you aren’t.”
Sol growled.
“Don’t pull that with me. You aren’t going to do anything about it, and I know it.”
It was true. It didn’t make it any less annoying. “You’re okay?” Sol asked.
Cody shrugged. “Me and you are going to have a nice long talk. As soon as you tell everyone else you’re okay. I’m not the only one losing my mind here, Sol.”
“I know. Just…stay here, okay?”
“Where else would I go?”
Sol didn’t want to let him go. He kissed Cody’s forehead, then his lips. “I’ll be right back.”
He went to Izzy and Sophie first, who were huddled on the floor in the corner. Sophie had a tablet in her hand, but Izzy was staring with fear-filled eyes at Sol. He knelt down in front of her and reached his hand slowly out. “It’s okay, Iz.”
“No, Sol. It isn’t.”
“Mommy?” Sophie looked up at Izzy then reached for Sol. It didn’t escape his notice that she didn’t let her daughter go right away.
“She doesn’t understand,” Izzy said. “Walt made her close her eyes. I didn’t, Sol.”
And she’d seen more than she was capable of processing. He’d seen it so many times before. “There are options, Izzy. I can make it so you don’t remember a thing, if that’s what you want.”
“I want to feel safe again, Sol. Can you give that back to me? Can you make it so we never have to go through this again? I don’t know what I want. I don’t want to lose my family. You guys are all I have in this world but now… I’m scared, Sol. I have to look out for my daughter, first. She’s the most important thing.”
“I know.”
“And all those people outside. They know something’s wrong, too. It’s wrong and dangerous, and I can feel it.”
“Shelly,” Sol said, looking over his shoulder at her. “Take Sophie into the kitchen. I think Walt’s making a yummy snack, and I need her to check it out for me. Taste test it. I’m not eating anything that isn’t Sophie-approved.”
She raised her head from his shoulder and the trust in her little face shook him to the core. “Is Mommy okay, Uncle Sol?”
“Yes, muffin. She’s okay. Just sleepy and cranky. Don’t you get sleepy and cranky sometimes?”
She nodded. “I didn’t get to sleep, Uncle Sol. Everybody kept waking me up.”
“I know. Go check on my snack for me while I talk to your mommy.”
Izzy stared nervously after her daughter. Sol couldn’t blame her. He sat down on the floor beside Izzy and held her hand in his. “No matter what happens, we’re still your family. I can make sure you’re away from this for a while, and that you don’t remember today. If that’s what you want, tell me.”
She leaned into him and sighed. “Why isn’t Cody freaked out? He didn’t know either, did he? I mean, I can see that he’s freaked out, but he’s not as scared as me.”
Sol glanced over at Cody who was in a deep conversation with Cosmo. “He is, Izzy. I think he’s covering it up a little better, that’s all. And you’ve got to consider that he doesn’t have a kid to look after. You said it best: Sophie is your top priority.”
“I can’t let her get hurt, Sol. There are guys with guns in the bar. That’s…not okay.”
“How about this: I’ll have Teague take you to some friends of ours. They can keep you safe in the short term, and if you decide remembering this is all too much, we can make it so you don’t remember. You’ll be back to work when it’s over and it’ll be like it was before.”
She sighed again. “It sounds too good to be true.”
“Maybe it is, Iz. You’re strong enough to get through this. I know you are. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for. But this is a lot, and you don’t have to be involved in it. This is a secret you’ll have to keep for the rest of your life. You’ll be bound to it. You need to know all that, too, before you make your decision.”
“You guys will be okay, right Sol?”
Sol didn’t want to lie to her. “I can’t promise you that.”
It seemed to help her make her decision. “Okay. Take us where we’ll be safe. And when it’s over, you and Shaq can talk to me and tell me all the rules and maybe I’ll be able to make a decision. I’m too tired right now, Sol. I’m just so tired.”
Izzy leaned into him and he wrapped his arm over her shoulder. He looked up and found Cody watching him, a sad frown on his face. Cody seemed to realize what was happening, even if he didn’t know all the ramifications of the secret he’d learned. Calli came in, took one look at Sol and Izzy, and she knew that Izzy hadn’t taken the secret well. Her eyes changed, one of the few times he’d ever seen her control
slip. She turned and walked outside. Vice came over and knelt in front of Izzy. She gave him a small smile, blinking through her tears. Vice gripped her neck gently then walked to the other side of the bar and resumed his position at the door. Walt came out of the kitchen with Shelly and Sophie. He’d packed a snack bag for them, and Sophie had it clutched in her hands.
They both touched Izzy’s head softly before walking away. Sophie climbed onto her mother’s lap and frowned up at her. “Mommy, why are you sad?”
“I’m tired, pumpkin. We’re going to go meet some new friends, though, and we’ll get to take a nice long nap. I’ll even let you cuddle with me.”
Sophie leaned into her, clearly unsure what to think.
“Teague,” Sol said quietly. His packmate came over and lifted Sophie. She whimpered a little as both Sol and Izzy pushed to their feet. He kept his arm around her for as long as he could, unsure if he were comforting her or himself.
“We’ll come for you soon, Izzy,” Sol said. “Talk to them. They’ll help you make a decision.”
“I will. Just… be careful, Sol. All of you. Be careful.”
She hugged Sol quickly before wiping her face and following Teague outside. The portal closing behind them was one of the most final sounds he’d ever heard.
“Sol?”
Cody’s whispered word pulled him back to the present.
“It’s okay,” Sol said quietly.
“You said you wouldn’t lie,” Cody said. He stepped into Sol and wrapped his arms around Sol’s waist once more. Sol returned the embrace and lowered his face to Cody’s hair. He inhaled his sweet scent and tried to hold it together. He wanted to take Cody to the cabin, lock the doors behind them, and pretend the threats weren’t real.
“It’s going to work out, Sol. I’m not leaving you, okay?”
Sol’s hold tightened. “You can’t promise me that.”
Cody squeezed him and moved so he could look into Sol’s eyes. “Then tell me what has you so upset so you can stop stressing and get to work. There are people here who need you, Sol. Including me. Okay, probably especially me. So if you’re worried I’m going to freak out about you being a… um, what you are. I’m not. Okay. I am a little. But I guess—”