Zackary’s stern frown wavered into a smile. He cleared his throat and attempted to look serious.
“I’m not one to lecture you, Elsie, especially after all the times I’ve lost my temper and acted without thinking first.” He stepped away from her and hung his head. That action always made Elsie want to grasp his face and lift it back up.
All beings were flawed, and Zackary was particularly hard on himself.
“No more magic,” Elsie said. “Next time, I’ll trip him with my foot.” Zackary’s head jerked. When his eyes met hers, Elsie laughed. “Or is that not allowed either?”
“If he ever insults you, I’ll trip him myself . . . and by trip, I mean punch in the face.”
Elsie’s heart fluttered with excitement. She wasn’t keen on violence among tribes, but Zackary’s urge to protect her made a hum vibrate throughout her whole body.
“Hudson better not mess with me then.”
“No, he better not.”
They faced one another and locked eyes, smiles spreading high over their cheeks.
Elsie cleared her throat. “So, you caught a juicy rabbit this morning?”
Zackary grunted and shook his head. “No, just throwing those mutts off our scent.”
“Good thing they aren’t very observant.” The entire pack underestimated Zackary. Elsie smiled, recalling the way Hudson had ate up Zackary’s performance of playing the thickheaded male.
Zackary took Elsie’s hand and walked with her to their tree. Beneath the canopy, he continued holding her hand and grinning wide. Elsie studied his face, but he was looking at the trunk . . . staring at it, actually. She followed his gaze to a heart carved into the bark. Elsie gasped. Inside the heart were the initials “E” and “Z.” Releasing his hand, Elsie rushed up to the tree and stared at the carving up close. Her heart thumped happily inside her chest and, for some reason, tears welled inside her eyes. She spun around.
“You’re the sweetest male ever!” She sprinted the few steps back to him and launched herself into his arms.
Zackary caught her easily. When their lips met, they grasped at one another, tongues tangling while their faces tilted and mouths bore down on the others’.
Zackary pulled Elsie’s dress over her head and slung it aside. His shorts were already unfastened, which made it even easier for her to yank down his legs. They lowered themselves to the ground, and Elsie climbed on top of her mountain of a male. She’d gotten in the habit of saying a protection spell on the way over, knowing how things were escalating between her and her soon-to-be mate. The barriers had crumbled to dust. Zackary offered no more protests when it came to mating. He groaned in pleasure as she rode him.
Elsie stole glances at the heart he’d carved for her, quickening her pace. Just when she thought Zackary would bellow and empty inside her, he lifted her off and switched their positions.
Elsie gasped when he slid back inside her and rubbed against her most sensitive spot.
Each pump of his hips brought stars rushing across Elsie’s vision. Without meaning to, she let go. Zackary chased her release with his own.
After he’d emptied inside her, Zackary pulled her against him and covered her neck with fiery kisses.
“I can’t believe this is really happening,” he whispered.
Oh, it was happening all right and they were doing that again. But first, a nap snuggled against her male. This bold new side of Zackary was thrilling. She liked that he took what he wanted, and he wanted her.
They made time to fill their baskets and rinse off in the river before Hudson and Chase arrived. With the time they had left, they sat along the riverbank, holding hands as they watched the hypnotic flow of water over rocks.
“We need to tell the pack soon,” Elsie said, watching a twig bob in the current.
“We should probably tell your brother first.”
“You might want to claim me first. It might actually make it go easier.” Elsie looked over and offered him a wry smile—one Zackary returned. He was behaving with a sturdy calm that set Elsie’s heart at ease.
“I was thinking the same thing.”
“You see? We were made for each other.” Elsie grinned and pressed her shoulder against his.
When he turned to face her, Zackary’s smile looked strained.
“Listen, Elsie. I want you to know that if you ever used your powers on a packmate and had to leave the hollow, I’d go with you. I’d do anything for you.”
Elsie’s stomach fluttered. “And I’d do anything for you, Zackary. But don’t worry about having to leave Wolf Hollow. I’ll try to behave myself, especially knowing I’ll have my mate watching out for me.”
“Tomorrow,” he said, squeezing her hand. “I will claim you as my mate tomorrow.”
Against all odds, she’d found her forever, and after tomorrow they’d be bound together for all time . . . with three days to spare.
Elsie felt her whole face light up when she spotted Kallie in the glade. Her friend was already eating a bowl of stew on a log beside Wolfrik. Elsie skipped into line, bouncing in place as she waited her turn at the cauldron. Once dished up, she hurried over to Kallie and Wolfrik.
“I’ve missed you,” Elsie cried out before she’d reached her friend.
Kallie made a face that was half grimace, half smile. “Sorry, I haven’t been around much lately. I’ve had feathers to smooth.”
“Feathers?” Elsie cocked her head to one side.
“Here, have my seat, Little Wolf.” Wolfrik jumped to his feet and hurried away.
They watched Wolfrik down the remaining contents of his stew, shove his bowl into Carter’s chest, and then barrel into the woods. He didn’t take one of the trails connecting the glade to other areas of the hollow, but dove in between bushes, disappearing into the greenery.
Kallie snorted. “Integration is an ongoing process for my mate. Plus, he has trouble sitting still for long . . . kind of like you.” Her eyebrows lifted as she smiled at Elsie.
“I can sit still, see.” Elsie plopped onto the spot Wolfrik had vacated.
Kallie chuckled. “Oh, how I’ve missed you.”
Elsie studied her friend. “What are these feathers you mentioned? Have you been stuck plucking feathered game?” Her stomach rumbled at the thought. The regular deer and rabbit meat was delicious, but Elsie loved the taste of fowl, too. Obviously, they weren’t easily hunted in wolf form, but perhaps the den mates had devised a way of catching them in human form.
“Not those kinds of feathers,” Kallie said with a sigh. “Even though Wolfrik is mated now, there are still shifters who want to keep him out of the den.”
“What? That’s ridiculous.” Elsie’s jaw hung open in outrage.
Kallie pursed her lips. “It’s mostly Ford. I think he’s still sore about Wolfrik taking his place on council. Palmer and Francine aren’t helping matters, as can be expected. Even Heidi has suggested he wait until our pup is born.”
“Heidi said that?” Elsie asked in disappointment. “I’ll talk to her.”
“It’s okay; I’m working on it,” Kallie said. “The situation is a bit complicated. Wolfrik prefers spending his time in the glade and its surrounding territories. Under different circumstances, I would have no problem settling somewhere near the glade, like Sasha and Tabor, but once our son is born, I want him to grow up around his young packmates.”
Elsie grinned, perking up. “That’s right. The soothsayer from Glenn Meadows predicted you would give birth to a son who would become a great leader. Have you thought of any names?” Elsie clapped her hands together in excitement. She couldn’t wait to hold Kallie’s baby in her arms and make him smile with games of peek-a-boo.
Kallie shrugged. “It’s not original at all.”
“You have to tell me.”
“I was thinking Wolf.”
“It’s perfect!” Elsie squealed.
Kallie grinned. “You think so?”
“Definitely. It’s part of his father’s name and it�
��s strong, just like our species.” Elsie rocked over the log in her excitement.
Kallie laughed. “Well, I’m glad you like it.”
“I love it. Wolfrik must too.”
“He said it was fine by him, but he did smile pretty big.”
Elsie bumped her shoulder against Kallie. “He loves it. He just doesn’t know how to express himself. Not all males are good at verbal communication.”
She had believed Zackary was one of those males when she first met him, but Elsie had underestimated her big wolf, just like everyone else. The more time they spent together, the more he opened up and shared his feelings with her. She recalled his comment about putting Hudson and Chase off their scent earlier that morning and nearly laughed. Her heart felt as though it were glowing inside her chest. This was a side of Zackary she felt sure no one had seen besides herself.
Kallie leaned closer and lowered her voice. “Speaking of communication. I actually came over tonight to find you and talk to you about Wolfrik’s progress with the council. They were open to allowing Aden to claim a mate should he ever wish to, but Sasha said that lifting Zackary’s punishment wasn’t for the council to decide. She said that was up to Tabor.” Kallie pressed her hands to her chest. “You know Tabor will never lift the ban.”
Elsie sagged over the log. She hadn’t taken one bite of stew. She doubted she’d get anything in her belly that night. All the elation she’d felt moments before faded like the sun.
“I love Zackary, and he loves me. That’s not something I can walk away from.”
Her friend frowned and studied her face for several beats. “What are you going to do?”
“Claim one another and then tell Tabor. If he banishes Zackary for loving me and saving me from the curse, then I’ll leave with him. I’ll stick by my mate.”
Elsie felt certain Tabor wouldn’t send Zackary away if it meant losing her, but she did worry that her brother would attempt to hurt him for going behind his back. Maybe she should talk to Tabor first, prepare him. Tell him all about the curse and Brutus. Perhaps she should wait until the day before her birthday when it would be too late for him to try and do anything about it other than give her and Zackary his blessings. Yes, that was the best approach. She and Zackary would claim one another in secret then wait a couple of days to announce their status as the pack’s newest mated pair.
Warmth filled her cheeks when she smiled. Every time she thought of them being an official couple, joy radiated through her body. She loved the feeling of belonging with someone—of being two halves making up a whole. Or maybe they were two wholes becoming something bigger.
The bowl in Elsie’s hands still felt warm. Lifting it to her lips, she tilted the ceramic vessel until a small amount of stew slid into her mouth and found she had an appetite after all.
Switching back to the subject of the den, Elsie asked, “Have you decided what kind of enclosure you want for your den?”
“Something small and sturdy,” Kallie answered, “and not a treehouse.” She stretched her injured foot.
Elsie rarely paid attention to the deep scars gouging Kallie from ankle to toes. Her mind lit up at the idea of residing above ground.
“I want to live in a treehouse!”
Kallie chuckled. “Why am I not surprised?”
Elsie tapped her lower lip, taking a closer look at Kallie’s injured foot. “But I want you to be able to come over and visit whenever you want.” She stopped tapping and looked up, grinning wide. “I know what I’ll do. I’ll just have to float you up to see me, and back down when you’re ready to leave.” Yep, Elsie had it all figured out. Hopefully the den mates would be welcoming of Zackary. He was strong, respectful, and helpful—well mannered, unlike Wolfrik, not that Elsie wanted the wild wolf to ever change. She liked Wolfrik the way he was, and so did his mate, which is what really mattered.
“What do you mean by float?” Kallie asked. Her eyebrows lifted. Despite asking, there was a knowing look on her face, most telling in the curve of her smile.
“I’d show you, but I think it might scare other packmates.”
“Maybe wait then, until you’ve secured a mate and a treehouse.”
Elsie grinned extra wide. Kallie was going to love floating—so were the pups in the den.
After finishing their supper, Kallie gave Elsie a warm pat on the shoulder then stood.
“I can take your bowl over,” Elsie said.
“Thanks. I’m going to find that mate of mine.” Hands free, Kallie limped to the edge of the glade, pulling her dress off when she reached the woods. Wise woman, shifting to track her mate down in wolf form. In another couple months, Kallie would be too far along in her pregnancy to shift to wolf form. Once that happened, Wolfrik better settle down and stick by her more often otherwise Elsie would be the one having words with him.
She smiled to herself before depositing their bowls in the dirty basket. Looking around the glade, her eyes landed on Zackary standing with his friends. He met her gaze instantly. Warmth flooded her chest. She smiled, her grin growing when Zackary smiled back. Wiley looked over and waved, so Elsie returned the greeting before spinning around and heading into the woods.
Even if she hadn’t been cursed and running out of time, she still would have been ready to hurry up and make this claim. They didn’t live in a world of waiting. Elsie wanted to start spending the remainder of her nights with Zackary as soon as possible. Even waiting for morning patrol felt too far away. She wouldn’t be able to kiss him for nearly half a day. Granted, she would be asleep for most of that time, but still . . . torture.
Maybe Zackary could sneak away, follow her into the forest to give her one last kiss good night—one on the mouth and one lower. Elsie’s cheeks flushed. She looked over her shoulder hoping to see her male stalking down the trail after her, but all was clear . . . that is until a crow landed on a nearby branch and cawed at her insistently.
Elsie had a visitor from her coven.
She lifted her head to the crow.
“Okay, then. Show me.”
Black wings lifted the bird from the branch. The crow flew several trees away, waiting for Elsie’s pursuit.
Lazarus had come, she felt certain. She was glad for it. He would be relieved by her news.
The crow took off toward the Sakhir River. When the current came into view, Elsie frowned. Her heart sank as William appeared on the other side of the river.
Before she could take another step, William floated a foot off the ground and drifted over the water, landing a couple feet in front of Elsie on solid ground.
“We need to talk about your father,” he said grimly.
chapter sixteen
“Has something happened to him?”
Elsie’s legs nearly buckled in fear that something bad had befallen her father. Perhaps Brutus had come looking for her at Balmar Heights and hunted down Lazarus after discovering she was no longer on the mountain. Hugging her arms around her middle, Elsie’s vision blurred so that she didn’t notice William’s scowl until she blinked several times.
“Lazarus is fine,” he said in a clipped tone. “You never have to worry about the almighty wizard. He’s untouchable.”
“What does that mean?” Elsie demanded, dropping her arms roughly to her sides.
William lifted his nose high. “It means it’s time for you to learn the truth about your father. Your mother was never in love with Lazarus. Wolf shifters have never wanted anything to do with wizards. But Lazarus had to have her so he placed an enchantment spell over her before raping her repeatedly.”
His mouth moved, but what he said made no sense.
Elsie’s mouth hung slack. William’s hateful words felt like freezing rain pouring down on her out of nowhere. He’d stooped to an all-time low.
Nostrils flared, she glared at William for telling lies. His desperation had turned him deranged. Whatever ploy he was attempting to get her on his side wasn’t going to work.
“Why are you saying this?”
she demanded.
“I refuse to keep his secret any longer, not when it’s affecting your judgment. The only reason I kept my mouth shut is because I didn’t want to see you hurt, Elsie. But your father doesn’t deserve your loyalty. You are sacrificing your freedom for him and his coven even though your very existence is a result of his treachery. My parents kept their mouths shut because they were afraid of Lazarus. He’s a monster, Elsie. That’s why you need to stick to my plan. Allow Brutus to claim you, then let me take care of the rest. We’ll run far away where Lazarus can’t find us. I’ll protect you from him. I won’t let him or anyone else come between us.”
Fingers trembling, Elsie felt her stomach turn to stone. Even Brutus hadn’t made her feel this sick sense of dread.
William took her silence as encouragement to continue.
“He did the same thing to your brother’s mother. The enchantment he used on her was too strong. It made her obsessed with him. Once Lazarus succeeded in getting a child in her, he didn’t want anything more to do with the crazy she-wolf. The next time around, he diluted the spell and succeeded quite nicely with your mother. She thought she loved him, without going insane in the process. She even moved in with him at Balmar Heights after becoming pregnant with you. Unfortunately, both versions of Lazarus’s spells ended up making the she-wolves sick and killing them before their times.” William’s eyebrows slashed over his forehead in angry strikes.
Elsie shook her head. “My father wouldn’t do that.”
And yet he’d suggested she enchant a wolf shifter to claim her as a mate and save her from Brutus. Mind manipulation was considered taboo for good reason, not to be toyed with . . . ever. She’d taken her father’s words as just that . . . words. Something to say for the sake of comfort.
She remembered getting acquainted with Tabor when she first joined his pack. Elsie had wanted to know everything about his life among the wolf shifters. She could still recall the sadness in his voice when he spoke of his mother’s illness and death.
She dragged her nails down her cheeks.
Moon Cursed (Wolf Hollow Shifters Book 4) Page 17