by Kat Bostick
“Wolfseggner.” Clem repeated with both awe and fear. “Wolf charmer.”
“The witch speaks and the wolf listens.” Suddenly the words made much more sense to Mari.
“If those are your family words then how do you not know what you are?” Charlie asked. “The only type of witch that would have the power to curse a werewolf into one form would be a Wolfseggner and you are the first I’ve heard of in half a century. If a Sibylline Dreamer is rare, a Wolfseggner is little more than myth. They died when the relations between witch and wolf died.”
“Until I met Jasper, I didn’t even know werewolves were real. Gran told me he was our enemy. Besides, I only learned the words a couple of weeks ago. I had no idea what they meant.” Mari looked down at her cup, too nonplussed to think of anything else to say.
“You understand that I have no reason to believe you. Our pack is small and isolated, perfectly giftwrapped for a witch with the power to hold wolves. Was that what you intended to do with your sordid influences?” Charlie was so hard to read. One moment he was smiling maniacally and the next his face was completely impassive. Mari couldn’t tell if he was about to rip her head off or simply playing games to get her to confess to any wrongdoings.
Jasper abruptly leapt up, nearly knocking Mari out of her chair when her legs slid off his shoulder. He bounded over the coffee table and to the door of the study before turning and meeting Charlie’s eye in challenge.
“Do not touch Mari.” He demanded before disappearing through the doorway. The front door clicked shut. More confusion clouded the faces in the room as everyone tried to figure out why Jasper was fleeing.
“Deak, make sure he isn’t changing.” Charlie waved at Deak. He hopped from his place on the couch and obediently hurried after Jasper.
Mari hadn’t noticed how much Jasper felt like a shield until he abandoned her to face the pack on her own.
“Did you make him leave?” Charlie finally spoke again.
“Why would I? He was probably the only thing keeping you from killing me.” Mari set her cup on the table so she could cross her arms.
“She makes a good point, boss.” Cash chimed in.
“I’m—“ Charlie cut off whatever he was about to say when Jasper returned with Deak at his back. The whole room jumped in surprise when Jasper dropped a ten foot chain on the coffee table.
“Watch the table! You’ll scratch it.” Deak admonished.
No one else complained about the table. They were too focused on puzzling out where Jasper found such a large chain and why he brought it here. Mari frowned at it, knowing the source but equally unsure of his motivation.
“It was around my neck.” Jasper told Charlie, closing his eyes and shuddering with momentary fury as he recalled the memory. “I was caged.”
Charlie put two fingers on the chain and quickly withdrew them like he expected it to be hot. “The witch did this to you?” Mari had already explained the story to them but Charlie was much more likely to believe Jasper than her.
“Her…” Jasper searched his brain for a word. “servants?”
“Members of her coven.” Mari offered quietly. “Wizards.”
Confident he wouldn’t be harmed, Charlie lifted the end of the chain with the inscription and studied it before passing it to Clem. “Why are you showing us this?”
“Mari broke the chain. They killed her grandmother, set fire to her home, and captured me but she didn’t cower. She came for me.”
“I can’t actually prove they killed Gran or burned down my house.” Mari interjected.
He briefly inclined his head in her direction. “They are responsible.” Then Jasper smiled proudly and met his alpha’s eyes. “Mari saved me. She baked cookies to protect my heart from breaking, taught me about teen wolves, and slept beside me even though I slobber in her hair.”
This was the most talking he’d done since changing that evening. His voice was hoarse and he was obviously struggling to piece together sentences but he sorted out enough to form a reasonable—and kind of adorable—defense. Right now, words served better than teeth and she was incredibly grateful that he was no longer a wolf.
“Alright, alright, a little too much information there, Trev.” Teal put a halting hand up, though he was chuckling.
Mari pressed her lips together, hoping her cheeks didn’t reflect the heat she felt on them. At least embarrassment was a step up from fear. Jasper grinned at Teal then strode back over to Mari and grabbed for her. She was too stunned to say or do anything when he hauled her out of the chair.
“Look at her.” Jasper instructed. Mari wished she was a turtle with a shell she could shrink back into.
“Or don’t look at me, that’s okay too.” She said to her feet.
“Men as big as Cash.” Jasper raised one hand to demonstrate the exaggerated height he was remembering. “She eviscerated them with magic.”
“They weren’t any bigger than you.” Mari tugged his arm back down. “And I didn’t eviscerate anyone. You’re overdramatizing.”
“Sweet Mari,” He kissed the top of her head. “She hunted them to protect me.”
She looked up long enough to glance over her shoulder at him. “You did the same for me.”
Charlie stared with scrutiny but before he could respond, Jasper pulled out what was apparently his trump card. “I knew what she was when I brought her here.”
“What?” Charlie’s head jerked up in surprise.
“Mari called on my change during her rites.” Jasper looked between Charlie and Cash. “She called on my change again tonight.”
“Great, thanks for ratting me out, Jas.” Mari scowled at him.
“I’m confused.” Clem stuck her pointer finger in the air. “You really didn’t know you were a Wolfseggner? Your grandmother wasn’t one, but she knew you were? And she sent you to us thinking that we would know you were? Why didn’t you tell us that?”
“Excellent questions, Clem.” Charlie nodded.
“I didn’t…” Shoot, Mari had lied to them, hadn’t she? “It was only a week before my grandmother died that she gave me our full family history. Most of what she told me was half-remembered and probably half-true. I suspected that perhaps, maybe, possibly, I had something to do with Jasper changing during my rites but it didn’t stick. He changed back the moment we lost contact. I wasn’t sure if it was me or the moon. Or both. Or neither.” She dropped her gaze to the floor again. “And there is the part where I was slightly terrified that having this power makes me inherently evil.”
Hard not to think that when your father dreams of you with “blood on your hands and beasts at your back.”
“I told you we couldn’t trust a witch.” Deak quickly filled the silence after her admission. “She is inherently evil. Her kind exists to torment our kind!”
Cora was murmuring agreement when Jasper shot them a blazing look. “She was wise not to tell you. What kind of reception would she have received if you knew? Mari was not only protecting herself. She was protecting me. Without Mari, I would be halfway across the state, mad with bloodlust and exposing all of us.” Whoa. Talking Jasper was officially back and he was seething.
“I’m inclined to agree with you, my lad.” Charlie’s expression was sympathetic as he addressed Deak and Cora. “You were right, Deak. Some fears do exist to keep us safe. Yet sometimes, what poses the greatest risk to us can also become our greatest weapon. Hatred will cement your feet to the ground and blind you to opportunity.”
Greatest weapon? Mari didn’t like the sound of that at all. If Charlie intended to use her as a weapon, she would certainly have blood on her hands and beasts at her back.
“My gift is not meant to be weaponized. Mother Moon gave it to my most powerful foremother to sow peace in the hearts of wolves. I won’t be a tool used to rob others of their will. Not for you and not for any coven.” Mari raised her chin and squared her shoulders, defiant eyes locked on Charlie. For this, she could face her fear of the alpha. “Even if
that means you kill me.”
Jasper pulled Mari’s back against his chest and rested a protective arm around her waist with a soft growl. “No one will harm you here.”
Charlie traced her from head to toe with his gaze, the alpha wolf assessing her more thoroughly than he had initially. “It is clear that I misjudged you during our first meeting.”
“Maybe I misjudged you too.” She countered.
“My tongue is always getting me into trouble.” He chuckled unexpectedly, making her tense. “I won’t make you throw curses and steal the will of others, little witch. No need to fret over that.” Charlie took another sip from his mug. “What I mean to say is that you will give us the advantage of terror, being the monster under the bed that werewolves warn their young about.”
“Monster under the bed? My grandmother talked about you like you were the boogeyman.”
Clem huffed scornfully. “Which is precisely why the arrogance of witches and werewolves alike is rubbish. Two fools pointing fingers at each other with their tongues blowing in the wind.”
Charlie laughed much harder, this time joined by Cash and Teal. “You are astute as always, my Citrus Sweet.” The alpha crossed one leg over his knee and leaned forward in his chair. “I suppose we have our work cut out for us, don’t we? It’s important that you know how to use your magic, especially since it impacts our kind.”
“You want to teach her how to manipulate us? This is absurd!” Deak lifted himself off the couch. “I’ve stood by you through many decisions Charlie, but I cannot stand for this!”
“You’re already standing, brother.” Cash flicked both pointer fingers at Deak.
Cora stood too. “This is a pack, Charlie. A witch don’t belong here.”
“I would argue that this is exactly where her kind belongs. Wouldn’t you rather have her on your side, Cora?”
“I would rather have her dead.” The she-wolf spat.
“That was your only chance to utter those words without consequence, Coralee.” Jasper pushed Mari behind him and took an aggressive step forward.
“That’s not helping, Jas.” Mari put a calming hand on his shoulder.
He twisted to look at her, revealing eyes that were unnaturally alight, before shifting back to Cora. “I will not tolerate threats against my mate.”
“She can’t be your mate!” Cora argued. “That’s not possible. You couldn’t speak.”
“Some magic is older than words. Mari accepted my gift and my claim under the eyes of Mother Moon.” Jasper took another step, causing Teal to rise from his seat to shield Cora with his body. “She’s my mate. You know what I’ll do to anyone that harms her.”
“Do not denounce threats while making them, brother.” Teal said softly. “I know we’re making her feel about as welcome as a skunk at a lawn party but you owe us some patience.”
“Indeed.” Charlie concurred.
“I don’t need patience. I need the witch gone.” Deak snapped. “Other packs will think you’re soft, Charlie. Or worse, that you’ve become a witch’s puppet.”
“Aye, that worries me greatly. You know I’ve always cared about the words of those selfish creatures.” Charlie’s tone was heavy with sarcasm. “If not for my soft heart, Deak, none of us would be here.”
Another one of those wordless exchanges passed between the alpha and his wolf. Mari tried not to stare but she was desperate to know what was being communicated and how. Could Jasper have lied about telepathy? Or could Charlie truly say that much with his uncanny eyes?
Deak’s chest rose and fell rapidly, his face contorted into a mask of anger but his hesitancy to continue the argument obvious. Finally he pivoted and marched out of the study. “I’m going to the lodge!” Just before he disappeared from sight, he pointed an accusatory finger at Jasper. “I have accepted your peculiarities without judgement but I will not accept this.”
Cora went to follow Deak but Teal caught her hand and towed her back to the couch. “Don’t let him get you worked up, darlin’.”
“I expect everyone back here for breakfast!” Charlie yelled before the front door slammed.
Mari was a swirling combination of mortified, frightened, and dazed. She stood awkwardly behind Jasper, unclear if she felt ill for being the cause of heated disagreements or because he still maintained that she was his mate—in front of everyone.
“Charlie,” she said shyly. “I didn’t come here to cause trouble, I only meant to bring Jasper home and get away from the coven of crazies that wants him. If it would be better for me to leave—”
“You’re not leaving.” Jasper said firmly. Mari glared at him with shuttered eyes, not particularly pleased with how close that sounded to a command.
“Don’t be ridiculous.” Charlie added. “You’re Trevor’s mate so you are as welcome here as any of us.” He directed a brief but sharp look at Cora when she opened her mouth to protest. “This dispute will work itself out in time. As I explained, this pack is a family. Family doesn’t abandon each other over petty squabbles.”
“Family also doesn’t lie to each other.” Clem’s expression was as sharp as Charlie’s but hers was directed at Mari.
“I guess it depends on the family.” She muttered back. “My family lied more often than they smiled.”
“Don’t expect that here.” The alpha insisted. “We have been forthcoming. I require the same from you, Mari.”
“Okay.” Mari agreed halfheartedly, knowing that even her promise was a lie but not sure how to trust a near stranger with any more than she’d already given.
“You always did make things interesting around here, Trevor.” Cash snorted.
“Jasper.” Jasper snarled, becoming impatient with correcting them.
“Jasper? You really wish to be called by the name that your witch has given you?” Asked Clem.
“I would answer to whatever she calls me.” He turned on Mari with an affectionate smile that made her stomach do an embarrassing somersault.
“Pa, it’s one thing if she” Clem pointed at Mari. “is a Wolfseggner. She clearly doesn’t know what she’s doing—no offense, Mariella. It’s a much bigger problem—and a shocking coincidence—if there is another witch out there who can hold wolves. What you said was right. A small, isolated pack like ours would be very tempting to a witch who could trap a wolf in one form. Trev might have been able to resist her call but that doesn’t mean we all could. Even I might not be safe from her.
“I’ve only learned enough about Wolfbann magic to know that we don’t really know anything. Old wolves use tales of Wolfseggners as ghost stories to scare young and teach them the dangers of witches. There is likely little truth left in those word of mouth recollections of the wolf charmers. If there ever was any written history of the Wolfbann witches it has long since been lost or destroyed. This could be trouble for us if that witch discovers our location.”
“What if there was some written history?” Mari retrieved the family legacy from her chair and held it out to Clem. “Some notable family spells are in here but more importantly, it’s the book that carries the legacy of my bloodline. If I am what you think I am, there should be information in there, right?”
Clem took the book from Mari and opened it to examine the first page. “Cash, I thought you said you looked at this. Why didn’t you tell me what was in here?”
“I can’t read Swedish.” He shrugged.
“You really don’t know any of this.” Charlie shook his head, finally convinced.
“None of it.” Mari plopped back down in her chair. Thankfully Jasper took the seat beside her this time. “The sole scrap of truth that Gran gave me was a story about a powerful foremother that was a…wolf-whatever.”
“The Witch Who Sang with Wolves.” Jasper leaned across his chair and put a hand on Mari’s knee. “You sing with wolves too, Mari.”
“Trevor, you crazy bastard!” Charlie hooted, his excitement drawing out his playful Irish lilt. “I don’t think you realized what you had
when you brought her here. Damn, I knew I recognized those words.” He brought his mug to his lips and chugged the rest of his drink.
“You come from the bloodline of Ina? The songstress?” Clem scooted even further off her chair, clutching the book in her hands so tight Mari was tempted to take it back before it was damaged.
“I-I guess,” Mari stammered. “Is that significant? Gran didn’t tell me the true story until I introduced her to Jasper. She made it sound like Ina was a shameful part of our family history.”
“Aye, because the world changed and the witches changed along with it. No one wanted the story of a witch who lay with beasts as a part of their legacy.” Charlie laughed bitterly.
Those words made Mari inexplicably uncomfortable and she found herself reaching for her barely touched mug. She sipped cautiously. The drink was good, if not a little strong, leading her to take several more sips with growing eagerness.
The room grew silent again as everyone glanced between Mari and Charlie expectantly. Everyone but Clem and Jasper. The she-wolf had her nose buried in Mari’s family history with a concentrated furrow in her brow. Jasper was gazing at Mari with uninhibited adoration. His eyes were so soft with heady contentment that she checked the table to make sure he hadn’t chugged his drink while she was distracted. Nope, apparently he was only love drunk.
Charlie rested his elbows on his knees. “I saw her once, y’know. She was an old woman then and I was newly a wolf. At the time I didn’t understand the significance of what she’d done for the wolves.”
“How long ago was that?” Mari asked in astonishment.
“Before you were born.” Charlie smiled mysteriously. “I never spoke to her, only saw her at a pack gathering. She and her mate were the creators of our annual assembly. They wanted peace between the packs and for the wolves to build strong connections. Ina was a wise woman. She recognized our potential for violence and she sought to soothe it. With her guidance, she helped many packs form alliances and manage wolves that could not control themselves. Those were easier times.”
Mari had already been overflowing with questions about Jasper, pack life, and the nature of werewolves. Now she had even more for Charlie about his life and the events he’d lived through. There were questions about her family, so many questions that she might never get answers to. Mari was furious that this history was kept from her. Perfect strangers knew more about her ancestors than she did!