by Kat Bostick
“Foolish little witch, you’re not going anywhere.” He purred.
“How can you be so calm right now? Why aren’t you mad at me?”
Jasper gripped her hips, drawing her close enough to whisper “well, after that, how could I be mad?” He chuckled. “I think that alone is worth celebrating.”
Mari shrieked when he suddenly stood and tossed her over his shoulder. “Jasper! Wait! Put me down!”
He ignored her demand, instead throwing his head back and letting out a very man-like howl. Jasper kept up that ridiculous noise as he loped through the trees with her thumping against his back. When they neared the patio and the fairy lights came into view, a throng of voices joined in. The chorus of human howls ended abruptly in laughter as Jasper leapt onto the trampoline and dumped Mari beside him.
“Mari is going to stay!” He bellowed, trotting in circles and bouncing her up and down in the process. Jasper cupped his hands around his mouth and let out another goofy “Aroo!”
The pack responded with more of their own howls. Deak was the only one who didn’t cheer, instead grumbling “Obviously she’s staying. I thought that was the point of this party.”
Before she could ask what that meant, Jasper grabbed her waist and dipped her low for a passionate kiss right in front of everyone.
Mari wiggled free of his grasp and clambered off the trampoline. She put both hands up and said “Okay, okay. Yes, I’m here to stay. Now stop looking at me like that, please!”
Cash charged, lifting her into a spinning hug. He tried to kiss her on the mouth but Mari slapped her hand over his lips. “Aw, but it’s werewolf tradition to kiss the newest member of the pack.” He mumbled through her fingers.
“Put me down or I’ll bite you.” She warned, stealing Jasper’s cool, threatening tone.
“Good girl.” He set her back on her feet with a thunderous laugh.
Much to Mari’s dismay, the rest of the pack waylaid her on the way to the tables and each gave their own hugs and congratulations. Once again Deak didn’t join in on the celebration but that was no surprise.
“What did Deak mean? Why are we having a party?” Mari cornered Jasper when she freed herself from Clem’s embrace.
“To celebrate you, of course.” Charlie said from behind her. “It’s your initiation party.”
She looked from Charlie to Japer and pursed her lips. “What’s an initiation party?”
“A new member officially becomes pack when they’ve run under the full moon with us. Afterwards we have a party to celebrate an addition to the family.” Charlie raised his glass of champagne.
“I didn’t technically run with you.” Mari crossed her arms. “And how come no one told me that? Did you seriously trick me into officially joining the pack?”
“Unlike some full moon rituals, this one isn’t binding. It’s merely a family tradition.” The alpha was quick to come to Jasper’s defense. “We were afraid you would get cold feet if we told you beforehand.”
“Cold feet my rear end.” She huffed, mostly because they were more right than they knew. “I think you owe me a glass of champagne for that.” Jasper chuckled and pranced away before she managed to swat him.
Charlie put an arm around her shoulders. “We are truly blessed to have you with us, Wolfseggner. The pack is stronger together and with you by our side, we will defeat all of our enemies.”
“Ugh, yeah. Definitely. Sucker punch those enemies.”
“Has anyone ever told you that you’re more awkward than a pig in a tutu?” Teal teased.
Mari snorted. “No one has ever uttered that particular phrase in my presence before, no.”
“You dance better than you talk, witch? This is one of my favorite songs.” He offered her a hand.
Mari cocked her head to listen. “Dancing in the Moonlight” by King Harvest was playing. She nodded and accepted Teal’s offer. They danced for less than half the song before she couldn’t resist saying “Fluffy Christ, Teal. You’re a terrible dancer.”
He revealed his perfect pearly whites in a sheepish grin. “I was hoping you wouldn’t notice.”
“I thought werewolves were supposed to be graceful.”
“Whoever told you that hasn’t met many werewolves.” He winked. Then he dropped his lips to her ear and asked “now that you’re pack, do you plan to come clean, little witch?”
Mari paled. “What do you mean?”
“There are no secrets in a pack. It’s best you learn that sooner rather than later.”
Jasper appeared with two glasses of champagne, smiling as if she hadn’t almost broken his heart thirty minutes earlier. Mari never used to share secrets with anyone. Now Jasper knew all of hers and it hadn’t changed the way he looked at her. His eyes were as bubbly as the champagne in his hands. Perhaps it wasn’t secrets that could armor her heart, but love.
Real love, she decided, was impenetrable. Even the sharp edge of secrets and lies couldn’t pierce it. The pack was strong because they loved each other, because they were loyal to each other above all else. Maybe Charlie was on to something.
“I’ll remember that.” She told Teal seriously. “Thanks for the dance.”
Mari took a glass from Jasper, laughing when he pulled a cookie from the pocket of his sweater and polished it off in one bite. She licked her thumb and rubbed a smear of chocolate from his bottom lip.
“Give that back.” He growled playfully and bent to kiss her.
“Get a room!” Cora hollered from the trampoline, where Cash was violently bouncing around her.
“Werewolves on a trampoline.” Mari shook her head. “I’d say that’s the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen but I have a feeling I’ll see much weirder living in this house.”
“It’s not any weirder than werewolves drinking champagne and dancing to songs about werewolves.” Jasper finished his glass, made a face because apparently he didn’t like champagne, and took her in his arms for another dance.
“Werewolves of London” started playing. Not the ideal music for slow dancing but Jasper held her close, doing nothing more than swaying. They stayed that way for several songs before joining Clem by the fire. The pack played, danced, ate, drank, and sang merrily until the moon, pregnant with the last light of summer, was well on her journey to the northwest, where she would eventually disappear behind the trees.
I’m sorry I tried to give this up. I want this. I want him. I might not be Ina but I will learn to sing with the wolves. I will learn to be what they need. Mari silently spoke her promise to Mother Moon.
Chapter 46
Mari
The fire was dying and drowsy pack members were making their way inside when Mari snagged Charlie’s arm. After telling Jasper the truth she felt braver, but not brave enough to look the alpha in the eyes as she asked “may I have a minute?”
When he nodded, she rose from the stone bench and walked toward the barn. Jasper and Charlie trailed after her. With every step, Mari’s heart climbed higher in her throat. What would she do if she finally decided to stay, only to have Charlie excommunicate her? By the time they reached the barn door, her hands were shaking uncontrollably. Jasper had to twist the handle for her.
As soon as they were in the confines of the barn, safely out of hearing distance, Mari blurted “I’ve done something really bad Charlie and I understand if you can’t forgive it.”
“Have you killed an innocent person?” He asked.
“Of course not, I—”
“Stolen from me?”
“No, but—”
“Intentionally harmed a member of my pack?”
“No—”
The alpha smiled. “Then I forgive you.”
“You don’t even know what I’ve done yet.” Mari scowled at him.
“Don’t I?”
“No, really, Charlie, I made a big mistake. Several of them, actually.” She protested.
“I know.” That reticent mask from the first day they met covered his features. “Do you think I
don’t know what goes on under my own roof?”
“Well, I mean, not everything…”
“How long have you known?” Jasper cut in, sounding more betrayed by Charlie’s actions than by Mari’s. “Why didn’t you say anything?”
“I wanted to let the chips fall where they may. The outcome was God’s will.” He shrugged. “Though, between you and me, I knew she wasn’t going anywhere.”
Mari laced her arms over her chest. “What made you so sure of that?”
“You look at him like he hung the damn moon.” Charlie laughed, confusing her even more.
“So you know that I spoke to Lyse and her coven? That it was my fault she spelled Jasper last week?”
“Yes but I would like to hear the full story from you.”
“Okay, but first, how the hell…?”
“I’ve been around long enough to recognize a lie when it’s told to me.” He answered.
“I wouldn’t call it a lie. More like an omission.” She reasoned. “That still doesn’t explain how you knew what I wasn’t telling you.”
“We can hear you when you’re on the phone, Mariella. Even when you’re in the other room.” He actually rolled his eyes at her. “Clementine was in the hallway when you made that first call, Cash heard the voicemails you replayed over and over in the middle of the night, and Teal was standing outside when you made the call to the witch. Can’t say I knew what she would do but I wasn’t shocked when you went after Jasper.”
Mari felt like she’d been punched in the gut. Her knees gave and she slumped down on the concrete floor in an unceremonious heap. “I am so stupid.”
“You’re not stupid.” Jasper murmured.
“Only young. Young people are imprudent by nature.” Charlie was looking at Jasper with amusement when he said it. “I do believe it’s your turn to explain now, little witch.”
“Okay,” Mari took a deep breath. “I originally called Henrick because I wanted to know if I really could help Jasper change…”
Charlie leaned against the nearest car, patiently listening to her entire story, starting with the call to Henrick and ending with her plan to leave the pack after tonight. “Have you already spoken to this other witch?”
Mari shook her head. “I was going to call her after the party.”
“You can make this right.”
“How?” She asked earnestly. “I want to make it right.”
“First, you’ll call the witch and tell her that you’ve sided with the pack. Tell her she has three days to leave my territory or suffer the consequences.” Charlie said calmly. “Then, you are under house arrest until further notice. You will not leave the property or make calls until the coven is gone and I have decided to trust you.”
Mari wanted to argue but she didn’t have a good reason to—Charlie was being incredibly reasonable considering what she’d just told him—so she bit her tongue and nodded. “Okay.”
“There are no secrets in a pack.” He echoed Teal’s words.
“So I’ve been told.” She sighed. “I know it’s hard to believe but I meant well.”
“The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”
Mari retrieved her cell phone from her room and stepped back outside to make the call. There was a chance Lyse would either be out worshipping with her coven or asleep. Mari secretly hoped for either option if it meant the luminary wouldn’t pick up the phone. A voicemail would make this a lot easier.
“Mariella, my sweet sister.” Lyse purred into the phone after the fourth ring, sounding intoxicated. “Have you called with good news? We have just finished our circle of worship under the moon but you can come join us all the same. The energy is rich here and I would love to share it with you.”
Mari glanced at Charlie, who was listening to the call, and innocently said “how would I find you? I don’t know where you are.”
Lyse chuckled. “Please, Mari. I’m wiser than that.”
“It was worth a try.” She inhaled and pushed the rest of the words out. “I won’t be joining your coven, Lyse. Not now or ever. I’m staying with the pack. You’re on their territory and they are gracious enough to give you three days to leave. Otherwise,” she didn’t feel comfortable making threats. For all her faults, Lyse genuinely did seem to mean well.
“Otherwise?”
“They’ll find you. It’s only a matter of time. None of us want violence between witches and werewolves but you’re making it inevitable. Leave the pack alone. Stop using wolves. They aren’t tools for you. They’re people.”
“I see.” She hummed thoughtfully. “There is nothing I can do to change your mind?”
Mari’s eyes found Jasper and her answer was absolutely resolute this time. “No. I belong here.”
“I suppose it should come as no surprise that spawn of Ina would choose to lay with beasts and turn her back on her own kind. How disappointing.” Lyse exhaled loudly and softened her tone. “Tell the wolves we shall heed their warning. That doesn’t mean they’ve seen the last of us. I will bring my coven to glory. We will be goddesses among men.” She ended the call with that final statement.
“Do you really think she’s going to leave?” Mari asked Charlie.
“Maybe.” The alpha shrugged. “Either way this isn’t over. We can’t have a coven charming wolves and using them for bloodshed.”
Charlie sent them to bed after that. It was still kind of astounding how quickly an issue seemed to become water under the bridge with werewolves. He didn’t say whether or not he intended to tell the rest of the pack what Mari confessed to but it was safe to assume they would know by morning. There were no secrets between them, after all. Surprisingly, Mari was more relieved than anything. Sure, it sucked that they would probably hate her again after they just officially accepted her into the pack but she would have time to redeem herself.
That gave her more hope than planning to join Lyses’ coven ever had. She didn’t have to be one of the wolves to belong with them.
Jasper stopped in the hallway when they were between his door and hers, looking torn. “I told you I would be as patient as you need.”
“But?” Mari raised her eyebrows.
“I’d like you to stay with me tonight. I won’t sleep unless it’s with you in my arms.”
“Hard to say no to that.” She squeezed his hand.
“And since I have the advantage while you feel guilty,” he added. “I want you to move in.”
Her lips twitched. “I have moved in.”
“To my room.”
“I’d consider it, but I have a stipulation.”
Jasper grinned. “What’s that?”
“We can’t move in together if we’ve never been on a first date.” She insisted.
“I think we’re well past the first date mark.”
“Nope. We need to go on at least one. Just you and me. Having dinner with your family doesn’t count.” She shook her head.
He scowled down at her. “This is a ploy to avoid saying no outright. You know very well I can’t take you on a date now.”
“I guess we’ll have to wait a little longer.” Mari sighed dramatically and walked into his room.
“Fine.” Jasper said seriously. “I’ll take you on a date.”
Mari smiled playfully as she snuggled up in bed beside him. His hair smelled of smoke and his breath of champagne and chocolate. He was as delicious as both. The misgivings that were eating away at her for months were so quickly and easily quashed by her heart. That big beating mess was going to get her into a lot of trouble.
“You are the trouble, honeysuckle.” Jasper muttered into his pillow.
“Werewolves don’t use telepathy my butt.” Were her last words before sleep came.
Chapter 47
Mari
“I do believe you missed your calling as a lawyer, Red.” Mari told Jasper, cocking her hip and staring at him with newfound admiration. “What else can you do with that tongue?”
Something truly wick
ed flashed across his face and she realized too late that her words could be misinterpreted. “Would you like me to show you?”
“I have to get ready!” She squeaked, dodging his advance and flinging the bedroom door open before he got any ideas. She paused in the hallway, frowning thoughtfully at him. “How did you convince Charlie?”
Only ten days had passed since the harvest moon. Ten days and life in the pack house had mostly gone back to normal since Mari’s revelation. Deak still hated her, Cora didn’t trust her but was cautiously friendly despite calling her “devil woman,” and the rest acted as if nothing had happened. They accepted Mari, mistakes and all.
It still hadn’t sunk in that she was here for good. She imagined that when it did, there would probably be another moment of total panic.
Even normal people freaked out when they realized what it meant to commit their life to someone. That was essentially what Mari was doing. Though she insisted that they continue to date—not that they’d actually done any normal dating activities before today—that didn’t take away from the seriousness of what she agreed to. At some point, Mari and Jasper would be as good as married. They would live with his family for the rest of their lives.
The rest of their freakin’ lives.
That phrase continued to sound scary. Yet, the fear was fading. She could go through her list of all the reasons this was a terrible idea but none of them carried as much weight as they used to. Could she argue that they barely knew each other? Not anymore. No one knew her like Jasper knew her. Did it matter that they hadn’t even spent a year together? No. Sometimes life was a wave and you either rode it or you were washed away.
Other than missing out on one errand run to town, she barely even remembered Charlie’s house arrest. Depending on how long it lasted, her punishment might hinder her job search but Mari hadn’t given up hope yet. The alpha alluded to a front desk opening at the lodge later in the fall, which she would gladly accept. She would still feel better knowing she could support herself and contribute something to the pack other than magic.