by Sarah Makela
I reached beneath the blinds to unlatch the window. My attention was still focused on my surroundings. If the door opened now, anyone could see me. The window squeaked as I lifted it. The blinds could remain lowered if I could slip outside without wasting more time.
Glancing back at the sink, I thought about taking my hairbrush with me. However, that would be a surefire sign of my presence. It was better for Nolan to think I’d forgotten it, even if I suspected he didn’t totally buy Ethan’s excuse.
Pulling myself through the window presented a problem. It was positioned on the wall at chest height. Fortunately, the toilet was nearby.
There was no way around it. I pulled up the blinds, then used the toilet lid to climb out the window, legs first. Sitting on the windowsill, I plotted how to drop without hurting myself. Fear clenched my chest. The distance to the ground was bigger than I’d anticipated. Some say they’re afraid of heights, but heights aren’t my problem; it’s falling.
What had I been thinking? I started to drag my legs back into the bathroom and wait in the shower for Nolan to leave, but footsteps in the hallway steeled my resolve.
Wind rushed through my hair and I bit back a scream as the ground flew up to greet me. My feet hit first, but the momentum threw me to the right. The pleasurable ache Ethan had lit within my body snapped into searing pain.
I sank my teeth into my lower lip, looking up at the bathroom window. Thankfully, no one stared back.
Climbing to my feet was a burden. My right ankle badly hurt, but nothing appeared broken. I’d make a comfrey poultice when I arrived home. Still, I could support some of my weight without bringing too many tears to my eyes.
With one last backward glance, I quickly limped through the backyard of Ethan’s neighbor. This way I could cut cross over to the next street and hobble home without Nolan spotting me. My bare foot squished on something wet, and I glared at the sky. I had just taken a shower. This was not so fair.
The Universe had to be picking on me. Mornings couldn’t possibly start this wrong without help.
CHAPTER TWO
Ethan
With each passing minute, my anxiety increased. Was Mia okay? Nolan had suspicions about her hairbrush being there, and I only hoped he didn’t act on them and find her hiding. That would raise questions better kept secret for now. With everything going on in the Pack, I didn’t need more stress.
I hovered in the doorway to my bedroom, keeping my ears open for any sign of Nolan leaving the restroom. With how good my hearing was these days I could’ve been further away, but concern refused to let me get that comfortable.
Then again, my improved senses hadn’t helped me detect Nolan’s presence in the first place. Somehow, Mia overrode them all. Being intimate with her had been my top priority. My cock was still half-erect from our close encounter. A cold shower would be in my immediate future.
My job resumed soon. Who knew how that would go? With what had happened with Mia during Christmas break, and my future as a werewolf, my career wasn’t exactly top priority, but I’d used up my leave. Maybe getting out of the house would do me good.
The door opened to the bathroom and I tracked Nolan’s footsteps as he headed down the hall. Damn. I hated walking on eggshells with him, but our friendship had been tense since Christmas Day. He hadn’t liked that I didn’t come home on Christmas Eve. But I’d been in bed with Mia after the fight in her friend’s shop and ensuing hospital visit.
He thought I was hiding something, which granted I was, but the cold shoulder frustrated me to no end. I’d spent a year of my life overseas thinking about how good it would be when I came home, but my life was turning upside down.
Anger flowed through me stirring my beast, and I squeezed my hands into fists until the joints in my fingers hurt. Each moment that passed, my wolf grew stronger and more dominant. If I didn’t calm down, he might take over. The last thing I needed was to explain to Mia why I’d mauled her brother.
I crossed the span of my room to rummage in my closet. He might ask fewer questions if he thought I was busy, or at least I hoped so.
Instead of him coming in, he walked by. Should I be relieved or worried? This could be the end of our lifelong friendship.
The door to his bedroom shut and I walked to the hallway, checking to see if the coast was clear. It was.
I stalked down the hallway then slipped into the bathroom, but I came up short as I saw the open window. What the hell?
The blinds bumped against the windowsill as a breeze cooled my skin. Did Nolan open the window? He’d never done so before.
Mia? She could seriously hurt herself. Sucking in a deep breath, I noticed her scent was fainter than it should’ve been. My feet carried me toward the window. Mia half-jogged, half-limped away barefooted. Damn. Her shoes were still in my bedroom. I needed to hide them in case Nolan snuck into my space while I was gone later.
The muscles in my jaw tightened, but I forced myself to keep my cool. Part of me wanted to run after her and make sure she was okay. I couldn’t. We both had things to do.
The last thing we needed was more tension in our lives. She was helping her friend, even though her parents weren’t happy their daughter was caught up in ‘magical mischief.’ I was coping with the aftermath of the werewolf attack, not to mention the stuff I’d been through overseas while deployed. Some nights I tossed and turned, but when Mia was beside me, I slept so much better.
I walked to the shower, then pulled back the curtain. The towel she’d been wrapped in hung on a towel rack. Her lingering scent spread heat through my groin. Desire to rub the soft terry cloth against my cheek and bask in her scent dredged up uneasiness in me. Already my urge to protect her was a wild and fierce thing growing not by days, but by hours and minutes.
My humanity slowly faded. Would I still be the man Mia fell in love with? Time would tell.
Nolan paused in the doorway of the bathroom. He glanced between the open window and me staring into the shower. Thankfully, I’d released the towel in time. “Dude, I thought you already took a shower. Might not be a good idea to have the window open if you’re taking another one. It’s January. You’ll catch a cold.”
Somehow catching a cold didn’t seem to be the worst of my problems these days. I chuckled. “No, I’m not taking a shower. I’m airing out the room while I clean. The ventilation isn’t as good as it could be.”
He shrugged. “Take it easy. Tonight’s poker with the guys, remember?”
“Yep, I’ll be here. Don’t forget the beer.” I had forgotten, but with Mia looking after her friend, I’d be available. I hated the nights we had to sleep in separate beds, but it was just how things would be until something changed.
Grinning, Nolan released a held breath. “Will do.” He waved then darted out of sight, his footsteps retreating downstairs.
Frustration grated in me. I snatched up the towel Mia had used. Before I knew what I was doing, I ripped it in half. The fabric limply dangled in my hands and I tossed scraps to the floor. I’d always prided myself on loyalty, trust, and honor. Yet what I was doing with Mia betrayed all of that.
My friendship with Nolan hung in the balance, waiting for me to make a decision that would either repair our bond or forever destroy it. I leaned against the window, but Mia was long gone now.
No matter what I did, I could lose them both.
CHAPTER THREE
Mia
While Jessa was in the hospital, I helped at Eternally Magick. She didn’t have a lot left over to pay me with after shop expenses, especially now that she had medical bills. What she could give me helped with gas and groceries. My work here made me hesitant to ask my parents for any help.
Their hopes about the ‘Wiccan stuff’ being a fad grew more distant. But I knew the truth. I came from several generations of witches, but my parents had no clue. My grandmother had known my mother didn’t have magical power, so she’d never shared that part of herself with her daughter. When I was old enough to understand,
she’d begun teaching me what she knew.
However, she’d died far too soon. I had so little knowledge about the purpose of my powers and how to use them. Her death had been mysterious, but everyone explained it away as a freak accident.
That’s when I’d met Jessa.
Some friends of my grandmother had directed her into my path. If it weren’t for Jessa, I’d still be floundering like a fish out of water.
Sitting behind the shop’s counter, it took all my strength to keep from laying my head against the display case’s cool glass. The delicious evening with Ethan had worn me out, and now pain radiated from my ankle. The jump had hurt far more than I’d realized.
Besides, it wasn’t every day that I threw myself from the window of a second story building. By the time I got home, I’d had to clean my feet and go. After work, I would make the comfrey poultice for my ankle. I doubted it was broken, but I’d definitely strained it.
However, I couldn’t believe Nolan had stomped in like that. He’d changed since the argument between him and Ethan on Christmas Day.
I didn’t like seeing their friendship slowly deteriorate, especially when I was causing those problems. If our relationship cost Ethan and Nolan their friendship, then I didn’t think I could handle being with Ethan, even if I wanted him more than I’d ever wanted anything else.
The book on werewolves I’d found in Jessa’s office sat on the counter near me. While I’d done some research, I wondered what I’d find if I did more digging. The wolves I’d met scared me. Knowing Ethan would become one of them made it that much worse. Should I learn the grim details of how he’d be, once the transformation to werewolf was complete?
Reluctantly, I held my hand over the book, focusing my energy on it and willing the text to show me something happy. I flipped it open, letting the pages reveal what I was supposed to see. The page it landed on had no pictures, and I breathed a sigh of relief. The yellowing paper flipped of its own accord, revealing an illustration of a ‘wolfman’ biting into a small person, maybe a child.
Violence, horror and torn to pieces were the first words that captured my attention. I ran a hand through my hair. No, I wouldn’t go by superstition as the basis of whether or not I should spend my life with Ethan.
A cool draft blew through the shop. Shivering, I wished I hadn’t left my jacket in Jessa’s office.
I shut the book again, then reopened it closer to the beginning, determined to read more about werewolves and conquer my fears. I’d learned my lesson, and I refused to backslide when I knew how much it had cost the ones I loved.
The more I read, the more nausea plagued me. Maybe this explained why Jessa hadn’t told me much about werewolves. Geez... Sure, I’d believed her when she said she didn’t know if they actually existed, but she had the book in her office. It wasn’t as if she didn’t know anything at all.
I shoved the old leather bound tome to my left. Now wasn’t the time to get this heavy and upset about what was happening in my life. If an actual customer walked in, I didn’t want to be surly and on the verge of tears.
Happy thoughts. That’s what I needed. Memories of our nearly shared intimacy this morning drifted through my head. Ethan was the only one who truly accepted me for who I was. Everyone else in my life tried to change me or wanted something from me—even Jessa—although most of them had the best intentions. But being loved by Ethan was like the cure I’d been waiting for.
Maybe if I straightened a few of the shelves, I wouldn’t be quite so emotional or exhausted. Then again, my foot still hurt, and I was under no illusions of my feelings changing course. I laid my head on the counter seconds before the bell that was connected to the door chimed.
Darting upright, I pretended I hadn’t been about to take a nap. That was the last thing I needed, especially since quite a few of the customers knew Jessa personally. They would probably tell her if I did something wrong like sleep on the job. Plus, if an unsavory type came in and stole something... I’d rather avoid that.
Nevertheless, taking over for her put me in front of many people, some of whom I wished I’d never met. The energy they poured out was overwhelming, like trying to breathe water. How could I stack up without my grandmother’s guidance? Jessa did the best she could, but it was far from what I needed to succeed.
Maybe she was holding back. After all we’d been through a few weeks ago, I wondered if she’d open up to me now. The hospital visits didn’t reveal much. We talked about the store and life in general. The type of conversation a couple of friends would enjoy, not a novice witch to her mentor.
Dread slithered down my spine as I glanced up at the man who had walked into the shop. Chad looked every bit as arrogant as when he’d broken into my house and almost punched me in the head after I’d inadvertently poisoned his father and Alpha. Fortunately for me, he’d needed my help.
I’d crafted him a potion and cast a few high-powered fireballs at Jared to keep him from ruining more of Jessa’s shop. Chad hadn’t liked my interference, but the bastard had hurt my best friend.
The energy buzzing around Chad was wild and angry. This was the first time I’d seen him since our prior meeting, but I knew Ethan interacted with him since they went to Pack meetings together see if he was worthy to be one of them. The fact they’d nearly killed Ethan because he’d been made into a werewolf without permission terrified me.
“What do you want?” I asked, pushing myself to my feet. I didn’t want to be taken off guard if he made a move for me.
“Nice to see you again too.” Chad’s voice was dark and mocking. “Do you greet all of your customers that way?” He glanced around the shop as if inspecting it for the first time. Or maybe he was seeing how well I’d cleaned it up since he and Jared had nearly destroyed it.
“No, but most of them are here to buy things, not intimidate me.” I remained behind the counter, remembering how quick he was. My heart raced in my chest, and I took a couple deep breaths to try calming down. If he knew how badly he was bothering me, it would give him more power over me.
“If I was trying to intimidate you, you would know it.” He walked over to the counter, taking his time looking at the statues and magical paraphernalia he passed.
“That doesn’t answer my question.” I pulled air into my lungs steadily, willing myself to breathe and act as if he didn’t unnerve me. “I know your people don’t like me, but I didn’t poison your Alpha intentionally, as you already know.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “Besides, what have you done to the man who did mean harm toward your Alpha and who nearly killed my friend?”
Chad slapped his hands on the counter and leaned over it, shoving his face in mine. I forced myself not to step back, because then he’d know the fear I felt with him this close. “We are handling the matter. Keep your nose out of Pack business, witch. The Pack doesn’t trust you. Jared will be dealt with on our terms. Do you understand?”
I shuddered, unable to stop myself.
Chad had been much friendlier before. It was almost like the wolves had sunk their claws into him after what happened. Like his Pack members had given him a lesson on why not to trust people like myself. I hadn’t done this intentionally. Why was I being accused when I’d feared for my life?
“He hurt my friend. He needs to pay for what he’s done.” The words squeaked out.
“I’m aware.” A sliver of regret passed through his eyes, but then it was gone. “However, he is, and will remain, a Pack issue. Drop it. It’s better for us to deal with this, even if it takes some time—” Chad grunted and shook his head as if he’d already said too much.
“What do you mean, takes some time? My friend could have died. Your wolves place little value on anyone other than themselves.” Tears threatened to spill from my eyes, but I held them in check. Customer or not, Chad was an asshole. I wanted, no, I needed him out.
“The Pack follows the traditions. If it didn’t, there would be anarchy. Would you like werewolves roaming the city, chewing on unsuspectin
g prey? If that’s what you want, little red, the wolves are already hungry for your blood. Your own wolf would be killed alongside you.” With a huff, Chad took two steps away from the counter. “Besides, don’t forget that the moron requested the poison from you. He wanted to kill my father, and we haven’t forgotten that. His crimes go beyond nearly killing your friend.”
The anger gleaming in Chad’s eyes dissolved my own. His dad had almost died, and Jared had nearly gotten away with it. I couldn’t be too upset with Chad.
“Why did you come here?” I bit my lower lip. The bell chimed, signifying another customer, and a tall brunette woman walked through the door. “No loitering is allowed in the store, sir,” I said, unable to come up with a better line.
His shoulders shook as if he were trying to stop himself from doubling over with laughter. He leaned in close so only I could hear his next remark. “I threaten you and your boyfriend, and the best you can throw at me is loitering?”
I jerked away, seeing the error of my ways. The female customer glanced in our direction, and I smiled, trying to be reassuring. My attention zeroed back on Chad, hoping he’d get out as soon as possible. I didn’t need trouble from the wolves, and I certainly didn’t need it while I was dealing with Eternally Magick.
“I want to try one of your potions.” He dug out a scrap of paper from his pocket. “Don’t poison me.”
The potion in question surprised me. What he wanted was something for nerves. I couldn’t imagine why he’d come asking for this. Didn’t wolves have their own way of coping with stress?
“I have some on hand,” I said. “Just a moment, I’ll get it.”
The brunette placed a few baggies of herbs in her shopping tote as I passed by, trying my best not to limp. The energy drifting from her reminded me of what I experienced sometimes from Jessa. It took all my willpower not to do a double take at her. I couldn’t show ineptitude within the witch community.
I grabbed a couple of vials of the stress potion, as well as a more powerful variant in case the normal dose didn’t work. All of the ingredients in these should be safe since I’d made them myself. None of them contained anything that might hurt Chad. Definitely no wolf’s bane but I wasn’t sure if there was anything else out there that wasn’t tied to werewolf lore that would affect him.