No Crones About It

by Amanda M. Lee

  “You don’t have to follow rules.”

  “I’m an adult ... and, yes, I still have rules I have to follow. Don’t kid yourself that adults don’t have to follow rules.”

  Raisin stared at him for a long moment and then shifted her eyes to me. “You think rules are stupid, right? They’re for other people, not us.”

  I couldn’t stop myself from chuckling. That was such a teenager way of looking at the world. “I can see where you would think I would be your best option for agreement on this, but I’m siding with Gunner. Rules are important.”

  “Oh, I’m going to write this down,” Gunner crowed. “You agreed with me and I didn’t even have to browbeat you.”

  I ignored him. “What you did last night was dangerous. There are dangerous people running around Hawthorne Hollow right now. You could’ve been hurt.”

  Raisin didn’t look convinced. “What could’ve possibly happened to me? Mama Moon was there, and nobody messes with her. You were there, too, and you’re the biggest of the baddest witches.”

  “In case you’ve forgotten, I was also on my knees and puking in the grass,” I pointed out. “I wasn’t exactly in the best position to help you.”

  “Yeah.” Raisin’s eyes lit with keen interest. “What was going on with that? I heard you talking. You were in the spirit realm? How does that work? I want to visit the spirit realm.”

  “No, you don’t,” Gunner and I responded in unison.

  “You need to stay away from stuff like that,” Gunner stressed. “It’s dangerous.”

  Raisin clearly wasn’t ready to let it go. She folded her arms across her chest and lifted her chin defiantly. “How come it’s not too dangerous for Scout?”

  “Because she’s an adult,” Gunner replied, not missing a beat. “She’s allowed to make her own choices, however bad they may be.”

  “Hey!” I took offense at that remark. “It wasn’t a bad choice. I needed to know.”

  He held up a hand in a placating manner. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean that the way it came out. It’s just ... you should’ve taken me with you.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “Whatever.”

  “Yeah, whatever,” Raisin echoed, grinning as I shook my head.

  Irene cleared her throat to derail what could potentially turn into a ridiculous conversation. Heck, it was already halfway there. “We’re actually here for a reason,” she started. “I had a long talk with Ruthie last night about what she did — and she swears up and down there was no way you could’ve known she planned to follow. And I feel that I unfairly jumped on you because I assumed you willingly let her tag along.”

  “Not willingly.” I spared a glance for Raisin, who looked mutinous. “In hindsight, I should’ve realized what she had planned. I was too caught up in my own stuff to give it the thought it deserved.”

  “That’s not on you.” Irene’s tone was brisk. “Ruthie knew what she was doing was wrong. I’ve warned her repeatedly about hanging out with the Bohemian set when they’re visiting the lake. She has a mind of her own when it comes to that stuff.”

  Raisin definitely had a mind of her own. “She wasn’t hurt this time. I’ll be more careful in the future.” It was the only thing I could promise with any degree of certainty. “I apologize for making you worry.”

  “You didn’t do it,” Irene countered. “Ruthie did, and she needs to learn consequences. That’s why we’re here. I thought, perhaps, she should make amends to you as well. She got you in trouble with Rooster. Ruthie, don’t you think you owe Scout an apology?”

  Raisin looked positively apoplectic at the suggestion. “I didn’t hurt her.”

  “Ruthie.” Irene practically growled her frustration.

  “Fine.” Raisin’s eyes filled with something I couldn’t quite identify. It wasn’t sincerity. “I’m sorry I followed you. I’m sorry you got in trouble — although it wasn’t much trouble and Rooster realized his mistake right away, so it was really a ‘no harm, no foul’ situation — and I’m sorry that I followed you.”

  Gunner hooked his thumbs in his belt loops and rolled back on his heels, grinning. “Now, if that wasn’t an apology for the record books, I don’t know what is.”

  Raisin rolled her eyes but seemed to forget she was mildly agitated with him when she got another look at his bare chest. “What was I saying again?”

  Irene was the worldly sort and it was clear she understood exactly what distracted her granddaughter. “I can’t wait until these teenager hormones are a thing of the past.”

  “Oh, hormones stick around long after the teen years fade,” Gunner offered. “Just ask Scout. She goes crazy when I take off my shirt.”

  I wanted to crawl into a hole and die. Actually, I wanted to dig a hole and bury Gunner in it. That sounded much better.

  “Anyway, I thought maybe Ruthie could do some chores around your place as penance, Scout,” Irene interjected. She clearly didn’t want to bear witness to Gunner’s heavy-handed attempts at flirting. “It seems fitting that she should make things right with you.”

  It was an interesting offer, but I couldn’t see myself running roughshod over a teenager. That’s not how I rolled. “Well, thanks, but I don’t know that that’s a good idea,” I hedged.

  “It’s a great idea,” Raisin countered. “I could help you guys with whatever you’re doing on the roof.” Her eyes were back on Gunner’s chest. “I want to be helpful.”

  I pressed the tip of my tongue to the back of my teeth and held Gunner’s gaze. He looked more amused than concerned. “Now isn’t the time,” I said finally. “I have a lot going on and I don’t necessarily think it’s safe for you to be around me right now. Maybe once this is all over with ... .” I left the sentence hanging without extending an official offer.

  Gunner sobered as he realized what I was saying. “Scout is right, Raisin.” His tone was grave. “You can’t be around her right now. There are some things happening – things Scout is in the center of – that aren’t safe.”

  Irene glanced between us and then nodded. “I understand. That makes perfect sense.”

  “Well, I don’t understand,” Raisin challenged. “I’ll be perfectly fine around Scout. She won’t let anything happen to me.”

  That was true. I would burn the town down to keep her safe. I wouldn’t be able to do that if I was incapacitated or dead, though. “You can’t hang out with me right now.” I kept my tone gentle so as not to hurt her feelings. “It’s simply not safe.”

  Raisin glared. “And here I thought you were going to be on my side.”

  “That’s not fair, Raisin,” Gunner chided. “Scout is doing her very best. Your safety is our primary concern. It’s not that we don’t want to hang with you. It’s that we can’t because it’s too dangerous. It’s as simple as that.”

  Raisin’s lower lip jutted out. “You guys suck.”

  “That’s part of being an adult, too,” I explained. “Sometimes life sucks. I really am sorry.”

  Raisin didn’t answer. She was too busy being a teenager. Perhaps one day she would understand.

  GUNNER AND I ABANDONED THE ROOF at noon. We went inside and ate sandwiches and potato salad, and then moved to the shade of the covered porch to drink iced tea. We hadn’t spoken about what happened with Raisin.

  “Well, what do you want to do with the rest of our afternoon?” Gunner asked, breaking the oppressive silence when he could no longer take my morose attitude.

  “I don’t know. What do you want to do?”

  “I think we should sit here and pout.”

  I recognized he was trying to cajole me out of a bad mood, but I had no interest in making things easy on him. “That sounds like a solid plan.” I stretched my legs in front of me and pressed the sweating iced tea glass to my forehead. “Do you want to start with the pouting or should I?”

  “I think you’ve already started.”

  “Then you’d better catch up.”

  He barked out a laugh. “See. You’re comp
letely and totally fascinating.”

  We lapsed into silence again. This time the silence was interrupted by motorcycle engines. My initial assumption was that a member of the group — perhaps Bonnie coming back to check on us, or maybe Rooster with some information — but the individual rolling up my driveway was an unexpected face.

  “Well ... crap.” I shifted the iced tea to the table and slowly got to my feet. “What do you think he’s doing here?”

  Gunner was grim as he regarded Cyrus. “I don’t know. Whatever it is, I doubt it’s good.”

  We remained on the porch as Cyrus removed his helmet and took a long, considering look at the property. Finally, the big man’s gaze moved to us and I swear I could feel Gunner’s hackles rise from two feet away.

  “Good morning,” Cyrus offered in a friendly manner. “It’s a hot one today, huh?”

  “It is,” I confirmed, licking my lips as I glanced at Gunner for direction. I wasn’t sure how I should play this. “Can I help you with something?”

  “I’m actually not here to see you,” Cyrus replied, ambling toward the porch. He was big enough that I wondered who would win should he decide to challenge Gunner to a fight. Gunner had youth on his side, but Cyrus had sheer bulk. “I asked around in town about your whereabouts because you weren’t at your house, Gunner. I was instructed to try here. I guess you spend a lot of time here ... although I can’t for the life of me understand why.”

  The dig on my cabin was obvious, but not haughty enough to pick a fight over. “Who told you he was here?” I asked, genuinely curious. No one in the group would offer that information and I couldn’t think of anyone in town who knew me well enough to talk out of turn.

  “I believe it was someone at the diner.” Cyrus kept his eyes on Gunner. “It’s been a long time.”

  Gunner remained seated — which could’ve been interpreted as a sign of disrespect — and merely lifted an uninterested shoulder. “It has,” he agreed. “I’ve seen Flint a few times. He’s exactly as I remember him.”

  “As I recall, you two always clashed.” Cyrus ran his hand over my porch railing. “I want to invite you to a gathering.”

  I glanced between the two of them, unsure. It seemed something big was happening, but I had no idea what it was.

  “You’re having a gathering here?” Gunner lifted a dubious eyebrow. “That’s ballsy.”

  “It’s not meant to be antagonistic. It’s a pack gathering. Multiple packs, really. It’s just a bonfire and food. I’d like you to attend.”

  “Why?”

  “Because I was fond of your mother. She was a good woman.”

  A good woman who tried to burn her son alive, I thought ... but I kept my opinion to myself.

  “My mother was ... something,” Gunner replied, shaking his head. “As for your gathering, I’m unsure why you want me there. There’s no way I’ll join your pack. I can barely muster the energy to care about my former pack, which I’m not really involved with on a day-to-day basis.”

  “I’ve heard. You’ve apparently found another tribe.” His eyes shifted to me. “It’s an innocent invitation. I promise. You can even bring a date. I’m assuming that would be your friend here. We’re fine with that.”

  “Did you hear that, Scout? They’re fine with it.” Gunner’s tone dripped with sarcasm. “That is one heckuva delightful invitation.”

  “We’re considering moving back to this area,” Cyrus offered. “We don’t want to rattle cages or step on toes during the process. I want you to know that. This really is a straightforward invitation. We’re talking burgers, hot dogs, beer, and stories. That’s it.”

  Gunner furrowed his brow. I could practically see the gears of his brain working, but I kept my opinion to myself. This was Gunner’s show.

  “I’ll think about it,” he said finally. “I might have other plans.”

  “I haven’t even told you when it is.”

  “I’m a busy guy.”

  Cyrus sighed. “It’s tonight ... at Starvation Lake. You know the area, right?”

  Gunner nodded. “Like I said, I’ll consider it. We might have other plans.”

  “It’s completely up to you. If you don’t come, there will be no hard feelings.”

  He said the words, but I had my doubts. Something really strange was going on here. I couldn’t untangle the politics. Gunner had some explaining to do. I knew better than to question him in front of guests.

  “Well, if that’s all ... .” I lobbed a thin-lipped smile in Cyrus’s direction. “I think you can find your way off the property just as easily as you found your way on.”

  Cyrus nodded. “You’re invited even if he doesn’t bring you,” he offered. “You’re of great interest to a few people I’ve talked with. I would love to spend some time with you.”

  The feeling was not mutual.

  Eighteen

  Gunner wasn’t chatty as we locked the cabin and headed to town. It was a sad moment when he put his shirt back on. Of course, we obviously had bigger problems. Still, I felt bereft ... until he offered me a saucy wink that made me feel like a goofy idiot.

  “Don’t say a word,” I warned as I climbed onto my bike.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it.”

  It took us ten minutes to get to The Cauldron. I didn’t have to ask where we were going. I instinctively knew. Gunner was on edge and whatever had happened — and I was still in the dark on that — was somehow significant.

  Rooster, Whistler, Doc and Bonnie were inside when we entered. I had no idea where Marissa was. Of course, I didn’t really care.

  “I thought you two were taking the day off,” Rooster challenged when he caught sight of us, his eyes roaming my face for an extended period. “You look better.”

  I rolled my neck. “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me. None of you have to worry about me, for that matter.”

  “We’re a group,” Rooster replied easily. “That’s what we do. You’re going to have to get used to it.”

  “I told you,” Gunner supplied as he moved to one of the stools at the bar. “I could use a drink.”

  Whistler arched an eyebrow but didn’t chastise him. “Beer?”

  “Yeah. But make it a short one. I need to run to the lumberyard after this.”

  That was news to me. “You’re going to the lumberyard?” I knew he moonlighted for a friend, picking up hours there whenever he could fit them in. It seemed out of the blue today, though.

  “I have to put some time in. I also want to get some supplies for your cabin.”

  I balked. “I can do that. It’s not your responsibility.”

  He made a face. “Don’t give me grief, okay? If I want to get supplies for your cabin, you’ll live.”

  I wanted to argue, but it was obvious now wasn’t the time. “Fine.”

  Gunner turned his full attention to Rooster. “Cyrus just showed up at Scout’s cabin.”

  Rooster shifted on his stool. “You’re kidding. Why? Did he threaten her?”

  “He wasn’t there for me,” I replied. “He was there for Gunner.”

  “Really?” Rooster’s eyebrows migrated up his forehead. “That’s interesting. What did he want?”

  “To invite me to a gathering,” Gunner replied. “He claimed someone in town told him where to find me — which is complete and utter crap — but I didn’t call him on the fact that Drake and Flint have been following us. I didn’t want to tip my hand and antagonize him ... well, at least not yet.”

  Oh, well, that made sense. I wondered who was spreading my business. The obvious answer was Flint.

  “He’s hosting a gathering here?” Rooster was taken aback. “I thought that was against the rules.”

  “He claims it’s not a formal gathering.”

  “I don’t want to be an idiot,” I interjected. “I’m confused about what a gathering is. It sounded important, but I didn’t want to display my ignorance in front of Cyrus ... especially after he extended a special invitation for m
e should I want to attend without Gunner.”

  Rooster’s expression was hard to read. “So ... which one of you are they watching?”

  Gunner shrugged. “I have no idea. He pretended he was there for me, but he was very much aware of Scout. Every time she moved, he watched her. I think ... I think he might be afraid of her.”

  “He didn’t act afraid,” I countered.

  “He did under the surface. He was prepared to run if you decided to whip out your magic. I don’t think you saw it because you don’t know him. I definitely saw it.”

  “I’m assuming that Flint told his father what happened in the woods,” Rooster mused. “To Cyrus, Scout would make an impressive addition to his pack. You would, too. Maybe he assumes the two of you come as a unit ... and that’s even more impressive to him.”

  I was still behind. “I don’t want to be part of a pack. Besides, I thought only wolves could be pack members.”

  “Yes and no,” Gunner hedged, shifting on his stool. “It used to be that pack politics insisted on blood purity. If a wolf married outside of the pack, he was often shunned. Throughout the years, things shifted a bit ... but only because wolf lines were shrinking.”

  “They kind of had the China problem,” Rooster volunteered. “Male children are coveted in the wolf world. Females? Not so much. So, once a wolf couple had a male heir, many couples stopped adding to their families. I’m sure you can guess how that ended.”

  “They didn’t have enough girls to mate with their precious boys,” I surmised, dislike for pack politics rearing up. “What’s so great about having a boy anyway? Girls are fun, too.”

  Gunner shot me a look. “Don’t worry. I happen to think girls are just as important as boys. That makes me an anomaly in the pack world, though.”

  There was no way we were talking about kids. I mean ... geez. We hadn’t even seen each other naked yet. I opted to keep the conversation on course. “So, there weren’t enough girls and wolves had to start mating outside their lines,” I prodded.

  Gunner nodded, turning grim. “At first, humans were added to the mix because the pack hierarchy believed they would be easiest to bully. That was mostly true. The problem is, just because someone looks human doesn’t mean they are. Before they even realized what was happening there was a lot of inter-mixing.”