Moonlight Lovers: A Reverse Harem Shifter Romance (The Witch and the Wolf Pack Book 7)

by K. R. Alexander

  He looked back into my eyes for a moment before dropping his gaze. “Let’s get this sorted and your scrying sorted. That’s the best work we can do from here.”

  “Gabriel knows there are more wolves in London.”

  Andrew glanced at me.

  “He wouldn’t admit it. I just … I got that impression from something he said. So maybe there’s even a pack.”

  Andrew found a bunch of photographs in an envelope and set that aside in the storage box. He held up a black notebook and I took it to flip through.

  I remembered this book. Sure enough: dedicated to scrying, much of it filled with notes and sketches from visions. Didn’t mean it had answers, yet a great lead and my heart beat faster as I added it to my review stack.

  “Andrew?”

  “I don’t know what to tell you, darling. We’re doing the best we can to work this out, but we’re not going to solve it sitting here guessing about urban wolves all over again.”

  “It’s not that. I was just going to say thanks.”

  He looked at me, silent.

  “I’m glad you’re here.”

  I longed to take his hand but we sat too far apart, bins and paperwork strewn between us. Something changed in his expression, some reaction I couldn’t pin down. It seemed even his jaw moved, then he went back to the work at hand.

  “What were you going to…?” I stopped.

  He didn’t look at me.

  I thought of other questions. About his journey, what scared him, what it was he wanted with this relationship—this push and pull thing from day one—and so many more questions.

  We went on with only the sounds of rustling papers and whir of the two fans between us.

  Chapter 7

  Wendigo was like Stefan: a musty, crabby old bar, dark and unconcerned by curb appeal. Like so many of even the shabbiest places in Portland, however, they had outstanding food and drinks at a good price.

  The wolves were not into spicy food. Even so, I convinced then to try the mild wings, along with waffle fries and cheese sauce, and parked most of the pack at two small tables where they could watch pre-season American football and eat in peace away from the bar. Isaac and Andrew—pineapple juice in hand—remained at the bar while I scouted for Katelyn.

  I’d assumed I would need to ask the bartender. If Stefan was right, however, I was willing to bet she was the brunette on the far end. The way she was talking with the barman already, and swilling down a tequila sunrise—more than any resemblance to Stefan—made me suspicious.

  I waited for her host to move on to take orders.

  “Excuse me? Are you Katelyn? Stefan’s daughter?”

  “He’s not here.” She gave me a sweeping, imperial gaze and snorted. “What do you want with him?”

  “I didn’t say I was looking for him. I’m Cassia. He told you about me stopping by, right? About his library?”

  Blank. She just stared. She wore skinny jeans, a push-up bra, and a tight top cut so low it looked like she was trying to tan.

  “Maybe he didn’t?” I asked.

  “You’re here to see my dad’s library?” She spoke very slowly. She might as well have been asking, “You’re here to go skiing?”

  “That’s right—”

  “Get out of town.” This time she snickered and returned to her drink. “If he owes you money or something you’ll have to take it up with him. And he won’t be back for a while so good luck.”

  “No, he doesn’t owe me anything. He said I could take a look at his library. I’m looking for … a certain book that I hope he has. He said I could talk to you. That you have a key while he’s gone?”

  “Right. Sure he did.” Sip.

  “I’ll call him. We can both talk to him.”

  She didn’t even bother to glance at me as I went to recent calls and tried the number.

  Stefan didn’t answer.

  Looking at Katelyn, I left a quick message. “Hi, Stefan, it’s Cassia again. I’m here for the library and wondering if you could just confirm with Katelyn that it’s okay for me to go in? Could you call me back? Or her? Thanks.”

  Katelyn was unmoved.

  “We’ll just … wait a minute. Hopefully he’ll call.”

  “You take your time.” She smiled at me. It was so exactly a perfect supercilious high school diva smile you could have put it on a poster. It gave me flashback chills. Should have just waited for Skye to return my call in the first place.

  I retreated up the bar to sit with Isaac and Andrew. They were sharing an order of fries and dip—eating human, which both were skilled at when they chose.

  “Bad news?” Andrew arched an eyebrow.

  “So…” I let out a breath. “That’s her, but Stefan didn’t tell her about me. And she’s drunk. And she’s…” I checked my phone as if I could will Stefan to call.

  “We saw,” Isaac said.

  Excellent judges of body language, even from afar.

  “We’ll have to wait and hope Stefan calls back,” I said. “Otherwise…”

  “Don’t despair, darling. You only need the key to the old mage’s place? How do you get in?”

  “In? Outside entrance. There’s a stairway around back in the alley to the apartment above the bar.”

  “I’ll check the door,” Isaac said, watching Katelyn.

  “Good point,” I admitted. “She might not have even locked the place.”

  “And I’ll check the bitch.” Andrew smiled.

  “Andrew, please—” I started, irritated.

  He ignored me. Both were already splitting up—Isaac for the front door to the street, Andrew down the bar to Katelyn. As he moved, he caught the barman’s eye, jerking his head to Katelyn.

  “May I?”

  I could hardly hear him inviting himself to sit beside her. I moved surreptitiously down the bar a few seats myself, bringing the basket of fries. Phone in one hand, waffle fry in the other, I feigned busyness.

  Katelyn gave him an up and down look. And melted. Her smile was simpering, her voice breathy as she giggled an acceptance—“Don’t let me stop you.”

  “You’ll have another?” Andrew sat with his pineapple juice.

  The bartender was already fixing it. Not as if she objected.

  “Something to eat, sweetheart?” Andrew asked.

  “Oh, I don’t know. You?” Her glass was swapped out.

  “I only come here for the view.”

  She giggled more, leaning in toward him. “I love your accent. Where are you from?”

  “I love your breasts,” he answered, straight-faced. “But thought you’d think me too bold if I said so out loud.”

  This was apparently the funniest thing she’d ever heard. Andrew caught her drink on the bar lest she knock it over.

  “I also love bold men,” she managed to gasp in her mirth, clutching his arm.

  “Do you suppose I was wrong, then? Want to ask what I’m really wondering?”

  “What are you wondering?” She sipped and leaned even closer, lowering her voice.

  “How about a feel?”

  “A what?”

  “A touch?”

  “Oh, sure—if you promise not to tell.” Wrinkling her nose.

  “All right with my tongue, or want me to take off my trousers?”

  That was even more funny. It seemed she might fall off the barstool, but she steadied herself on him. “I just love, love, love your accent. You have to tell me where you’re from.” She gulped from her new drink.

  “Guess, sweetheart.”

  “London, of course. Must be somewhere in London.”

  “Oh, yes … the great … country of London?”

  “That’s where the Queen and the … Masterpiece TV comes from. And tea.”

  “Certainly.”

  Isaac stepped up to my right side and I turned.

  He shook his head.

  “Let’s go sit down.” I grabbed the basket and turned for a table. “I’m going to be sick if I stay here.”


  Isaac glanced down the bar to the happy couple, then led me to a tiny round table by the others.

  Even Jed was riveted to the TV, which surprised me. Zar gave me a quick smile and refocused to the screen above. The rest didn’t even glance my way.

  “You all like football?”

  “Like a hunt, isn’t it?” Kage was frowning at the screen, intense.

  “Oh … I suppose it is … when you look at it that way.”

  “Progress?” Isaac asked, sitting down with me.

  “Plenty of progress. Let’s just wait and see.” I checked my phone again. Nothing from Stefan. Or from Skye.

  One more day here and it was looking like all I had to go on would be my own papers. Plus make time for that full moon tomorrow. I had to do something for them. Any full moon was a worship night, but this was special. Too bad it hadn’t fallen on one of their free-roaming wilderness nights and they could have sung and been themselves, prayed and celebrated however they liked…

  We finished the fries while I found myself also watching the screen more and more.

  Pack against pack, hunter against hunted, yes, I saw why they were getting into it.

  “Your library awaits, darling.” Voice in my ear.

  I jumped and looked around.

  Andrew pressed a chunky keyring with several keys into my hand. “Might want to make it quick, though.”

  “Thank you, Andrew.” I kissed his cheek as I stood, hiding the keys in both hands.

  Isaac pushed back his chair but hesitated, watching me for a sign.

  “Zar? Want to see these books?”

  Kage had the strange interest in magic, yet I was pretty sure Zar was the only one in the group who would consider it a treat to see a bunch of dusty old caster books.

  He scrambled up to follow me.

  I nodded to Isaac. “Text if we need to get out.”

  Chapter 8

  Zar sniffed as I opened the door.

  “They’re in the spare bedroom,” I said. “If you want to take a look.”

  I followed him to say hello to the family.

  Napoleon, a full-grown iguana who was over five feet long from nose to tip of tail, took up a third of the room with his enclosure. He was basking in a warm lamp that should have been turned off by now with the sun setting outside. Napoleon didn’t seem to mind, however. Boxer, the 60-year-old tortoise, was sleeping in her own tank. On the opposite wall were the snake cages; occupied by a mix of long-term residents—like Snowball, the albino Burmese python, and Jessie, the milk snake—as well as Stefan’s temporary foster snakes and new adoptions that he took in for local rescues.

  Zar, like so many before him, was intrigued by Napoleon. It was hard not to be intrigued by Napoleon. When Stefan was home, the huge iguana was often loose in the apartment, especially when Stefan wanted the aid of his familiar for spell work. I was sure the only reason he hadn’t taken Napoleon along to the coast was it being too cold at night out there for the lizard.

  While Zar looked around, I hurried to the books. I didn’t think Katelyn would wander up here anytime soon. Still, I wasn’t going to dawdle. Answering questions from the police while I couldn’t get Stefan on the phone wasn’t going to make our last thirty-odd hours in Portland run smoothly.

  The apartment was dark, warm, smelling of reptiles, fried food from the bar below, and dusty old papers. Much of the living room was taken up with shelves all the way around. These ran into the bedroom where books continued to spill forth, often floor-to-ceiling.

  Below the main window he had an altar: black candles, stone figures of many different deities spanning world religions, a copper pentagram, and so on. Through the middle of the living room and into the eat-in part of the small kitchen stood several chairs and a long table.

  I’d sat at that table with Stefan and other local casters—particularly when I’d first moved to the area for school and Nana had insisted I connect with the community and not feel so isolated. My grandmother was someone who had thrived on isolation, loved it, truly felt happy on her own. I was not. I need alone time—quiet time, introvert time—but I crave community and family in a way she never had, and she’d known it.

  When was the last time I’d been here? A year? Close to two? I couldn’t remember. Ever since Nana had died, I’d been pulling farther and farther from this world. No casting circles, no support group style potluck dinners for our hidden little family.

  Standing in Stefan’s living room, remembering the people I’d met here—including Marc and Skye—and how important that had been when I’d found myself nineteen and totally alone, a stranger in a strange land, tears filled my eyes. Again. Dammit. Pull yourself together.

  I blinked fast, breathing through my mouth as I started speed-browsing the shelves.

  Yes, okay, you were wrong. Ties to these people were more important than you let yourself believe. Now move on and find a book.

  After a few minutes, Zar joined in the search, even more fascinated by the books than the reptile room.

  “It doesn’t have to be something on scrying. It could be about magic interacting … adversary magics… It’s hard to say. One of those things that might just be mentioned in one chapter of one book that overall has nothing to do with scrying.”

  “Are all of these caster books?” Zar looked around, one heavy volume in his hands.

  “Oh, no. I’d say … a quarter of what’s here? But Stefan was never very … organized.”

  We spent a very rushed half hour to come up with three promising titles. Then fifteen minutes scanning through them. I snapped some pictures of sections I wanted to read in detail, though still couldn’t pin down the exact topic.

  I was sweating, chewing on my lip as I got another picture, then texted Isaac.

  Still okay? We’re looking through a few books. Be back soon.

  Then my phone rang, making me jump. Skye.

  “Oh—crap. I need to answer.”

  “Ring her back.”

  I nodded and we rushed on through pages that made Zar sneeze.

  She got up. Andrew’s chatting with her again. Text from Isaac.

  If Katelyn was heading for the door, how long before she noticed her keys were gone?

  “We’ve got to go,” I said under my breath. “We can’t take these. I told Stefan—”

  “Cass, look.” He shoved the dedicated book on scrying at me.

  Right at the back: Chapter Twelve: Overcoming Distance Resistance, Blocks, Barriers, and Other Scrying Dilemmas Solved.

  I hugged him, ran the book to the well-lit kitchen, and photographed every page of the chapter on my phone.

  I got a photo of all three covers for reference, then Zar and I carefully replaced all where we’d found them.

  We locked up, hurried back downstairs—now in gloom of streetlights—and made our casual ways back around to the front of the building and inside.

  Business had picked up. The place was noisy, most of the wolves still fixated on football.

  Sure enough, Andrew stood with Katelyn, his back to us, blocking her from the door.

  Plenty of noise. I dropped the keys on the dark wood floor, and, with a flick of my foot, sent them sliding behind barstools to bump Andrew’s heel.

  Zar and I walked over to our tables.

  Isaac stood, drawing attention from the rest.

  We headed for the doors.

  Andrew was just stepping back, bending. “Drop something?”

  A couple minutes later he met us out front. We walked to the street-parked van, talking about football while I called Skye.

  Chapter 9

  We said goodnight with my assurance that they really could all come over to my place tomorrow since Preeda would be safely out of the way in Seattle until late. Kage muttered about having another vote but no one took him seriously. Anyway, I think they were all more chill than I might have expected to send me off this time because they’d been able to see how much good it was doing me to be home.

  Ma
ybe now I could up the benefits with a good night’s sleep. Unlikely with the already late hour, plus reading I had to do and the inferno.

  Preeda was at her bedroom desk when we got in, typing. She writes essays and compiles research notes into color-coded, sectioned documents that span hundreds of pages.

  When we got in, she shut her door. No need for 10:00 p.m. small talk.

  In my room, I pulled out the desk chair. Andrew sat on the foot of the bed.

  I sent the book photos to my school laptop to be able to read on a large screen, then flipped open my travel notebook.

  Friday:

  Visit Tilikum Elementary

  Sort out old scry papers

  Laundry

  Lunch with pack

  Stefan’s library

  Read

  Saturday:

  Meet Skye for brunch

  Safe for pack to be in apartment

  Read

  Scry?

  Pack bags

  Blue Moon—do something for wolves

  Sunday:

  Early airport

  Two flights

  Monday:

  Arrive in England

  Scry?

  Tuesday:

  Catch a killer

  “Darling, you’re listing what you’ve already done…”

  I tipped up the notebook into my chest as I wrote so he couldn’t see it, finished my list, and returned to the top. With much satisfaction, I drew a line through the first five items under Friday.

  I smiled at the page. “It gives a head start. I meant to make the list this morning. Now we already got some of this done. Halfway there. It’s good to have a list, but it’s better to have a list checked off.”

  “I’ll take your word for it.” His returned smile was teasing, making me think of earlier.

  “Thanks for pinching the keys for us.”

  “That one cheeky, short bloke with the glasses had to come in useful some day, right?”