Page 123 of 'Til All the Seas Run Dry

The person was talking quickly, sounding out of breath, as if she was doing other things while talking.

“He’s approaching his first shift. I’ve never heard of a wolf not shifting until the age of thirty-four, but he says that he’s been a blood donor since he was seventeen, and my best guess is that the vampire venom held the change at bay? I know this is like three hundred HIPAA violations, but he told me that I needed to tell the whole story to a Callum MacLeod. He said that you knew him? He would have called himself, but he broke both his phone and his laptop this morning when the tremors began and doesn’t remember any phone numbers. So I need you to pass this message onto him.”

Callum’s eyes were wide, and he gripped Jory’s hand.

“Robbie is extremely volatile right now and needs to be around other wolves until he acclimates. He’s a huge danger to both himself and others otherwise. I’m taking him to the nearest pack. They’ll help him navigate his first shift. He’ll be safe. The Alpha is an old friend of mine who owes me a favor. I’m gonna stay until he’s settled and then I’ll be back. I’m happy to talk to Mr. MacLeod about Robbie’s situation when I get back, but the cell service is spotty out on the pack lands. I don’t know if JJ’s gotten Wi-Fi yet and brought them into the twenty-first century or not, but I’ll try my best to reach out soon.”

There was a scuffling sound.

“Oh no, you don’t. Don’t make me strap you down, asshole. I will. Behave.Behave. Good boy.”

Callum felt like he was hallucinating. What was happening?

“I gotta go, Mags. Pass it on for me? You’re the best. And tell them—fucking hell. I didn’t touch him! Stand down! Fucking Peep with wings! You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. Gah! I said?—”

The line went dead.

Magda tucked the phone into her back pocket, looking at Callum with raised eyebrows. Had Callum’s heart functioned the way it once had, it would have been pounding. As it was, there was a curious rushing in his ears, like he was underwater.

And then Esther’s voice, crackled and hoarse through the phone’s speaker, broke the silence and spoke the collective thought into the air.

“Well, fuck.”