Page 110 of Freed By the Witchbone Knife

Thanks for the heads up. Had another run-in with Ambrose today. He came by trying to get me to go home with him again.

Vera

Shit! You okay? Need me to fly out there?

Me

I’m fine. Just being careful.

Vera

Love you. Call if you need anything.

I set the phone down, blinking back unexpected tears. At least I had a few people I could lean on, even if I couldn’t count on my parents any longer. I loved them. I knew they wanted what was best for us. But…sometimes it was easy for someone to want the best and still go about it incorrectly.

I looked at Axel, this gruff, damaged wolf who’d opened his home to me. Who’d faced his trauma to help me search for the knife. Who’d stood between me and Ambrose today without hesitation.

“Thank you,” I said softly.

He glanced over, brow furrowed. “For what?”

“For having my back today. For making me dinner. For...” I gestured vaguely. “All of it.”

Something shifted in his expression. Softened. “You don’t need to thank me, Rebecca. Protecting you, caring for you—it’s not a chore. It’s...” He stopped, jaw working like he was trying to find the right words. “It’s what I want to do. You’re my mate, aye? It is an honor.”

My chest radiated with warmth.

“Even though it’s temporary?” The words came out before I could stop them. “Even though I’ll eventually get my magic back and leave?”

I was baiting him.

His hands stilled on the wooden spoon. For a long moment, he didn’t respond. Then, quietly, “Aye. Even then.”

My chest ached. Because he still believed it. Still believed that once the curse broke, once I didn’t need him anymore, I’d walk away.

“Axel—“

“Dinner’s ready.” He turned away, reaching for plates. “Come on. Before it gets cold.”

I sighed and slid off the stool, helping him dish up the mac and cheese, pile on the roasted vegetables. We ate in silence, the only sounds the clink of forks and the occasional crackle from the fireplace.

When we finished, he said, “I got something to show you. Something that might cheer you up. Stay here.”

Then he disappeared outside. When he returned, I stared at the giant wooden piece he carried. At first, I couldn’t make heads or tails of it. Then he marched over to Basil and Sage’s enclosure. He scooted a few things around before setting it down.

My lips parted. What started as cautious excitement turned to absolute joy as it radiated out to the tips of my fingers. “Is that a…a climbing tower?”

It was elaborate, with carved platforms in the shape of bowls and perches. A few parts were enclosed. A quick assessment told me he’d kept the wood entirely untreated so it would be safe for when they undoubtedly chewed on it. But he’d sanded it beautifully. You could see the character of it.

“It’s kiln dried to ensure that all the harmful stuff is out of the wood,” he explained.

“Is this…is that what you were drawing in your sketchbook a few weeks ago? When you wouldn’t let me see?”

I’d only gotten a quick glimpse. It hadn’t made any sense at the time. But seeing it now…

“Aye. You like it?”

“Axel it’s… But that was weeks ago. Before you even knew me. When you were still planning to roast my little gremlins for snacks.”