Page 69 of Big Bad Wolf

Callie smiled. “No, she’s more of a kitchen witch. She puts her magic into food.”

“So that was her secret,” Ruby said with a grin. She’d never felt better than after she ate something cooked by Eloise.

“Her chicken soup is the real deal.”

“Let’s hope she can cook up something to help Lena.”

Callie ran a hand up and down Ruby’s arm. “We’ll figure it out.”

Ruby gave her a weak smile in return. We’ll figure it out had become her mantra over the past few months, and she didn’t feel any closer to figuring anything out.

But at least now she wasn’t alone.

Thirty minutes and several cups of reheated soup later, Callie’s grandmother appeared on the screen in front of them.

Ruby and Rafe sat on either side of Callie on the old sofa in the living room, the laptop on the coffee table in front of them. Sawyer was rocking in a rocking chair next to the fireplace. He’d managed to get a cozy fire going to take the chill out of the room.

“Grandma, can you hear us?”

“Oh, there you are, sweets! I see your beautiful face!” The old woman leaned toward the computer and her cheerful face filled the screen.

Callie smiled. “Lean back a bit. Okay, that’s better.”

“How are you? Do you have friends over? Don’t tell me you replaced Sawyer with that big fellow there.”

Rafe grumbled and Ruby swallowed her laugh.

“No, no. This is Rafe.”

The old woman squinted, peering through the screen at Rafe. Her eyes widened in recognition. “Devon’s son? You look just like him!”

Rafe choked on his soup.

“You knew my father?”

“Knew of him, yes. It’s important to know what’s out there.”

Ruby almost laughed at how little she knew about what was out there. Sawyer winked at her like he knew exactly how she felt.

“I heard he passed.”

Rafe grumbled in the affirmative. “A few months ago, but I’m not with the pack anymore.”

“I figured you’d be the next Alpha, but I take it that’s not what happened.”

“Knox took the position.”

“Hm.” Eloise looked like she wanted to say more, but Callie cut into the werewolf politics talk. “Gram, we wanted to get your help with something.”

“What is it, love?”

“It’s Lena.”

“Ruby’s sister? The sweet one?”

“Ha. Ha.” Ruby rolled her eyes and Eloise cackled.

“You’re the fiery one, Ruby dear. The world needs both.”