AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Manners read the distaste on my face. ‘It might happen,’ he warned softly.
‘I know.’ I bit my thumb. ‘We’d better go to Rosie’s tonight. I’ll see if Maxwell will let us stay over, then we can both get a full re-charge before the council arrives.’
‘Good idea.’
I hauled out my phone and dialled Maxwell, who guards the local portal that allows us to travel from the Other realm to the Common one. Werewolves need to re-charge their batteries by staying in the Common realm now and again – it is one of our vulnerabilities. Maxwell takes his role as guardian seriously – and he likes me.
He answered on the second ring. ‘Lucy! My favourite alpha! What can I do for you?’
‘Can I do a stay-and-play?’ I asked.
His tone lost its joviality and suddenly he was all business. ‘How long do you want to stay for?’
‘The night, if possible.’
‘How many of you?’
‘Just me and Manners.’ Perhaps a stronger alpha, more secure in her position, would have taken some more of her wolves, but at that moment I didn’t trust them not to slit my throat whilst I was sleeping.
‘Okay. Roscoe is in Liverpool, so I’ll call in a couple more elementals for back up. I’ll be ready to receive you in thirty.’
‘Noted. Thanks, Maxwell.’ I rang off and turned to Manners. ‘Pack an overnight bag and let’s move.’
‘Yes ma’am,’ he responded. His military efficiency is one of the things I really appreciate about him, that and the fact that he never balks at an order. Of course, my orders so far hadn’t been especially controversial, but I had a feeling that might change soon. With the council arriving, we were about to dive into turbulent waters.
Chapter 3
Thecarjourneywassilent. I’m not sure what Manners was thinking about, but I was still plotting how to win over the pack.
You worry too much. We will win them over.Esme’s tone was assured.
How?
She huffed,Just by being.
I admired her confidence in us, but I wasn’t sure a ‘just keep swimming’ attitudewouldwin over the pack. I was equally sure that cookies and cake weren’t going to cut it, even though I’d seriously considered them as an option. I like baking and the pack likes eating – a lot. But when they gathered in the huge mansion kitchen, they always fell silent when I walked in. It was enough to make a girl paranoid.
We drew up outside Rosie’s. Darkness had already fallen, and the trendy café was lit with fairy lights and candles. It looked warm and inviting, more welcoming than the mansion, that was for sure.
A few patrons were in. Three fire elementals sat nursing a brew, their heads dancing with flames. If you saw them in the Common realm you’d see three normal guys, but here in the Other – flames. It still made me smile. The Other realm is magic; not a day goes by that I’m not genuinely thrilled at the thought of living in a place where magic is everything. The elementals gave us cursory nods and I guessed they were Maxwell’s back up.
Two green-skinned dryads were eating cake and having a giggle. Apart from them, the place was empty.
I headed to the back room, which is the portal to the Other realm. You’d think it would be filled with shimmery lights or something, but no. You walk into it and back out again. When you walk out, you’re in the opposite realm to the one where you started. Simple.
Esme was turning around and stretching out in our head. She settled down for a rest and I tried not to feel anxious at the thought of losing her from my mind.
I’ll be back soon,she reassured me.Relax. Sleep. In the morning we’ll be reunited.
As always her calm soothed me.Thanks. Have a good rest.
And you. Run in your dreams.She sent me an affectionate lick across my hair, the equivalent of a kiss goodnight. She may be a kick-ass killer wolf, but she’smykick-ass killer wolf. And maybe one day she’ll understand that casual killing is frowned on. Maybe I could read Aristotle to her.
As I stepped into the back room, Esme was ripped away from me. It was a separation so total and complete that it took my breath away. Tears rose in my eyes and I took a moment to catch my breath. I couldn’t let anyone see how much I suffered from her loss.
When I was steady, I stepped back out into the Common realm. I felt a skitter of anxiety at being unable to change. Sure, I was still faster and tougher than most people – but I had no wolf.
To distract myself, I looked around. The dryads were still laughing, but now their skin was pale pink. Gone were the elementals’ flames; instead, waves of curly hair cascaded down their brows. I couldn’t see the triangle of the Other, which I knewwas on their foreheads.
