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GRIFFIN
My head pounded as I stared out the window at the dark landscape around me. It was only miles from the city but wasn’t surrounded by massive buildings and taxis. This area was connected to a larger forest but wasn’t easily noticed on the map without it being pointed out specifically. Such a calm, peaceful environment, it nearly put me to sleep. Until Morgan hit a pothole dead on, pulling me from my near slumber.
“Watch the potholes, Mor. You’re going to mess up my shocks.”
She scoffed, and though I wasn’t looking at her, I could tell she rolled her eyes. “As if you know anything about cars. You usually ride your motorcycle.”
I grumbled, “Whatever,” and turned over to sleep against the window, leaving a sweaty spot on the glass where my head rested. Couldn’t she save her bitch attitude for when I had enough energy to deal with it? Right now, not in the mood.
We arrived home not long after, and I trudged up the stairs to my apartment. Morgan followed, escorting me inside and making me the herbal drink before I even asked. I remembered talking with her on the couch for a few minutes, and everything after that was a blank.
* * *
GRIFFIN
The knocking on my door woke me up for the second day in a row, and I peeled myself off the couch, heading to the door. In my groggy state, I’d barely caught myself before answering the door naked. I slipped on the pants that were folded neatly on the arm of the couch.
What the hell? Again, I was naked. But why were my pants folded? Did I do that last night? I couldn’t remember anything besides drinking the herbal tea Morgan made me and sitting on the couch talking with her. After that, I went blank.
Had I gone through the change without tearing apart the apartment? Again? This had been happening too much lately.
No time to think about it, now. My head throbbed with every pound on the door. “I’m coming,” I called out, my voice hoarse, and opened the door, finding Emily, Cassian, and Ember standing there waiting.
“About time,” Cassian said, strolling inside and taking a seat at the island. “We’ve been knocking forever.”
Emily instantly walked up to me and put her chin to my forehead. Relief flooded through me, feeling her so close; I couldn’t help but smile. “Most people would go for a kiss,” I teased.
She rolled her eyes. “Quiet, you. I’m checking your fever. It’s more accurate using your chin than your palm.”
“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell he’s sick,” Ember chimed in from behind. “Just look at him. He looks like shit. No offense.”
I frowned, but even I knew it was the truth. If I looked anything like I felt, it couldn’t be good.
Emily stepped into the kitchen, her absence leaving disappointment in its place. What I would give for just a few more minutes with her head so close to mine. She piddled through the cupboards and got to work heating water over the stove, concocting something in the pot. After a few minutes, she brought me a warm mug and gripped it in her palms, chanting the word Sana a few times before handing it to me with a smile. “I hope this helps.”
Without even smelling it, I took the cup and downed the beverage, the heat from the liquid scorching my throat—though, surprisingly, the burn felt good. It tasted like hot chocolate but with a spice that my taste buds weren’t acclimated to. Maybe ginger? It must be a good healing herb for the witches in my life to use so much. The drink tasted delicious, and I wished I’d drank it slower so I could savor the taste.
I should’ve praised her for such a tasty drink that was already making my headache turn from a sharp, painful throb to a dull ache. I should have told her that it was heavenly, like her, and that I appreciated her concern for me. But instead, I muttered, “Thanks,” and turned away to sit on the couch. Morgan had asked if I was a little bitch or a badass wolf—turned out I was the first.
Ember sat on the stool next to Cassian while Emily sat on the chair by the couch. They were getting settled into place, meaning they’d come to talk strategy and would be here a while because strategy talk was never a quick conversation.
“What should we do?” was the first question that everyone was eager to figure out, though no one knew the answer. The wolves were running rampant, taking out humans. They’ve reached as far as Ember’s cabin—wherever that was—and into the city. Not to mention, we still had the Samara situation to deal with. Maybe the two were related—hell if I knew—but everything was piling up.
It was assumed feral wolves go mad from the pain of changing every night, but after Emily and Ember saw black mist emanating from its dust—which, by the way, is a mystery in itself considering werewolves don’t turn to dust when they die—we are left wondering if magic was involved with their feral state. Hence, the reason I believe they could be related to Samara. I mean, she was already a crazy, megalomaniac—why wouldn’t she have something to do with it?
“We need to figure out more about the wolves,” Cassian said, popping open a soda he’d grabbed from the fridge. “Where they’ve been spotted, specifically. The radio report gave a few locations, and I’ve sent Liam and a few wolves to figure out those locations and investigate. The next step will be comparing the different reports to figure out what similarities they hold. You know, besides a wolf tearing someone apart.”
“Yeah, the wolves are important,” Ember said, exhausted from the topic, “but can we talk about how Emily totally kicked ass with her magic.” She turned to face Emily, whose face was growing an adorable shade of red. “I mean, where did that come from? You froze the wolf in the lake!”
Cassian and I perked up from the information. “You never told us that part,” he said, leaning closer.
Emily shrugged. “Well, it didn’t seem too important compared to the other stuff.”
“Oh, whatever,” Ember piped up, pointing a finger at Emily. “And you saved me from being crushed.” I looked at Ember, an incredulous expression on my face, and she nodded. “Yup, after I shot the wolf with the silver-tipped arrow, Emily said a spell that pulled me out of the way before it landed on me.”
“Wow, powerful witch and feisty luna,” I teased, cocking an eyebrow. “Is there any better combo?” Her blue eyes were like pools of water, cleansing me with their gaze, healing everything inside of me that I thought I’d lost.
By the time we were finished talking strategy, Emily’s tea was fading, and my headache was coming back. Considering we didn’t discuss much other than waiting for Cassian’s pack to report back—which was information that could’ve been delivered over the phone—I was beginning to assume the purpose of this visit was to check up on me.
