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Delila said nothing, taking one of the bloody rags I’d cast aside earlier. Then she grabbed a few strands of Celeste’s dark hair.
“Ouch!” Celeste jumped, clapping a hand to her scalp as she gave Delila a bewildered look. “What was that for?”
My wolf lurched forward a moment later, snapping angrily at the nerve of the witch. I pressed my lips together and silently wrestled for control. Delila was unconventional, and she would not put up with my wolf’s protective nature if I let him out.
“You’re coming, too, aren’t you?” Delila grumbled at Celeste, stalking away from us both. She pulled my small book from one of the pouches swinging on her hip. Next came an old necklace, a cord, and a wolf’s tooth. She placed the rag and Celeste’s hair on the same page while muttering something under her breath. I knew she didn’t have to verbalize her magic, but she was clearly reveling in the way Celeste was staring at her in awe.
Before Celeste could ask any other questions, the whole world blinked out of existence. A rushing cold swept over the four of us as my stomach dropped to my feet. It’d been years since I’d last asked a witch to transport me, and I’d almost forgotten just how disorienting it could be.
Moments later, however, the world blinked back. It was at least thirty degrees warmer, and I could see trees towering overhead. My stomach bobbed back up to my nose. I could hear Celeste gag a few feet away as I turned to Delila.
“My thanks,” I said. “Walter will be in touch if—”
She waved a hand at me before I could say anything else. “Do your best not to need me, Fenris,” Delila said, giving me a sharp look. “I don’t like being disturbed.”
She gave no room for argument. In the space of a breath, Delila once again disappeared, leaving us in the middle of the Snowmass Pack’s territory.
We weren’t alone for long. Three tawny wolves came surging out of the tree line, headed by a dark brown wolf larger than the rest. They shifted midstride, and the leader offered a small nod as she greeted us.
“A pleasure, Lord Fenris,” Keziah greeted me. She was a bit taller than average, her dark brown hair wrapped tightly back. All three of them wore plaid, and for a moment, I thought they were a pack of lumberjacks. I supposed that wouldn’t be surprising in Colorado.
“Shari, Micah, get the Lunar Lord’s friend here to Wuta at once,” Keziah ordered. “Summon his apprentices as well. This man’s going to need all the help he can get.”
Two of Keziah’s packmates stepped forward silently, arranging Kal between them. Keziah turned to the last wolf. “Noah, come with me. We’ll help these two get settled.”
It was not a long walk back to the small town at the heart of the Snowmass Pack’s territory. Celeste walked beside me, her eyes growing impossibly wide as Noah, an older man with light brown hair and weathered skin, began pointing out who lived where and how we might get the things we needed.
“This place is lovely,” she said quietly, as much to herself as to any of us. “I wonder if this is what the Carmel Valley Pack is like, too.”
Keziah snorted, glancing over her broad shoulder. “Most packs in California are a little too happy-go-lucky for my tastes,” she said, raising a brow. “They mingle with humans far more freely—don’t seem to see the danger in that. We keep more to ourselves.” She paused, motioning to the buildings stretching out ahead of us. “We’re self-sufficient. I’d never stop a packmate from traveling further into civilization if they had a need, but…well, we try to avoid that.”
I stayed silent as we walked on, aware of eyes falling on me and quickly flickering away. They may not have realized who I was as Fenris, but they certainly sensed the power of the Lunar Lord. My wolf rumbled, clearly pleased with the pack’s awe and hint of fear, but I tried to focus on Celeste instead.
“Do you completely avoid humans?” Celeste asked Keziah, trying to catch up with the alpha.
Keziah paused for a moment so Celeste could reach her. She scratched her chin. “I mean, we don’t mind humans,” she replied, shrugging. “They don’t tend to bother us. But a shifter always has to be a little on guard around them. Most paranormals do. It’s just more comfortable for us to be out here with our own folk.”
“That sounds nice,” Celeste said, looking thoughtful. “I think more people could use places where they really feel comfortable.”
Keziah studied Celeste for a moment, her green eyes twinkling. “Glad you think so,” she said after a moment, looking back at her home. “I’m pretty fond of it myself. We take great pride in the place, and in taking care of it. Speaking of which…” Her attention turned back to me. “I’ve also got a coven of witches about. They settled a few decades back and made an agreement with Grandma that both my mother and I have been happy to uphold. They’ve always got charms in place, but I’ve sent word for them to strengthen everything and be on high alert. If anyone is coming for you, sir, we’ll know long before they get here.”
“Good.” I paused for a moment as my eyes flickered to the back of Celeste’s head. Once, I wouldn’t have cared about all the deference I was being shown, but it simply felt strange now. I could wonder what had changed, but deep down, I knew. “And just ‘Fenris’ is fine. None of this title stuff.” I waved my hand in emphasis.
“Are you sure, sir?”
I gave Keziah a look. “I am quite sure, Pack Alpha Palm, but if you insist on such formality—”
“Okay, okay! I get your point.” She came to a stop in front of a log cabin a bit larger than the other houses in the row. “Thanks for your help, Noah. Can you go check in with the hunters and see how our stores are doing?”
“Of course,” the older man said, giving us all a nod before turning and heading back.
Keziah looked at us, her hands on her hips as she smiled proudly. “Welcome to my home,” she said, sweeping one arm toward the building. The entire community reminded me of something from the American West in the 1800s, but truly built to last. As we walked up the front steps, I noticed the wooden porch didn’t even creak beneath our weight.
The female alpha smirked as she noticed how attentive I was to each detail, but said nothing else. “I’ll make the guest room up for the two of you,” she said as we stepped inside. The heavy door slammed shut behind us. “I’m sure it’s nothing like what you’re used to, but I’ll make sure there’s plenty of blankets and the fire is stoked so no one gets cold. Anything in my home is yours. You don’t even have to ask.”
Celeste glanced around, her gaze never lingering on anything for long. “Do you have a phone I can borrow?” she asked. When I gave her a look, she shrugged. “I’ve been gone for a few weeks. I want to make sure Abi is doing okay.”
She pressed her mouth into a worried line. As we talked, Keziah continued to walk down the hall.
