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Monique came outside with another glass of water. “Xander, you okay?”
I shook my head, my teeth already shifting. “Gotta run.”
“You want company?” Kyle asked.
“Not unless... you want...” I could barely speak now. My eyes had shifted, taking my human color vision down to a basic shades of gray.
“Not really. I’m okay. Fucking exhausted actually,” Kyle said.
I nodded, tried to smile at my mate since she looked worried. “Won’t. Be. Long.”
My wolf took over. I dropped to all fours on the ground as my body transformed, my skin turning to fur, my limbs morphing and shaping into my shifting animal.
I stared up at my mate for a long moment, then I took off, running into the forest.
Those fucking assholes.
How dare the council, or anyone in town, blame me for the curse. Or for the knowledge that there could be a better way.
I wasfixingthe problem; I hadn’t caused it. They’d stuck their head in the sand so long, they’d rather choke to death than realize there was an advantage to digging their way out.
I ran and ran, until my legs ached and my heart beat so fast it sounded like the fluttering of a bird’s wings rather than the steady thump of a steam engine.
When I found a small creek, I stopped to drink. As the cool water trickled down my throat, I felt it—a shimmer of magic. Not like Monique’s, or Michael’s, but something different. Something that set my teeth on edge.
I glanced around, trying to scent the air and look into the shadows, but there was nothing. I left the creek and went roaming, ready to fight if the need called for it.
But there was still nothing except for trees and rocks. If someone magical had been here, they must be gone now.
My heart rate had slowed and although my legs shook with exertion, I had the strength to make it back to my town fairly quickly.
I hadn’t realized I had run so far. I didn’t recognize anything around here. The trees were foreign, and even the mushrooms and flowers dotted among the foliage were unusual.
I shuddered again, feeling a gentle wave of... something. Like the first time, whatever it was set my teeth on edge. And this time it told me to move. To leave. And not come back.
It wasn’t an actual voice in my head, it was more a feeling. A challenge.
I didn’t fight. Instead, I heeded the wisdom of my instincts that said to listen. So I turned tail and set off home, as fast as I could.
For some reason, I didn’t mention the incident to the others, and then after a day or two, it faded from my mind.
Over the next few weeks, Kyle and I worked on the new house, getting the plans drawn up for the final design and finishing the framing work. Some days Michael came by the building site, while Monique stayed at the cottage reading or cooking.
“What can I do to help?” Michael asked, walking onto the site one morning.
I picked up the nail gun and pointed at Kyle. “You could help Kyle with the flooring.”
Michael rolled up his sleeves, and with a big grin on his face, got to work. He wasn’t used to working with his hands, and was slow. But at least he was enthusiastic and willing to lend a hand.
“I wish I could just magic this house up for you all.” He blew the hair out of his face. “Being limited with my magic usage really sucks.”
I wiped the sweat off my brow. “You probably could do it, but what fun is that?”
Michael quirked an eyebrow. “We’d be done and could move straight in?”
Sharing a bed and one bathroom with the four of us was getting tight. We’d twice altered the plans in the new place for the master bedroom to accommodate a larger bed and two ensuites.
“There’s nothing like looking at your handywork.” I told him, running my palm over the framing wood. “Trust me, you’ll love it when it’s done.”
