Chapter Fifteen
Mori
The Other World
I’d been in the middle of folding onesies when Dern yoinked me from my body this time. We hadn’t spoken since he informed me that I’d fucked up my chance of meeting my true-mate but there I was again. Laying flat on my back on his cold, Other World kitchen floor.
“What do you want now?” I asked without opening my eyes.
I didn’t need to see Dern to know he loomed over me, brow probably slightly creased with worry because I didn’t spring up onto my feet like bread out of the toaster.
Whatever spring was in my step had died when I last visited Dern.
Once upon a time he was a grouchy, old misunderstood wolf. Now he was just a giant dick.
“Look, we gotta talk,” Dern said. “Am I gonna have to sit on the floor or are you going to come to the table like a normal person?”
“What about this is normal, Dern?” I huffed.
“Fine,” he sat down next to me on the floor.
“My back’s about as good as new over here anyway.
I’m not sorry for any of it. I need to say that before I say everything else.
Yeah, I’m an asshole. I’m pretty self-serving, but I’ve told all of you that from the moment we met, but Ormund thinks I’m being too hard on you and to tell you the truth outside of my boys, he’s probably the only person in the universe that I give a shit about what he thinks.
So, if he says I’m being too hard on you, I’m being too hard on you.
Probably. Maybe I’m not the right sort of teacher for you.
You were supposed to be mysteries and healing.
Teddy was gonna be your muscle. I still think he will at some point. That hasn’t changed.”
“Do you have a point, or did you call me here to apologize to me because your mate threatened to spank you or something?”
“Well, if he got that kinky, you’d be the last thing on my mind,” Dern laughed. “It’d be a lot easier to talk to you if you weren’t squeezing your eyes shut like I was some nightmare monster who’ll go away if you ignore me long enough.”
“Spit it out or send me home, Dern,” I sighed.
“Okay, let’s start with a question to see if we can get you a bit more engaged,” Dern sighed back at me. “Do you know why most people who work with the Postcard Men only get summoned once?”
“Because they eat them,” I said, no humor in my voice.
“Because usually they have no warning and go hog wild when they get back to find a way to stop it from happening again. Hell, even I did,” Dern said. “There are a lot of things I’m trying to teach you, but I thought eventually, you’d do that.”
“Dern,” I pushed myself upright. “Has it ever occurred to you that I consider you a friend and want to keep coming to see you. Sure, you’re inconvenient and an asshole, but you’re still my friend.”
Dern blinked at me and scooted over so he could lean back against his cabinets while he pondered what I said.
“That shouldn’t be that groundbreaking. You had friends in the Appalachian Wolf Pack when you were alive. Sure, towards the end you scared them, but you had stuff going on. Even after the tea, I trusted you and maybe I shouldn’t have. I don’t know anymore.”
“Mori,” he said my name softly. “I was trying to help. With the tea and with the drink. How was I supposed to know the universe would fight back and have a guy wear a shirt with the same hole in it? For everything I am, a Norn or a fate weaver, I am not. Look, I’ll be straightforward with you about a few things.
If I can yoink you here, anyone can do it with enough practice.
You go on so many spirit trips on your own that your soul is used to going out of your body.
Even if it’s not to prevent me from doing it, you need protection.
I’m sure you can find something that lets me bring you here without letting everyone else drag you around.
You’ve got to be smarter about these things, because not everyone has your best interest at heart. ”
“And you do?” I rolled my eyes.
“I was trying to give you a bit of happiness to make up for all the bullshit I’ve had to put you through.”
I let out a long, slow breath and nodded.
“Is he happy?” I asked.
“Who? Ormund? I’d say he’s probably relieved that I apologized.”
“No, my mate.”
“I think so,” Dern nodded. “Look, there’s a lot I want to tell you about him, but I think this was all the universe’s way of saying not to meddle with it. I don’t want to do the wrong thing and get one or both of you hurt or worse.”
“So, what now?”
“Wait. Back to waiting just like you’ve been doing, but don’t sit around and twiddle your thumbs.
Get an amulet or something made. Get to work on protecting yourself from outside forces.
Sharon Claudis isn’t done with you all yet.
She’s back in the Other World and reports say she’s losing the umph she once had.
You know as well as the next wolf that you can only spend so much time outside of your body before you start to feel it.
Speaking of which… I hate to do this. We have so much we could talk about and we will when you feel better.
I just don’t want to send you back sick.
Preston has enough on his plate with the baby and worrying.
Look, go talk to the guy who stole your job.
He’s good at charms and amulets. Don’t settle for letting him make you stuff.
Learn how to do it your damnself. Until you meet your mate, in the end you can only rely on yourself, your twin, your parents, and Teddy and Ni.
Maybe a few others but everyone has their own priorities and we have to keep our own fluffy asses safe. ”
“Thanks, Dern…” I only managed to get a few words out before Dern kicked me out of his Other World house and back into my own body.
As soon as I opened my eyes I called Crilus to find out where Alvis was and to my one-thousand percent relief he hadn’t ran off to the Other World with Raiel yet.
“I feel sort of dumb for not thinking of this sooner,” my wolf sighed from inside his inner sanctum.
My inner beast wasn’t the only one who felt like a dumbass but nothing could be done about the past.