Chapter 4
Fallon
Irubbed a hand across my eyes, blearily taking in the pine forest looming around us. Branches, dotted with snow, reached through the night with shaggy fingers. Who knew a wolf the size of a horse would make such an easy mode of transportation?
We’re here, Honey. Get down, but stay behind me.
We faced a field of pine needles and more trees. Not-at-all ominous mist billowed around us. “Is something wrong?”
It’s best to treat the border with care. You’re never sure what lies beyond. His body filled with an out-sized amount of tension for that bland statement.
Declan wasn’t exactly mysterious with the amount he was always chatting with all of us, but sometimes he said stuff like that, and it made me wonder. He hid a lot behind that constant smile. Nothing men hid from you was ever anything good.
What lies beyond, Declan? I asked as the hairs rose on the back of my neck.
The perfectly normal, if eerie, nighttime forest shouldn’t have been a cause for concern.
My skin felt otherwise, pebbling. Anticipation peppered the air, as if the land itself held its breath.
An owl hooted in the distance, a plaintive sound in the night.
Running my hand through Declan’s dark fur, he sniffed the ground and let out his own bass howl that raised every hair on my body, not just my neck.
Nightfell might have gone Ajak.
Don’t bother to explain whatever the seven hells that is. It already sounds scary enough, I said into his mind, unwilling to add my voice to the dreadful silence of the wood.
Without the Old Magic, we can turn strange.
Strange wasn’t a very encouraging word. Suddenly, the night didn’t look as friendly.
Rustling came from every direction. My breath fogged the air before me.
I stepped to the left to make sure the forest wasn’t at my back until I realized the wood was everywhere.
So was the mist twining through the old-growth trunks, curling around my ankles, hiding Declan up to his elbows.
Is there… a road or a line, or a big glowing magical sign I’m supposed to stay behind? I clutched my cloak closer around by body.
Behind me, Honey. Stay behind me.
Declan puffed up to an impressive, cuddly size, but the wolves that slunk out of the mist were veritable monsters.
My legs loosened at the joints. Easily the size of Ward’s massive bear, their lupine grins skidded to a halt a measly three feet from us.
Claws that could cut me in half dug into the pine straw that covered the earth.
I resisted the fruitless urge to run. I didn’t move at speed except to get to the next cooking station.
Which, granted, was its own workout, but it wasn’t “fighting giant wolves" in-shape.
Their fur bled to black and white in the moonlight, teeth dripping as a low growl filled the space between the pines with menace. Though he was big enough to ride like a horse, one of them easily outmatched him, let alone three of them.
Where’s–
But Declan didn’t have time to finish before a golden streak burst from the forest and barreled into him.
I screamed with all my lung power and searched for something useful to do with my magic because I sure as seven hells wouldn’t win with my fists.
Gathering whatever I had left in me, I squeezed the closest wolf.
Her eyes bugged out and a wet cough started before I called all the food out of her stomach with a violent wretch.
No matter how big you were, throwing up against your will was a bad day.
A larger wolf lunged at me and I did the same to him.
I didn’t care if it was my only trick. It was working as he collapsed into the pine needles, retching.
I checked to see how Declan was dealing with the fourth predator.
Faced-off against one another, Declan and the golden retriever each had one end of a giant stuffed bear clamped in their jaws.
Declan was shaking it gently but the dog flopped around on the end of the bear like a fish out of water, threatening to tear the bear in half.
Hopping, kicking out, the dog finally hung from the bear Declan lifted high, panting for all he was worth with an ecstatic smile on his face.
A gigantic muzzle blew hot breath into my hair and I screeched, scrabbling toward Declan and the worn-out dog.
Looking a little worse for wear, the three wolves would not cross some invisible barrier that I scrambled to the other side of.
They milled around, whining, sticking their snouts out to scent the air.
“So, before I lose my mind… I have questions.”
Declan laughed, shaking the dog. As many as you like. We made it to the border. We should be safe for now.
He shifted and the golden-coated dog renewed his love attack, knocking an unresisting Declan to the ground, shoving the tatty bear into his chest. I winced as he hit the dirt, but Declan didn’t mind at all, ruffling the dog’s ears. My heart wouldn’t stop beating double-time.
I backed up a step, not trusting some invisible line to keep the wolves at bay. “They’re massive.”
Declan huffed. “They’re not that big.”
One wolf snorted in what sounded like laughter.
“Since I’m not a pile of meat and bones, I’m going to assume this is part of your pack?”
Not that I was getting any closer, regardless. Declan nodded in the affirmative, content to sit out here all night, it seemed. “The worst of the pack. Briggs, Eilie, and Cosomo. My worthless siblings.”
Each wolf did a funny little play bow as Declan called its name. I shivered in my cloak.
“Uh, sorry I made you throw up all over yourselves.”
Something brushed against my mind that felt like when Declan spoke to me, but no words came through. The wolves shook themselves in confusion.
“She can’t hear you. Shift if you want to talk to her. Where are Carrick and Milo if you’re the welcoming committee?”
They all rudely mind-spoke without me, so I was going to ignore them while my heart calmed down.
I walked up to the silky-haired golden dog, half on top of Declan.
As soon as I got close, his full and ecstatic attention turned to me.
Without hesitation, he gave me the same effusive, slobber-filled greeting he gave Declan.
Guard dog he was not. His large, soulful brown eyes sucked me into his orbit and I never wanted to leave.
The dog wriggled his head under my hand, adhering himself to my body, begging for more pets.
What a perfect specimen of complete adoration. There was one problem.
“Declan, why do you have a dog?”
His smile notched down as he picked himself up off the ground. I was used to keeping my eyes on his face when he was naked after shifting.
“What do you mean?”
“You’re a wolf!” I flopped my arms helplessly. This should be obvious.
“A wolf shifter. And he’s a dog. Glad we cleared that up.” The power of Declan’s smile increased again as if he had answered in a completely sane manner.
“B-but…”
He put his hands on his hips. “Am I not allowed to have pets?”
I shook my head, trying to figure out how this worked. “Isn’t he afraid of you?”
“Ned? Naw. He’s the best boy. A brave boy. A big, smooshy fluff-face.”
Declan clapped his hands and the dog, Ned, abandoned me for the siren song of veneration.
Declan mangled the dog’s floppy face into squishy shapes that were, in fact, adorable.
As the high of almost getting eaten waned, my body ached and all the sleeping I did on the way here seemed like nothing helpful.
“Are you sure we can cross the border? They’re not going to commence the rending and tearing?”
Declan snapped his fingers. “Would you just shift, you degenerates?”
Three human shifters stood where the wolves once paced. They weren’t particularly tall or large considering how big their wolves were. They all wore wide, out-sized smiles as we came forward.
Still, Declan hesitated as he reached that invisible border.
“It will be okay, big brother.” His younger sister reached out to him.
All this rush to get here, I didn’t know why Declan was hesitating now. Not that there was much time to debate, as he plunged across the line and… absolutely nothing happened. No shimmering magic, no swirling fog, just three wolf shifters letting out a sigh at once.
Declan embraced them, ruffling some coal-black curly hair that clearly ran in the family, just like a normal older brother.
The oldest sister said, “You did it,” as a breeze lifted her hair. “You brought it back.”
I didn’t know how they all ignored the naked thing, but maintaining eye contact with Declan’s blue eyes wasn’t exactly a hardship.
All the siblings had them, as well as a lithe but muscular frame that filled out into gentle curves on his sisters.
I guess when you grew up as a shifter there was different etiquette around such things.
I edged across the churned forest floor where the wolves dug in their claws.
Ned kept pace, the stuffed bear back in his mouth, guarding me like I was the weakest member of the pack.
I stepped over the border and that connection to Declan tugged me to his side.
Magic itched under my skin, wanting out.
No wonder Declan hesitated. Sombermane seemed to have magic living in the air.
“We thought you might have forgotten how to get back here.” She turned to me. “You must be the one with the sense of direction.” The tallest sister shoved Declan’s shoulder.
Declan quirked a smile. “Missed you too, Briggs.”
“The pack will be ecstatic that you’ve returned,” she said.
“I already feel better,” the youngest, Eilie said.
“And Momma, well, she’s going to fly over the moon when she meets…”
I blinked into the pause, realizing they were all staring at me. I wiped my face just in case I had dirt all over it.
“My mate,” Declan chirped.
My WHAT?!