Chapter Seven #2
“No, probably not right now. You have too much else going on. But someday soon.” She stood, took a few steps toward the front door. “I’m going to check on Gladys one last time then head home. Once Ronan helps her shift, she won’t need me anymore.”
“Margaux, we should discuss this.”
“Not right now. I’m exhausted, you’re overwhelmed, and I’m afraid we’ve only just begun the fight.”
“Margaux, you know what I am,” I said, my voice cracking. “All of it.”
“Yes, I do. You’re a lot like my best friend Lila. Formidable as hell.” She opened the door and went inside.
Comparing me to Mom was a low blow. Damn her for it.
With this many wolves and witches around, it probably wasn’t essential, but I decided to walk the perimeter anyway. I sent a little magic into Yellow, the saguaro closest to Gladys’s trailer. The saguaro glowed softly for a second then went back to normal.
I swung around Gladys’s place, headed to the spot between her trailer and Senora Cervantes’s.
That was where the second largest saguaro, Orange, was located.
I’d give Orange a boost then work my way around the park, leaving Red for last. I liked to take my time with Red.
He was a good sounding board, even if he couldn’t talk back.
Television murmurs and loud snoring floated out an open window. Sra. Cervantes loved her novelas. Sometimes Trini came over and watched them with her, but I’d asked everyone to stay home tonight. Surprisingly, they’d all agreed. Even the grouchy woman currently snoring like a growling bear.
No, not bear. Growling wolf.
The spot between my shoulder blades itched. Something was wrong here.
I peered around the corner of Sra. Cervantes’s mobile home, scanning the street.
There. Standing near the streetlight at the far end of the block, was a tall, lean figure in a dark sweatsuit.
From the height, posture, and shoulders, I guessed the person was male.
The guy slouched against the pole, hoodie pulled over his head, hands in his pockets.
He let out another low growl. A warning?
Damn it, I was getting really tired of dealing with Floyd’s wolves. When was the bastard going to show his ugly face instead of sending his underlings? Loser.
I scooped up two handfuls of soil from the senora’s garden, letting it sizzle through my skin and into my bloodstream. I cast a silence spell, something easy and temporary, so it wouldn’t use much magic. I might need all my power to take down the bastard.
It occurred to me that I could’ve called for help. Ronan or Margaux—or even Trini, who was a strong shifter in her own right. I shoved the idea aside. I wanted—needed—this. Kicking the ass of a Pallás wolf would satisfy the rage inside me.
For now.
The spell dampened my scent as well as the sound of my approach, so when I stepped into the glow from the streetlight and dropped it, I wasn’t surprised at the screech that popped out of the wolf.
Okay, I was a little surprised by how high-pitched it was, but other than that, it was the reaction I’d planned and hoped for.
“Show your face, wolf,” I said. “I like to look my victims in the eye before I take them out.”
“Shit. Shit. I told him this wasn’t a good idea.” The wolf tore down his hoodie, revealing his face. He was in his early twenties with brown hair and eyes. Basic white dude, not unattractive, but he wouldn’t be starring in a soap opera anytime soon, either.
“Who’d you tell? Floyd?”
“No, the pack third—I mean, Ronan.” He held up both hands in surrender. “He asked me to keep watch over the Siete Saguaros after what happened to Ms. Jiménez today.”
Damn it, Ronan.
“That’s why you were sending out the warning growls?”
“Yes, ma’am. Just putting out a warning.”
“Please don’t call me ma’am.” I narrowed my eyes and focused on the wolf. “You’re Trey, right?”
“Yes, ma—Ms. Lennox.” He cleared his throat, took a deep breath, and blurted, “I, uh, want you to know, I never told anyone what I overheard in the park. You know how you cursed me not to tell? You didn’t actually need to do that, because I gave my word to Ronan, and I wouldn’t go back on my word, so if you, uh, want to remove the curse now, you can. ”
If I hadn’t been so annoyed, I would’ve laughed.
“There’s no curse, Trey. I never put one on you.” I jabbed my index finger at him. “Doesn’t mean I can’t or won’t, only that I haven’t yet.”
“Thanks.” The kid looked so relieved it was comical.
I still didn’t laugh.
“You’re using Ronan,” I said. “Spying on him for Floyd and Mason.”
He shook his head. “No, ma—Ms. Lennox.” He cleared his throat again. “I’ve only ever wanted to do right by the pack. What Alpha did to the third—his own son—well, I didn’t think it was right. Lots of us wolves feel the same, but most are too scared of the alphas who don’t to admit it.”
It felt like he was telling the truth, but I couldn’t trust anyone connected to the pack. Not fully. “Understand this. If I find out you even thought about betraying Ronan, I will hunt you down and rain curses on your head until your back breaks under the weight of my magic. Got it?”
He gulped, Adam’s apple bobbing in his throat. “Yes, ma’am.”
I spun on my heel and strode back inside the park. I had saguaros to visit and a protection spell to check on.
I’d just finished with Orange when my cell phone buzzed against my thigh. I dug it out of my jeans pocket and answered it, barely glancing at the screen.
“Hello, it’s Betty.”
A soft voice edged with the brightness of youth said, “Betty, it’s Rory. Aurora Pallás? Ronan’s sister?”
I smiled. Finally, a nice surprise.
“Rory, every time you call you remind me who you are. We’ve met several times. I’m dating your brother. You don’t have to reintroduce yourself.”
Her light giggle made me feel a hundred years old. “Sorry. You’ve got such main character energy. It intimidates me a little. I’ve always been kind of a background player.”
“Not to your brother.”
“No.” She stopped giggling. “Not to Ronan. That’s why I’m calling. Is he all right? I’ve been feeling unsettled over here. I’ve tried to call, but he’s not answering. I thought you might know where he is.”
“We had an eventful night, but he’s all right. He’s helping Gladys shift right now, but I can go get him if you need me to.”
“No, don’t disturb him.” She paused. “Ms. Jiménez? Why would he be helping her? She’s a beta, but a strong one. Wait, was she hurt? Is Ronan hurt? I knew something was going on.”
I gave Rory the short version of events, keeping it low on details like Ronan’s silver superpower and my demonic weirdness.
“Dad’s wolves attacked her? In public?”
“Yeah.” I hadn’t considered the implications of Floyd doing it publicly. I should have.
“He’s declaring war on Ronan, isn’t he? The day is finally here.”
“I don’t know,” I lied, because she was Ronan’s kid sister and I didn’t know how much he wanted me to tell her. “But maybe watch your back.”
She laughed, and there was nothing youthful, giggly, or happy about it. “My back? I’m not the one our father wants dead. Ronan is. Please keep my brother safe, Betty.”
“I’ll do my best,” I said.
“Because you love him,” she said.
“Yeah.”
“He loves you, too.” A little of the lightness returned to her voice. “Oh my goddess, I’m going to be the best cunada ever. Just you wait and see. I’ve always wanted a sister.”
Apparently, Rory was like her brother with the straight shots to the heart.
“Me, too,” I managed.
We hung up, and to keep myself from bursting into sappy tears, I walked the perimeter of the park, checked in with the remaining saguaros, tested to be sure the protection spell was holding strong.
Tomorrow, the boys and I were making specially keyed heal charms for everyone in the Siete Saguaros. Ronan, especially.
Rory’s take was spot-on. The attack on Gladys had been a declaration of war against Ronan.
None of us were safe.
“Quit fussing over me,” Ida said, when I slid the plate of eggs in front of her. I set a stack of buttered toast on a smaller plate along with some of Trini’s prickly pear jam. Not the boozy version; it was a little early for booze.
“No can do. You invoked the ‘you abandoned us, who will protect us’ side of my personality. There’s no turning back now.”
Ida stood, loosened the sash of the neon green robe she wore over her pink and green polka dot pajamas before sitting down again. “I only said that to snap you out of whatever dark spell had come over you. I know you didn’t abandon me.”
“Eat.” I dropped into the chair across from her with a mug of coffee and picked up a triangle of toast. Bit into it. Smiled.
“Aren’t best friends supposed to listen to each other?” She picked up her fork and dug into her food.
“Are you saying I’m not enough of a friend to you? Do I need to prove my loyalty and love?” I set my toast on a napkin and made like I was getting up. “Guess I’m going to have to work harder. What do you want? A cake? Some muffins? Pancakes?”
She appeared to think it over. “I wouldn’t say no to a lavender scone from the Desert Rose Café.”
I relaxed back in my seat. “I’ll bring you one later. Cecil and I are collecting blood samples from the fae twins today. He’s also working on a fresh charm for you and one for Trini. I’ll get the Brittons and Senora Cervantes’s samples, the latter of which should be a rip-roaring good time.”
“Trini and I can help with Maria. Let us get hers. We’ll take Fennel with us. She seems to like that cat as much as she likes anyone.”
“Hey.” I shook my finger at her. “You’re supposed to be resting today.”
“The charm healed the scratches on my face and chest hours ago, and the bruises on my back, too. I told you. They were after Gladys, not me.” She took a moment to mutter and complain about not getting to her friend sooner.
I let her vent. There was no point correcting her. Deep down, she knew it wasn’t her fault.
“My best guess is they’re going after all wolves they suspect are loyal to Ronan.”
“Yep,” she said.