The Wondrous Wolf (The Wolf Queen Chronicles #2)

Chapter 1

Chapter One

Seated in a sticky pleather booth, sandwiched between her older brothers, Winter was trying her best not to scream.

“Smile.”

She managed an awkward grin just before her mother’s camera flashed.

“That wasn’t so hard, was it?” Lorinne asked, slipping her phone back into her purse.

It was. Winter blinked, still recovering from the onslaught of light. This was the darkest barroom in Silver City.

“You’re not going to blow it out?”

She glared at the red velvet cupcake with a flickering candle in it. Her mother was insufferable, waltzing in here with a freshly baked olive branch. Notes of chocolate and vanilla stamped out the stench of liquor permeating the space.

If Winter had known tonight would be an ambush, she would’ve never agreed to come out. Tarik and Ender had schemed against her and then trapped her inside this booth.

One hour, Tarik had told her earlier. Do it for your favorite big brother.

Least favorite now, fuckface.

Except she couldn’t tell him that. She’d been living in his penthouse for two weeks, indulging in all the amenities his high-rise had to offer: the sauna, the steam shower, the tennis court, the hot tub, the lap pool.

The life of a professional baseball player had afforded her the vacation she’d desperately needed.

Her eldest brother had not only given her a place to stay, but he was taking care of her. She was fed three meals a day, there was an entire subscription of old mortal movies to sift through, and his fridge was stocked with sweets and sparkling water.

Since time-traveling, she’d been on a self-imposed leave of absence from the chaos of Caldwell Archives.

While she’d planned on returning to the past to help sooner, her life had spun too far out of control.

She’d needed a break. Westley had said the wolves would remain on guard there, and she trusted him to keep his word—especially after everything they’d been through together.

Ender, her second-oldest brother, leaned into her shoulder. “Come on, sis. You’re officially twenty-four. Just make a wish.”

Winter made a fist, fighting the urge to punch Ender’s thigh. She was angry with him too.

Tarik elbowed her. “Seriously?”

She closed her eyes with a huff, made a stupid wish, took a breath, and then lazily blew out the candle. It wouldn’t come true anyway. She was too broken to learn how to love again.

Before her brothers could perform their annual prank—relighting the wick with their flame-wielding fingertips over and over again—she pulled the stick of wax free to lick the frosting off. Winter loathed her mother, but loved sugar and cream cheese.

A bribe well-chosen.

Lorinne scanned the room before peering at Winter. “Why do you like it here? It’s so dark.”

There was nothing not to like.

The Owl’s Nest was the only nightclub in this city that wasn’t glowing with fire bubbles or buzzing with neon signage.

Moonlight illuminated the space. A circular bar claimed the center, curving along an old protected beech tree—the last one standing in the northeastern quadrant.

Massive branches stretched wall-to-wall and shot up through the open ceiling.

Night birds could fly in and out between their evening meals and the main doors hooted when they were opened.

“Because these are her favorite.” Her youngest brother, Cole, arrived holding a tulip-shaped glass of smoking whiskey garnished with a cinnamon stick, two cherries, and a chip of dry ice. “One Spicy Dream for the birthday girl.”

Winter wiggled her fingers like she was summoning the drink. Elementals used their air magic to propel many objects, cocktails included. He pushed it towards her with a slow stream of power. When it closed in, she caught it between her palms. “Cole is officially my favorite brother.”

He sat beside Lorinne and gave his ear-length, light brown locks a shake. “Sorry I’m late.”

“Don’t you have a hairbrush?” Lorinne asked.

“You’re always late,” Ender said.

Cole took a sip of his frothy beer. “Some of us have real jobs,” he countered.

“Yeah, livestreaming yourself playing Dungeons and Serpents is a real job, I forgot.” Air quotes weren’t necessary, but Ender could never resist.

“I’m a dungeon master.” Cole twirled the barbell of his eyebrow piercing. “I don’t think you understand …”

Winter tuned everyone out, still frustrated by the turn of events.

Her mother was here and she couldn’t pretend like that was okay.

While she’d been trapped in the past, fighting for her life, her family had taken that time to rekindle their relationships.

Contacting Lorinne from that tent had been a grave mistake.

Tarik had told Winter the story about the four of them gallivanting around the black market trying to peddle a Time Travel Spell, then losing a stupid amount of money on a knockoff.

Would she have to be the one to announce her true immortality status? Her brothers seemed to have no idea. And what about the fact that she was only their half-sibling?

Winter struggled to comprehend her mother’s audacity. If her brothers knew the truth about their father not being her biological father, or about her being a wolf, perhaps they’d feel differently about this get-together. But as of now, no one had mentioned anything.

The chatter around her fell silent. Eight eyes pinned on her as if her family morphed into one giant fucking spider, ready for its meal. Lorinne’s golden gaze pierced the deepest.

Winter refused to look, focusing on her Spicy Dream instead. All she had to do was slap her eyelids shut and fantasize. She could almost see his blood-splattered face and snow-white hair. The way his—

“Winter.” Her mother’s wretched voice yanked her back to reality.

“Please just stop.” She spoke over the rim of her glass. “You’ve done enough.”

Lorinne let out a long-suffering sigh.

Cole reached across the table, greedy fingers slicing through the tension. “If you’re not going to eat this …”

Winter pushed her plate forward. “Go ahead. I don’t want it.”

Tarik nudged her arm, forcing her attention. “What do you want? We all just want to make sure you’re okay, Winn.”

“I want to go home,” she snapped.

Tarik knew what she meant—his apartment was her home now. She’d moved out of Kaden’s place the moment she’d been able to.

Her brother shook his head, falling silent. Where was his loyalty? Was he really going to make her sit through this for another second?

Lorinne snatched her purse with a flourish. “You know what? I’ll leave.”

Good.

Tarik stood, shifting his concern to their mother. “No, don’t.”

Winter curled her upper lip in distaste.

Water lined Lorinne’s eyes as she nudged Cole. “Let me out.” After sliding off the bench, she glanced over her shoulder and spoke in a trembling voice. “I came to say I’m moving back to Silver City, Winter.” She sniffled, holding in her fake tears. “Your brothers know where to find me.”

Winter glared at her. “Oh, what a lovely turn of events.”

Lorinne stood motionless for a beat before running away.

Tarik hurried after her.

Winter folded her arms, sat back, and frowned. Not even the hooting door could make her feel better right now.

“Mom’s trying,” Cole said, licking frosting off his fingertips.

Winter rolled her eyes. It would be nice if her mother could learn to appreciate her without trying. “No comment.”

“Winn, come on.”

“Stop,” she hissed.

“Well,” Ender said, “if we’re not going to get anywhere, there’s a witch in fishnets who’s been eye-fucking me, so, love ya’ sis, but bye.” He ducked underneath the table, crawled his way to freedom, and didn’t turn back.

Tarik returned and sat beside Winter, glowering. “You know Mom just wants to make things better between you two, right?”

I know. She texts me every day. “I don’t care.” Winter went back to her whiskey.

He air-magicked her drink from her hand and set it down. “But Mom does.”

Since when? Winter banged her fist on the table, flashing her canines. “She’s a liar.”

In the midst of the bustling barroom Cole and Tarik froze. Were they just pretending her teeth weren’t sharper now? She grabbed her glass, took a sip, then tipped it back. When it was empty, she said, “I’m ready to leave.”

Tarik stood first. “Fine. Cole, are you leaving with us or staying?”

He checked his phone, grinning. “Staying. Ender says Fishnets has a friend.”

Winter slid off the bench, eyeing Tarik. “I need to use the restroom first.”

Tarik gave her space—for once. “I’ll be outside.”

He’d been extra protective lately. It wasn’t just about their mother; it was about Kaden.

Her ex had barreled back to this time over a week ago, begging for her forgiveness and vying for her attention.

Living with Tarik had been the only thing keeping his advances at bay.

Did her brothers know Kaden had proposed, had an evil twin, and was a time traveling maniac?

No. She’d kept it simple and told them he was a cheating asshole.

Winter might have been the youngest sibling, but she was an adult. This was her life to sort out.

Breaking away, she slithered through the crowd of half-dressed bodies.

The restrooms were at the end of the far hall.

It was a thin corridor, but wide enough for lines to form on either side.

After a few minutes of tapping her foot, a witch covered in stardust emerged and held the door open.

Winter offered her a flat-lipped smile, slipped inside, and locked it shut.

The barroom chatter was drowned out by a chorus of fake crickets, the true minstrels of night, and a single sconce cast a dim light. Before she pulled her leggings down, her phone vibrated. Why wouldn’t her mother leave her alone? Ever since she’d returned, Lorinne insisted on texting her nonsense.

Please, Winter.

You are so selfish.

I said I was sorry.

Sighing with anticipation, she unlocked her phone.

Fuck.

It wasn’t her mother; it was Kaden.

Hurry, babe. I’m waiting outside the door.

Ugh.