Page 36 of Luna Rising

Laughter rumbled in his chest. “You gotta walk before you can run, Synder.”

The use of his old nickname was a double-edged sword. It was no longer my name. I wasn’t particularly attached to it, but now that it was gone, I felt that tie to my family sever.

Concern replaced amusement in Ewan’s gaze. I forced a smile that he totally knew was fake.

“Isn’t the expression ‘you gotta crawl before you can walk’?” My fraudulent smile grew. “And it’s Wynn now, isn’t it?”

He clearly hadn’t given this aspect of our marriage much thought either. “It’s whatever you want it to be. Keep Synder. Take Wynn. Hyphenate them. Or don’t. You’re already mine. The name doesn’t make a difference.” He shrugged. “I’m a modern alpha.”

I actually laughed. “Too many options. Maybe I won’t have a surname at all. I’ll just be ‘Zara’.”

“From a branding angle, the one name would look nice on packaging,” Birch said, speaking up for the first time.

Neither Ewan nor I responded to the comment.

We would’ve reached the forest cottage much sooner, but we walked at a somewhat mortal speed. I didn’t mind it. The slower pace felt normal, and normal was good. It kept me grounded. Plus, I had spent so much time inside lately that it was nice to feel the fresh air on my cheeks. Wolves were meant to be outdoors; we didn’t do well with cages.

I felt the magic from the wards even before I saw the house. Someone in the Sable family had spelled the perimeter, as had Walter. I would have known his slimy magic anywhere. The scent of magic grew stronger as we approached the front entrance. My wolf bristled, not responding well to so much fae power.

Ewan knocked on the door. Concern creased his brow when Winter didn’t answer. Then, I began to worry. I should have spent the day with her up at the house instead of shopping. I was her protector, and if something had happened to her, I would never forgive myself. My ears perked up as I listened for some sign that she was inside the house since I couldn’t feel her through our bond—another reason I was starting to freak out.

“It’s the wards,” Ewan assured me. “That’s why you can’t feel her.”

“Or she’s not in there.”

Birch reached for the doorknob, cutting his eyes to Ewan for confirmation before twisting the metal. It didn’t budge. He took several steps back and lowered his shoulder, preparing to brute force our way in. A buzzing noise sounded, and the door popped open.

“Not ominous at all,” I muttered. “This is how horror movies start, you know.”

“I can see you on the security cameras,” Winter’s disembodied voice answered. “I’m in the back bedroom, first floor.”

Sliding past the guys, I pushed the door open wider, but Ewan grabbed my arm and held me back so that Birch could go first. I glared up at him.

“What?” I demanded. “Are you afraid Winter is going to attack me now?”

Ewan frowned. “Are we going to argue about everything today?”

I shrugged. “Maybe.”

He grumbled something that sounded like, “Gaia help me.”

Birch led the way, seeming familiar with the floor plan of the house. Like he had been spending time there lately. He knocked on the door. It opened on a whoosh of air.

The bedroom was large and airy, with tons of windows and high ceilings. Winter sat beside a hospital bed, with a gorgeous man lying beneath a thermal blanket. Machines were hooked up to monitor his vitals, including his magic levels.

Archer in the flesh, I thought.

“Walter had him brought here a few days ago,” Ewan said in a soft voice befitting a true hospital room.

The only thing that I knew about Winter’s soulmate was that she loved him very much. She was private and didn’t discuss their relationship much, but I also never asked, which made me feel like a shitty friend and protector. Especially now, seeing her crying beside Archer’s bed.

Winter waved from her chair, green eyes red and puffy. Her voice was nasally when she spoke. “Hey. What are you guys doing here?”

“We went to town so I could buy clothes. With everyone else away for the day, I thought you might want company.” I glanced around the bright room, gaze narrowed as I searched for even the slightest disturbance in the air. “I’m guessing you already have some, though. Where’s Archer?”

Birch’s eyebrows drew together, clearly confused by my question since Archer was right in front of our faces.

Winter pursed her lips. She knew exactly what I’d meant. “Behind me. Missy is here, too. In the window seat.”

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