Page 23 of Season of the Wolf

I imagined her nodding when she replied. “I’ll hold you to it.”

A period of silence crept between us and the next second, her fingers untangled from mine.

“Race you back?” A broad smile touched my lips at the sound of a challenge in Roz’s voice. Especially when she added, “Unless you’re scared I’ll win.”

Before I could even reply, a commotion on the other side of the tree meant she’d gotten a head start on shifting. By the time I turned to confirm, she sprinted off into the darkness.

I smiled and followed her lead.

It wasn’t lost on me that the first time we met had been becauseIsavedher.But lately, in circumstances like the one we found ourselves in tonight … seemed she’d been the one savingme.

Chapter Seven

Evie

They were preparing for something.

Twice, Elise rushed downstairs with her phone to her ear, speaking in code about an estimated time of arrival and shielding sigils. Hilda was unusually quiet, holed up inside her room, which usually meant she was studying.

Dallas wasn’t so much behaving oddly, just being a bit … aloof. At dinner, he didn’t have much to say, and whenever Elise made an attempt to pull him into the conversation, he responded with nods and head shakes instead of actual words. She’d then pass him a weary smile before turning back to her plate.

Like I said, things were just a bit strange.

And then there was Liam—shockingly normal, considering all he’d been through. Actually, he was a bittoonormal. He hadn’t said much about the changes I was sure he’d been experiencing—physically, emotionally—but I couldn’t imagine this not being a difficult time.

Every now and then, when there was no conversation or background distraction to help him hide it, I caught him zoning out, lost in thoughts he hadn’t yet shared. I made it a point not to push, but I hoped to discuss it soon. Aside from those bouts of drifting, he was the same old Liam.

Attentive.

Protective.

Loving.

Thinking of him as I toweled my hair dry, I nearly attempted to wander inside his head. It only took a second to remember we were no longer connected. A flicker of sadness crept in, but I smothered it with thoughts of how grateful I was just to have him back. How grateful I was that the Sovereign and his witches hadn’t taken him from me completely.

I dug around in my drawer until I found it—an oversized t-shirt I stole from Liam’s laundry a few days ago. Slipping it over my head, I stepped out into the dark hallway. The house was completely quiet, which was why I nearly leapt out of my skin when I took a step and a voice pierced the silence.

“Going somewhere?”

Hilda … I swear the woman’s a freakin’ ninja.

I cleared my throat, knowing she only asked because she had a knack for putting me on the spot. Webothknew where I was going.

I sighed but didn’t answer.

A soft laugh fluttered into the air, one quiet enough that no one more than a few feet away would have heard.

“Go but remember, he’s not as strong as he used to be. He might not be comfortable admitting it, but he feels the difference,” she added. “I’ve been keeping an eye on him. He gets tired easily.”

Even if she hadn’t said it, I knew. No one had kept a closer eye on him lately than I had.

Her statement killed some of my enthusiasm to cross his threshold. My desire to be with him hadn’t lessened, but I now questioned whether it was selfish for me to disturb him tonight.

Well …everynight.

I suppose I was pestering him a bit, although he didn’t seem bothered, but he needed more down time than before. The thought crossed my mind that I should just turn around.

Hilda let out another soft laugh. “I didn’t mean to discourage you. He needs you,” she reassured me. “I only meant to caution you. He may need a reminder to slow down from day to day, if he’s too prideful to tell youhimself.”

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