Page 102 of A Wolf in the Garden

We need to figure out our next steps, to find out what the fuck is going on with the fae and how we can prevent this from ever happening again. I don’t want to live with this hanging over our heads for all time. Ellie deserves better.Wedeserve better.

But first we need to be clean.

“I’ll wash your hair,” I declare as we step under the warm spray. Ellie’s hiss of pain is loud, and pink-tinged water runs down the drain as the dried blood from her shoulder washes away. I get it, the water fucking hurts with the way it stings the bite she gave me, even with the shower on the softest setting. Still, there’s a strong sense of pride that swells in my chest as I think about the fact that my mate bitme, and she bit mefirst. It’s enough to make me slow down and take my time as I lather shampoo into her hair, because this is the morning — or afternoon — after our permanent mating, and Ellie deserves to be treated like the goddess that she is. The little moan of pleasure that she lets out as I massage conditioner into her scalp makes me ridiculously happy. So many people forget that there’s more to an alpha’s instincts than blood and violence; there’s the urge to care for one’s pack members too, to provide for them, to see to everyone’s happiness. Those instincts are only heightened with one’s mate, andfuck, do I love serving, and servicing, Ellie.

She wraps her arms around me as I wash my own hair, the need to be physically close overwhelming in the way it bounces between us through the bond, until it feels like both of us want nothing more than to shed our skins and melt into each other, as if there’s some way to permanently become one being. Even so, the sense of urgency rises once more as we dry ourselves, hanging over us both as we dress in clothes that won’t irritate the wounds on our shoulders. For me that’s simply sweatpants, for her it’s a strapless dress in a summery print, and I help her brush through her wet hair, leaving it hanging loose down her back.

Seth is already in the kitchen waiting for us, back in his two-legged form, shirtless and helping himself to a microwave meal. “Hey, lovebirds,” he says, eyes darting between us before he grins at Ellie. “You got him good; that bite on his shoulder isdeep. It looks like he was bit by a wolf, not…you.”

“Me,” she replies, mimicking his tone, her nose scrunched and a pink flush in her cheeks.

Seth shrugs. “I didn’t think you had it in you, that’s all. You bit analpha.”

“She bit hermate,” I growl, and Seth takes a half-step back from Ellie. The logical part of my brain registers that I’m acting a little more protective, a little more aggressive than I usually would — my brother is a pup and a flirt at the best of times, and right now he’s only being himself, relaxed around family — but my wolves and I have no patience for any of that today. I shake my head. “She had wolf teeth, for a moment. Her mouth was like any wolf just after the full moon.”

Seth frowns, crossing his arms and leaning back against the counter behind him, his cheerful mood vanishing. “Yeah. Mom said.”

“Mom saidwhat?”

“She said she could feel Ellie drawing on your magic pretty heavily… you know how she can sense things. Her exact words were‘I guarantee you there’s a mating bite on Van’s shoulder and it’s every bit like a wolf’s,’so…” He shrugs. “She’s got theories about what the fae are up to, after seeing it all first hand.”

“Where is she?” I ask, but I’m almost certain I know the answer to that question, and as Seth walks over to the table, returning with a handwritten note, it’s all the confirmation I need.

Van and Ellie —

Just a quick note to explain. We didn’t want to wake you, so:

•We have left Seth on patrol here.

•Your dragon friend is on-site and has reassured us he is not leaving until he speaks with you. He has his construction crew with him up at the restaurant.

•Nerilina has gone to check on the ward she put around Cameron’s house.

•Lacey and the boys will stay with Cameron until you decide what is best for your pack.

•West and I are going to the First Realm. I’m going to go directly to my grandmother. The Maheras House will be invested in this issue, given the fact that this goes beyond just humans being stolen and is now about fae using changelings asconduitsto control other species. If it can happen to a shifter, it can happen to a werewolf, I’m certain about that.

•I think it will be enough for the Maheras todo somethingmore about this fae problem that has been escalating in the past few years.

•We will sort this out. The ward itself was intact last night, but Ellie inadvertently created a way for the fae to get through to her — a channel via the plants she connects to. I could sense it as soon as I got to the beach. I feel terrible that I didn’t think to warn Ellie not to do that. I underestimated her magic, and I’m so sorry, my darlings.

“Seaweed,” Ellie mutters, frowning down at the page.

“Seaweed?”

“I connected to it last night, all the way out in the ocean, when we were…” She clears her throat, eyes wide as she remembers Seth’s presence, and her embarrassment and guilt is obvious through the bond as she fidgets with thepounamuaround her neck.

“Why seaweed?” Seth asks, wearing a shit-eating grin. “Has that got some magical pussy stretchi—”

I don’t let him finish, a growl tearing from my throat as I step between him and Ellie. I can already guessexactlywhere that line of questioning is going.

“Easy,brother,” he says, wide-eyed and hands held up in a gesture aimed to placate me.

“No.” He doesn’t get it. He doesn’t get what it’s like to have a mate, to have her and lose her, and then to find her again afteryearsonly to watch her get ripped from your arms while you can donothing. My wolves are out for blood, and right now they don’t care about the source.

I like to be the nice guy. I like to be the reasonable alpha.

Right now I am neither of those things. I amthis closeto losing my shit.

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