Page 104 of A Wolf in the Garden

“I know you didn’t. I just… I need you to not worry about me, alright? I’m fine. Last night was a fright, but I’m fine, the boys are fine. We’ll stay here until you have everything sorted. Just focus on you and Ellie. How is she doing? I should have asked that first, is she doing alright?”

Beside me, Ellie nods. “Tell her I’m okay.”

“She’s okay. She’s shaken, but feeling better.”

“That’s good. I was thinking that she must be, based on what Mom said.”

Ellie and I exchange a look. “What exactly did Mom say? Because Seth mentioned something similar.”

“Van, come on. What do you think she said? Did Ellie actually bite you? Mom made it sound like that was one hundred percent a thing that sheheardduring yourclaiming.”

Ellie looks mortified, burying her head in her hands at the confirmation that yes, my parents definitely overheard all ofthat.

“Yeah, Ellie bit me.First.”

“Wow, that’s brave. Congratulations. I’m happy for you guys. It’s been a long time coming.”

“It has.”

Lacey is silent for a moment, and I wonder what she’s really thinking. I know she’s happy for us, of course. She’s always loved Ellie,alwaysmaintained that Ellie was part of the pack — an argument that she had with our father on more than occasion — but I can imagine it must be hard to watch a solid, happy relationship at its beginning when her own marriage has so recently come to an end.

“I should go,” she says quietly. “Cameron is outside with the boys right now. He’s been great with them, but I shouldn’t take advantage of the situation. He’s not the babysitter.”

“I’ve already messaged him and he said he’s fine, but are you sure he doesn’t mind? It’s a relief to me, to know someone else is there with you, but if it’s been too much of an inconvenience I could look into alternative accommodation for you and the boys, possibly in the city.”

“It’s been fine. He’s been… a perfect gentleman.” I don’t miss the hesitation as she speaks, but she continues before I can ask anything of it. “He’s more than happy for us to stay, there’s plenty of room here, and he said he enjoys the company.”

“I think he gets lonely.”

“Everybody gets lonely, Van. Anyway, I really do have to go. Give Ellie my love. Keep me posted if there’s any news.”

The line goes dead before I can even reply, which is pretty typical of Lacey. As soon as a conversation drifts remotely close to the topic of her feelings, she escapes. She wasn’t always this way, but the last few years have been tough for her.

“She sounds happy enough to be there,” Ellie murmurs.

“She does.” I send Cam another quick message of thanks. I owe him big time for all of this. Once I’m done, I get to my feet, pocketing my phone. “I have to go talk to Kaito,” I announce. He’d sent me a brief text while we were sleeping that simply saidI was already awake when I felt the huge shift in magic coming from the direction of the vineyard, and I’m never one to step away from a good fight. I hope your mate is well.I need to thank Kaito in person, but more importantly, I need to talk to him about what exactly he saw from the air last night.

I offer Ellie my outstretched hand. “I don’t want this to come across as overbearing, but I’m not letting you out of my sightat all, so you need to come with me.”

She raises her eyebrows, giving me one of herare you serious?looks. “Do you think Iwant youto let me out of your sight right now? Because I don’t. Seriously, the only reason why I’m not completely shitting myself with fear right now is because you’re mister super-strong wolf man.”

She takes my hand, tugging on my arm until I bend down so she can kiss me.

“You’re a good alpha,” she says, and I can feel just how much she means that, absolute conviction radiating out from her through our new bond.

I don’t feel like I deserve it, but I kiss her forehead, and murmur my thanks, anyway.

* * *

Asingle day of renovations has turned the vineyard’s outdoor bar area into a chaotic mess, with stacks of wooden planks and piles of old furniture strewn across the deck. Ellie and I sit on the wooden stairs facing the ocean, sipping beers stolen from the bar, watching the sunset and the huge purple dragon currently flying laps over the property.

“I underestimated him,” I say to Ellie as the crack of wings echoes off the hills. “He’s going above and beyond, for us.” With Lacey over at Cam’s place and my parents in the First Realm, there’s only Seth staying in the second house on the vineyard. Kaito offered to stay here, too, to help keep an eye on things in case a huge, fire-breathing dragon is needed on short notice so I’ve given him the last free room in the house on the top hill.

Ellie nods in agreement, her eyes trained on Kaito as he flies out towards the ocean. “He’s a decent guy. He might come across as cold at first but he’s got a good heart, that’s for — ohshit, is that a drone?”

“Where?” I ask, but I’ve already spotted it, flying over their garden paddock near the road. “It’sprivate property,” I growl. This isn’t the first drone that’s flown over Lost Moon since I moved here. More like the tenth. It’s illegal for them to do so without permission, and it’s really starting to piss me off, because I know it’s all humans wanting to catch footage of wolves and other non-humans as if we’re entertainment.

“They’re filming the dragon.”

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