Page 105 of A Wolf in the Garden

They are, and as Kaito takes a sudden turn mid-air, it becomes apparent that he’s well aware of it, too. His jaws open wide, a huge stream of fire spitting forth, incinerating the small amateur drone. Ellie gasps, her mouth hanging open as a wave of heat washes over us.

“They’re not filming the dragon anymore,” I say, and as oddly happy as that makes me, I’m also a little concerned about the grapevines taking that much sudden heat from above.

“That’sinsane.” She sounds like she’s in shock, which is to be expected, though it doesn’t surprise me at all when she immediately switches to more practical matters. “Ithinkthe plants will be okay,” she says, echoing my thoughts, “but we need to talk to him about that. It’s not worth the risk of burning leaves.”

“I agree.”

“Someone’s going to be missing their drone,” Ellie muses, her eyes still following Kaito as he flies higher above the vineyard.

I take another sip of my beer, considering it. “What are they going to do about it? Go to the tiny Police station on this island that isn’t even manned half the time? Complain that something has happened to their drone while it was flying over private land illegally, filming people without their permission?”

“Mmm,” Ellie hums. “Hopefully they’ve learned their lesson.”

“Hopefully.”

The sun dips below the horizon, and we sit in silence as Kaito lands in the empty part of the paddock, shifting back into his usual form.

I watch Ellie out of the corner of my eye as she swirls her bottle of beer around absently. She’s been so calm for someone who went through so much less than twenty-four hours ago, and I worry for her. “What’s going on in that mind of yours?”

“I was thinking about your father,” she replies immediately. “He didn’t let me go last night once he got to me, even though I was kicking and throwing elbows and clawing at him, and without his help, I would have swum right through that ward. That’s the second time he’s saved my life from the fae.”

She glances up at me, her hand landing on my knee. “How are you feeling, Van? About your dad? It was so busy the night they flew in from the States, and then again yesterday. I feel bad for not asking sooner.”

I wrap my arm around her waist, drawing her closer to me. “Don’t. I’ve seen the way you were watching Dad and I together, like a bomb might go off. I know you care about it.”

“I care because… I just want you to be happy. Whatever that looks like, when it comes to your relationship with him, I’ll support it.”

“Thank you, baby.” I stare out at the fields surrounding us, my tongue feeling particularly heavy. “I don’t… I don’t feel aggressive towards him anymore. My shifter wolf doesn’t want to fight his.”

“That’s good.”

“Yeah. It is.” It’s tempting to change the subject, but Ellie asked, and she deserves to know. “What happened between us was violent, but now that it’s done and we’re in two separate packs, it’s as if he’s just any other alpha. I’m not looking to cut him out of my life anymore.”

“I figured as much.”

I let out a sigh. “It’s one thing to know on paper how inseparable fated mates are, once bitten, but to experience it firsthand… you and I…”

I can’t quite find the words, but Ellie nods, turning her face to kiss my shoulder. “Now you know just how inseparable we are, and how it’s therefore impossible to maintain a relationship with your mum, if you were to cut out your dad.”

“Right. That’s why I didn’t reach out to Mom for so long… but even if they weren’t fated mates, I think I’d be ready to speak to him again. Especially after what he’s done for us. You’re right; he saved your life. I’ll be forever grateful for that.”

“And he’s helping today.” Her lips press together in a thin line as she stares out at the ocean again. “Do you think they’ll be able to do it? Find some help? Or put a stop to this? Or…”

“I think my mother knows what she’s doing. As for my father… he has enough sense to follow her lead, in this instance. The Maheras werewolves aren’t exactly his greatest fans.”

“Because he’s a shifter? Or because he’s with your mum?”

“Both. And because he went on to father a bunch ofhalfbreedswith her,” I explain, not quite keeping the snarl out of my voice. Among regular folk in the First Realm, half-and-half wolves are seen as an oddity, but the werewolf elite are another matter entirely, and look down at us with barely-disguised contempt. I can still remember the first time I was ever called amutt, and the cold, sick feeling that came with hearing the slur. It wasn’t a stranger that said it to me either, rather one of Mom’s many brothers — my own uncle.

“If they’re not a fan of him, they’re really not going to be a fan of me, then,” Ellie muses.

That’s true. I’m not going to deny it, but I’m not going to confirm it for her, either. “Hopefully, we won’t have to go to them, and you won’t need to interact with many of those weres. But they’ll help us. It’s in their best interests to. Mom’s right; the ability to use changelings like you to control others is concerning.”

"It wasyouralpha ability that I used — that’s what they took advantage of. So maybe it only applies to shifters? I can’t tell if it’s because you and I are already bonded, though, or if it would work on another alpha. And I don’t know if it wasmeusing the alpha bark, or the faethroughme…” Her eyes are full of worry.

“Are you wondering if you could control me now?”

“I don’t want to test it, Evander,” she whispers. “Please don’t ask me to.”

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