Page 46 of War Games

“They have to learn eventually,” Teagan said with a smile and a shrug, then nodded toward Stacy and Shamus. I had knownStacy for a long time… which had started with me using her to meet Shamus and Heath and hope they didn’t kill me in the street. She had grown up.

“Shamus knows, and he taught his. It’s only right I teach mine,” he continued.

“Fair enough!”

It was a magical experience, everyone moving around the room and laughing, sharing stories. Niko was finally captured by Ranger and convinced to give up stories about Dirk’s childhood, which everyone knew would be used as fodder in the coming days. Heath joined in with stories about Landon; however, no one was going to use those stories against that werewolf.

They might not tease Dirk either, not with Landon backing him up. We’ll see. It’ll all be in good fun.

As the afternoon moved into evening and the sun started to get low, Heath and I met back at the family table.

“Would you like some?” he asked, pouring a glass of bourbon. “There’s plenty, and no reason I should drink it all by myself.”

“I can’t. It’s yours, and it’s special to you,” I said, trying to reject the glass.

“Just a taste then. I think it’s amazing, but I want your opinion.”

I sighed, taking the glass. I intended to sip and give it back, but he started pouring another for himself.

“Go on,” he ordered, chuckling as I was reluctant to drink the bourbon his late son had given him. “For me…. for Richard and Landon, too.”

I lifted it and took a drink.

The glass dropped from my hand as I hit the floor. The last thing my mind registered was the rush of magic I could smell as something made the world go black.

18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Iwoke up on the ground, dirt on my cheek, tired from whatever the night before had brought me. There was a crunch as I planted my hands and pushed up, groaning in sore pain. I was in my territory, that much was clear, but how I got there was a mystery.

“Good morning,” a voice rumbled.

I was able to get to my knees, rubbing my temples as a headache was already pounding before I could even properly wake up and come to terms with my situation. Those were the worst of headaches.

“I said good morning,” the deep voice rumbled again.

“Good morning,” I hissed, rubbing harder, hoping I wasn’t in the situation I was beginning to think it was. “What do you want, Fenris?”

“To find out how you got so trashed that you passed out in the woods,” he answered, barely hiding the laughter in his voice as he explained where I was.

“Well…” I tried to remember, but it was blank. “Fuck. Maybe I got hit in the head a bit too hard. I was told that could be a problem if I kept letting that happen.”

That was when I remembered one important thing.

Fenris was dead. He died months ago.

I turned to look at him, seeing him as healthy as he had been the entire time I’d known him. He was perfectly fine, with a shit-eating, half-mad grin on his face and a challenge in his eye as he crouched beside me.

“The Rebel finally partied too hard, huh?” Fenris laughed.

Fenris is dead. What is happening right now?

“What is going on?” I asked, fear beginning to rush through me.

“I found you lying here. You tell me what the fuck is going on right now, Rebel.” Fenris straightened up, and I scrambled to my feet. “Not sure why you’re so scared of me. Something else in these woods I need to know about? Ah, fuck it. We both know I am the scariest thing out here.” He pointed at me. “But you know you don’t need to be scared of me. What’s wrong with you, Rebel?”

I wanted to cry. Was it all a terrible dream? Was this really Fenris?

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