Page 46 of Protection of the Pack

We padded out of the room and down the corridor. Outside Archie’s room, a Ben & Jerry’s carton lay on the floor with a discarded fork nearby. Delicious ice cream lay in a milky puddle, sticky and nowhere near as good as when it was frozen.

It turns out that even in wolf form you can sigh a little.

I moved past the foregone treat and slunk into Archie’s room. It was a mess; the door I’d kicked in hadn’t shattered cleanly, and there were shards of wood everywhere.

Archie – or rather his wolf – was lying prone, panting. His golden eyes were wide with fear.

Esme reached out to him instantly.It’s alright,she crooned.

I can’t move.Panic laced his thoughts.

Amber needs you to be still to heal you. She’s making you better,Esme reassured him.

‘Nearly done.’ Amber said wearily. ‘One last rune.’ She pulled out a pot of potion from her ever-present black tote bag and snapped on fresh disposable gloves. The smell of the potion was vile, and we recoiled.

‘Sorry,’ she said absently. She dipped her paintbrush into the tar-like substance and smeared it liberally on Archie’s wolf’s belly. It glowed for a moment, then the wolf leapt abruptly onto his legs and growled at her.

‘Stop it,’ Amber growled back firmly, not batting an eyelid. ‘I saved your life. You owe me.’

The wolf subsided but watched her flintily with golden eyes. Amber ignored him as she packed her bag. She addressed her comments to me. ‘I’ll invoice you. Your “get here quick” carries an extra fee. But it saved his life – as did his shift.’

She slung her tote on her shoulder and looked again at Archie’s wolf before turning to us. ‘You need to deal with this.’ She gestured to his golden eyes. ‘But we need to talk before I leave. I’ll wait in your office. Don’t be too long, I’m tired.’

We inclined our head in acknowledgement and she left us alone with the feral wolf. I reached inside myself for the magic to pipe, but Esme stopped me with a gentle paw.We don’t need it while we’re like this. We can talk to him because he is pack.She turned to him and I felt the shift of her focus.

How are you known?

I have chosen Fred,he said finally.

It is a worthy name,Esme agreed, even though I was giggling in our head.I am Esme.

You are alpha.

Weare alpha,Esme corrected him.Neither of us can rule alone. Together we can command respect. So must it be with you and Archie.

He does not let me out,Fred said sulkily.I am forever locked in chains.

We will tell him to let you out,Esme promised.But you must let him return.

Why?

You know what will happen if you do not.An image of complete darkness flashed in my mind.

I do not want that.Fred shuddered.But I want freedom.

We are alpha,Esme pointed out.We will make Archie let you loose, as long as you promise that when the time comes to relinquish hold you will do so.

Fred considered it.I will agree to this. On your oath so mote it be.

On my oath so mote it be,Esme agreed solemnly.

Fred bowed his head in submission. When he looked up, his eyes were blue. Archie was back.

I shifted into my human form and reached out to him. ‘You need to turn back to human Archie.’

He considered me for a long minute before he bowed his head, eerily echoing his wolf of moments before, and his shift started. It was a long five minutes until he stood before us as human once again. He looked pale and shattered, and his expression was shuttered. ‘Whatareyou?’ he asked me.

‘Naked,’ I answered, deliberately misunderstanding his question. A blanket lay on his sofa so I picked it up and wrapped it around myself. ‘Get dressed.’

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