Page 79 of Protection of the Pack

We slunk up to Ares cautiously. He watched us approach with brimstone eyes then whickered a greeting. He didn’t seem like he wanted to disembowel us, but what did I know?

Shift to human,Esme suggested.

I agreed and we blurred until we had two legs again. ‘Hi,’ I greeted the unicorn. His ears twitched in response. ‘How are you doing?’

Nothing. With this realm, anything is possible and I’d half expected Ares to reply.

Slowly I gathered my piping skills and drew up the magic. I could have hummed a tune, but instead I stepped a little closer and laid my hand on his dazzlingly white fur. As I opened a connection between us, I felt gratitude and contentment. He was a little hungry, but he was happy not to be in a cage.

Home?I asked. I got back the firm image of the mansion grounds. It was the image I had inadvertently sent him. Oops.

I sent the image of many werewolves in the grounds and got a feeling of indifference in return. Okay, then. It looked like the pack now had its very own resident unicorn.

I gave Ares another pat and tried to convey a feeling of welcome. I had all sorts of misfits in my pack, so why not add a battle unicorn? I sent an image of going for a run as Esme and added him to the image – did he want to come for a trot with me?

He gave a distinct nod of his huge head. I shifted back onto four legs and let Esme take the reins again. She ran joyfully and Ares ran easily by our side, throwing back his head and whinnying his joy at his freedom. Esme gave him a wolfy grin in response, then threw back her head and howled. There is such simple, honest happiness in running together.

We ran the boundaries of our land half a dozen times then returned to the mansion. I shifted to human and my tummy let out a loud rumble. ‘Wait here,’ I said to Ares. ‘I’ll just be a moment.’

I ducked inside the mansion and found my dressing gown hanging neatly by the front door. How the hell had it got there? I blushed a little suddenly, realising Greg had gone to monitor the security cameras and I had promptly got naked in front of them. Mystery solved: he had kindly put out my robe for me. See, who says I can’t do this detective shit?

I pulled on the robe and went to the kitchen to look for something for myself and for Ares. He’d like carrots, right?

Esme snorted.Did you not see his teeth? He eats meat.Her tone conveyed her approval.

He was eating the grass!I objected.

Acting like an equine is a last resort for them. Meat. He wants meat.

I had no doubt she knew best, so I pulled out a box of ham, some leftover cooked sausages and a few raw-beef patties and headed back out.

Ares was waiting patiently by the front door.

‘I didn’t know which you’d prefer,’ I explained. I refused to feel stupid for talking to a unicorn; people speak to their pets all the time. Besides, he wasn’t just a horse with a horn and I’d felt his mind on mine. I opened the huge box of ham and peeled back the plastic lid, placed the other meat on the ground for him and snagged a couple of sausages for myself. Ares went straight for the burger patties.

‘You prefer it raw, huh?’ I commented. ‘I’ll get more stuff in for you tomorrow.’

His ears twitched but he ignored me, happily munching away like the happy little carnivore he was. When the food had been devoured I said, ‘I don’t have a stable or anything.’ I pictured a stable with a roof on it and sent the image to him while I touched his fur. I tinged the image with regret.

He snorted and sent back an image of trees, then he turned and moseyed away into our scant woods. I guess battle-hardened unicorns didn’t need a roof over their heads. Good to know.

I yawned widely and slipped back inside the house. In the kitchen I ate a few rounds of toast before I went to my room to shower and collapse into bed.

No matter what Bastion said, I couldn’t help but feel pretty good about rescuing Ares, and it was clear Ares felt the same. Esme and I were content as we tumbled into sleep.

The blare of the alarm on my phone woke me. Despite only catching a measly five hours and some change, I felt refreshed and ready to go. There were definite upsides to this werewolf business, besides having a friend on a constant mental ride-along.

Morning, Esme.

Esme sent the image of herself doing a luxurious stretch.Good morning, Lucy Barrett.Her voice was warm with affection.

I struggled to pull myself out of bed. The mansion was always a little chilly in the morning – the old central-heating system could really do with an overhaul. Another thing for another day. I cleansed, toned and moisturised. I didn’t bother with much make up, just a quick swipe of mascara.

Putting mud on your eyelashes is odd,Esme pointed out, not for the first time.

It’s not mud. Putting mascara on your eyes is tradition,I explained.

It seems odd to me. It is good that it doesn’t affect your ability to hunt,she conceded.

---