Page 55 of Enspelled

Again, I lose track of time as I watch her sleep. She’s sleeping more restfully now than she was before. There are no more growls, just Briar making the same snuffling sounds she was making back in my cabin.

The stone must be working, then.

My eyes go to the pocket that I slipped the stone into. I’d thought she could speak to Dad, or at least communicate with one of my pack. I’m positive that any one of them could tell me who had killed them.

But she saved my life. She doesn’t deserve to be driven crazy, or to be stuck as a wolf forever.

I dart a glance at the kitchen window. With darkness falling, it’s late enough in the day that my stomach warns me it’s time I ate something, but I back up against the living room wall and slide down it.

When I’m sitting on the floor with my legs stretched out in front of me, I cross my arms over my chest and lean my head back against the wall, keeping my gaze trained on Briar’s face.

I’ll just watch her for a while longer. Just to make sure the stone isn’t doing anything bad or causing her any pain.

A wide yawn nearly cracks my face in two, but I fight back the exhaustion creeping over me. I shouldn’t be tired after the sleep I had last night, but this feels like a different kind of weariness. The soul-deep kind.

It's a battle I know I’ll eventually lose, but before I do, I observe Briar until my eyelids grow so heavy that I stop fighting the sleep weighing them down.

The sun warms my back, and the grass is soft and spongy beneath my feet. Searing steak roasting on a huge matte-black BBQ makes my stomach grumble as I weave through my packmates spread out across the grass, talking, laughing, or just napping.

But the moment Anders calls out that the food's ready, everyone will be fighting for a place in line.

I head for a large cooler set against a tree and pluck out an icy cold beer with its label hanging off. One firm twist of the lid, which I toss aside, and I’m gulping the bubbly liquid down. It’s not the best, and I stop gulping to eye the label so I know to avoid this particular brand in the future.

A large, tanned hand snatches the beer out of my hand. “You’re sixteen.”

Glowering at the snarling gray-haired, amber-eyed man who materializes beside me, I move to snatch it back. “Dad, I’m a wolf. One beer won’t do anything to me.”

A hard smack on the back of my head has me growling as I spin to face the shifter who must have a death sentence. “Listen to your dad, pup,” Warren smirks.

Snarling, I lunge at the grinning red-haired guy who’s only a couple of years older than me. We go down, wrestling as we roll across the grass, knocking into people who grumble as they get out of the way.

“Stop it, you two, or I’ll toss you both in the fire pit.” Dad’s words are like a lash.

After another punch to the gut, one that Warren follows up with an elbow to the neck, we separate.

“I won,” I declare as I push myself to my feet, grinning down at him.

He grins back. “If you call being pinned in a choke hold you couldn’t break out of winning, then I guess…”

Grabbing his hand, I yank him to his feet so hard that his shoulder pops. “Fuck off.”

A smack to the back of my head has me spinning around with a snarl twisting my lips. But since the one responsible was Dad and not another packmate looking for a wrestling match, I don’t lunge at him.

Dad might be pushing forty, but he’s still the alpha, and he could take anyone in the pack with one arm tied behind his back. Not forever, though. One day I’ll beat him.

As if he can read my mind, he shakes his head with a snort. “You can’t fight and win against everyone, son. Some fights have to be won in other ways.”

I grin at him. “You mean the ones between men and women?”

His hand flies toward me, but I dodge his neck smack with a laugh. “Oh, come on, old man. Are you getting slow or—”

Backing up, I grunt as I trip over someone’s foot. My back thumps hard against the ground, but I’m smiling, and so is he.

He raises an eyebrow. “Old man?”

My eyes go over his shoulder. “I was talking to the old guy just behind you.”

He isn’t the only one who laughs as he holds his hand out for mine. I grab it and let him pull me to my feet. “Fighting and women, you need to grow up. One day, you’ll be the leader, and the Destins deserve a better one than that.”

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