Page 9 of Snips, Snails and Werewolf Tails

"Elspeth?" Lucian asks in shock when he sees me standing there.

I smile stupidly and scold myself for coming here. This is reckless and rash, and I am probably playing right into the coven's ideas about me: that I can't think rationally when I'm emotional. But it's too late now because I am already here. And since standing in the entrance isn't helping me, I suck it up and barge right in until I'm standing in front of Lucian.

"Here," I say awkwardly as I pull the bottle out of my pocket and thrust it toward him.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, glancing down at the bottle but looking more concerned that I've shown up here unannounced. I suppose it isn't every day that a witch just appears at the entrance of the werewolf den.

"I brought you a potion to help with the vampires." I hold the bottle higher so he can't ignore it. "If you can slip it into Mickael's drink, it might help to calm him down a bit. It's crafted to relieve aggression." Blaire would scold me for getting too involved, but her scolding leaves my thoughts when Lucian's hand touches mine.

He takes the bottle from my hand, not breaking his stare from my eyes. His face is riddled with concern, and I suddenly worry that coming here wasn't just rash, but alsodangerous.

I jump at the sudden laughter that breaks out behind me. I turn and see a few of the other werewolves laughing at my gift, calling it a "useless tonic." But Lucian doesn't see it that way. He shoots his wolves a stiff warning glare and they stop laughing almost immediately. He tips the bottle and watches as the tawny liquid sloshes against the glass.

"Thank you," he says with a smile. "I suppose the trick will be slipping it to Mickael."

I nod, not knowing what else to say and feeling out of place. I should leave as quickly as I came.

"I admire your boldness in coming here without an invitation," he says.

"I'm sorry. I know I should have asked before just showing up." I wait for him to agree with me and tell me I'm foolish for coming here just to deliver a potion. But instead, he smiles and shakes his head.

"Nonsense," Lucian says. "You are always welcome here, and I insist that you come in and join me for dinner."

"What?" I whisper. "I can't, I—"

My eyes dart to all the wolves who are eyeing me with suspicion. There's a nervous energy in the air, and I might be imagining it, but I swear I can hear a low growl emerging in the den like a quiet undercurrent beneath their collective breath. I don't think the pack trusts me.

"I insist," Lucian says as he holds out his hand.

I can't resist Lucian's invitation or the chance to spend more time with him. So I act without thinking, something I've been doing more frequently, and say "yes." I reach out and take his hand, letting him gently pull me deeper into the den. As our hands touch, the faint sound of growling subsides.

6

LUCIAN

Ican't believe my eyes. Elspeth isherein my den.

I would be lying if I said I wasn't shocked to see her here. No witch has ever visited our den. I don't even spend that much time here; this is more of a meeting place than a living space. I'm only because, given the current chaos with the vampires and the growing rumors, I felt it best to talk to my most trusted pack members. I'm very glad I did, since I have no idea what the pack would have done with Elspeth if I hadn't been here.

Elspeth deserves a lot of credit. There aren't very many people who would walk right into the pack's territory without an invitation.

I sense that the rest of the pack is on edge when she arrives. They consider her visit an intrusion. Tala isespeciallyfrosty about it, but I couldn't care less about her feelings. She's the one who started all of this—if she hadn't drawn the vampires into a fight, none of this would be happening.

I walk Elspeth into the den's kitchen and pull out a chair for her at the table, which is already laden with food and wine. The space is lit with candles that cast shadows on the brick walls. It feels intimate.

When we enter, there are a few other wolves lingering, munching on meats and cheeses and whispering under their breath. But a quick glance from me sends them on their way. Once the room is empty, I ask Elspeth about her gift.

"This potion you made, are the effects of it permanent? How exactly does it work?"

"The blend of herbs, combined with the spell cast over them, will stifle the aggression in Mickael's heart," she answers. "It will make him more docile and less confrontational. The effects will wear off in the same way that intoxication wears off, and within a similar length of time."

She pauses as if she is second guessing herself.

"I suppose it isn't a permanent solution, but I thought it would keep Mickael at bay while you figure out what to do about the war."

"Thank you." I smile at her, but it falls a second later. I need to come clean. Elspeth thinks of me as a sort of heroic protector because I warned her about the threat against her coven sisters. But I'm no hero; I'm an instigator. I need to set the record straight.

Just as I'm about to dispel the illusion that I'm nothing but an innocent bystander in the vampire's malevolent scheming, I notice Tala slip out of the corner of the room. I didn't even know she was still in here. I thought she left with the others but apparently, she was still cloaked in the shadows, hidden away from sight. She's been eavesdropping on my conversation with Elspeth and listening to her explain how the potion works. But once she's gone, I don't give her another thought. Tala is nothing but a thorn in my side and her bark is worse than her bite.

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