Page 20 of Black and White, Twice the Might

“It’s nice to meet you,” Temp says, smiling our way while still stroking the wolf. “I was talking to Molly earlier. She said at Sunday’s BBQ, I should meet you, Enoch, as you have an affinity with animals. I don’t know if she told you, but I’m an apprenticewith the town’s head healer, and we look after sick and injured animals as well as humans.”

While we were in the bookshop, Ernest invited us to a BBQ on Sunday to meet the rest of the true witches and play games.

Enoch steps closer. “She mentioned that. I’m not sure if I do, but I would love to see the animals, but I thought your name was Tink.”

Temp laughs. “Molly likes giving people nicknames. She decided mine was Tink, but Temp or Tempest works just fine,” he says, before turning back to the wolf. “Greasy, stop looking for more sympathy and get up.”

“Greasy?” Xander asks with a small laugh.

“Yeah, he’s a mechanic, and it was better than oily,” Temp replies with his own laugh.

The wolf opens his eyes and gives a little growl before sitting up with a huff.

Temp strokes his head and drops a kiss on the wolf’s nose. “Do you want me to call one of your brothers to take over?”

“I’ve already called Kean. He’s on his way,” Titus tells him.

I didn’t see him pull his phone out.

“How did you call him?” Xander asks, looking confused.

“We have a mate mind link. It happens with witch/shifter pairings,” Titus explains.

We hear running feet and Adhan, and another man comes rushing into the area.

“Is anyone hurt?” Adhan asks, looking round.

“Only Ben, but he’s better now,” Temp replies.

“And the people caught up in the tree branches thought it was all part of the event and couldn’t wait to see what else would happen,” Titus says. “This is my partner, Kean.”

“Hi. It looks like a hay bale exploded in here,” Kean comments, looking around.

It really does. The straw from the scarecrows is all over the area. Suddenly, the straw is collected up and in its place is a large straw bear standing on two legs.

I laugh and look at Sly. “A bear?”

“What? You find bears in woods,” he points out.

“But not UK ones,” Enoch says, walking around the bear. “It’s a really good bear, though, Sly.”

“It is,” Adhan agrees. “Thanks, Sly and thank you all for your help with this little problem.”

Sly looks at him. “I don’t think this will be the only incident in these woods.”

I turn to look at him in surprise. “You don’t?”

He shakes his head. “No. This was done by dark witches. There is no way they will leave it as just tonight and just this.”

I hear Adhan sigh. “You might be right. I didn’t think of that when putting this event together. I just thought of making this event bigger and better than last year’s.” He runs a hand down his face. “Maybe I should close it.”

“Don’t do that,” a man says, walking through the trees towards us.

I do a double-take. The guy seriously looks like Chris Evans from the Avengers Endgame.

“Hey Elliot,” Adhan says. “I need to think of everyone’s safety. If dark witches are going to be trying to kill our visitors, then I need to be sensible and close this down.”

“You have enough witches and other paranormals in the town, and with my family, we can keep everyone safe. Indeed, my mother and Mollyanne are currently having a natter about what can be done to keep everyone safe.”