Page 37 of Triumph of the Wolf (Magnetic Magic #6)

“The road going out to your mom’s property— all the werewolf properties back there—has disappeared.

” Jasmine gestured expansively. “I mean, we can still see it and drive up there, but we’ve learned that the road seems to be altogether gone to the outside world.

To people who aren’t werewolves. It’s still on existing maps, but the latest satellite imagery doesn’t show it.

Look.” Jasmine showed me a map app on her phone, including an earlier attempt to program in the address for my mother’s cabin.

All that came up was the road itself, outlined as a mere stub rather than the miles-long gravel and eventually dirt route that had led back to the properties.

“That’s… odd,” I said.

“It’s magic . That’s what Rosaria said.”

I thought of the mushroom artifact on the cliff.

“Why would it have hidden the werewolves?” I mused, waving to Duncan when he came into view, ambling out of the woods.

Lykos saw our group and must have decided there were too many strange people, because he slunk back into the trees. It might take Duncan a while to fully tame the kid—and indoctrinate him into society.

“The artifact’s whole reason for being created,” I continued, “at least as far as we could figure was to protect people from werewolves. From being bitten by them, specifically.”

“Yeah, I know, but if people can’t find the werewolves, then they won’t likely be bitten by them, right?” Jasmine shrugged. “It’s not like any of our pack can turn others into werewolves anyway, but we all mostly want to be left alone. We don’t want to wantonly go out and make more werewolves.”

Duncan, who’d gotten close enough to hear the conversation, lifted his eyebrows.

“If people can’t find the pack properties,” Jasmine said, “they’re not going to be bothered by werewolves at all.”

“That’s true, though not how I would have expected that problem to be solved. Maybe the medallions had something to do with it. They could have communicated with the artifact, I suppose, and come to an agreement.”

“That sounds kind of weird,” Jasmine said.

“Weirder than roads disappearing?”

“I guess not.” She wrinkled her nose in Bolin’s direction.

He merely spread his arms.

“Anyway, our people can still find the way back there,” Jasmine said, “and the whole area seems really serene now. It’s hard to describe.

You’ll have to go up there when, you… oh.

” Her shoulders slumped, as if she’d remembered something unpleasant.

“Lorenzo came back this morning and let people know… maybe he already reached out to you? But if not, your mom passed. Sorry, Luna.”

“Oh.” Now, it was my shoulders that slumped. Even though I’d expected to hear that news any day, it weighed me down.

“Lorenzo said she was content in the end, that what she’d wanted to see pass had come to pass.”

I met Duncan’s gaze. “Yes, I think that’s true.”

He came over and wrapped an arm around my shoulders, and I leaned against him.

“My mom says you’re the heir to your mother’s property too,” Jasmine added. “You’ll inherit all those lush acres, including the hot springs.”

“You mean the lukewarm mud holes?”

“They were enough to entice those developers.”

“Those guys were kind of weird.”

“I won’t disagree with that. Anyway, you’ll be able to go up there anytime you want to hunt.

Speaking of that, the elders are planning to invite you two out for that.

” Jasmine waved to include Duncan. “It’ll be a chance for Duncan to meet the whole pack and for everyone to celebrate your mom’s life and memory.

They also want to get to know Duncan better.

Some of the pack have been pushing, on account of the medallions and the artifact protecting everyone, for you two to lead the Savagers. ”

“I…” I didn’t know what to say. Even though Mom had implied that when she’d given me the medallion—an artifact that usually passed down from one alpha female to the next—I hadn’t thought anything about it. What did I know about leading a pack of wolves? I leaned even more heavily against Duncan.

Fortunately, he was unfazed and unflappable, and accepted my weight without shifting.

I felt daunted and sad, still regretting that I’d spent so much of my life away from the pack and my mother, and hadn’t gotten to know her as well as I should have as an adult. But if she’d been satisfied in the end… that was something. Maybe that was more than most people got.

“Thanks for letting me know, Jasmine,” I finally managed to say.

“Of course.”

“And your news?” Bolin prompted her.

“Oh, I got a job in Kirkland at a real estate start-up that’s doing these cool, modern tiny homes in cottage communities.

They managed to snag some land by the waterfront near Saint Edward State Park and get the zoning and everything approved for sixteen of them.

I was originally just asking about purchasing one because they look so much cooler than the dingy sixty-year condos that are on the market and all that I might otherwise have been able to afford, but it turned out they needed someone with my qualifications.

It helped that I had an impeccable résumé with great references. ” She gestured toward me.

“I hope I wasn’t your best reference.”

“No, I put Ivan MacGregor down too. His sister said I could also add her. Even though we were wolves the whole time, we kind of bonded over being tortured prisoners.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” I wished we’d gotten there sooner.

“I’m not. With references like that, I’ll have whatever jobs I wish for the rest of my life.” Jasmine sipped from her mocha, leaving whipped cream smearing her upper lip, and looked satisfied, if not smug.

I forced a smile onto my face, though it wasn’t easy for me to put aside the news of my mother’s passing. “Congratulations.”

“Thank you. I’ll have a house-warming party and invite you all when I get my new home.”

“Will we all fit?” Bolin asked. “In a tiny home? Aren’t they under five-hundred square feet?”

“Yeah, but to some people here, that has to be palatial.” Jasmine smirked at Duncan. “No offense, Duncan, but the shower in your bathroom looks like it hits the toilet seat.”

“It does,” he said. “You can have a seat while you bathe. I believe in this country that makes my bathroom handicap accessible.”

“The correct term these days is accessible or barrier-free ,” Bolin said.

“Palatial,” Jasmine said again, smiling as she no doubt envisioned her future home.

“I’m sure you’ll enjoy it,” I told her. “That’s a much trendier location for a young person than the alley- and freeway-adjacent condo you were musing about in Everett.”

“Tell me about it.” Jasmine pointed at Bolin. “You’ve got news for Luna too, right?”

I stood straight and took a breath to brace myself. I didn’t know if I could handle any more news this morning.

“Yes.” Bolin cocked his head as he looked at me. In curiosity? Puzzlement? His expression was hard to read. “It’s about someone buying Sylvan Serenity.”

“Oh.” I slumped against Duncan again and wondered if I should ask Jasmine about the availability of other tiny homes in her new community.

Surprisingly, Bolin looked at Duncan.

“Ah yes,” he said, “I believe this is the part where I have a private conversation with Luna.”

Bolin nodded at him. “I think so. If it helps, my parents would be delighted if it works out.”

“If what works out?” I looked back and forth between them.

“Ivan MacGregor offered to buy the place, too, and keep Luna on as the property manager,” Bolin said, “but the other option would be even better. We all agree.”

Jasmine nodded at Bolin.

“What other option?” I propped a fist on my hip, feeling more left out than mysteriously intrigued.

“My lady, if you’ll permit me a private moment with you?” Duncan bowed and stretched an arm toward the leasing office.

“Fine, but if you irk me, just know that my sword is in there.”

“I… hope you won’t be irked, but I don’t know. I haven’t signed anything yet or even said… Well, it would be completely up to you. I don’t want to be presumptuous.”

I followed him into the office, shutting the door behind us. “Presumptuous about what?”

“You’ll recall that I brought up the idea of you buying Sylvan Serenity.”

“I believe I quashed that idea due to a lack of funds or backers with funds.”

“Yes, but not a lack of interest in the idea on your part? You’ve spoken numerous times of one day owning rental property, right?”

I started to shake my head, but it was more a reflex, not because I wouldn’t love to stay where I was as a partial owner of the property I’d dedicated so much of my life to maintaining.

“Why?” I asked instead. “You didn’t find a bunch of rich backers, did you?”

Ivan MacGregor was the only person I knew, besides the Sylvans themselves, with the kind of money that could purchase a place this large.

“Well, I’ve all along known a possible backer with the available funds,” Duncan said, “but until we… became a we …” He gestured not only toward me but toward my abdomen and his own chest. “Being a rather nomadic sort, I hadn’t originally considered settling down at all.

Certainly not investing in this area. But it’s not as if an investor would have to stay on the premises or even be in the country all that often.

Nor an owner for that matter. And you have mentioned that you might be willing to travel some with me. ”

“You’re rambling, Duncan.” I couldn’t get a grasp on what he meant either.

“I’m trying to say that if you’re interested, I would be willing to back the project.” He rested a hand on his chest. “I’ve had plenty of time to learn that you’re more than capable of running the place and making it profitable.”

“You. You want to put up the down payment for an apartment complex with hundreds of units? Duncan, you paid for coffee and light-rail fare with coins stolen from a koi pond.”

“I am frugal. Even more so now that you’ve introduced me to experienced clothing.”

“You can’t possibly have the money for this. Did you?—”

“Get the pro forma from Bolin and his parents? I did. Besides, it’s just the down payment we need to come up with.”

“ Just . As if that isn’t millions and millions of dollars alone.”

“It is, yes. But because it’s you, the Sylvans are willing to owner-finance you for the first ten years, until you’ve got the experience and track record to show a bank that you’re a solid bet for a loan.

Of course, with the profit you’ve allowed this place to make, you might well be on your way to having it paid off by then.

When you’re the owner, will you continue to install the toilets yourself? ”

“Of course I would, but Duncan. You can’t possibly have that kind of money.”

“Sure I can. I’ve had it for a while. I even told you about it. You’ll recall the story of me diving a wreck off the coast of Africa some time back and finding a wee bit of treasure.”

“What I recall is that a killer whale wearing a salmon hat was there watching you.”

“Yes.” Duncan snapped his fingers and beamed with pleasure that I remembered.

“As I said, I bought her some salmon to celebrate, but that didn’t cost much.

The rest of the gold and silver… Well, it’s been sitting in a vault.

I daresay, it would do much better invested in a particular piece of profitable real estate here.

” He tilted his head, watching my face. “Is it presumptuous of me to make the offer?”

I sat at the desk. “Yes.”

“Are you secretly delighted?”

I blew out a slow breath. Was this… the answer to all the problems that had plagued me of late? Or at least, one of the problems? I, or rather we together, had solved most of the rest of them.

“More than I should be,” I admitted numbly.

“Oh, good. I’ve wondered for some time if I should mention that I’m well-endowed in more than the particular area that you know about.”

“You mean your ego?”

“Please, I only think as highly of myself as is justified by my many fine attributes and talents.” Duncan tilted his head. “Do you mind? That I’m a… rather well-off bloke?”

“Of course I don’t mind. And you didn’t owe me any explanations about your financial status. It’s not like, until recently, we were even…” I waved vaguely. “Mates.”

“I wanted to be mates. The world kept conspiring to keep us apart.”

“True.”

“I will point out that if you inherit all that land, you could probably use it as collateral and get a loan even without my assistance.” Duncan touched his chest.

“Land that is magically hidden so that nobody but a werewolf can find it? What’s the value on that, do you think?”

“Ah, it might be hard to assess. You’d better accept my offer.”

“There would have to be a contract with everything legal and legitimate to protect us both.”

“Naturally.” Duncan didn’t appear offended by the idea. “That would be romantic and practical.”

“After all I’ve experienced in my life, I am much comforted by practical.”

“Yes, I can see why that would be true.” He offered me a hug.

I leaned into his embrace and looked around at the grounds with new hopeful eyes. “This would mean… I wouldn’t have to move. We could stay here.”

We might need a three-bedroom apartment instead of two, especially if we ended up adopting Lykos, but that was doable. In fact, there was a nice unit in the back coming up next month. It had a view of the woods. Lykos, in particular, might appreciate that.

“And you’ll let my van and me stay free of rent?” Duncan smirked as he waved to the parking lot. “It won’t be towed, and you won’t bill me if I hook up the hose for water?”

“I was thinking you might move in with me.”

“Goodness, what would I do with so much space? An entire apartment? I might get lost in it.”

“You’re kind of an odd well-off bloke.”

“As we’ve established often in the past.”

“Yes.”

Duncan smiled, bent his head, and kissed me. I wrapped my arms around him and returned it.

THE END