Page 24 of Witchbane

Liam gave me a huge smile. “Guess he can’t be all bad, then, can he? Now if only we could find him so he can undo this.”

I sighed and relaxed back into the seat, gripping Liam’s hand like a lifeline and focusing hard on staying awake. If Liam and I ended up in Underhill, it was because we meant to go there, not because my sleep was doing crazy things to my power.

The rest of the drive none of us spoke. The radio cycled through the top forty and occasional weather reports. I paid little attention until I could see Liam’s house in the distance. Funny how big it looked now, in the bright light of day and in the distance. On a private road, there was no reason for anyone not pack to come this way. And it was unlikely they’d even catch a glimpse of the house through the trees. It looked sort of like a mansion, though I knew it wasn’t really that big. Wolves liked space. So while the house had only five bedrooms and as many baths, the high ceilings made it feel huge.

I was happy to be home until Liam parked and his ex-wife appeared on the porch with Korissa trailing behind her looking very unhappy. Fuck. I walked right by them both, into the house, finding it mostly empty, which was odd as usually there were a couple of pack members hanging out.

Our black cat Minion sat on the back of the couch, dressed in a little red baseball sweater. I blinked at him, wondering a) where the sweater had come from, and b) how he’d gotten into it. Answers to both were likely Korissa.

I’d been hoping for Robin, but hadn’t seen him in a while. I had some serious questions for the fae and really needed to get rid of our unwanted guests. Maybe Wesley would answer questions. I sent him a text, and got no immediate reply or notation that my text had even been read.

“I didn’t know,” Korissa was telling Liam. Know what?

“I’ll be closer. A short drive. Korissa can stay with me as much as she wants,” Elaine said. Wait, she was staying?

Korissa eyes were huge when they met mine. “Mom, your life is in Florida. All your friends are there,” she said.

“But my daughter is more important,” Elaine said.

Really? Since when? And why now? I kept my uncharitable thoughts to myself and headed up to Liam’s and my shared room; I needed to pack. I heard Liam arguing with them, and even my mother’s voice added in, but I ignored them all. No more sideshow freak, or black sheep, for the family to lay all its curses on.

Up the stairs and into our room I tried to recall if the stuff I needed was here, or in my camper. Most everything else was here. My stuff in Liam’s space made him happy, though no matter how many times he told me his space was my space, it still felt like his. It was okay. I liked his space, being in it, with or without him. But his room was huge. I had spent years growing used to small spaces and walls closed in. Comfort in the tiny places rather than fear.

Toby appeared in the doorway a few seconds after I began rummaging in the closet. His room was across the hall, and he’d probably heard me come in. At least he was still human today. Better balance with the wolf, I hoped.

“What are you looking for?” he asked.

“My backpack.” I found it in the corner—tucked away, ragged, but stitched together enough to hold a few days’ worth of supplies—and pulled it out.

I heard Toby’s breath hitch. “You’re leaving?”

“For a few days. Gotta find the forest god.” I took the bag to the bed and began packing basics: clothes, a first aid kit, a couple of protein bars from the stash in my bedside table.

“You can’t leave us,” Toby whispered. I glanced back at him to find him hugging himself and shaking.

“Toby.” I went to him, pulling him into a fierce hug, which was a bit awkward because he was bigger than I was. Nineteen, and he was growing into wide shoulders and height he might never have seen if he hadn’t been changed. “I’m not leaving. Not in that way. We are trying to fix this magic mess.” And leave behind the family madness. “I’m opening portals in my sleep. I’m not safe to be around.”

“Maybe Robin can help?” Toby asked, accepting my hug but still trembling. His control over his wolf was only so-so on the best of days, his human half not dominant enough to keep it at bay. I understood his fear. He stayed human for me, to help around the house and because my omega presence helped calm him. He thought that without me he’d wage war with his wolf again and end up put down by one of the more dominant wolves.

“Have you seen Robin lately?” Liam asked as he entered the room. He didn’t question why I was hugging Toby, and joined our hug, wrapping us both up not only in his embrace, but in his alpha strength, and both Toby and I sighed with the release of tension.

“No Robin,” Toby shook his head, but sank into my mate’s hug.

Liam kissed the top of my head, then patted Toby on the back as he let us go. “I’ll need to pack for a few days too. Carl is on his way over. He’ll look after the pack for a few days.”

“Carl hates me,” Toby muttered, but he went to the closet and came out with a second, much newer pack, handing it to Liam.

I narrowed my eyes at my mate.

“What?” he asked. “I told you if you ever ran again, I’d be going with you.”

“We are not running. We are looking for the forest god away from the pack to keep everyone from getting sucked into Underhill.” It sounded rational in my head, but not as much when I said it out loud.

“Carl doesn’t hate you,” Liam informed Toby. “He doesn’t know how to protect you, and as a dominant wolf, that drives him nuts.”

“Protect me from what? I am safe in the pack,” Toby pointed out.

Liam’s look was sad. I, however, didn’t mince words, “From yourself. If the wolf takes over…”