His mother started laughing.“Supper will already be out at Ariel's.Harry knows when to go places when the meals are being served.”Flo explained.
“Is she really that hungry all the time?”
“It's one of the secrets to her strength as a witch.Most witches must rest and eat to regain their power slowly.Imagine if every time you ate a big meal, you turned into Superman.You could protect anyone who needed it and defend yourself easily.Wouldn't you search for big meals that gave you that power and strength?It's not easy because the reverse is also true.If she goes hungry, her power goes too.She gets weak, and it's even possible she could die.Harry needs her food, and those in need Harry.”
“That's amazing.She turns food into magic.”Darren mentioned.
“Exactly.Not everyone understands that, and she can eat an amazing amount for such a little thing.I'm sure she'll fill up at Ariels, and when we have breakfast, she'll fill up again.In the morning, after breakfast, that's when she will go hunting for Lottie.”
Darren thought he was beginning to understand a little bit about how magic worked.If his understanding was correct, then Harry was the best hope for finding his nanny.He could only hope that tomorrow everything would work out, and he would be a wolf, and Harry would be on the job.He didn't understand why, but he felt a terrible sense of loss because Lottie was gone.Maybe he felt responsible because he hadn't been able to help protect her and his girls.Or maybe they had become friends, and that was the loss that he felt.It didn't matter because they just had to get her back, no matter what they had to do.
“I’m back!”Harry appeared out of nowhere.“Is it time to eat yet?”She asked hopefully.
“Food should be done by now.It just needs to go in serving dishes, then on the table.”Flo explained.
Darren told the girls to clean up, then come to the dining room.He washed his hands in the kitchen, then helped set bowls on the table.Carlos was with the wardens, running down clues on those who had taken Lottie.They had a list of names they were running down and questioning.His mother would fix him a plate he could heat up later.
“Looks like everything is ready and the girls are at the table.Let’s eat.”Flo said, and after a moment of silence, they observed that each person's meal included a time to pray or ask that their food be blessed, and they began to eat.
“I love fried chicken.”Harry declared.
Darren had to agree that it was a fine meal and one that reminded him of Sundays when he was a young boy.His siblings would all be there, and they were noisy as they ate.It had still given him a sense of peace knowing all his family was around him, and the fact that his father was missing had not bothered him a bit.He’d caught his father packing up to go, and he’d called him out on what he was doing.The money his mother kept in the cookie jar for emergencies had been in his hand.
He didn’t know what he’d expected from his father because he’d been a weak man.Later, when he heard his mom talking to him on the phone and his father had begged to come home, he’d been relieved when she’d said no.Did he feel bad about that?No, he’d known all his father would bring them was pain and loss.Now that he had kids of his own, his father’s behavior just shocked him even more.He’d learned from his mom how important family was.
Darren shook his head to make those thoughts go away and concentrated on a meal he’d not had in years.The good memories returned, and he realized that by staying away from home, he and his siblings had all lost much.Things would change, and he’d keep in touch with his mom the way he always should have.
There was a sound at the door, and Carlos came in with Cage behind him.They went to clean up and joined them at the table.
“Have you found any clues?”Darren asked.
“We have some possible locations.We’ll let Harry have the first shot, but we have some places to try if that doesn’t work out.”Cage explained.
“Always best to have a backup plan.”Harry approved.
It was hard to deny the logic in that, but he sincerely hoped that Harry led them to where Lottie was being held.The longer she was captive, the more likely that something bad would happen to her or that they wouldn't find her at all.
Supper was done, and everyone helped clean up, and Cage left.It was time for Harry to flash him away to Ariel’s, where he would go through one of the biggest events of his life.Was he scared, damn right he was.It didn't mean he wouldn't go through with this.He'd never flashed before, and he hoped he would never flash again because he was dizzy.His mom used to say, "dizzy as a chicken," but he wasn't sure that chickens got dizzy, though they did act like it sometimes.
They arrived at Ariel's, and Harry led him to an office where both pack alphas were waiting.He learned a little about wolves and their packs, and he understood that Blake was the male pack alpha and Ariel was the pack bitch, the female pack alpha.Ariel was also his cousin and the one who would carry out the process that would begin his transformation into a wolf.
“Are you sure about this?”Ariel asked.
“I am.”
“Alright.”
Blake began reading a book that explained what was happening and what would happen to him.He also outlined the risks and explained that this could result in death, but he knew that hadn't happened in most cases.
Ariel tied their wrists together loosely and picked up a ceremonial knife.When she cut his wrist, it stung, and then she cut hers.The wrists were put together so their blood could mix and then pulled apart.She wiped off both of their wrists, removing the blood.Blake licked her wrist, and it immediately healed.Harry waved her hand over his wrist, and it healed.She showed him where his room was, and then they both went out to the dining room where they ate.
“I know you don't think you're hungry, but you need to try to eat a little bit of food to feed the change,” Harry explained.“A wolf eats a lot more than a human, and when you are going through a change, you eat even more.”
The food was good, and he forced himself to eat as much as he could stand.He left Harry and headed back towards his room, where he would sleep for the night.The reason he was staying here was that if he ran into any trouble, Ariel and Harry would be there to try to help.When he woke in the morning, he felt different.There was a voice in his head, and he thought he might be going crazy.At least the voice wasn't telling him to do anything stupid or crazy.
He went to the dining room, where he loaded his plate with more food than he had ever had before.On a normal day, it would be at least a day's worth of food.Somehow, he managed to eat every bit of it.His mother and Carlos ate a lot, but until now, he hadn't really understood the saying 'hungry like a wolf'.That's what he was now, and he needed to explore all his new senses and strengths so he could use them to protect what was his.
The voice inside his head said that Lottie was one of those things.Darren was beginning to understand why he was so drawn to her.It wasn't good, especially so soon after his divorce and with her in a position where she was working for him.He couldn't understand how his wolf could be so sure when his human could never decide that quickly what was right.That didn't matter because he had to get her back, regardless of the reason.As soon as they finish this meal, it will be time to head out and try to find his nanny.
