“Gods damn it, brother! Is there anything youdoknow?”
At Anders’s flinch, I nearly break apart all over again.
“I’m sorry,” I croak, blinking back the fierce burn in my eyes. “I’m just… I’m so damn scared. For Soren. For Gunnar. If anything happens to either of them—”
Scowling, Anders marches across the room and wrenches me into a hug so tight, it’s almost painful. “If you try and blame yourself, I’ll whack you upside the head. Soren made the choice to learn more about his past. Gunnar made the bloody foolish decision to follow you to the present. None of this is your fault.”
I gulp hard around the lump in my throat, hands gripping at my twin’s shoulders. “Then why are you here?”
Anders pushes me into a chair, then uncorks the barrel of mead in the corner of the room. He pours us both a cupful, then shoves mine into my hands. “I spoke to Wulfric on your behalf. Told him what you shared with me about Soren and what really happened that day.” Anders’s jaw twitches, his lips thinning. I can only imaginehe’s remembering the horrible events of that day, wounds he’s only just started to heal from, but he’s torn them wide open for me. “He didn’t believe me. Kieran promised to speak with him. He’s always been good at breaking through Wulfric’s walls to the heart behind them.”
If I know my little brother, he will find it hard to accept. Not only because it means letting go of his anger, but because he’ll be forced to acknowledge that he was wrong. If anyone can get through to him, it’s Kieran. He’s helped Wulfric let go of so much grief and guilt. I have to believe he can guide Wulfric through this as well.
More pounding on my door jolts me from sleep. I lift my head from the table, rubbing sleep out of my eyes. The sun has risen, brightening the sky beyond the windows. I can sense who it is before they speak.
“Hey! It’s Kieran. Can we chat?”
My heart settles at his voice. Kieran will be easier to speak to than Wulfric right now. He knew about my trips to the present before anyone else. I walk around Anders, who passed out on the floor sometime during the night. Having him nearby was a comfort I am ashamed to admit I needed.
Kieran smiles, but his eyes are baggy. “Morning.”
“Did you get any sleep?” I ask, stepping aside so he can enter.
“Nope. Wulf and I stayed up all night talking.”
My heart thuds hard against my ribs. “And what of Gunnar? Is he—”
Kieran raises both hands. “He’s okay and he’s shifted back, but the Council has him detained until he calms down.”
A weight falls from my chest, and for the first time in hours, it feels like I can breathe again. “Thank the gods…”
Kieran rubs my shoulder. “Wulfric wants a pack meeting as soon as possible.”
Anders yawns behind us, sitting up from the floor. “Can his royal Alphaness wait until we’ve broken our fast and pissed?”
“Helga’s got breakfast at the house. But yeah. For sure do the other thing on your own time andnotduring the meeting.” Kieran grins when Anders scowls.
“I’m not an untrained puppy,” Anders grumbles, getting to his feet with a wince, then cracking the muscles in his neck.
Kieran waits for us to empty our bladders of all the mead we drank last night, and then we follow him to the longhouse. Curtains part from the windows of houses we pass, suspicious faces watching my every move. “Do our people know?” I ask, unsure if I wantthe answer.
Kieran shrugs. “They know something’s up, yeah, but Wulf and I haven’t shared any details.”
As we near the house, the scent of sausages hits my nose. I never turn down a meal from Aunt Helga, but my stomach is far too nervous about the talk with Wulfric.
“Just in time!” Aunt Helga says, setting a pan of sizzling sausages on the table. “Have a seat, dears!”
When I catch Wulfric’s eye, my heart jumps into my throat. His jaw is tense, hands in fists against the table.
Throat thick, I hang my head and sit down beside Anders. Kieran takes his seat beside Wulfric, and Helga settles in on my left, her hand warm on my shoulder.
“Jamie made coffee,” Helga says, her soft voice loud in the silence. “He had to work, so he couldn’t stay.”
No one says anything.
Kieran clears his throat. “I’ll have some.”
Anders passes him the pot, and Kieran fills his mug. He hands a mug to Helga, then another one to me. No one speaks as he fills our cups. My heart pounds in my ears as I wait for Wulfric to break the silence.
