I’ll beveryhouse-trained, and he’ll get to praise Sage for that.I’ll never give him a reason to scare Sage with something like the blood eagle again.
Peter eventually left, and Will relaxed.
He put Sage’s phone back down on the dining table.“Hey, do you have Carl’s number?”
Sage pulled Lemon out from under the couch, although the cushion was resisting.“Oh, stop that.You have cum all over you again.Why do you want Carl’s number?”
Will straightened.He knew this was the right thing to do.“I think he should come over.”
Sage gave him a surprised look, and Lemon almost wiggled out of his hands.
Will shrugged.“I could protect you, maybe, if I knew how to actually do witch wolf magic.Magicking you into the pond last night may have been a fluke, and even if it wasn’t, there’s no time to learn how to really use my magic in my wolf form.I’m no good at protecting you.Not good enough, not on my own.”
Sage walked to the laundry room with Lemon struggling in his arms.“What makes you think I need you to protect me?Sweetcakes, I’m a witch.I can give a loup-garou a hard time.And I don’t want to seeyouget hurt again.”
Will knew Sage had no idea what he was talking about.Sage hadn’t lived with loups-garous for four years.Sage hadn’tfeltthem, their cruel touches, teeth, and tempers.Sage was a better witch than Will, yes, but Will didn’t want to see his own mate, the person he held so dear, go up against what he knew to be so vile.He didn’t want to argue with Sage either though.
“I’d feel better if Carl were here.Do you think that would be okay?”he asked, making sure to give Sage his very best puppy eyes.
“Of course it’s okay.I’m just surprised.And you still have my phone; the number should be in there.”
Will nodded.“Thank you.”He kissed Sage on the cheek.Lemon was throwing itself against the glass door of the washing machine while Sage was measuring out the detergent.
Will walked to the other end of the house to make the call.
“Sage?You need anything?”Carl’s voice sounded hopeful.
“This is Will, actually.”The three truly mended glass monkey figures sat on the mantel opposite him, the sunlight hitting them just so.He could do this.“I wanted to ask you for your help.”
Carl chuckled.“You want my help, pup?That’s cute.”
“Would you come over here as soon as you can?Peter couldn’t find that loup-garou, and if he comes back, I’m well aware that I’m not a match for him.”
“So true.”
“Well, are you going to help me protect my mate or not?”
Carl clicked his tongue.“Yourmate, is he?And what does yourmatehave to say about that?”
“That’s none of your business.”
Carl went quiet.“Are you from a traditional pack, pup?”
“What if I am?”
“Then I’d ask, does your pack hold with the tradition of allowing a challenger before you take a mate?”
“Are you saying you want to challenge me for the right to take Sage as my mate?”Will wanted to scream, but he also didn’t want Sage to overhear this conversation.
“I just thought, since you were so stupidly brave in attacking that loup-garou head-on, you wouldn’t have an issue fighting for your mate’s favor.Am I wrong?”
Will couldn’t keep the growl that built deep in the back of his throat from slipping out.“He’s not a wolf, and it doesn’t work like that for him.He wants me.He loves me.”
Carl snorted.“Not sounding needy there at all.Maybe I just want the chance to make an impression.”
Will took a steadying breath.“Fuck tradition.I’m not entering a schoolyard fight with a grown man for something I already have and you’ll never get, you hear?”
“I do.Fine.I can get off early.I’ll help you, pup, but don’t you think I won’t take the first opportunity to swoop in when you mess this up.”
