The elm trees were part of one of the smaller parks in New Elvenswood, but this particular park encroached upon a few, very quiet neighborhoods, so Sage found himself passing between trees to cross a pedestrian street, only to vanish back into the trees again.If anyone saw him, they’d think he was a weird creep for sneaking around like that, but then again, hardly anyone was out, which explained how a creep like the loup-garou had managed to take the girl this same way.
Sage ran when he could.In the end, he was out of the park but on a road that led to the last few houses here in the Valley.Behind them, the woods started.
It wasn’t quite where the witches gathered for the annual Easter Egg Hunt—something Sage had always loved as a child, and that had probably inspired him in enchanting the cushions.It was still a wooded area that quickly became dense though, which wasn’t unusual for a town like New Elvenswood with its higher-than-average Elven population.Elves loved their nature close and healthy.
Sage saw the blue and orange traces on the ground, covering foliage and passing into the woods, so into the woods he went.He wasn’t an angry person, or someone who’d ever enjoyed learning the art of lethal magic, but he knew he wouldn’t have any issue using it today.
This loup-garou had not only taken a little kid from a playground, he’d also known and watched and potentially participated in what had been done to Will.And if those men who had done it hadn’t met Peter already, well, Sage wouldn’t have minded channeling his inner Peter himself, blood eagle and all.
The woods soon became hard to walk through.Sage saw broken branches and smashed mushroom colonies, and his orange and blue tracking spell kept pulling him forward, deeper and deeper into the wilderness that nestled so close to the city.By a dense copse of beech trees, he came to a halt, startled by a noise from in front of him.
“What the—”
A teenaged girl, maybe somewhere between twelve and fourteen, came barreling through the trees and almost slammed into Sage.She looked fucking terrified, and she ran as if a demon were chasing her.Except the beast that was on her heels was a loup-garou that had shed his human skin, turning fully monster with fearsome fangs.
Sage had no time to cast a spell.He had no time to scream.The loup-garou slammed into him.All the air was driven from his lungs, and he hit the ground hard.The beast snarled, and Sage fought the dancing black spots encroaching on his vision.
The loup-garou shifted.Sage was relieved, because the girl had to be gone by now, and even if she wasn’t, the loup-garou hadn’t wanted her to begin with.
Human again, the man from Madame Celeste’s parking garage slapped an unwashed hand over Sage’s mouth.Sage panicked.He needed to pull magic, heat magic, anything, because this guy seriously gave Sage the creeps, and the fact that he was naked after the shift didn’t help.
“I was hoping for my big brother’s little wolf twink.I’m guessing you killed him, did you?Or did Ed sell you the twink, huh?He just dodging my calls after last time?”
The loup-garou didn’t make a move to actually move his hand, which told Sage he didn’t want those questions answered in the first place.The bloodlust in his eyes and that humorless smile said as much.
Sage pulled his magic close and released a charge at the man—like static electricity, but stronger.
“Fucking—”
He instinctively pulled his hand away, and Sage used the opening to kick up, get to his feet, and run.
“Leaves and branches hide me, rock and earth defend me!”
The spell took effect, though it was flimsy, unfocused because Sage’s mind was muddled with fright.
The loup-garou chuckled.“You wanna play hide and seek?Fine with me, little witch, but a true loup-garou always finds his prey.Always.”
Sage ran, and the woods closed in around him.
21
Will
Willdidnotlikehaving Carl in the garden, but Carl was getting his arms scratched up by the blackberries, which was good.On the other hand, Carl was picking the very biggest, very juiciest blackberries, which was not good.
“It’s important to always spoil your human mate, you know,” Carl said conversationally.Fuck him.
“I spoil my mate all the time, and he’s a witch, not some run-of-the-mill human.”
“Way I see it, you moved in with him like some witch bride, but a wolf, even a witch wolf, would want to provide for his human mate, wouldn’t he?That’s what all the wolves in my family pack said—the ones who fell for humans, at any rate.It’s the wolf’s protective instinct, yet you let your mate run all around town to work his very handsome butt off.Have you considered that he might be better off with someone who can actually pamper him?”
Will was seconds away from hurling his bowl of raspberries at Carl, but angry banging from the front door caught both their attention.They exchanged a look and headed back inside.
“Sage?”Will yelled as soon as he crossed the threshold of the back door.He sniffed the air.The house was silent.
“Is there a basement?”Carl asked.
“Yeah, but he wouldn’t be in the basement when someone is about to break the fucking door down.”Will hurried to the front door and opened it, only to find himself face to face with…a soccer mom.
