Trying hard to ignore the flutter those words create inside my chest, my fingers hover over the screen. What should I say? Should I wish him goodnight? Tell him I’ll see him in the shop on Monday? Tell him good luck at the pack meet tomorrow night?
I finally give up and send Teddy a nice, noncommittal thumbs up.
Under the circumstances, it’s the best I can do.
Chapter 16
Hand of Fate
SOPHIE
Sunday, June 24
I’m having my third cup of coffee… or maybe it’s my fourth… at my kitchen table, surrounded by cookbooks and notes and a half-eaten bowl of oatmeal. I should be eager for my hair appointment in an hour and thrilled about my date later with Rafe, but I have this unsettled feeling in the pit of my stomach I can’t shake.
I knew this morning would be rough, and that I’d probably be a little weepy. After all, it’s not every day a faerie has her wings clipped; it’s not even every decade. I decided to scan Riddle Hill’s online archives this morning, and I nearly fell off my chair when I discovered the last time a faerie’s wings had been clipped was 1932.
But the best part was finding out the name of that infamous faerie—Auntie Dragonfly!
Apparently my great aunt had used magic to disintegrate her ex-boyfriend’s boat… when he was sailing on the lake! He wasn’t hurt; he was a merman, so really, it was more of a prank, a pretty spectacular one if you ask me. I’ve always known Auntie Dragonfly was feisty, but this little fact gives me renewed respect for my deceased faerie auntie.
All of which is making me wonder whether I should trust her judgement a bit more when it comes to Teddy. I haven’t exactly welcomed him with open arms… not that I intend to hug him or anything… but maybe I could be more understanding of his situation.
The doorbell rings, and Zosia dashes out of the kitchen with a loud, “Pah!” I guess Zosia is expanding her vocabulary fromwumpsandmeeps. Shrugging, I pull open the door, surprised to find Jake and Teddy on my doorstep. “Hey guys… come on in. Can I get you some coffee?”
Jake shakes his head. “No thanks. We’re here to pick up Teddy’s things.”
“Oh, I see.” I glance over at Teddy, not sure what’s going on. Yes, we had an awkward moment in the kitchen yesterday when I was patching him up… and also in the bakery when he held me in his arms… but that doesn’t explain why he’s moving out.
I clear my throat, hoping Teddy will look at me, but he’s bending down to pet Zosia. My baby fox has wrapped all nine of her tails around Teddy’s ankles, and rather than trying to escape, he’s smiling down at her. “Has something happened that I should know about?” I ask.
Without glancing up, Teddy murmurs, “Nothing’s happened.”
Jake claps a hand on his shoulder. “Why don’t you go pack? I’ll wait here.” Teddy nods and heads into his room, Zosia hot on his heels.
Once the bedroom door closes, I turn to Jake and hiss, “What’s going on? A few days ago I needed to rearrange my home to accommodate a werewolf named Leslie, who had nowhere else to live, and now you’re helping him move out. This makes no sense; you’re not even Teddy’s alpha.”
Jake rubs the back of his neck. “Teddy and I had a long chat about a lot of things, and under the circumstances, it’s prudent for him to relocate.”
“What circumstances?”
“This is werewolf business, Sophie; I can’t disclose it.”
Stars above! I hate it when werewolves get all mysterious. Sometimes I wish I could be a werewolf for a day, just so I could know what happens at a pack meet. I’ll bet it’s actually pretty boring; the werewolves probably do a lot of chest bumping, howling, and chomping on beef jerky. Besides, I love being a faerie… well, I did before my grandmother stripped away my magic.
I’m feeling guilty about Teddy’s sudden departure, like maybe I’m to blame. “Did I do something wrong?”
“Of course not,” says Teddy quietly, coming up behind me. When I spin around he finally meets my gaze, and I take a step back. The gold flecks in Teddy’s irises flare and then wink out, and now I’m staring at the saddest puppy-dog eyes imaginable. My insides twist; if I saw those eyes on a dog in the street I’d have to take him home with me.
Jake goes into the bedroom and returns with an armful of boxes that Teddy hasn’t gotten around to unpacking. Nodding at the suitcase and backpack he’s holding, Teddy gives me a tentative smile. “I think that’s everything… Oh, I almost forgot.” He puts down his stuff, withdraws his key ring, and hands me the house key. When his fingers brush mine, he pulls his hand back so quickly you’d think I just burned him.
I narrow my eyes at Teddy, but he grabs his belongings and hurries out the door. “See you tomorrow, Sophie—” he calls over his shoulder “—and… um… I hope you have a nice day off.”
“Geesh,” I mutter when he’s out of earshot. “I don’t get him at all.”
Jake pauses at the door with the boxes. “I like him; if things go well at our meeting tonight, I suspect he’ll be joining my pack.”
“That’s… surprising. I thought you didn’t trust lone wolves who eschew pack life.”
