Chapter 4. Tell Me

“You felt them, but you didn’t actually see them? Or one, as in singular?” Sierra gazes at Colton, questioning him as we sit across from her at breakfast, something we usually share in her suite as she prefers it that way. Colton slides me the platter of pancakes as he shrugs her way. It’s late for breakfast, but our patrol duties sometimes push us to eat nearer noon a couple of times a week.

“Felt. Possibly just one, but I can’t be sure. I didn’t see them at all, but my eyes turned blue, and I could feel their magic in the air; faint, but it was there. Just out beyond the perimeter.” Colton dishes me some and throws me that soft smile that translates to ‘I love you’ as he adds maple syrup to the stack he’s given me. I help myself to bacon and dig in while his mother stares pensively at his face.

Sierra sighs and looks torn for a long moment as we tuck into the pancakes, bacon, and eggs I insisted I was dying for this morning. My appetite has been huge since we began to turn daily, and he’s always one to pander to my needs.

“I’m not surprised that witches have sided with the vampires, knowing what we do about how this all began. They are the least evil in this war, even if that’s hard to believe. The wolves villainize our kind. The vampires do not. I guess they hope an alliance means they get to come out of the shadows to live free once more. Too many witches have been slaughtered and gone into hiding for hundreds of years.” Sierra picks up her fork, but it seems like she has no appetite now, and twirls it in her hand instead. Her expression is strained, and I can feel her nerves coming through in subtle waves since Colton told her about the witches.

“What does it mean for us if they now have magic on their side?” I butt in, not exactly at peace with this conversation, as anxiety swirls in my stomach, and I glance at Colton, who is not all that interested in his food for once. He’s nervously pushing his bacon around as he glances at his mother. My man is an eater, and his lack of hunger means he isn’t as calm as he has been pretending all morning.

“Within these walls, nothing. It’s beyond the protection stones of our land that we should be afraid. Witches have powers that can hold their own against small numbers. We’re a smaller pack, an easy target. I guess it’s why we’ve had so many attacks in recent weeks. The vampires are trying to pick off the smaller of our kind before we unite to start a war again. In numbers, they’re not a match for us.” Despite her words that should instill a little confidence in our safety, I can only feel her overwhelming sadness.

Sierra has been quiet of late, her powers growing again and spending more time studying the grimoires of the house than venturing outside of her walls. Her unhappiness has been increasing in the last few months the longer we live this way, and I don’t think it’s down to the vampire attacks. I know she’s pining for a mate she hates but can’t be unbound from and a life she lost that she can’t go backward to. Her heart is grieving, and with every new niggle and unrest brought up, she feels even less useful to her pack.

“So, their magic can’t invade beyond the runes buried outside the perimeter?” Colton cuts in, his eyes on his mom, and I can tell he, too, feels her underlying lack of vavoom today. He won’t push her, though; he treats her like precious glass that may shatter should he blow too hard.

“No. My great, great grandfather created and buried those runes under the guidance of the world’s most powerful witch. He was a great sorcerer and made sure this house would withstand magic of any kind that was not borne within from blood. We can use ours and freely come and go, but anyone else touched by spell or gift we don’t invite in can’t pass. I’m not even sure humans can pass without our say-so.”

“That’s something, I suppose. So, they can throw all they have at our walls and outside within the boundary, and nothing gets through?” I raise my brow, finding some peace in that. The first boundary line where the rune stones lie is about ten feet outside the village walls and our sweeping front drive.

“Yes.” Sierra seems confident in it, so I settle, glad of something at least. One less concern. We can sleep at night, knowing nothing gets in, even if the vampires stray close. We still must patrol though, as our power lines and telephone cables all route out with these lines, and our main water supplies come in from the west. They have been targeting those with every new attack.

“We need to reduce the distance we chase from now on. No longer use the frequency as our measure of distance. We must properly mark the rune boundary and forbid any pack straying beyond until we know more about what they intend to do.” Colton places his fork down and frowns, focusing off outside the large double window of the veranda, staring at the looming presence of the distant forest and mountain as though trying to spot the enemy visually. Despite the chill in the air, the sun is bright today, and the land before us looks green and luscious. A far cry from the shadowy danger we faced last night.

“It’s not a bad idea. Safety first. As always.” I smile at him softly, knowing that’s what he’ll do for the good of our people, and tap his plate to encourage him to eat.

“Talking of magic… I had another dream…” Colton turns instantly invasive, his posture stiffening, and a heavy cold fills the atmosphere around us. I flick my eyes his way in question and surprise. He hasn’t mentioned any dreams to me lately, so I squint at him with brewing doubts.

“When?” I blurt out, hating the thought he has kept something from me. He tells me everything and vice versa. It’s not how we are. We have no secrets and one hundred percent honesty.

“Last night. I figured I would tell you both simultaneously and save the agony of repeating it.” He glances from his mom to me, and that subtle frown appearing on his brow makes me wonder how bad it can be. Simmering my internal pang of betrayal momentarily. Colton is rarely fazed by anything, especially not dreams, even if he thinks they may be visions of the future, so this has to be something upsetting.

“Tell me.” Sierra reaches across the table and covers his hand with hers, that gentle maternal love she smothers us with shining through as she, too, senses unease. Colton sighs heavily, leaning back without breaking her contact, and rolls his shoulders. A sign he’s starting to get stressed, and my nerves pick up, pushing me to lean toward him. Aching for him as his emotions taint mine, and I get equally antsy as I feed from his inner despair. I reach out impulsively, take his other hand, the one on his thigh under the table, and tangle our fingers together to console what I don’t even know yet.