Chapter Eleven

When Evander said that a High Witch was coming, I hadn't expected this .

"What the fuck is going on, Zak?" Josh calls out from the front step of our place, his hand shielding his eyes from the late-afternoon sun and his mouth hanging open as he looks over the crowd gathered in Rose's front yard. There's medieval-robe-wearing werewolves; a half-fae half-werewolf woman walking around in her fae form with blue skin, long pointed ears, antlers, and unnaturally bright eyes; wolf shifters — Evander's alpha father and members of his pack, plus Evander, Seth, and two more of the Lost Moon pack — and at the centre of it all an ancient-looking werewolf woman with the meanest resting bitch face I've ever seen. The High Witch. All of this is under a dome of gold-tinged glamour that covers the two neighbouring properties and hides it all from the humans on the street — a miscommunication, because I never intended for my flatmates to know , but it's too late now.

"Uh, nothing to stress about! Just some magic stuff!"

He's unimpressed, but my phone buzzes — it's Leigh from work — and suddenly I can't give two shits about what Josh is thinking. I've got enough crap on my own plate.

"Hey," I answer. "I am so sorry, I lost track of what day it is, and this is an emergency, and —"

"Zak, it's fine. Calm down."

I take a deep breath and exhale in a gust, turning away from Evander's concerned gaze. I feel so fucking exposed right now — the only orc present, the mate of the changeling , as they keep calling me. Everyone has been staring since they arrived half an hour ago.

"I promise I'm never normally this unprofessional, but there's just a lot going on right now. I can't even explain it except it's…" I trail off, unsure of what I should be telling her. I texted her only ten minutes ago, after Seth had joked "Thank god it's Friday, right?" and I'd had the awful realisation that I'm supposed to be at the club at seven tonight.

"It's fine. We'll be totally okay. Loved ones come first. I had no idea you had a girlfriend. I hope she's okay. Are you guys at hospital right now?"

My text had said an emergency with my girlfriend , so I can understand the assumption. "Uh, it's not a health thing per-se, I mean it is, but we're getting it sorted."

"No need for explanations. Hey, I know this is bad timing, but I was going to share it with all you boys tonight. I want it to be a unanimous decision; you're all the talent, after all. We've been approached by an entertainment company, they want to put us on the road. Do an international tour. All flights, accommodation, living costs covered, including partners. Increased pay, and travel the world! It would be a year-long contract. I want you to think about it. They're a legit company, and they reckon the world is ready for non-human male entertainers on the big stage. They want to do a behind the scenes documentary too."

Fuck wolves and their fucking super-hearing. As soon as Leigh says the word male entertainers I swear about 80 percent of them turn to stare at me. I'm not ashamed about what I do, but I don't like feeling judged either, and I can feel it now. "Can we talk about it later?" I ask. It sounds amazing, but I can't wrap my head around it at this moment. I can't focus on anything, can't seem to take in a deep enough breath, can't see beyond tonight and the crippling fear of what if they can't save Rose? and even worse, what if they kill her?

"Sure. Give my love to your girl, I hope everything is okay. I'm here if you need to talk. And take tomorrow night off too, okay? Don't rush back."

"Okay. Thank you."

I slip my phone back into my pocket, the worried golden eyes of Evander's werewolf mother — looking just as chic as she did in that photograph from the old article — catching my gaze. "Oh honey, it's going to be okay," she reassures me.

"I feel like I'm gonna puke." I wouldn't normally admit it, but she gives off such warm mum vibes that the words just tumble out. "I'm fucking scared for Rose."

"We won't hurt her, I promise. She's family ."

I don't know how much more time passes. I can't focus on the conversations, but I know the moment the sun sets, because everyone falls silent. I walk forward through the crowd as Rose appears on her porch, slowly growing brighter, ethereal and beautiful and my everything, the beacon that calls to my heart.