Chapter 19 - Eddie

Walking up the hill hand in hand with Winter felt utterly surreal.

Was this how Jack and Bonnie felt? Zander and Layla? Kane and Miley? Even his sister and Hanson?

How he could ever have lived his life without knowing this kind of feeling, he wasn't sure. Yet, he knew it would have been a life entirely unfulfilled.

Squeezing Winter's hand, he said, “Thanks for coming with me.”

He was surprised when she leaned over, placing her free hand on his forearm to steady herself as she reached up and pecked him on the cheek.

“I had nothing better to do,” she said with a shrug. “Besides, what are mates for?”

Eddie's insides fluttered at her words. It felt odd for her to be so warm. There was no hint of the cold Winter he had known previously. In a way, he actually missed her sharp tongue, though he certainly had been having fun with the warm Winter, too.

“I have no idea what we're going to walk into in there,” Eddie warned as they reached the manor yard. “Are you sure you don't want me to walk you back to the shop?”

Winter cocked her head and scowled. “Do you really think I walked all this way just to walk back? Besides, I forgot the witch's grimoire in all the excitement last night. It should be returned to the store, but I need to ask Jack’s permission first.”

Eddie sighed. In the aftermath of the spell, he, too, had entirely forgotten about the book. Was it still laid out on the lawn, or had one of his packmates had the sense to bring it in after their run?

With all that was going on right now, he highly doubted it. First, they'd cast the spell, then they had captured Christopher and he had learned of Winter's parentage, and now they were having to deal with Kane's sister's arrival.

Why was it that everything in Nightstar always seemed to happen all at once?

“I guess we should go in, then,” Eddie suggested, straining his ears towards the manor in order to try and assess the situation inside.

Winter nodded and tightened her grip on his hand. “Let's do this.”

Eddie had to admit that having Winter by his side made things feel far less awkward as he made his way into the manor to find that whatever meeting Jack had just held was finally wrapping up.

“Well, well, look who finally decided to show up,” Zander said, clapping Eddie on the shoulder as he exited Jack's office. “I hear congratulations are in order.”

The beta winked at Eddie, glancing at Winter before he added, “To you both.”

“Thanks,” Winter said, blushing a little.

Eddie cringed, trying not to react too harshly in front of her. He was used to his packmates busting his balls, but when it came to Winter, he didn’t like it one bit.

“I'm surprised you even bothered to show up,” Will said as he, too, appeared from the office. “Jack said you were tied up.”

He, too, glanced at Winter, his gaze slightly suspicious.

Again, Eddie had to control himself. A werewolf's suspicion towards a witch was a natural instinct and yet, Eddie hated the way his packmates looked at her.

After all she had done for them, they should be worshiping the ground she walked on, yet even that thought gave him a hint of jealousy. He was the only one who would be showering her with attention from now on.

“We thought we could use a break, and so we came to see what we could do to help, right, Eddie?” Winter said, squeezing his hand as she clutched his forearm with her other.

“Yeah, right. Would someone mind filling us in?” Eddie asked.

“I'm afraid I've got orders to attend to,” Zander said, taking his leave.

“What about you?” Eddie asked as Kane appeared from the office with Miley following close behind.

“Sorry, I've got to go check on my sister,” Kane said, his face reddening and his voice strained.

“I'll fill you in,” Will said, looking pointedly at Eddie.

A growl rose in the back of Eddie's throat. “Anything you can tell me, you can tell Winter, too.”

Will looked Winter up and down unapologetically.

“She's a witch. She has no reason to be involved in pack business.”

At that, Eddie dropped Winter's hand and made for Will, closing the space between them in an instant.

“Eddie, don't!” Winter protested, and her voice was the only thing that stopped him from grabbing Will by the throat.

Their brotherly conversation from a few nights before flashed through Eddie’s mind.

“As my packmate, I expect you to respect my mate,” Eddie snarled in Will's face. “Whether she's a witch or not, she's part wolf, and as my mate she is part of the pack. Besides, have you forgotten already what she did for us last night?”

“Eddie, please, there's no need for this,” Winter insisted, stepping forward to grip hold of Eddie's sleeve and pull him away from Will. “I can wait outside if need be.”

She glanced at Will, her expression defiant as to say she was only speaking to keep the peace but wished the werewolf wouldn't be so pigheaded.

“No. You stay right here,” Eddie insisted, scowling at Will. “Tell us what's going on or so help me, I'll—”

“Alright, alright,” Will said, holding up his hands in defeat. Glancing around, he added, “You'd better come with me.”

Eddie and Winter followed Will to the nearest private room, a small sitting room usually used for entertaining visitors.

Will carefully closed the door behind them before he turned and said, “You might want to take a seat.”

Eddie and Winter glanced at each other before doing just that.

“Is it that bad?” Eddie asked, his stomach twisting.

Will, taking a seat opposite them, shrugged. “I guess that depends on your definition of bad.”

Eddie's insides clenched even harder, and he gripped Winter's hand tightly as he prepared for whatever was coming next.

“Kane's admitted everything,” Will said, and Eddie braced himself further. “He was born human and turned just before he joined the forces. He didn't tell any of us because he knew how we born wolves feel about the bitten. He's tried to join packs previously, and when it was found out he was bitten, he barely escaped with his life.”

Eddie was unsure how to respond. It was Winter who did first, gasping as she exclaimed, “That's ridiculous. I don’t really know Kane, but what I do know of him, he's a good guy. He's just like the rest of you.”

Eddie and Will looked at each other, nodding their agreement.

“He's never given us any reason to mistrust him,” Will confirmed, but the tension in his face suggested he wasn't pleased with the situation.

Eddie's mind was reeling. How, after all this time, could he not have figured it out? Had there been signs? Was Kane ever not in control of his wolf? He couldn't think of a single time when he'd noticed a lack of control in the man or his beast.

“So what has Jack decided to do about the whole thing?” Eddie asked, his body tingling all over.

There were things many packs would do, but he couldn't imagine Jack ever deciding to do a single one of them. The first was to execute Kane for simply being what he was. The second was banishment. Other punishments were just as bad, if not even more brutal.

“We can't exactly chain him up to be sure he doesn't hurt anyone,” Eddie pointed out, his jaw clenching at the thought of doing that to one of his closest friends, a man who was like a brother to them all. “Besides, we've known him for how many years? Surely, if something was going to happen, it would have happened by now.”

“Jack's thinking exactly,” Will said, sighing deeply. “The threat right now is the sister.”

Eddie grimaced. A human in town, one who wasn't in on their secret or utterly in denial about the entire thing, was a threat to the entire town.

“He has agreed to let her stay for the time being,” Will said, his face growing even tenser. “But until he figures it out or she leaves, we've been ordered not to let her see anything that might lead to her figuring out our secret.”

Eddie's toes curled at that. How was that going to go down? They lived in a town full of werewolves, witches and gods knew how many other supernatural folk. The safety of the place drew supernaturals in all the time. It wasn't often a random human came wandering in.

“I have an idea,” Winter said, surprising them both.

Eddie and Will looked at her, neither speaking. It was clear to see the cogs of her mind turning as she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

“There's an old spellbook in my mom's shop,” Winter explained, “It has all kinds of enchantments. I remember seeing something about a glamouring potion that stops humans from witnessing anything supernatural. It could work for the time being until we figure out a more permanent solution.”

Will looked stunned, while Eddie grabbed hold of Winter by the face and exclaimed, “You're brilliant, Winter!”

With that, he kissed her hard, hoping she would feel his gratitude.

Will pushed himself to his feet and declared, “We should take this to Jack.”