Page 21 of A Wolf for Winter

“Zofia has access to the entire valley . . . as do you,” Boar told him.

“As do . . ..” Allen looked down at the opal ring in alarm. “You mean I’m leashed here?”

His wolf howled in alarm. Allen almost echoed him.

“Yes,” Boar answered gently. “Until Zofia reclaims the ring, or you pass it on to another.”

“But I have—” He choked off his words, feeling the color drain from his face, a sweat spring to his forehead. He couldn’t leave the valley?

“Allen,” Rose began.

“I need a minute,” he said forcefully, fists mashing into the table on either side of his beer stein. “Please.”

Boar flung up his hand to get the attention of whatever server or bartender was looking in their direction at the moment. “Can we get a round of bourbon for the table, please?”

The witches waited awkwardly, exchanging glances as the new caretaker stared into the effervescent depths of his amber lager and came to grips with his new reality.

Spirits help me. How was he supposed to join the Coalition now if he could never leave this place? Other than this one mission, the Coalition never sent anyone into Hawthorne territory. Someone would see him shift eventually—he couldn’t lock away his wolf forever. Someone would rat him out. These people feared the Hawthornes more than they liked him. He could fight, but he could never escape.

When Talia appeared with the bourbon, setting the shot glasses down in a line along the center of the table, no one truly acknowledged her. Allen certainly didn’t, snatching the first shot glass and slamming back the brown liquor before moving on to the next. And the next. As the fourth pour of bourbon disappeared down his throat, he noticed Boar shrug and murmur, “That’s fair.”

Inside, his wolf was chasing his tail and howling, the alcohol having none of the desired effect. A run would’ve been better, a race to the edges of the valley to determine the truth of Boar’s words for himself, but he couldn’t do that. Not in broad daylight. But tonight . . . tonight was a different story. He just had to get a grip until then.

This wasn’t the first time he’d been in trouble, though, this was the first time magic had been involved.

Remember your training. What you’re fighting for. He was fighting to belong, for a place in the Coalition by keeping these three witches safe. He had to focus on that, otherwise he’d go insane.

Everything hinged on Zofia and this ancient pact she had passed on to him without his consent. He’d only known the woman—house elf—for a week, so there was no telling if she would reaccept her responsibility or go gallivanting about the world with her newfound freedom. He had to talk to her, as soon as possible. He also needed to talk to the Roots, find out if they knew any more about the hit-and-run this afternoon and if it wasn’t as coincidental as it seemed. If the driver had known about Zofia Hollyoak’s true nature, and the power she held over Hawthorne Hall, she would be the first person to eliminate if someone wanted to get at the Hawthornes.

And now Allen was that target.

He’d have to be on alert more than ever now. And know far more about the village, the Hawthornes, and his new responsibilities than he ever imagined.

Allen sucked in a deep breath and lifted glassy golden-brown eyes. “So, you were saying something about the living arrangements?”

Boar appeared eager for the change in topic into less emotional territory. “Right. Nan stayed in the suite in the cellar, but it was fashioned for a house elf, not a six-foot-something man. You’ll stay on the second floor of the Hall with us.”

“Boar,” Lilac protested. Caretaker or not, she obviously didn’t want a strange man sleeping within a stone’s throw of her bedroom.

“And where is my room in relationship to yours?” Allen had no time for the siblings to squabble again. He needed information like a drowning man needed air.

“Planning on getting ‘lost?’” she sneered.

“No,” he replied evenly (with great effort), “but I’d rather not accidentally walk in on either you or Rose while you’re in the shower and get another fist to the face from your brother. Plus, my nightly skincare routine is rather extensive and I don’t like to be interrupted.” There was a little more tooth to his smile than he normally allowed, but he was fighting back a panic attack.

Rose snickered, Boar suppressed a smile, and Lilac rolled her eyes.

“You’ll be in one of the spares on the other side of the balcony,” Boar said. “Right across the way from Lilac, actually.”

Lilac dropped her fork. “Oh my Green Mother.”

“Keep this unflattering attitude up, Lilac,” Boar growled, “and you’ll be sleeping in the cellar suite in Nan’s old room.”

If Allen didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought that was what Lilac had been angling for all along. Did it have something to do with what she’d hidden in the grocery delivery earlier?

“Gladly. Think I’ll go there now.” She dropped her napkin onto her half-eaten food.

“Sorry, Li,” Rose said, shaking her head. “You should’ve escaped out the back when you still had a chance.” She jerked her chin towards the nervous, petite figure approaching their table. “It’s beginning.”