Shadow of the Wolf

Chapter Eleven

“You did what? ” Daniel, obviously astonished, ran his fingers through his hair.

“Damn, no wonder he’s pissed.” Gareth shook his head at her, his expression somewhere between reluctant admiration and anger. He looked the worse for wear, his arm in a sling to protect his collar bone, the stitches near the knife wound black against his golden skin. He lounged on the sofa, his feet up, looking pale and pissed.

“Pass the peanuts, dickhead. Stop hogging them.” Zachary pulled the bowl towards him, smiling happily.

“She could have been killed, idiot.” Daniel snatched the bowl back, ignoring his brother’s whine. “She’s lucky Christopher didn’t spank her ass and tie her to the bed.”

“Or worse.” Gareth looked at his brothers. “Mom.”

They shuddered.

Lana slouched deeper into the chair. Two of the brothers definitely were taking Christopher’s side, and she just couldn’t understand why. “What did I do that was so bad, anyway?”

They looked at her with blank astonishment. Gareth broke the silence. “You never, ever use an untested spell! It’s the first thing that’s drummed into our heads when we’re still in diapers!”

“You had no idea what components he’d used to cast the original spell, so your counter-spell could have interacted poorly and blown up in your face, or worse, made his spell stronger.” Daniel began pacing, ticking points off on his fingers. “You didn’t scry to see what protections he’d put up. Again, this could have lead to your spell blowing up in your face. Placement of the counter-spell needs to be laid out precisely.” Daniel threw his hands up in the air. “Frankly, I’m surprised you’re still alive.”

“I’m not.” Zach handed her a peanut.

Lana took it. “Thank you.”

Daniel snorted. “Of course you aren’t. You’d have done the same harebrained thing, and we’d be explaining to Mom how you wound up smeared all over Christopher’s back yard. Even then I’m not sure you can pull it off. Sorry, but of the four of us you’re the weakest, bro.”

Zachary looked ticked for a moment before picking up the peanut bowl, his usual sunny smile back in place. “You’re just mad because a girl kicked Cole’s ass.”

Lana watched them arguing, but her attention remained on Zachary. Something about the youngest Beckett had her instincts hopping to attention. That strange cross-reference in The Registry popped back into her mind.

When the other brothers weren’t looking, Zach flicked his finger. A peanut, physically untouched, went flying out of the bowl and struck Daniel in the back of the head.

Daniel turned and glared at his brother. “Did you just throw a peanut at me, you juvenile twat?”

Gareth sighed. “Like calling him a twat is more adult?”

“I’m not the one starting a food fight!” And they were off again, squabbling like …

well, family.

With a soft smile Lana pointed her finger at the peanut bowl. Three peanuts jumped into the air and pelted the brothers. When they turned back to her, she smiled. “Shut the fuck up.” She stood. “We have more important things to worry about, like how Christopher is going to beat Cole.” And how to break it to Zach that he’s a witch, not a wizard. She would double-check in The Registry, but her instincts were usually dead on.

If Zach was a wizard, she’d eat her favorite pair of lace panties.

“I think you should stay out of it. You’ve done enough.” Daniel’s voice was cold.

“Leave her alone.” Zach, bless his heart, got in between his brothers and her. “She did something none of the rest of us could do. She broke Cole’s spell before someone got hurt. She’s also Christopher’s mate, and that makes her a Beckett, whether your dumb ass likes it or not.”

She tapped Zach on the shoulder. “Actually, I think you would have been just fine.”

She hitched a thumb at Gareth and Daniel. “They, on the other hand, would have been paste.”

Daniel made a rude noise. “Sorry, but Zach is barely strong enough to qualify as a wizard.”

“Prick!” Zach started to lunge, but Lana’s hand on his shoulder stopped him.

“Which just means that Zach is one of the most powerful witches I’ve ever met.”

The brothers, shocked, froze.

“Excuse me?” Zach turned to face her . “Witch?”

She nodded, seeing the longing, the need, inside him. She bet he’d found trying to be a wizard more than a little frustrating. The fact that he’d accomplished anything at all told her just how powerful he must be, but she didn’t want him to know too much too soon.

Not until Grammy had a look at him. “You’ll need to be assessed, but I’m betting you’ll grade fairly high on the scale.” Actually, you might break the scale.

Zach gulped, his eyes wide.

Daniel laughed.

She wanted to smack Daniel when Zach’s eyes filled with hurt.

But when they filled with anger … when he turned to his brother…

She stepped between Daniel and Zach and placed her hand on Zach’s chest. “No!”

She pulled his face down to hers. “Anger is what cursed the Becketts. Never cast in anger.” She waited until she saw he’d acknowledged that, breathing deep, reigning in the rage.

“I wouldn’t have.”

She might have believed him if he hadn’t been talking through clenched teeth. “Take that anger. Dilute it. Channel it. Allow it to fuel you, but never allow it to use you.” She huffed. “A witch gets a stronger boost the more they feel. Love, anger, hate, determination, all of it fuels your gift, but if you allow it to rule your gift, you will find yourself on the wrong end of the karma stick. Got it?”

That got through. “Karma stick?” Zach’s lips twitched, the tension in his shoulders easing.

“The witch who cursed you? She’s a giant bunny.”

Zach blinked, swallowing hard. “Bunny?”

“Her great great great blah blah grandchildren are serious vegetarians.”

Zach collapsed into a chair, laughing his ass off.

“You really think he’s a witch?” Gareth was frowning at them, but he looked intrigued.

She nodded. “Yes.”

“How do you know?” Daniel still sounded hostile, but some of the wind had gone out of his sails.

She grinned slowly. “Let’s just say it takes one to know one.” She flicked her finger, and every peanut in the bowl landed on Daniel.

She slid her arm through Zach’s and hauled him to his feet, ignoring both Daniel’s sputtering and Gareth’s laughter. “Come along, Zach. You and I have someone to talk to.” She led the still chuckling Zach out of the room and went looking for Annabelle.

Grammy was going to love this. A Beckett witch?

Zach’s parents were going to shit a cow.

Christopher returned from his run to find Gareth and Daniel sitting quietly in his office, waiting for him. The Registry lay open between them, the picture of Zach smiling up at them. “What’s wrong?”

Daniel glared at him. “When were you going to tell us Zach is a witch?”

Christopher sighed. He so did not need this shit right now. “I’m not sure. Did you read the entry?”

Gareth looked like he’d bitten a lime and wasn’t sure if he liked the taste or not. “It doesn’t make a hell of a lot of sense, but yeah, we read it.”

“That’s why I didn’t tell you.” The entry on Zach was unlike any other he’d ever seen. It still confused the hell out of him, and until he could do a bit more research he wasn’t going to call his brother a witch. “Why aren’t you two in the great room?”

They shivered.

“Mom’s here?” Christopher raced from the room, ignoring the shouts of his brothers.

He slid to a stop in the great room and found Zachary, hands holding what looked like a purple rose, standing over his end table and staring intently at the vase of flowers sitting there. Staring up at him was a tiny little old woman intoning, “You’ve got it. Now, cast.”

Zachary’s hand flew out. The rose touched the vase.

“At my touch this color you’ll see.

As I will so mote it be.”

Christopher grinned. The flowers were turning a rich, deep purple. Not his favorite color, but if Grammy could help Zachary with his magic, he could live with the illusion of purple flowers for a bit.

Zachary whooped. “Yes!”

Christopher’s grin slowly faded. The vase was turning purple. Then the end table.

The lamp. The sofa.

The walls.

“Zachary. Take the illusion off.” Purple bled across his hardwood floors. He stepped back, worried about what would happen if that leading edge touched him.

“Oops.” Zachary turned to the elderly woman who stood there, shaking her head and pinching the bridge of her nose.

“I told you not to get overly excited.” She sighed and waved her arm. Then she frowned. “Zachary.”

“I’m trying!” Zachary leaned down and peered at the purple flowers. “Well. Crap.”

“What?” Christopher was glad the purple stopped on the edge of the kitchen.

Zachary straightened up, his face filled with wonder. “It’s not an illusion.” He turned to Christopher, a huge grin slowly taking over his face. “It’s not an illusion, Chris.”

The wondrous happiness on Zach’s face was something he hadn’t seen since they were children. It made him sad to realize how much Zach’s apparent lack of ability had dragged his happy-go-lucky brother down.

Chris blinked as his brother’s words sank in. He got down on the ground and touched the floor, using all of his senses, magical and wolf, to detect the spell.

There was no spell. The lingering traces sifted over his senses, the faint hint of rose and lavender, but the spell was no longer active. “My great room is purple.”

“Sorry.” Zachary didn’t sound very sorry. He sounded ecstatic. “I’ll try and put it back.”

“No!” Two strong voices rang out, one male, one female.

Christopher and Grammy looked at each other. The old woman laughed. “Zachary, you are to touch nothing until I’ve got you properly trained. Preferably under shields.

And wards. Maybe even underground.”

“I’m that bad?” Zachary tossed the rose onto the couch. “What am I saying? Of course I’m that bad.” He started for the kitchen, his expression the same old devil-may-care Zachary Christopher was so used to seeing and was finally beginning to understand was a mask. “We need to make lunch. I’m starved.”

“Zachary David Elijah Beckett.”

There was power in the old woman’s voice, power that stopped Zachary in his tracks.

“Do you hereby swear to abide by the laws of the Witch’s Council?

Zachary turned back to Annabelle, ignoring Christopher’s gasp of surprise. “I do.”

“Do you swear fealty to our Prince, forsaking all other oaths?”

Christopher swallowed. That was a big one. To swear fealty to the ruler of the Witches was to forswear his oath to the Wizards.

“I do.”

The woman smiled and winked. “One last oath.”

Zachary smiled back. “Law of three.”

One salt and pepper brow rose. “Very good.” The smile dropped from her face, and she was once more all business. “Do you promise to stand before our prince and swear your oath to him, binding yourself forevermore to Court and Council?”

Christopher frowned. That last part wasn’t a part of the wizard’s oath.

But Zachary showed no hesitation. “I do.”

“I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride.” Christopher turned to find Lana in the doorway, clapping her hands. “See, Grammy? Didn’t I tell you?” Lana entered the room and gave Zachary a huge hug. “Congratulations!”

“Thanks.” Zachary looked stunned. “What happens next?”

“You go for training, silly!” Lana turned to Annabelle, her arms still looped loosely around Zachary’s neck. “Philadelphia?”

Grams shook her head. “Cleveland.”

“The court? Already?”

Grams nodded.

“Whoa.”

Zachary lifted his hands from Lana’s waist, which was a very good thing.

Christopher had been wondering how pissed his mom would be if Zachary came for Thanksgiving minus arms. “Wait wait wait. The court. Now?” He pulled out of Lana’s arms and began pacing. “I know I have to swear fealty and all that, but shouldn’t I have more training before going to court?”

Lana giggled. “Silly. The court will be your trainer.” She waved her arm around at the purple great room. “This was supposed to be a simple illusion spell, right?”

Zach grimaced. “Right.”

Annabelle smirked. “Be grateful I didn’t ask you to change your eye color to purple.

You’d look like Barney.”

Christopher choked, covering his mouth with his hand.

Lana pointed at him. “I wouldn’t laugh if I were you. Everyone associated with him could have looked like Grape Apes too.” She blinked, her hand going to her neck. She turned to Zach, laughing. “No spells!”

Zach was looking down at his hands. “But… I can’t even cast a basic shield.”

Annabelle patted Zach on the back. “Of course not. You’ve been learning from wizards.” She smiled, and somehow Christopher was afraid. “By the time the court is done with you, shields should come easier than breathing. It’ll be the other lessons you’ll need to worry about.” Grams turned her dark-eyed stare Christopher’s way. “Now what is this about a duel?” She crossed her arms. “And how is my granddaughter involved?”

The doorbell rang before he could answer. “I’ll get it!”

He ran for the front door, hearing the sounds of Zachary and Lana describing Cole’s latest threats to her grandmother. Without looking through the peephole, he pulled open the door.

He nearly sobbed. Today just kept getting better and better. Edward and Marjory Beckett stood on his step, his mother cool and icy in her pale blue jacket, his father’s salt and pepper hair rumpled as usual. “Hi, Mom. Dad.”

His father paused long enough to give him a hug, his golden eyes filled with anxiety.

“Gareth?”

“My study.”

His father rushed passed him towards the study, barely acknowledging anyone else in his need to see his injured child.

“Christopher.” His mother glided past him, pulling her light wool jacket off and handing it to him. “Where are your other brothers?”

He happily threw his brothers to the wolf. “Zachary is practicing some spells in the great room, and Daniel is with Gareth in my study.”

She walked into the great room. “Zachary, you know better than to…” She stopped and slowly looked around. “Christopher, when did you redecorate?”

“Long story.” He walked over to Lana and pulled her to him, tucking her under his shoulder. “Mom, I’d like you to meet Alannah and her grandmother, Mrs. Evans. Lana, Annabelle, this is my mother, Marjory Beckett.”

His mother stiffened. “Annabelle Evans.”

Grammy smiled, her gaze never leaving his mother. “Nice to meet you, Mrs.

Beckett.”

“Matriarch of the Evans coven?”

Annabelle’s smile was full of teeth. If Chris didn’t know any better he’d call her the predator. “The one and only.”

His mother took a deep breath. “And Alannah is also an Evans, I presume?”

Christopher winced. “Evans-Beckett.” Lana elbowed him in the side with a frown.

His mother turned, her frown equally dire. “Really?”

“Hello, Mrs. Beckett.” Lana held out her hand with a smile.

His mother eyed the shadow mark on the side of her neck and sighed. “A witch, Christopher?”

Lana’s hand dropped, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

Uh-oh. “Alannah is my mate, Mother.”

His mother waved her hand airily. “Don’t call me Mother in that tone of voice. I’ve wiped your poopy bottom; I deserve at least some respect. Besides, I have no problems per se with witches. It’s your father I’m worried about. You know how he gets.” She sniffed. “Are you the one who turned Christopher’s great room purple?”

“That was me, Mom.”

She turned to Zachary, both brows in her hairline. Not a good sign. “What spell were you attempting?”

Zachary took a step back, closer to Annabelle. “I was trying an illusion spell on the flowers.”

Mom blinked. “Illusion spell.”

He nodded. “Yes.”

“Zachary.” It was said in that tone of voice mothers everywhere had, weary and sad and somehow still filled with affection.

Lana fingered the mark on her neck, the exact same mark his mother wore on her neck. “Trust me, it could have been worse. We could have been instant spokeswomen for Welch’s grape juice.”

Christopher buried his face in her hair and tried not to laugh when his mother rolled her eyes. He slowly pulled her out of the room and left Zachary to explain to their mother what was going on. He wasn’t certain he wanted to be there for that. Besides, if anyone could handle his mother, it would be Annabelle Evans. The two were either going to hate each other or love one another and he wasn’t sure which prospect frightened him more.

“Chris?” His father was holding the door to the study open. “There’s something you need to see.”

He exchanged a worried look with Lana before moving into the study. “What?”

Daniel turned the Registry around and pointed to a single entry. “Cole.”

He read the entry and sucked in a breath. Why in hell was he so surprised? “That explains a lot.”

Lana was frowning. “I thought you told me he was a wizard.”

“He was a wizard once upon a time.” Christopher shook his head. “Enough hatred can send a man down a path no one could predict.”

She was shaking her head. “But that’s supposed to be impossible. No one can go from wizard to warlock like that.”

“Not unless they already had some warlock blood in them.” Daniel turned the book back around. “See here? The Godwins have an ancestor who married a warlock, two generations before our families intermarried.”

Chris felt like he’d been socked in the jaw. “Does that mean what I think it means?”

His father nodded. “There’s a direct line down from that ancestor to the one who married our ancestor.” He braced himself on the desk. “It means a warlock could also be born into the Becketts.”

“Fuck.” Gareth sat gingerly in the chair behind the desk. “So where’s the witch in the family? I mean, how did Zach wind up one?”

Lana shook her head. “Witches are spontaneous, remember? We tend to show up in the same families over and over again, but sometimes a witch is born into a wizard or warlock family and, unless someone picks up on it or checks the Registry, they never know who or what they really are. Sometimes we find them and try to train them, but how well they do depends on how much they’re willing to accept.”

“We have another problem than Zach’s spontaneous witchdom.” Daniel stared at Chris, his expression grim.

Chris nodded. “We’ve been preparing for a wizard.”

“When we should have been preparing for a warlock.” Lana parked her butt on the edge of his work table, her fingers automatically going to the emerald ring. She toyed with it before slipping it absently onto her finger. Chris tried to focus on the problem at hand rather than what she’d just done. “We need to get Grammy and your mom in here.”

“I agree.” His brothers looked at him like he’d just offered to share office space with Jaws and the Terminator, but his father looked oddly pleased. “We also need to let the court know that Cole is no longer a wizard, and therefore no longer eligible for the role of king.”

“I’ll take care of that.” Daniel picked up the phone and began dialing.

“I’ll get mom, Annabelle and Zach.” Gareth pulled himself wearily to his feet.

“These fucking pain pills are really dragging my ass down.”

“Rest after this.” When Gareth opened his mouth to object, Chris held up his hand, silencing him. “You can help me more when you’re at the top of your game. Take a nap, then come back down and help me prepare for my duel.”

Gareth nodded and dragged himself out of the room.

“Chris?”

He looked down into the worried eyes of his mate. “It will be all right, Lana.” He pressed a kiss to those soft, beautiful lips. “I promise.”

She glared up at him, but he saw the worry dragging at her eyes. “It better be.”

He smiled. Now that he knew what he’d be dealing with during the duel he was positive it would be.