Broken Bond - Callie Rose Page 0,30
billows in the slants of evening sunlight coming through the curtains. Archer glances around with a look of horror on his face, as if he’s ready to drop everything and clean.
“It’s not much, but it’s home,” he says, glancing at us. “I’ve got some meat in the freezer, and some potatoes in the cabinet that hopefully aren’t sprouting wings. Anyone up for dinner?”
“That sounds great,” I offer when nobody else breaks the awkward silence. “I’ll help.”
We pile our bags in Archer’s small, sparse bedroom, then migrate to the backyard where he has a large charcoal grill and a picnic table that’s weathered a few mountain storms in its time. While I get the flames going, he helps Sable and Trystan get settled at the wooden table with a cold case of beer. Both help themselves to a can, but neither speak. There’s a touch of sadness to Sable’s eyes, and I wonder if she’s thinking of Malcolm.
Honestly, I was pretty shaken up by his appearance too. He’s a lot worse off than he was last time I saw him.
For a while, we’re all lost to our own thoughts. Archer wraps the potatoes in tin foil with butter and salt, and I place them over the charcoal to get cooking. We tag team the hamburgers, mixing the meat with a variety of ingredients before we pat them into circles and toss them onto the rack beside the potatoes.
While the food cooks, I grab a beer of my own and sit in the empty chair beside Sable. She’s staring down into the black hole of her can as if it might hold all the answers she’s seeking. I can tell she’s lost in her head, still trying to process everything she’s been through. I wish I could help her, give her some kind of reassurance that it won’t always be like this and things will get better.
But it’s not like I have any kind of experience with this particular situation. The mate bond, the witch transformation—this is all uncharted territory. Any of the reassurances that sit on the tip of my tongue would sound stupid and dishonest, too vaguely optimistic without anything to back that optimism up with.
So the four of us sit in companionable silence and finish our beers, keeping our thoughts to ourselves.
Another beer later, Archer brings out ketchup, mustard, and slightly stale buns. We make our plates, unrolling the soft baked potatoes and slathering them with more butter while Archer apologizes for not having sour cream, cheese, or bacon.
I’m too fucking hungry to care about the condiments one way or another. I tear into my sandwich, watching Sable eat from the corner of my eye. Everything she does, she does gracefully, purposefully—even eating a hamburger. It’s a beautiful quality and reminds me there’s nothing I wouldn’t do to keep her safe.
“We should discuss a plan to ensure Sable’s safety,” I say.
My voice startles everyone at the table. Sable drops her hamburger to her plate with a squeak, while Archer almost knocks over his beer and Trystan misses his potato with his fork. We’ve been silent so long, I think everyone expected it to continue.
“She’s safe here,” Archer says quickly, then reaches over to squeeze Sable’s hand. “You’re safe here, I promise.”
“I don’t mean physically,” I assure her. “I mean because of her new witch magic. We need to ensure nobody finds out.”
A pink blush creeps up Sable’s cheeks. “I told you all this was a bad idea—”
“We know you and we trust you,” I rush to add, feeling like a broken record. They’re just words, and I wish I could prove to her that my assurances aren’t empty promises. “But if anybody here—or in any pack—finds out…”
Silence stretches between us all as they fill in the blanks.
“So we figure out how to keep the magic at bay,” Archer says simply. “I know it’s still new, Sable, but have you noticed any common denominators with the magic? Like can you feel it coming on? Does anything make it happen?”
“My emotions seem to make the magic stir.” She chews on her lip, her food forgotten. “When I’m scared or panicked, it’s like it reacts to those feelings. That’s when the scars turn black.”
“That’s a good start,” I tell her with a reassuring smile. “If we can manage to keep your emotions in check, we’ll not only keep you safe and keep your secret silent, but by default, we’ll protect the packs too. Win, win.”
“So we have to work on keeping your