than usual. “It’s something we used to do when we were hiding out from, well, from everyone. The witches who were after Summer in particular had some spectacular ways to find hidden wards, so my old mentor taught me how to put up a veil. It’s a thin coating that bounces the magic back at the probe spell. All it senses is itself. And the natural environment.”
“You doing okay?” Lee moved in, offering support.
“I probably should eat something. Something felt weird about that magic. It was so oddly familiar,” Dean admitted. “I don’t know. Like I said, it was weird. I’m not used to the power I can tap on this plane.”
“I’ll make sure he gets back to the brugh.” Lee let Dean lean on him. “I’ll get him something to eat and then come back. We’ll need to make a place for the wolves.”
I nodded as they started back for the brugh.
The brown wolf had resumed her progress. She was in her wolf form and so slight and delicate, I didn’t think she could be anything but female. She hit the end of the tunnel and stopped as though shocked at what she found. She lifted her nose and scented the air and then all of her focus was on Danny. The wolf bounded right toward him.
Dev held my hand and we ran to join him. The threat seemed to have passed, and I wanted to help those wolves. I could see shadowy figures in the tunnel, starting to make their way toward us now that the danger was over.
The wolf made it to Daniel and then she was a lithe young woman with a mass of brown hair and familiar eyes.
“Is that Courtney?” My heart felt like it would stop. When I’d left she’d been a little girl who was afraid of pretty much everything in the world. She’d been a tiny werewolf who’d played in my home, watching movies and pretending with her cousins. Because while her father wasn’t my blood, he was my brother.
“I think so, my goddess.” Dev picked up the pace.
Courtney Owens stood in front of Daniel, her brown eyes wide. “Uncle Dan…Your Highness.”
“You had it right the first time,” Daniel assured her. “Where is your father? I heard he was ill.”
Tears fell from her eyes onto her cheeks and she pointed behind her. “He’s with Mom. He’s been getting weaker and weaker, but what happened today pushed him over the edge. I don’t think he’s going to last. We made our way here. We didn’t know where else to go. I’m sorry. We didn’t mean to put you in danger.”
She was still a baby, and she had such responsibility on her shoulders. I moved in, my arms open to offer her a hug if she wanted it.
“Aunt Z.” Courtney wrapped her arms around me. “You’re here. You’re really here.”
Tears welled in my eyes in response to the relief in her voice. How hard had it been on my sweet niece? On all the wolves? “I am, sweetie, and your uncle Daniel is going to help your dad. Take us to him. He doesn’t have to wait.”
She nodded and started to turn, but the wolves were making their way out of the tunnels. Neil carried one end of a stretcher, a young wolf I didn’t recognize carrying the other end. There were others trailing in, but my eyes were on that stretcher because I recognized the she-wolf walking next to it.
Lisa Owens, Zack’s wife. She walked beside the stretcher and there was a sling around her body, a toddler clinging to her.
Neil held up a hand and they lowered the stretcher to the soft grass. He looked around and his eyes stopped on Danny, and I watched a shudder of relief go through him. “Daniel, he’s dying. He needs you. Please.”
Daniel was already rolling up his sleeve, moving in and kneeling down. Courtney held her mother’s hand and watched.
Neil strode up to me and I found myself in a bear hug. “God, Z. What the fuck took you so long?”
“It’s only been a couple of days for me,” I admitted, holding him close.
He pulled away, looking back to Zack. “Bitch. I missed you. I’ll break down and let you pamper me when we figure out if Zack is going to live or die. He’s been weak, but whatever that asswipe sent through our camp damn near killed him. I’m sorry. I didn’t know where else to go, and I couldn’t leave the rest of