The Broken Wolf
Chapter 64

“I don’t want this to come across badly, especially given the past, but we need to know,” Peter says and Seth looks at him cautiously. “What of the magic? Your biological mother was a witch. Do you have magical abilities? Especially any that could help here?”

“That’s… that’s complicated,” I tell him, realizing I’d not even told Seth of that memory. “I had a memory on the first day. Lily was giving me a bath. I wasn’t very big, I’d guess maybe two, and I kept turning the water on without touching the tap. She told me I was strong and would have to learn to control it. But I haven’t felt anything since the spell was lifted, and I wouldn’t know anything about using it if I had.”

“Is it something you’d like to look into?” Seth asks me and I shrug.

“I don’t know,” I tell him honestly. “I don’t really want to go to Lily to ask for help with it, though. So probably not. I’m content with my wolf.”

We could use the need to learn to go to the rogue land. That’s how you could get in safely. They wouldn’t suspect you were there checking on things.

“Well, my wolf thinks I should reach out and try to meet with Lily, to ask about the magic,” I tell them. “She doesn’t think they would suspect that I’d be checking on Benjamin.”

“That’s not a bad thought,” Peter says but before he can finish what he’s saying, Seth interrupts him.

“Absolutely not,” he says loudly, folding his arms across his chest. “That’s not safe. We will not take the chance.”

“What exactly isn’t safe about it?” I ask him, upset that he won’t even entertain the idea.

He looks me in the eyes, clearly upset at the thought. “You could be hurt. Or killed. How am I supposed to go on if something happens to you?”

“You wouldn’t” I tell him, folding my arms across my chest, mimicking him. “The fun part of our bond is that you’d just die, too.”

“Molly,” he asks, moving to rake his hands through his hair. I’ve noticed that it’s a clear sign he’s mad or worried… or both. “You can’t possibly think it’s safe for you to go.”

“I don’t actually think he will hurt me,” I tell him and his eyes bulge at me saying so. “I don’t. Not many people knew about me. He could have killed me, but he sent me away instead. I think there’s a reason he didn’t kill me.”

“Molly, the people that still respected him wouldn’t have continued to do so any longer if he had killed you,” Peter says. “We now know that many people within the Rogues knew you, and who exactly you were. You had members of your own pack here spying on you. I don’t want to upset you by being blunt, but it would have looked better for him if he said he had sent you away to keep you safe instead of killing you because he is terrible.”

I clasp my hands together in my lap and look down at them. I hadn’t really thought of it that way. “You’re probably right”.

“This is a terrible conversation to have,” Peter tells me sympathetically. “That’s why we didn’t want to include you in it until we knew more. You’re a strong young lady, and the future queen of werewolves. You can handle this.”

Seth stands up and walks around the table, sitting down in the seat next to me now and taking one of my hands in his. “I think Sage is right,” he says to everyone’s surprise. “We can reach out to Lily, explain that Molly wants to know more about the magic that we now know that he has, or at least she did before the spell was placed. Lily never looked surprised after Molly woke up and wanted nothing to do with anyone.”

I look up at him and nod in agreement. “She didn’t want to hide me. I think she’ll meet with me, but I don’t think Benjamin will come to the cave. She said he didn’t come to the cave the first night because it was too hard for him and when we went for a walk, he moved very slowly.”

“We can send you both in together, with Robert, Randal and that young fellow you all like,” Peter says to us all. “I would as well, but I doubt he would permit me this time. The only reason he allowed it last time was because of the state Molly was in.”

“Which, I think, points to him being less likely to kill me,” I say, and he seems to think about that for a moment. “He didn’t always hate me, but he really struggled after the boys died.”

“They also had the album of photos that was very clearly worn out from being looked at often,” Seth adds. “I think he, to some extent, regretted his choice. He genuinely was happy you were there. Anyone could see that.”

“That is true,” my dad adds. “I knew him better than any of us and I can tell you that his happiness the first night you were there was genuine, Molly. He never gave any indication that we shouldn’t trust him. And the same for Lily. I don’t know her, but she was so happy you were there. I think that, with all of us there, it would be safe.”

“And the easiest way for us to attempt to get any information,” I add and dad nods his head in agreement.

Robbie looks at me and speaks up. “How do we get in contact with them, though? I doubt they have a phone.”

“He did have a phone, though. He called here to have Seth join us,” and Robbie nods at me, clearly thinking. “I think it would be best to cross the line though. Benjamin granted me permission to the land.”

“He did?” Seth asks, looking down at me. “That’s unexpected.”

“Yes, he did when he.. uhh… “ I slow my words, unsure if it would hurt him- or Peter. “He offered at one point to let me stay there until the next new moon, to give me more time if I needed it before being marked.”

Seth and Peter look at each other and I don’t understand the look that passes between them, but there’s definitely one there. It makes me uncomfortable and I begin to worry that it hurt Seth that I considered delaying the marking.

“I’m sorry,” I whisper to Seth and he looks at me, understanding quickly registering.

“No, Molly. I’m not upset. I don’t want you to think that. I, myself, was concerned that you would need more time before I marked you,” he tells me and squeezes my hand for comfort. “It’s just that it seems he either has changed and really wanted you there, or you being alive and marked was a key to his plan in some way. Either way, it seems much safer for you.”

“So we cross and then just go?” Robbie asks.

Peter shakes his head. “Molly can come and go as she wishes. Everyone else will need permission.”

“I can cross with Seth, and he can step back like the time you both went,” I tell him and he nods in understanding. “Then I can ask for Alex and I’m sure it will be OK from there.”

“Who is Alex?” dad asks.

“Oh,” I say, realizing that he and Peter probably don’t know him well. “Alex is Benjamin’s Beta.”

“You’re familiar with the man? And you think he’s a safe choice?” Peter asks me.

“Yes, probably more than Benjamin, even.” I tell them all. “The day Jason died, I… well… he had told me to hide and not move, so I stayed there. I was still there when they finally found him. Benjamin was upset and furious and Alex. Well, Alex took me home. I didn’t realize it then, but looking back on the memories now, he was just trying to protect me from Benjamin’s anger. He was upset about what he said to me.”

“What did he say?” dad asks me, clearly concerned. I just shake my head.

“It doesn’t matter,” I tell him sadly. “It’s over and done now.”